By Cat or By Crook (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 20)

by Patricia Fry

As they stepped back slowly and carefully, Margaret kept her eye on the lantern. That ought to knock him senseless. If I can get my hands on it, I can swing it in his direction and knock him off guard. Maybe he’ll fall backward off those stairs. But before she could get close enough to grab it, she heard a shot. She screamed, “Oh, my God!” When she saw that Benjamin Kaiser was pointing the pistol in her direction, she began to tremble.

  “Just move to the back of the room,” he said. He then shot at the lantern and it exploded into flames, quickly catching some of the boxes and clothing on fire. The women watched with horror as the cardboard and fabric began to burn.

  “Sorry ladies,” Benjamin Kaiser said as he backed down the stairs. “We just can’t have any witnesses. That’s the way it’s always been.”

  Slam!

  “What was that?” Margaret asked in a panic

  “I think he locked the hatch,” Iris said. “We’re locked in here. We’ll suffocate.”

  “Grab some of that fabric and let’s put out the flames,” Savannah suggested.

  The three of them went into action, trying to snuff out the fire. Then Margaret made her way to the door and began pounding on it. “You’re right. It’s locked from the outside.”

  “Let’s not panic,” Savannah suggested. “Look for something we can use to cut into that hatch or maybe break a hole in it.” Before they could decide what to do, they heard a shrill scream, then silence.

  “Good God, who was that?” Iris asked, her hands over her mouth. Then she began shouting, “Help! Help! We’re in the attic. Help us!”

  “Iris,” Margaret said quietly. “What if that’s…”

  Next, they heard footsteps and then a woman’s voice called, “Hello? Who is it up there?”

  After hesitating, Iris said, her voice quivering, “Iris and some of my friends. He locked us in.”

  “Iris,” the woman said. “Just a minute. I think I can unlatch it. “There,” she said, as she opened the hatch. “Iris?” she questioned, peering into the attic at the three women.

  “I’m Iris. Are you Mavis?”

  The slight woman nodded. Her dark-brown hair was pulled up into two ponytails and she wore a pair of jeans and a tasteful lavender print silk blouse.

  “Was that you who screamed?” Iris asked.

  “Yes. There’s some crazy man down there brandishing a gun and I did one of my favorite karate moves.” She smiled. “It requires a yell.”

  “Where is he?” Iris asked.

  “Oh, my partner’s holding that pistol on him. I wanted to find out from you if we should call the police.”

  “By all means,” Iris said with a hint of relief.

  At that, Mavis shouted through the open hatch. “Yeah, call the cops, Michelle. Who is he, anyway?” she asked Iris.

  “Your grandfather,” she answered quietly.

  “Benjamin Kaiser?”

  Margaret nodded. “In the flesh.”

  “Gosh, I thought he was long dead. Where’d he come from—where’s he been? Does anyone know?”

  “Mavis, we have a lot to talk about. Shall we climb down out of this attic and pour a glass of brandy?” She looked around at the others. “I sure could use a nip.”

  “Sounds good,” Mavis said, backing down the ladder.

  “Better send someone up here with a garden hose,” Savannah suggested. “We want to make sure that fire’s out. Let’s have them haul this stuff out of the attic and put it in the Dumpster out there, just to be on the safe side, shall we?”

  “Good thinking, Savannah.” Iris looked at her watch. “Some of the crew should still be on the grounds.” Once the women had climbed down out of the attic and were in the second-story hallway, Iris saw a tall, slim woman standing over Benjamin Kaiser and pointing his pistol at him as he lay on the floor. She stopped. “Who’s that?” she asked.

  “That’s Michelle,” Mavis said.

  “Sheriff!” came the announcement from the top of the stairs. “Someone reported an intruder with a gun?”

  “Here he is, officer,” Michelle said. She nodded toward Iris and the others. “He evidently tried to burn these women alive.”

  “Oh really?” Deputy Ben said, glancing at Iris, Savannah, and Margaret.

  “Yes, Mavis and her friend came just in time,” Iris explained. She turned to face Mavis. “By the way, Mavis, I’m so glad to meet you.” She wrapped her arms around the young woman, hugging her tightly.

  “Can we get the fire department out here to make sure the fire’s out in the attic?” Savannah asked.

  “Fire?” Ben said, picking up his phone. “Sure.”

  “I didn’t do nothing,” the elderly man shouted as the officer cuffed him and helped him to stand. “My daughter and my wife killed Wallace and the others,” he insisted. “I was on a cruise. Read the old newspapers!” Kaiser yelled. “The killer always displayed a rose tattoo. Look at me. I have no tattoos.”

  After they listened with surprise to Kaiser’s rant, Margaret turned to Mavis, her voice quivering. “He said your mother’s alive.”

  Mavis bowed her head. “I just saw her at the mortuary. She’s dead. My grandfather, from what my grandmother told me, is a bit daft. He hallucinates and blames others for things he does. Grandmother Geraldine told me a lot about him—says he’s done that all his life and has gotten away with it for the most part. It appears that his game-playing is about to come to an end.”

  “Did your grandmother know he was alive?” Savannah asked.

  Mavis hesitated before saying, “I truly don’t know.”

  “I wonder if we’ll ever know what really happened here.” Iris said, watching from the front doorway as the officers drove off with Benjamin Kaiser.

  “I hear the fire truck,” Savannah said, moving toward Iris and looking out.

  “You and your super hearing,” Margaret said. She listened for a moment, then said, “Oh, now I hear it.”

  “So, Iris, what has happened?” Mavis asked. “Is it something I should know about?”

  Iris thought about the question, then said, “Hey, where are my manners? Mavis, Michelle, these are my good friends, Savannah Ivey and her aunt, Maggie Sheridan.” She looped her arm in Mavis’s and started to walk with her into the dining room. The others followed. “Let’s have a sip of that brandy, shall we? I don’t know about you, but I could sure use a swig.” She laughed “…or a guzzle.” Before they reached the large buffet cabinet, Iris yelped, “Ow.” She looked down at Mavis’s arm. “That’s a gnarly bracelet you’re wearing, there.”

  “Oh sorry, did it attack you?” she asked, pulling her arm away.

  “Just a little,” Iris said, rubbing her fingers. She reached out and touched the oversized bracelet. “It’s gorgeous.”

  “Yeah, that’s cool,” Margaret said. “I wish I could wear those smart-looking cuff bracelets.”

  “Why can’t you?” Mavis asked.

  “Don’t you think I’m too short?”

  Mavis shook her head and twisted the wide silver filigree bracelet around on her wrist. She then asked again, “So, Iris, is there something I should know about? It sounds like there’s been a lot going on around here.”

  After considering the question, Iris said, “Probably not. I think it’s time to move forward.” She swung open the doors on an antique hutch. “Brandy, anyone?”

  “Fire department,” came the call from the front door.

  “I’ll go,” Savannah said, rushing to let them in.

  In the meantime, Iris poured five small glasses of the brandy, Mavis took a few sips and looked around the room. “Well, I see a lot of potential here. I’ve never seen this place, but it appears you’ve done quite a bit so far. I’m eager to watch it shape into an exquisite bed-and-breakfast inn.” She faced Iris, smiling. “Michelle and I love to cook. Did you know that?”

  “We’re actually chefs,” Michelle explained.

  “You are?” Iris said. “Well, I like to coo
k, but I don’t want to do the cooking here. Is that something you’d like to do?”

  “Absolutely. I want to be totally involved,” Mavis said. “I can’t wait to get started. Want to show me the rest of the place?”

  “Sure, let’s start down here, since the firemen are working upstairs,” Iris suggested. “Landscapers are starting the transformation of the back area tomorrow. It’s really going to be lovely.”

  Before Iris and Mavis had stepped out of the room, Savannah suggested, “Why don’t you snag a few of your workers to start cleaning out the attic once the firemen are finished? I saw some working in the kitchen, didn’t I?”

  Iris hesitated, then said, “Okay. Maybe I’ll have them drag the clothes out. I still think there could be some interesting art or furniture up there that we can use.”

  “Let’s have them bring everything down here,” Mavis suggested. When Iris looked confused, she said, “Then you can spread it out and get a good look at it, in case there’s anything worth keeping. If not, it’ll be easy enough to deal with, because it’ll all be on the ground floor.”

  “I think I’m going to enjoy working with you,” Iris said, smiling. She then motioned to Michelle. “Come, join us,” as they walked toward the kitchen.

  After the three women had toured the house and grounds, they returned to the dining room. “Mavis,” Iris said, “I’d like to do something for your mother. I may be old-fashioned, but I believe people should have some sort of send-off when they leave the earthly plane. Without it, it feels like unfinished business. Don’t you think so?”

  “I agree,” Margaret said. “I don’t get it when people choose not to have a service. Where’s the closure?”

  “She didn’t actually know many people here, did she?” Savannah asked quietly.

  Iris defended her idea. “Does it matter how many are there, just as long as they’re people who cared about her?”

  “Well, I’m all for it,” Mavis said. “Thank you for considering it. Shall we have a small service here?”

  After thinking about it, Iris said, “I don’t know. We have so much going on here—we’re so not ready to have guests.”

  Savannah spoke up. “Iris, how would you feel about having something at our house? Probably Colbi and Damon would want to be there and Melody’s neighbor Beverly. I could ask our pastor to prepare a little something.”

  “Oh, I don’t know about that—I mean a gathering of friends and acquaintances would be nice, but as to her religious affiliations…” She turned to Mavis. “Did she have any?” When Mavis shook her head, Iris continued, “Can we just arrange a quiet informal celebration of her life? I’d love to have it at your place, Savannah, if you don’t mind.”

  “Sure, let’s do an afternoon tea maybe.”

  Iris thought for a moment, “I think that would be nice—tea, lemonade, desserts…what do you think, Mavis?”

  “Sounds lovely. Thank you for offering.”

  Chapter 12

  “Hello, Mavis, Michelle,” Savannah said in greeting the following Sunday. “Nice to see you again. This is my husband, Michael, and our daughter, Lily.”

  “She’s beautiful,” Michelle said. “How old is she?”

  “Almost twenty months,” Michael said. “Can I get you some lemonade or hot or iced tea?”

  When Savannah noticed Colbi and Damon walking up the porch steps, she said, “Michael, why don’t you show the ladies to the dining room where the goodies are.” She then hugged the newlyweds as they entered the room.

  “We sneaked in the backdoor,” Iris said from behind Savannah.

  She turned and greeted the Sledges, saying, “You look beautiful.”

  Craig smiled. “Thank you.”

  “You, too, but look at your wife.” She turned to Damon, “Doesn’t your mom look smashing?”

  He nodded and gave Iris a quick hug.

  “You sure know how to wear clothes,” Colbi said. She laughed. “Savannah’s right, you look great. We haven’t seen you in anything but jeans and t-shirts, lately.”

  “Yeah, I rarely get to dress up anymore,” she complained. “Feels good to wear my pretty things again.”

  Savannah motioned to the quartet. “Come on into the dining room; that’s where the goodies are.”

  “Whoa, I almost didn’t recognize you,” Mavis said, addressing Iris.

  “Yeah, you clean up nice,” Michelle added.

  “Who’s this?” Mavis asked, gesturing toward one of Buffy’s pink canopy cat beds.

  Savannah glanced and saw Rags sitting up and staring out at the guests. “That’s Rags.”

  “He’s famous,” Margaret said, walking into the room. When she had Mavis’s and Michelle’s attention, she said, “Oh yeah, he’s the star of a documentary about klepto cats. He’s the original klepto cat. And there will be some children’s books coming out soon, featuring him and a couple of my cats.”

  “Really?” Mavis said, now even more interested in the lanky grey-and-white cat. She crouched down to pet him. “He’s regal and friendly, too.” She glanced up at Michelle. “He’d probably like to meet Ireland.”

  Michelle nodded, then explained to the others, “That’s Mavis’s Scottish fold cat.”

  “A Scottish fold named Ireland?” Margaret said, laughing.

  “You have a Scottish fold?” Colbi asked as she joined them with a glass of iced tea in her hand.

  Mavis stood and nodded.

  “I love those cats,” Colbi said. “I saw one once at a cat show I was covering.”

  “Covering?” Mavis asked. “Are you a reporter?”

  “Yes, for the local newspaper. And I write magazine articles.” She offered Mavis her hand. “I’m Colbi, by the way. I’m married to Iris’s son, Damon.” She pointed. “That’s him over there getting a beer.”

  “Hi, I’m Mavis. This is Michelle.”

  Colbi glanced around the room. “Did you bring your cat?”

  “He’s at my mom’s house, chilling with her cats.”

  “Oh, I hope I get to meet him.” Colbi noticed something else. “Love your bracelet,” she said, reaching out to touch Mavis’s gold cuff bracelet. “Are those roses engraved in the gold?”

  “Cool,” Margaret said, also examining the bracelet. “You like those wide ones, don’t you? Seems like they’d be kind of uncomfortable…attractive, though.”

  “Yes, thanks,” she said, quickly pulling her hand away and greeting her mother’s neighbor. “Hello, Beverly. So nice of you to be here.”

  “I wouldn’t miss it. But I do miss your mother,” she said, blotting at one eye.

  Right then, Iris announced, “Everyone’s here. Shall we gather in the living room?”

  “It’s so nice out,” Savannah said. “I thought we could sit on the porch.” She glanced around at everyone. “I think there’s room, and there’s plenty of shade.”

  “Sounds nice,” Colbi said, leading the way.

  When Mavis noticed Rags following her toward the kitchen door, she asked, “Can he come out?”

  “Well, let me get his harness,” Savannah said.

  Once everyone was seated on the wraparound porch at small tables and in padded lounge chairs, Iris stood. “As you know, we’re here to honor my friend, Melody. I didn’t know her for very long and,” she chuckled, “our relationship was a bit rocky at times, but I came to like her, and I will miss her.”

  Iris read from some notes she’d prepared, then invited others to speak.

  Beverly stood and spoke quietly about her brief relationship with Melody, ending by saying, “I hope my new neighbors will be as compatible, whoever they might be.”

  Mavis spoke of having a rocky relationship with her mother and a close relationship with her grandmother. She said, “Maybe if I’d had more time with my mother, we would have come to better terms. But the fact that she bequeathed the Kaiser estate to me tells me that she loved and trusted me and for that I am grateful. I am also gr
ateful to have Iris working with me toward our common goal of creating a bed-and-breakfast inn on the Kaiser property.”

  Everyone stood and raised their glasses to toast Melody and the future of the Kaiser estate with Iris and Mavis at the helm.

  When Mavis sat down, Michelle put her arm around her and hugged her briefly.

  Then Mavis felt something rubbing against her ankles. “Well, hello there, pretty cat. Rags, right?” she asked, glancing at Savannah.

  Savannah nodded. “Actually, Ragsdale. But we call him Rags.”

  “Ragsdale,” Mavis repeated, leaning over and petting him. She began scratching the cat’s tummy as he lay on his back. He, in turn, reached up and grabbed Mavis’s arm, kicking at it with his back feet.

  “Ow,” she said. “Take it easy, buddy.”

  “I think he’s after that little chain on your bracelet. Did he scratch you?” Savannah asked. She winced. “He can play a little rough sometimes.”

  “No, I’m fine,” she said. She looked around at the others and said, “This is a wonderful afternoon. Thank you for including us. I’m so ready to continue building what my mother started. I want to make her proud and I’m eager to begin with a clean slate.”

  “Yes, a clean slate,” Michelle said, watching as Mavis blotted a drop of blood oozing from the black spider on the faded rose tattoo carefully hidden under her wide cuff bracelet.

  Patricia Fry and Her Books

  Stay in touch with Patricia Fry, author of the Klepto Cat Mysteries

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  Other books in the Klepto Cat Mystery series

  Catnapped (Book 1)

  When Savannah Jordan agrees to help her aunt while she recovers from a broken foot, she doesn’t expect to walk into a mystery, become part of a not-quite-legal surveillance team, be kidnapped by a deranged stranger and meet a steaming hot veterinarian.

  Beloved neighborhood cats are missing—the community can only guess at their fate—and Aunt Margaret’s life is being threatened. Is it because she has a clue to the missing cats or is it something more sinister? Of course, as in all of the Klepto Cat Mysteries, Rags, an ordinary cat with a most unusual habit, has a paw in saving the day.