Paws for Trouble

by Patricia Fry

  She leaned forward and said more intensely, "So you do think there could be someone out there."

  Michael rolled his eyes. "No, I don't. I just…"

  Savannah cut him off, saying, "Okay. We'll go out there tomorrow morning." Impishly, she asked, "Want to come with us, Auntie?"

  "Um…" She shook her head. "I don't think so. Thank you, anyway. But do let me know what you find, will you? I live in this neighborhood too."

  They each sat with their own thoughts for a moment, then Michael slapped the tabletop. "Well, Maggie, you're just in time to see the show."

  Margaret frowned. "What show?"

  "My mother—in—law is going to reveal never—before—seen, uncensored photos of my wife when she was growing up."

  Gladys giggled. "Oh, they've been seen, Michael."

  "Yeah, but not by me or Lily or Teddy, right guys?"

  The children nodded.

  Lily said, "I want to see Mommy's pictures."

  Margaret stood up and chuckled. "I think I'll pass. I knew her when she was a child, and I can tell you there was nothing particularly exciting going on there."

  "Auntie," Savannah complained.

  Margaret laughed and waved on her way out the door.

  A little while later, after the family had pored through Gladys's family photo albums, Michael asked, "So, what do you children think about Mommy now that you've seen her little—girl pictures?"

  Lily thought for a moment, then looked up at Savannah. "Was that your dolly, Mommy? Where's your dolly now?"

  Savannah squeezed the child to her and whimpered, "I really should have saved it for you, shouldn't I, punkin? I'm sorry. I don't actually know what happened to my Sally doll."

  "I do," Gladys said. When they all looked at her, she revealed, "She's in storage with her buggy and some of the clothes your grandmother made for her."

  "Really?" Savannah squealed. "You saved her?"

  "Of course I did," Gladys said. She turned to Lily. "Would you like to have that baby doll?"

  Lily nodded, wide—eyed.

  "Well, how about if I ask my friend to get it from storage and send it to us?"

  "That would be great," Savannah said. "I had no idea you saved it."

  "What else did you save, Gladys?" Michael asked. "Do you still have those dorky shorts Savannah wore when she was fifteen?"

  Gladys laughed. "No. But I do have her Easter hat and little purse." She shimmied. "Oh, I'll bet Lily would love to have those for dress—up."

  Savannah smiled. "Yes, have your friend send that stuff."

  "Even your bloomers?" Michael asked.

  "Bloomers?" she questioned, frowning. "What bloomers?"

  "Those things you wore in that picture where you were doing archery." He raised his eyebrows up and down. "You sure knew how to make a fashion statement."

  Savannah slapped at him. "Will you quit making fun of me?" She tickled him and asked, "Where are your childhood pictures? I'd like to see how dorky you looked."

  He grinned. "Maybe someday I'll let you see them."

  "Hey kids," Savannah said. "Daddy has pictures of him when he was a little boy. Want to see them?"

  "Yes!" Lily shouted.

  "Yes!" Teddy mimicked.

  "Mom?" Savannah said.

  "Sure," she replied. "I'd like to see those, Michael."

  "It's unanimous," Savannah said. "Tomorrow night we look at your picture albums. Where are they, Michael?"

  He laughed. "I'm not telling."

  It wasn't long before the children had joined Savannah in tormenting Michael into sharing his childhood pictures. But he wasn't about to give in. Not at that moment, anyway.

  "Hey, if we're getting up early to explore the trees," he said, "we'd better get to bed."

  ****

  "What did you find out?" Gladys asked when Savannah and Michael returned from their excursion among the trees the following morning.

  "Not much," she said. "That's the first time since I was a kid that I've gone into that scary forest."

  Gladys laughed. "Scary forest? Oh, Vannie, it's just a small grove of trees. The highway's on the other side of it. What could be so frightening?"

  She shrugged. "I don't know, maybe the stories we made up when we were kids."

  "Well, it seems Jake's still making up stories," Michael said, kissing Savannah. He waved, "'Bye, Gladys. Have a good day, ladies and kids."

  "You, too, hon," Savannah called. She poured a cup of coffee and sat down next to Lily at the children's table. "Whatcha doing?" she asked.

  "Cutting paper dolls," Lily said. She looked up at her mother. "I'm going to color them."

  "Oh," Savannah said, surprised. "I see. You're cutting dolls out of your coloring book. Maybe you should consider coloring them before you cut them out." She chuckled and held up something for Gladys to see. "Well, she got part of the doll…one arm's missing and she has no hands or feet."

  "Hush," Gladys said. "She's just learning how to use those scissors. She's doing okay."

  Savannah smiled and looked into the dining room, where Teddy was trying to use a plastic screwdriver on the underside of his riding truck.

  "So there was no sign of anyone living out in the grove?" Gladys asked.

  Savannah shook her head. "Oh, someone or several someones have been hanging out there over time. Maybe kids go in there to smoke or whatever. But we didn't see evidence of anyone actually living in there, thank heavens. So I guess what Jake said was a figment of his overactive imagination." When she heard a rap at the door, she placed her coffee cup on the kitchen counter and walked swiftly into the living room. "Hi, Craig," she greeted, frowning. "You haven't come to tell me my cousin's been released, have you?"

  "No," he said, stepping into the room. "Why? You don't want to see him? Are you shunning family?"

  "Yes, I am," she carped. "I don't care if I ever see him again after what he did, unless he gets some help and makes some serious changes." She faced the detective. "What do you think went wrong in his head? Is it drugs?"

  Craig shrugged. "Possibly. He wants to blame everything on his poor folks. I've talked to them a few times, and they seem oblivious to his complaints. They were shocked to hear what he's been spewing."

  "Sit down, Craig," Savannah invited. "Can I get you a cup of coffee? I was just having one."

  "Sure." He smiled at Teddy. "What're you doing there? Working on your truck?"

  "Broke," Teddy said.

  "Looks like you're going to fix it with your tools."

  Teddy held up his tool belt.

  "Want me to help you put that on?" Craig asked.

  The child nodded and handed it to Craig.

  When Savannah returned with the coffee, she smiled. "Is Uncle Craig helping you?"

  Teddy ran to where he'd been playing and picked up his plastic tools. He gave them to Craig and pointed at one of the slots in the belt, "Screwdriver," he said. He handed Craig another tool. "Hammer."

  Craig chuckled. He put each of the tools into the right pocket, then Teddy returned to his project and began sawing on the truck with his toy saw.

  Savannah watched the toddler for a minute, then she sat down across from Craig and asked, "So, what do you think is going on?"

  "It's hard to tell," he said. "I guess with time we'll begin to unravel it. We'll have Jake evaluated by our psychologist, for one thing." He took a swig of coffee. "But what I stopped by for, I want to take a walk out in that bunch of trees—you know, where he claims his co—conspirator or whatever lives."

  Savannah shook her head. "He's so full of baloney. There's no one living out there."

  "How do you know that?" Craig asked.

  "Michael and I went out there this morning. Like I told Mom, it looks like someone could have spent a night there occasionally. Kids might have been playing in the grove, but we saw no evidence of anyone living there, on the ground, under the ground, or up in the treetops."

  Craig looked at her over the rim of his cup. "Did you take R
ags with you?"

  She shook her head. "Craig, the area's not that big." She chuckled. "In fact, I was surprised at how small it actually is. I remembered it as being much larger, denser, darker, and disturbing."

  "When was this?"

  "When I was a kid, of course," she said. "It was a scary place."

  "Disturbing?" he asked.

  "Yeah," she admitted, "I'm sure that was my imagination working overtime. Like I told Michael, as kids we'd go out there and make up stories to scare each other."

  "Well, I'd like to take the cat out there, if you don't mind," Craig said.

  "Sure, if you want to." She shuddered. "Just be careful of snakes. I think the snakes we find around here come from there."

  Craig chuckled. "As I recall, that cat's probably more aware of what's in the trees and under the carpet of needles and leaves than any of us. Didn't he alert someone that a snake was in Brianna's wedding flowers? And as I heard it, he kept your horse from getting a snake bite a few weeks ago. That was in the newspaper, right?"

  She nodded.

  "I think he'll keep us both safe from snakes and whatever else is out there. Want to go?" he asked.

  She shook her head. "No. You go ahead and take Rags. I'll wait out on the lawn with the children in case you have any problems with him."

  "Okay, if you say so." Craig looked around the room. "Where is the old boy?"

  "Oh, he was here a while ago. Rags!" she called. "Want to go for a walk?"

  They both laughed when Rags trotted into the room. He looked from Savannah to Craig and began rubbing against Craig's legs while Craig petted him.

  Savannah left the room and returned with Rags's harness and leash. She helped Craig strap it on him, then called out to the children, "Hey, kids, want to go outside for a while?"

  "Yeah!" Lily shouted, leaving the table.

  "Let's put your scissors and things away. Remember, we have one project out at a time." Savannah thought about what she'd said, then suggested, "Oh, you'll probably want to finish that when you come back in." She waved a hand. "It's okay, honey—bun. Just leave it for now."

  Lily nodded, then ran out of the room saying, "I'll get my shoes."

  "Would you get Teddy's, too?" Savannah called. She ran her hand over Rags's back. "Be a good boy. You're on duty with Detective Craig now."

  Craig chuckled and walked outside with Rags trotting along beside him.

  ****

  "Well?" Savannah called when she saw Craig walking toward the deck carrying Rags a little while later. "Did he behave? What did you find?"

  Craig lowered Rags to the ground, took the bottle of water Savannah offered, and sat down on an Adirondack chair. After taking a swig of water, he said, "Well, I found pretty much what you found—signs of visitors, but nothing to indicate that anyone's living in there. I'll talk to your cousin again and see if he can be more specific about the man he says he was talking to. If he can't, I guess we'll have to discount his claim altogether and go ahead with the charges."

  "What are the charges, exactly?" Gladys asked while helping Teddy fill his dump truck with pebbles.

  "Arson, and they may tack on special circumstances, like with the intent to cause bodily harm or maybe even attempted murder. We'll see what our psychologist says."

  "Sounds terribly serious," Gladys said. "That's too bad."

  "It is serious, and it is too bad," Craig said, "but Gladys, someone could have been badly hurt or killed. What he did was ruthless."

  "I don't think he meant…" Gladys started.

  "Even if he didn't mean to hurt anyone, his actions were criminal, and criminal acts like these, no matter the reason, must be punished."

  Gladys slumped. "I guess you're right, Craig."

  "Of course I am," Craig said. "Jake is no longer that little boy you knew. He's a grown man who must take responsibility for his actions like all the rest of us must." He looked down at Rags and chuckled. "I think he needs more exercise. Didn't he get out much over the weekend? I thought I saw him bouncing around out here on Friday."

  "Yes," Savannah said. "He mingled some at the wedding reception, but we haven't taken a good walk in a while—not since we hiked in the mountains a few weeks ago." She frowned down at the cat. "Why? What did he do?"

  "Oh, he wasn't satisfied with checking out the grove. We walked all around the area in a kind of zigzag pattern—back and forth across the middle. When we got to the other side—out there by the highway—he wanted to keep going."

  "Trying to run away from home, Rags?" Gladys joked.

  Craig gazed toward the grove again and said, "Or, he knows something we don't know." Before he could continue, Teddy let out a shrill cry.

  "No, Rags!" he shouted

  "What did he do?" Savannah asked.

  "He took my saw, Mommy. My saw."

  "He doesn't have your saw, honey," Savannah said.

  Teddy stopped crying and looked around.

  "There it is," Lily said, pointing. "I see it right down there. Rags dropped it down that hole."

  "Oh," Savannah said, laughing. "Teddy, I think you'll have to use your other saw until Daddy gets home. Then you and Daddy can use his tool to get your saw out from under the deck."

  "No," he protested, pointing. "My saw."

  "I can't reach it, honey," Savannah said.

  Teddy lay down on his stomach and peered into the space where a piece of the decking had broken away. "See Mommy?" he wailed. "Get it."

  "Lily," Savannah said impatiently, "would you go get his other saw, please?"

  "Okay," she said, running off. She returned with another plastic saw and handed it to her brother.

  "No," he said, slapping at it.

  "Teddy," Savannah said sternly, "if you don't straighten up and be a big boy, I'm…"

  Craig chuckled. "Yeah, what are you going to do, mean mommy?"

  "You're not helping," she said.

  "What, Mommy?" Teddy asked, climbing up into her lap. "What?"

  "Well, how about a cookie and a glass of milk now that you've stopped crying and behaving badly."

  "I want cookie," he said, sliding off her lap and heading for the door.

  "I'll get it," Gladys said. "You can stay there and play with your saw."

  Savannah smiled down at her son, then said, "So Craig, what are you thinking? Do you want to do more exploring with Rags?"

  "I'm considering it. What's beyond the grove—I mean aside from the highway? Do you know?"

  "Not much. Craig, why are you so bent on believing Jake? That's what I can't understand. After what he did all weekend and tried to do as his grand finale…" she shuddered, "…why would you believe anything he says? The more I think about it, the more I think he's just become twisted and hateful."

  "Now, Vannie," Gladys said, handing both children a cookie, "don't you think you're exaggerating?"

  Savannah shook her head. "No, I don't."

  "Why do I believe him?" Craig repeated. "I guess I kind of feel sorry for the guy. I think he's lost his way. From what you've all told me, he used to be a fairly clear—thinking individual, right?"

  Savannah shook her head. "I don't know, Craig. I haven't had much contact with him over the years. You'd have to talk to Jimmy and maybe their parents."

  "I did," he said, "and I have more questions for them." He stood up. "I'd better get a move on. Thanks for the loan of your cat."

  "Sure," Savannah said. "I wish he'd been more help."

  "He might have been more help than we know yet. I'll be in touch."

  ****

  "Whew," Savannah said, plopping down on the sofa next to Michael later that night. "That was a wild evening with the kids."

  "Yes," Michael agreed. "They were wound up. I didn't even get to read my paper tonight. I was in Daddy mode from the time I got home."

  "They've been that way pretty much all day," she said. "Thanks, by the way, for digging Teddy's saw out from under the deck. He or Rags dropped it down there this morning, and he just c
ouldn't let it go. I can't tell you how many times he whined about that saw."

  Michael chuckled. "Well, the kids won't be losing toys down there any longer. I did a Mickey Mouse repair. Tomorrow, I'll buy a new board to install and we'll do a permanent fix on it."

  "Good," she said. She faced him. "Now tell me what's on your mind."

  He cocked his head. "What makes you think…"

  "I know you. What's going on?" she insisted.

  Michael shifted in his seat and rested his head in his hands for a moment. When he sat back against the couch, he wiped at one eye.

  "Michael, what's wrong?" she asked, frowning. "What has happened?"

  "Nothing bad, hon. It's all good. I just hope you agree."

  "With what?" she asked, sounding a little annoyed.

  "Well, Marci called me today. We talked for quite a while." He chuckled. "I didn't even get to eat lunch."

  "Is everything okay?" Savannah asked, concerned.

  He nodded. "She and Eric believe it would be good for Adam if he spent more time with us."

  "Really? Great!" she cheered. "How much time? What do they have in mind? Have they discussed this with Adam?"

  "Slow down, there," he said, smiling at her. "Here's the deal—they're thinking about moving closer to us so we can raise Adam together—you know, half—and—half custody."

  "Oh," Savannah said, frowning. "Have they told Adam? How does he feel about leaving his friends? Would it be confusing for him to go back and forth every week like that?"

  He smiled at her. "I knew you'd think of Adam first and foremost."

  "Of course," she said. "That's who we all need to consider in a decision like this. Don't you think so?"

  "Yes, I sure do. According to Marci, Adam wants to be closer to us, even if it means leaving his friends behind. He knows he can make new friends, and he doesn't mind changing schools. He starts a new school in the fall, anyway; he'll go into middle school."

  She slapped her hands against her face. "Oh, that's right. Gosh, he's growing up."

  "Yes, and he doesn't want to miss out on growing up with us or his mom and…" he chuckled, "his other dad."

  "Oh, Michael, I think this is just wonderful! I'm thrilled that Adam wants to be more a part of our family." She glanced skyward. "Thank heavens we've established a good relationship with Marci and Eric."