Catnapped (A Klepto Cat Mystery)

by Fry, Patricia

  “You were quite embedded in the industry, weren’t you?” Savannah mused.

  Max chuckled. “Oh yes. I think your aunt will tell you that I don’t do anything halfway. Right, Maggie?”

  Margaret contemplated the question and had to agree that when he was passionate about something, he gave it his all. That’s why she felt so much pressure from him at times when he pursued the question of marriage so fervently. She loved Max. There was no denying it. But marriage? She wasn’t ready for it at this point in her life—maybe never. She liked things just the way they were. “That’s right, Max. You can become obsessed…or possessed,” she added with an impish laugh.

  “Aw, Auntie, is that fair? Maybe it takes one to know one,” Savannah said, a wide grin. Before Margaret could react, Savannah turned to Max and asked, “So what disturbed this lovely lifestyle?”

  “In a word, Ellie. He looked down at his glass of lemonade as if in deep contemplation.

  “Oh, a female!”

  “Yes, Savannah, you might say that,” Max said thoughtfully. “The cattery wasn’t supporting me, you see. Besides, it could be confining. So I took a job as a restaurant chef in downtown Chicago. I’d always been aware of cats hanging around the garbage cans in the alleys behind the restaurants in the city. I felt sorry for them. I saved scraps for them and all. But now—maybe it was because I had become so focused on cats—I began seeing these alley cats as if I were seeing them for the first time. The same cats came night after night. Some were aggressive, some frightened. Some of them would come initially looking pretty good—only a little gaunt. Then they might show up one night missing an eye or an ear. Some were diseased. Abscesses got seriously out of control. And kittens. There seemed to always be pregnant females. Some would bring kittens with them to the garbage bins when they were old enough. Some had obviously lost their kittens.”

  Max reached out and petted a big yellow cat that had wandered in on quiet paws. He looked down at him for a second and then continued, “This began bothering me more and more. One night I heard a commotion in the alley.” He took a deep breath. “I went out just in time to see some kids, who were old enough to know better, tormenting one of the cats. Before I could stop them, they had done some serious damage.” Max couldn’t hide the anger he felt inside. It showed like a beacon on his face. He virtually growled through gritted teeth, “I came unglued!”

  Savannah sat in silence, swallowing a flow of emotion. Margaret appeared to be holding her breath.

  “My heart absolutely broke for this cat. I was pretty sure she was with kittens at the time. I lost it. I rushed those kids—would have beaten them to a pulp if I’d been fast enough to catch them. I even called the authorities, but there was nothing they could do. The kids were long gone. I had a good description and a policeman did actually come out and listen to me. But I knew that was probably the end of it.” Max paused and took a deep breath. “That wasn’t the end of it for me, though,” he said defiantly. “That night, I went out and looked for the little cat.” He choked up a little as he said, “I found her. She had crawled away and hid under some old boxes. She was unconscious.”

  Savannah cringed and closed her eyes in an attempt to erase the image. It didn’t help.

  Max said, his tone steady and sure, “I put the assistant chef in charge, left the restaurant and took the cat to the nearest all-night vet clinic. I knew about the place because one of my Brits had a problem delivering one night and I had taken her there. Anyway, the little cat was in bad shape. There were some broken bones and she lost her kittens. But I could tell that she was tough. I don’t know if it was her determination I saw or my own reflecting in her. But I had a feeling that she was something special and I asked the vet to do everything he could to save her.

  “Actually, I guess that’s when I came to realize that all cats are special and deserve every chance we can give them. I think that’s what I was put in that position to learn. This little cat represented something more to me than one stray I could help. She represented a shift in my very being.”

  “Ooooo, goose bumps,” Savannah said with a shiver. By then a tabby had joined them in the kitchen and had agreed to sit on her lap. She found this especially comforting while hearing Max’s gripping story.

  “The little cat recovered and I took her home. She was an ugly duckling next to my beautiful Brits,” he said, laughing out loud. “And she didn’t know how to behave. I’m not sure she’d ever been a household pet before. But I suspect she did know people at some point in her short life. She had a lot to learn, and so did I. This little girl turned out to be one of the most interesting and charming cats I’d ever owned. Present company excepted Grizzy and Big Boy,” he said, acknowledging the two cats that had just wandered in. “And you, too, Gretchen; I see you hiding around the corner there.”

  He continued, “Truly, there was something about her—and to think that someone could just throw her away like that and that someone could abuse her. I still get choked up when I think about my little Ellie.” He paused. “Yes, I named her Ellie, for the restaurant where I worked—Ellison’s. I never wanted to forget the cats in that alley. To me, she represented all ferals, strays and abused cats everywhere.”

  He took a ragged breath. “This was a definite turning point in my life. Ellie is the reason why I quit breeding and judging and why I shifted my whole focus to those cats who are already here and that nobody wants. Ellie and the others in the alley are the reason why I’m here today. She even made a vegetarian out of me.” He straightened his posture, tilted his head a little and said, “I’ll bet you don’t know many vegetarian chefs.”

  Savannah shook her head. “How’s that, Max?”

  “Well, one night I was holding Ellie in my arms…it took a while and a lot of patience, but she finally gave in and decided that she rather liked being massaged and stroked. So anyway, I was holding her like a baby, looking down into her face, and I realized at that moment that I could never eat animal meat again.”

  The only sound in the kitchen for the next several minutes came from the cats. There was a mixture of purring, chirping, and a quiet and occasional mew. Finally Savannah looked over at Max and asked, “So what brought you here?”

  He leaned back in his chair, and said, “Well, I got my Brits spayed and neutered—even the kittens. I sold them all and Ellie, Elmer, and I moved out here to start a new life. Sure, there are plenty of cats to save in Chicago, but I was ready for a change. I didn’t know where we would end up. I started scouring the Internet in search of ideas and opportunities. When this nursery came up for sale, I thought it would make a great cat facility and I put in a bid. I’ve been here for nearly three years.”

  “Dare I ask…about Ellie?” Savannah said quietly and hesitantly, a lump in her throat.

  Max reached out toward a young cat that had stretched up, placed her front paws on his leg and began kneading enthusiastically. “Easy, girl,” he said with a grimace. “You have needles in those paws of yours.” He lifted the cat into his lap, ruffled the fur on her head and then continued his story. “Well, I guess Ellie’s work on earth was finished. She was only about eight when her kidneys began to fail. Despite the fact that she lived like a queen the last few years of her life, her rough beginnings must have caught up with her. She died in my arms the day I opened this facility.”

  Savannah could no longer hold back the tears. She picked up a napkin from a stack in the middle of the table and dabbed at her eyes. Margaret sat with her head down, obviously touched by the story even though she’d heard it a time or two or three.

  “And you named the place after her,” Savannah said, her voice cracking.

  “Yes, this is El’s Cat Rescue Shelter.”

  Savannah looked down at the napkin she was picking at with her fingers.

  “He’s a unique cat person, that’s for sure,” Margaret said, looking at him with fondness. “And he has what many don’t—a head for business as well as a heart for cats. That’s an unusual
combination, you know?”

  Savannah nodded her head. “Yes, I’ve seen that in the veterinary field.” She turned to Max and asked, “Do you rely on donations?”

  “Yes, we have a few fundraisers throughout the year,” he said. “The dance coming up is a fundraiser sponsored by all of the local cat-rescue places. This is a first—a start toward our working together rather than trying to each run our own shows separately. Maggie and I believe that we can accomplish more together than when there are so many different agendas. Many heads working together are better than individual heads working apart.” He looked up at Margaret and said, “If I could only convince your aunt that two hearts are better than one.”

  Savannah looked over in time to see her aunt’s face tinge pink. Cool, she thought. Very cool.

  ***

  “That was a friggin’ good score this morning, Alex ole buddy!” the taller boy said to the smaller one as they walked home from school together that afternoon.

  “Yeah, four easy ones. That’s friggin’ ten bucks each!” He turned toward his friend and asked, “Whatcha gonna do with your take, Cody?”

  “Maybe buy cigarettes and beer,” he said with a big grin.

  “Friggin’ cool,” Alex said. “But who’s gonna get it for ya?”

  “I’m thinkin’ that old guy we work for might.”

  “He’s friggin’ creepy.”

  “Yeah, I know, Alex. I’m kinda scared every time we hafta get in that old rattletrap with him. Don’t you wonder where he’s gonna take us and what he’s gonna do?”

  “You watch too many scary movies, dude!”

  “Oh yeah? Ever notice that big knife he carries on his belt?” Cody asked.

  “I can’t even look at that guy. He creeps me out. He has a knife?”

  “Yeah. When he picks us up today, let’s ask him if he’ll buy the stuff and we’ll get wasted on the weekend.” He grabbed his friend’s shirt and pulled him around to face him. “Hey, we can spend the night in that old barn behind my house,” he said, obviously excited at the thought. “No one ever goes in there and my ole man won’t know nothin’.”

  “Hey Cody, your old man drinks beer and smokes cigarettes. Maybe we can get some from him.”

  “Naw, I tried that once. Got caught. I think he keeps track of his stuff now. Doesn’t trust me for some reason.” He looked over at Alex and the two of them laughed.

  “Okay then, we’ll ask the old fart. You ask him, okay?”

  “Yeah, whatever.” And then he added, “Do you think he’d let us drink the beer up at his place?”

  “The creepy guy? You want to party at that place? Are you crazy?” he asked punching Cody in the arm. “Who knows what he might do to us up there in the hills. Naw, I don’t trust that guy at all.” Alex then turned to his friend and said, “He really creeped me out the time we saw that fat bitch bending over to pick up her newspaper in that short thing she was wearing. Do you remember how he acted and what he said?”

  “Yeah, that was weird, man,” Cody recalled. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he went back there after dropping us off.” Then he pushed Alex playfully and said, “He’s been in prison, you know.”

  “Really? For what?”

  “He didn’t exactly say. But that day you couldn’t go with us, he told me stuff about prison. He’s about as bad a dude as I’ve ever met,” Cody said. “It’s friggin’ crazy that we’re even working for him. Why are we doin’ it, anyway?”

  “Money!” Alex thought for a minute and then added with a devilish grin, “You gotta say it’s kinda a kick—this work that we do.”

  Both boys laughed and Alex jumped in the air to slap Cody’s hand for a jubilant high five.

  ***

  As Savannah pulled up in front of her aunt’s house after the short drive from Max’s place, Margaret’s cell phone rang. She fumbled around in her purse. “Darn, I can never find that thing.” Finally, “Hello? Oh Ms. Lipton…uh, Dora. Yes, I remember you, how are you? Yes, what’s up?”

  Savannah watched as her aunt’s face changed from pensive to curious to dubious and then she seemed downright ecstatic. “Really?!!?” she said, as she glanced over at her niece—her eyes flashing with excitement.

  “Sure, I know the area.” She listened intently. After several seconds, she asked, “Are you sure?” and then, “Well, I’ll see what I can find out. Thank you very much for calling,” Margaret said into the phone as she gave Savannah a knowing look.

  “By the way, Ms. Lipton… Okay Dora… are you aware of the benefit we’re having Saturday night here in Hammond? Proceeds are to be split among all the cat-rescue organizations in the Alliance, if you can imagine that!”

  “Yes, I know,” Margaret continued, “little cooperation among them. That’s so true. Anyway, I’d like to invite you to come out for the dance and I think I can pull some strings to have you collect some of the donations. You are a licensed business, aren’t you?”

  She listened for a few seconds and then said, “Oh, well, maybe you’ll qualify for a cut next time. I’ll send you a flyer. Do you have email? Oh. Okay, got it—DoraCat37@yahoo.com. Try to come and meet some of the people who love cats as much as you do. I think we could probably help each other do a better job of keeping cats safe. And bring Charlotte. Okay, Ms…I mean Dora. Thank you again.”

  “Zowie!” Margaret said as she slammed the phone down on her lap and gazed, as if stunned, out the car window.

  “What?” Savannah wanted to know.

  Margaret turned in her seat toward Savannah. “Do you remember that sweet girl we met at Dora’s house?”

  “Charlotte, yes,” Savannah recalled with a smile. “She has a place name, too.”

  “Well, evidently she’s more savvy than some people think and she overheard something she thought was important. Some kids at her school were talking about their escapades which involved grabbing cats.” Margaret emphasized the last two words by speaking them slowly and clearly, and watched for her niece’s reaction.

  “What? Someone is bragging about it?”

  “Yes,” she blurted. “According to Dora, Charlotte overheard a couple of boys say that they were being paid for this cool job of finding and grabbing cats and delivering them to a ranch up in the foothills.” Margaret became more animated—her voice more shrill. “Savannah,” she said reaching out and placing her hand on her niece’s arm, “evidently, one boy was showing off the scratches he got while struggling with a fierce cat.”

  “Oh, probably Patches—Gina’s cat!” Savannah said.

  “Yes!” Margaret was having trouble containing her excitement. She was speaking faster now. “Oh my gosh, girl. We’ve cracked the case! We know where the cats are being taken. Charlotte didn’t get the boys’ names, but Dora was pretty sure the information she got will be helpful to us. And it is! I know the place where they’re taking the cats. It belongs to Russell Bray.”

  “Oh my gosh,” Savannah said reaching for the door handle.

  “Wait!” Margaret almost shouted.

  Savannah looked over at her aunt, wondering what she was thinking now. She wasn’t completely surprised to hear her say, “Let’s go up there and see what we can find out.”

  Savannah thought about it. She then looked over at her aunt and shook her head. “No, Auntie. It’s nearly 3:15 and we’ve run around a lot again today. I think you should rest that foot. Let’s go in and get you comfy in your chair with your foot up and I’ll fix us something to eat. We can talk about how to approach this situation. Okay?”

  Margaret relaxed against the car seat. “Of course, you’re right Vannie. Sorry for jumping the gun. I am kinda tired.” She reached over and opened the car door. “Roll the windows back up, will you? Don’t want vermin in my car.”

  “Oh yes,” Savannah said with a chuckle, “possums, alligators…wild boar…”

  “Ha ha,” Margaret said. “You just wait until you wake up and step out of bed on a snake or have a mouse run across your toes.”

  “
I’m not squeamish, Auntie,” Savannah said as she exited the car. She walked around to help Margaret and continued, “I sure didn’t like hearing the possibilities Max talked about this morning, though—all those awful things people do to cats. It’s great to see so many people on the cats’ side. Refreshing.” As she stood there watching Margaret get situated on her crutches, she said, “I’m so glad I came, Auntie.”

  “So am I, honey. So am I.”

  “What’s this?” Margaret asked no one in particular.

  “What?” Savannah stared over in the direction her aunt faced. “Looks like a glove. Maybe it’s Antonio’s,” she suggested.

  “A leather glove?” Margaret said. “Gardeners don’t wear leather gloves, do they?”

  “Maybe if they’re stacking wood or something.” Savannah picked up the glove and took a closer look while her aunt stepped up on the porch. “It has little poke-holes in it—like pin holes. That’s strange,” she said. “Once you get settled, I’ll go out and ask Antonio if the glove is his.” And then she called after her aunt, “What do you want me to do with it?” she asked.

  “Just leave it there where we found it.”

  ***

  A few minutes later, an old-model, dark-colored pickup truck stopped at the end of the driveway in front of the Forster house.

  “Can’t you just drive in and get it?” Cody begged.

  “No, I can’t. Now git out and run up there and git it like I said.”

  “Run all that ways? Are you crazy? That’s about a mile,” Cody said.

  “No it ain’t no mile. Now go on. Git that glove and hurry,” the driver said as he continued to nervously glance around in all directions.