by Donna Doyle
“Yeah, but it’s a short drive and I’d rather not feel like I’m forgetting to do something.” She fetched her purse and keys.
“I’ll let you go then, honey. Good luck tomorrow night, and let me know how it goes!”
“Will do! Love you!” After changing back into jeans and a t-shirt, Courtney headed back across town on a short drive that she was getting to know like the back of her hand. The traffic was much lighter than usual as she went through the downtown area, since it was already past the dinner hour. She’d be back at home and ready to try on that gray dress in no time, as well as look over all her notes and make sure there wasn’t a single thing missed.
Courtney didn’t think a thing about showing up at work so late at night. Nobody was supposed to be there, and other than potentially waking up a few of the animals, it shouldn’t be a problem. But as she put her key in the lock and opened the door, she noticed the light on in the office. Her mouth went dry. She’d thought about putting alarms on the doors, but had settled for only the cameras. They wouldn’t help her now.
Courtney slowly moved further into the building, pushing her keys through her fingers as a makeshift weapon and hoping her phone didn’t ring from her pocket, announcing her presence. She was tempted to call out, hoping it would either let her know one of the other ladies had come in or that it might chase away whoever was here, but she couldn’t do it. She was simply too scared, and things had been too strange in Curly Bay lately.
“Come on,” grunted a gruff voice from the office. “I don’t have all night!”
Peeking in the office door, Courtney spied a man with dark curly hair standing in front of her desk. He was facing away from the door, watching Ritz. The cat was up on top of a cabinet, watching the man with a feisty look in his eyes.
“Seriously, cat. We’ve got work to do.” The man reached up at him, but Ritz easily danced out of his reach.
The stranger’s position allowed Courtney to see the side of his face, and she immediately recognized him. They’d had almost no customers in the building over the past week, but even so it was easy to recognize the man who’d come in to adopt a cat. He’d gotten so belligerent over not being able to take a cat home that day that Courtney hadn’t even gotten his name, and he’d left when Detective Fletcher arrived.
Suppressing a gasp of shock, Courtney dodged out of the doorframe before the man saw her. She could slip out the front door and call the police, but that would leave this creep in the building with Ritz and the other animals, not to mention the silent auction items that were stored there. Pressing one hand to the side of her face to help her think, she realized her shiny crystal earrings she’d been trying on with her velvet dress were still in her ears. Courtney took one out. Silently, she took a leash down from a hook on the wall. Her breath and her heartbeat were so loud she thought the man might hear her, but he was too distracted with the cat.
“Come on, you stupid cat! You’ve caused me enough trouble already, getting yourself locked up in here.” He swiped a hand up at the cat again, but Ritz hissed at him.
Courtney raised a brow. The tuxedo had been the sweetest cat ever since he’d shown up, but he definitely didn’t like this guy. Hoping her plan would work, and hoping it was worth the risk, Courtney hooked the clip end of the leash over the door hinge. She watched the man carefully, hoping he wouldn’t turn around as she stretched it across the doorway and held the loop firmly in her hand. Then she took her cell phone out of her pocket. She shielded the light from the screen with her hand as she turned her call volume all the way down, and then dialed a number that was quickly becoming familiar to her. She then turned off the screen and put it back in her pocket.
Stepping just to the edge of the doorway, Courtney reached out and dangled her earring in the air. It immediately caught Ritz’s attention, but because of the angle the man thought the cat was looking at him.
“That’s a good kitty. Come on down, now. I’ve got a new harness waiting for you, and just think of all the goodies we’re going to get.” He dangled a blue harness and leash in the air.
Ritz’s pupils thinned down to tiny slits as he focused on the earring. He dug his claws into the wood of the cabinet as he wiggled his rear end and prepared to pounce.
“That’s it! Just jump right down into my arms, buddy. I’ll buy you a big old bag of cat treats!”
Courtney tossed the earring under the lobby counter. It landed silently on the carpet, but Ritz still knew it was there. He leapt off the cabinet and bounced off the man’s shoulder. Courtney dodged to the side of the doorway as Ritz hurtled out of the office, and she pulled hard on the leash.
It was only a few inches off the floor, but the man was too focused on Ritz to see it as he chased the cat. First one foot twanged against it and then the other. Courtney held tight, and it yanked hard at her shoulder, but she was determined to make this work. The man toppled forward, his hairy arms flailing uselessly before he hit the floor.
Courtney sprang up. The leash’s hook had come off the hinge, but it was still underneath the man’s legs. She quickly wrapped it around him before snagging another one off the wall and binding his wrists behind his back.
“Hey! Hey, what’s going on here? What is this?”
She didn’t want to. She didn’t want to have anything to do with this man, and she certainly didn’t want to touch him any more than she had to. He’d been rude to her, and he obviously wasn’t interested in Ritz’s welfare. Even so, Courtney knelt down hard, digging her knees into his back.
He rolled to the side, like a whale trying to avoid a harpoon. “Get off me! You have sharp knees!”
She twisted the leash that was wrapped around his wrists as she pulled her cell out with the other hand. It was difficult to get the volume turned back up, but she was grateful to see the time still running on the call. “Detective Fletcher? Are you still there?”
“I’m on my way. Are you at the shelter? What’s going on?”
“I am, and I hope you’ve got your handcuffs with you. Someone was breaking in and trying to steal a cat.” She struggled as the man tried to get away once more, grateful for having spent the last few months dealing with big dogs on leashes who sometimes thought they should be able to run off and chase a squirrel. “I’ve got him.”
“I’ll be there right away, Courtney. Just hang tight.”
Courtney could hear the sound of sirens in the distance, and she knew he was close. She looked up the cat, who was watching the whole show from the safety of the counter. He dipped his head as he tried to comprehend what was happening.
“You did a good job, Ritz. You caught the bad guy.”
Ritz responded by walking just a little further down the counter, pausing near a plastic cup of pens. He casually knocked it down with his paw, aiming perfectly so that it fell on the man’s head.
Chapter Ten
“Courtney, you did a wonderful job up there! You should be in public speaking!” Mrs. Throgmorton cooed over a glass of white wine. She wore a sparkling black dress with blindingly brilliant diamonds in her ears and at her throat. “Everyone loved you, I could tell. And did you see the current bids on the silent auction? This fundraiser is an absolute hit!”
“Don’t give me all the credit, you’re the one who pulled it all together.” Courtney gave the older woman a gentle nudge and winked. She’d been so worried about this event, and even once they’d gotten past the problems with the venue and the band, she’d still been concerned that something might go wrong. Courtney was surprised not only at how well it was going, but how comfortable she was. Mrs. Throgmorton’s friends were all so nice.
“No, I just pulled a few strings I had access to. Courtney, you’ve got such charisma! People like you, and you know how to make them really care about these animals.” Mrs. Throgmorton leaned closed and looked around the room before saying in a conspiratorial whisper, “Now, don’t tell anyone I told you, but I just so happened to see Mrs. Wingate actually get down on the floor to pet
a dog! I’ve never seen the woman stoop for anything before, and you managed to get to her!”
“That’s wonderful! We’ve had several adoption applications put in already tonight, and I’m so excited. We’ll get the roof fixed, and then we’ll move on to the next project. I don’t suppose you know anyone who wants to foster a cat or a dog, do you?”
Mrs. Throgmorton laughed. “You know, I’ll pass the word around, my dear, but don’t count on me. Sir Glitter wouldn’t tolerate sharing me with anyone! Say, isn’t that your detective friend?” She pointed across the room, where the older gentleman had just come in the door.
“It is. I’d better go save him from having to buy a ticket.” Courtney trotted over. “Detective Fletcher. What brings you here?”
He smiled, a look she didn’t often see on his face. “What, I can’t support my favorite shelter? I can’t tell you how much we love our Artemis.” Detective Fletcher had adopted a fluffy tuxedo cat just the previous month.
“I’m so glad to hear it. He’s a wonderful cat.”
“And so is that Ritz who helped you out last night,” Fletcher commented. “Tell me, did you find it interesting that the cat who was a crook also helped you catch a burglar?”
“Well, yeah, actually,” Courtney admitted. “In the moment, I was just focused on saving the animals. After I got home and had more time to think about it, I was desperate to know what the connection between the two of them was. Why was he trying to get Ritz? That cat didn’t seem to want to have anything to do with him, yet he’s friendly with everyone else. He’s actually part of the adoption event tonight, and he’s loved on everyone who comes near him.”
The detective nodded wisely. “Those tuxedo cats are pretty smart, and Ritz is no exception. The man we arrested at your shelter last night was Darryl Skaggs, and he’s the one who’s been breaking into homes all over Curly Bay.”
Somehow, hearing that out loud made it all the more terrifying. Courtney could feel her heart thundering underneath her gray dress. “Seriously?”
“Yes, ma’am. It turns out he was just trying to get his partner back. He’d found Ritz, whom he just called Cat, and knew he was smart. He trained him to steal for him, and he used him to get into homes undetected or crawl in through cracked windows.”
“That explains why he stole the diamond collar and Jessi’s earring and my fountain pen. I thought he just liked shiny things, which is why I used my own earring to lure him into the lobby last night.” The roar of the crowded depot behind her turned to a roar in her ears as anger bubbled up in her blood. “I can’t believe he’d use an innocent cat that way!”
“Oh, but he did. That explains why he was found near one of the crime scenes with a harness on, too. Darryl wasn’t expecting us to respond as quickly as we did to the tripped alarm, and he was more concerned about getting away himself.”
“I suppose this means Ritz is still looking for a new owner. He very well may find one here tonight.” Courtney glanced around the room at the supporters who’d gathered in their finest attire. Some of them danced on the cleared area in front of the band, and others chatted and clinked their wine glasses. It was beautiful, really, but it also made Courtney think of the conversation she’d had with Jessi. Was this just a thinly veiled excuse to show off? Or did any of these people actually care about what happened with the animals?
“Courtney, I need you,” Jessi said at her elbow.
Blinking back to reality, Courtney nodded at Fletcher. “I’ve got to go, but thanks for the update. Please, feel free to stay and enjoy some food.”
Jessi took her by the crook of the elbow and pulled her toward the back of the building. Her steps were urgent, but her eyes were alight. “You know how we were worried about finding enough room for all the cats and dogs between the hotel and what we could use of the shelter?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t think you’ll have to worry about it after tonight! These people are going absolutely nuts for the animals! I’m so ashamed of myself. I thought for sure they didn’t care, but they do. Not only are they shelling out all their money, but they actually want to take these pets home!” Jessi was practically giggling with excitement.
“Really?” Courtney glanced at the current bid on the diamond collar as they walked by. Her eyes widened, knowing there’d be plenty of money for the roof and more. “Oh!”
“Wait until you look in here!”
Courtney peeked in the door of the side room where they’d decided to hold the adoption portion of the event. The sound of the band and the party was nearly drowned out in here anyway, but it was completely obliterated by the coos, laughs, and baby talk of the patrons. The dogs were out on leashes so they could interact, and even though Courtney had worried about having enough volunteers, most of the dogs had been taken over by the socialites. Just as Mrs. Throgmorton had described, they were completely ignoring the care directions for their designer suits as they petted, scratched, and played. The cats were just as big of a hit, and the fat marmalade who liked to bathe on Courtney’s desk was currently being held like a baby in the arms of an older woman with a pouf of curly gray hair.
She noticed one dog who didn’t seem interested in visiting, and she walked over to Beau and Dora. “What’s the matter? Do you think he’s scared?”
Dora shook her head and smiled. “No. I think he’s in love.” She pointed to the opposite corner of the room, where Lisa was helping someone with paperwork.
Courtney looked down at Beau, who was watching Lisa intently from around Dora’s legs. “Interesting.”
Fortunately, Lisa spotted her, and Courtney waved for her to come over. “Courtney, this is just going so well! Everyone’s going nuts over these sweet babies!”
“Yes, but someone here isn’t having a good time.” Courtney looked down at Beau. The dog had completely changed now that Lisa was nearby. Instead of quivering behind Dora, he stood up and wagged his tail happily as he watched his foster mom.
“Actually, I was going to ask you about him,” Lisa said shyly. “I really fell in love with him while he stayed at my place. I already knew I liked him, but when I had to bring him back for this event, the idea of him going home with someone else just broke my heart.”
Courtney gave her sidelong glance. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“Yes!” she squealed with a vigorous nod of her heard. “I want to adopt him.”
“Then welcome to the family,” Courtney said as she gave her friend a big hug. “There’s just one thing I have to ask you about,” she said as she pulled back.
“Sure. Anything.”
“Beau has built up a special bond with someone at the shelter. Come with me.” She brought Lisa and Beau over to the cats, where she pulled the little gray kitten out of its cage. “This little guy was curled up with Beau when he escaped from his cage, and I was pretty sure that neither the dog nor the cat wanted to be separated. I knew for sure when the kitten got out a second time and was curled up pitifully against the kennel door. Would you consider taking them both?”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought about a cat.” Lisa took the kitten from Courtney’s arms and stooped down, holding it out where Beau could see. “Is this your buddy?”
Beau responded with a fierce whisk of his brushy tail that whacked nearby patrons in the knees. He sniffed the kitten and then licked Lisa’s face, whining slightly.
“I can’t possibly say no to that!”
Courtney took out her cell to take pictures, but before they could finish celebrating, Detective Fletcher tapped her on the shoulder. “I’m sorry to bother you, but there’s a woman here you need to talk to. I think you’d find it urgent.” He stepped aside to reveal a woman in her late twenties whom Courtney didn’t recognize.
“Hi, I’m Courtney. What can I do for you?” She held out her hand.
“I’m Sable, and—” The woman clapped her own hand to her mouth as tears sprang to her eyes. “Can it really be? Is that my sweet Ritz? It just can
’t be!”
Courtney followed her to Ritz’s cage and took the cat out. “This is your cat?”
Ritz nudged his head up under her chin, but of course that only meant Sable was a good person. He treated everyone but Darryl Skaggs that way.
“I sure think so, but I’m too scared to look. Tell me, does he have a perfect little row of three black buttons on his belly? Like he’s actually wearing a tuxedo?” Sable picked up the cat’s front end so Courtney could see his underside.
“You know, he does!” Courtney exclaimed.
Sable practically screamed as she hugged the cat to her chest. “I can’t believe this! I’ve been looking all over for you!”
“How long has he been missing?”
“Two years!” Sable exclaimed. “I’m a circus performer, and when I adopted him, he always wanted to help me practice my acts. I started working with him and training him, and I even got him his own segment in the show. But the crowd scared him, and he ran away. I haven’t stopped looking for him, because I just knew he had to be out there somewhere. Oh, Ritz! I’ll bet you’ve had a very interesting life, haven’t you?”
“You have no idea,” Courtney said. “And is his name really Ritz? That’s the name animal control gave him, too.”
“I guess it’s just common for cats like him,” Sable said with a shrug. “I just always thought of that old song when I saw him in his little tuxedo.”
Mrs. Throgmorton had meandered in and overheard the conversation. “He’s a circus cat? What can he do?”
“I don’t know if he still can. I don’t know if he remembers, but we can try. Let’s start with a simple one.” Sable set Ritz down on the floor and walked about ten feet away from him. The cat kept his eyes glued on her. When she snapped her fingers above her right shoulder, he instantly ran right toward her and leapt up, landing on her without any assistance.
“Is there more?” Mrs. Throgmorton pressed. “I’ve got a whole crowd of people down there looking to spend money. We could raise even more money for the shelter if we charge the guests+ a few bucks a piece to come be part of the show.”