The Secret Claws

by Patricia Fry

  The Secret Claws

  A Klepto Cat Mystery

  Book 33

  by Patricia Fry

  The Secret Claws

  A Klepto Cat Mystery

  Book 33

  Author: Patricia Fry

  ISBN: 978-0-9980367-3-1

  All rights reserved

  © 2019 Matilija Press

  Chapter 1

  “So we’re going to eat on the road?” Keith asked, yawning.

  “I’d rather stop at a restaurant,” Michael quipped.

  “Ha-ha,” Savannah snarked as she walked into the kitchen with a rolling suitcase. Keith took it from her and carried it outside to the waiting car. She kissed Teddy and asked her mother, “Is he eating his cereal okay?”

  Gladys nodded. “Yes. He’s a hungry baby boy this morning.”

  “Good,” Savannah said. “I hope that holds him until we get to the breakfast house on the other side of Straley.”

  “What about Lily?” Michael asked. “She usually eats breakfast early. Can we hold her off for that long?”

  Savannah motioned toward her travel tote bag. “I have granola bars and juice packets. I gave some to Holly to take with them in their car. She said Bethany usually eats early like Lily does.”

  Michael chuckled. “I guess it’s a toddler thing—Bethany’s just six months older than Lily, right? She’s four?”

  Savannah nodded.

  Meanwhile Lexie danced up to Michael, and he ruffled the dog’s fur. “Are you ready to go, girl? It’s been a long time since we’ve taken you anywhere, hasn’t it?”

  “Does she travel well?” Gladys asked.

  “Yes,” Michael said. “I used to take her with me practically everywhere, until I met my wife.” He grinned. “Then she became my constant companion.”

  “Savannah took the place of your dog?” Keith teased as he returned to the kitchen.

  Savannah smirked good-naturedly at her brother-in-law.

  When Michael saw her looking around the room, he asked, “What are you looking for, hon? Did you lose something?”

  “Yes, Rags.”

  “Awww, Savannah,” Michael grumbled, “why do you want to engage him now? Can’t we just slip out without him knowing it for a change?”

  “I want to tell him goodbye,” she insisted. “Anyway, we never leave the animals without checking on them—you know, to make sure no one’s locked in a closet or closed in the toy box or something.”

  Michael watched Gladys wipe Teddy’s face and hands, then he lifted the one-year-old from his high chair. He pointed. “Well, there’s Buffy in her bed, I just saw Walter eating his breakfast, and Lexie’s ready to go with us. They’re all just fine.”

  “But where’s Rags?” When Adam walked into the room, Savannah asked him, “Have you seen Rags this morning?”

  He thought for a moment. “No. I don’t think so.”

  “You don’t think so?” Michael said, punching his son in the arm playfully.

  “I’ve been busy getting dressed and packing my stuff and trying to wake up. It’s early,” he complained. He looked at his dad. “But no, I haven’t seen him.” When his seven-year-old cousin joined them in the kitchen, Adam asked her, “Hey, Cassie, have you seen Rags?”

  She shook her head, plucked a grape from a bowl on the table, and popped it into her mouth.

  Michael suggested, “He’s probably with Bethany. He’s been hanging out with her since her thyroid issue, hasn’t he?”

  Keith nodded. “Yes, but once we got that diagnosis and the prescription, he doesn’t seem to be paying as much attention to her.” He chuckled. “It’s just as well; he takes up a lot of space on her bed.”

  “Yes, he does,” Savannah said. She glanced around the room and asked no one in particular, “Where could he be?” Suddenly something occurred to her. “Michael, do you think he got out last night before you boarded up the window those awful men broke?”

  “Oh no,” Holly wailed. When the others looked at her, she asked, “That was real? That break-in really happened? I thought I dreamed it.”

  “It was real,” Michael grumbled. After considering Savannah’s concern, he admitted, “I guess Rags could have gone out before I boarded it up. Dang it, he’s so sneaky.”

  With a sigh, Savannah opened the kitchen door and began calling, “Rags! Here, kitty-kitty. Come on, boy.” She walked outside and looked around, continuing to call his name.

  Shortly Michael joined her. “Hon, why don’t you ask your aunt and Max to be on the lookout for him? He’s probably over there with their shelter cats, anyway. That’s it,” he said with renewed energy, “he’s visiting the shelter. They’ve found him there before when he’s escaped.”

  She peered into the distance at her aunt’s house. “Yeah, I could call them.” She edged her phone out of her pocket. “Good morning,” she said when Margaret answered. “You guys are up, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. What time are you leaving?”

  “In just a few minutes,” she said. “Hey, I’m wondering if you’ve seen Rags this morning.”

  “No, why?” Margaret asked.

  “We think he may have gone out through a broken window last night. We can’t find him anywhere inside or out.”

  Margaret hesitated before asking, “You have a broken window? What happened?”

  “Well, there was a little excitement here last night. Some men broke in and…”

  “What?” Margaret exclaimed. “What men? Is everyone okay?”

  “Yes, we’re all just fine—only a little shaken. It had to do with that fiasco in Monterey—you know, I told you about it. They were accusing me of pulling off a big robbery just because Rags dug up that money.” She started to choke up and shook it off by saying, “Anyway, it’s all over now. Craig arrested the intruders, who he’s pretty sure are behind that heist.”

  “Oh!” Margaret cried. “Scary stuff. So the crooks found you before you could make a safe getaway to Craig’s cabin, did they?”

  “I’m afraid they did.”

  “And the danger’s over?”

  “We’re pretty sure it is,” Savannah assured her.

  “But you’re going up to the cabin, anyway?” Margaret asked.

  “Yes. We decided to go ahead and extend our vacation. The guys are looking forward to doing a little fishing.” Her voice sounding pinched, she asked, “So would you keep an eye out for Rags? He’ll probably show up when he’s finished prowling. At least I sure hope so.”

  “Oh, Vannie, he could be hiding someplace in the house,” Margaret suggested. “He’s just trying to make life more complicated for you. Go,” she insisted. “He’ll come out when he gets hungry. No worries, now. Have a good time.”

  “Okay, I guess. Thank you for watching over our kitties. Remember, we’re taking Lexie with us.”

  “Yeah, I remember, and the horses are at Bonnie’s stables.”

  “Yes. Thank you again.” She added, “Please call or text as soon as you find him, will you?”

  “Sure will. Now go, and have a good time. I have work to do here before I launch a search for your wayward cat.”

  ****

  The Iveys and the Pettits had been on the road for about thirty minutes when Michael called out to those in his car, “Is everyone comfortable?”

  “Yes,” Gladys said. “You really have a lot of room in here.”

  “Yeah, when Rags isn’t with us,” Adam called from the third-row seat. When no one responded, he continued, “His cage takes up this whole back part. We can’t use these cool seats when he’s with us.” He petted Lexie. “There’s lots of room for me and Lexie back here.”

  Savannah looked at Gladys. “Mom, I’ll trade places with you after breakf
ast if you want. You look kind of cramped between those two baby seats. You’ll have more legroom up here.”

  “I’m just fine, Vannie,” Gladys insisted. “Lord knows you’re the one who needs the room with those long legs of yours.”

  “Hey Adam,” Michael called out, “want to trade seats with me after breakfast?”

  “Huh? Dad, I’m eleven. I can’t drive.”

  “Oh, that’s right.” When Michael noticed that Savannah seemed to be brooding, he squeezed her knee. “Anything from your aunt, yet?”

  “No,” she said, staring down at her phone. “Why hasn’t she called?” Before he could respond, she complained, “She’d better not be putting off calling me. Surely, she’s found him by now.”

  “Maybe not. He could still be playing his little game.”

  “Playing a game?” she asked indignantly. “Do you think he does this stuff on purpose?”

  “And you don’t?” Michael asked. When he realized that she wasn’t in the mood to debate Rags’s behavior, he said, “Hon, I’m sure she’ll call as soon as she finds him. He’s around somewhere.” He added more quietly, “I’m just glad he’s not with us.”

  “That’s not a nice thing to say, Michael.”

  He challenged, “Really, hon, aren’t you ready to relax without worrying about his shenanigans?”

  “Well,” Savannah said weakly, “I suppose. But darn it, I just want to know where he is and that he’s okay.”

  “Geez,” Michael blurted, “I just realized something.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “That cat’s a bother even when he isn’t with us.”

  When Savannah heard chuckling coming from the backseat, she turned around. “What are you laughing at, Adam?”

  “You and Dad. You’re funny when you talk about Rags. Dad always pretends he doesn’t like Rags, and you always get mad at him.”

  “I’m not mad at him,” she defended.

  “And I’m not pretending,” Michael exerted.

  “Michael,” Savannah scolded, “you love Rags. You were as upset as I was when he almost died last Christmas.”

  “He almost died?” Adam asked.

  Savannah turned a little in her seat. “Yes, you probably remember us telling you that he was stabbed.”

  Adam nodded.

  “Maybe we didn’t tell you how badly he was hurt. We didn’t want you to worry. But, it was pretty intense and scary, and your father was as concerned about Rags as the rest of us were.”

  “Why was everyone so worried?” Adam asked. “You know Dad’s a good veterinarian.”

  Savannah smiled, then explained, “He needed blood—you know, a transfusion.” Her eyes widened. “Peaches actually saved his life.” She put her hand on Michael’s arm. “Well, Peaches and your dad.”

  “Peaches gave him blood?” Adam asked. “Rags has horse blood inside him?”

  “No,” she said, chuckling. “It was cat blood. Bud drove over to Straley to get cat blood for Rags, and on his way back he got stuck behind a traffic accident.”

  “Was he hurt?” Adam asked.

  Savannah shook her head. “No. Bud wasn’t in the accident; he was in the traffic that backed up because of the accident. We didn’t think he could get the blood to us fast enough, so Bonnie rode Peaches over the hills to where Bud was in his car and she brought us the blood that saved Rags’s life. And do you know what Bonnie told me that day?”

  “What?” he asked, leaning forward in his seat.

  “That she had never seen Peaches run as fast as she did that day and she thinks Peaches actually knew she was helping to save Rags’s life. Not only that,” Savannah continued, “that’s when your Uncle Keith and your dad first met. Uncle Keith also helped to save Rags.”

  “Gosh, Dad,” the boy said, choking up a little, “so you really do love Rags.”

  “I love Savannah,” he said, winking at his son in the rearview mirror.

  “And Rags,” Adam insisted.

  “If you say so,” Michael said, “but I’m still glad we don’t have him along on this trip.”

  When Savannah’s phone chimed, she quickly looked at it, but her excitement was short-lived. “It’s a text from Holly. She says the girls are hungry and cranky.”

  Michael grinned. “Tell her we’re just a few miles from the pancake house.”

  After responding to Holly, Savannah texted her aunt. Please tell me you found him.

  ****

  “Any word about Rags?” Holly asked as the two families piled out of their cars in the restaurant parking lot a few minutes later.

  Savannah shook her head.

  “He’s still hiding,” Adam said. “Savannah’s really worried, but Dad says he’s glad he’s not with us.”

  “Shame on you, Michael,” Holly said, a playful smirk on her face.

  He asked her facetiously, “Aren’t you? He can be a handful and a distraction and a problem.”

  “I miss Rags,” Bethany groused. “I don’t want him to be lost and scared like that kitty in my story. Remember that kitty in my story, Mommy?”

  “Yes, honey,” Holly soothed. “We don’t want any animal to be lost and scared, do we?”

  The child shook her head and Savannah smiled down at her. “How are you feeling, Beth-Beth?”

  “Okay.” She looked up at her aunt with big round eyes. “I’d like it better if Rags was here.”

  “Heaven forbid,” Michael chanted.

  Ignoring him, Savannah said quietly, “I know, honey. You and Rags have become quite buddy-buddy, haven’t you?”

  “Yeah,” Keith said, “but he’s been sort of ignoring her these last few days. It’s like he’s saying, ‘I showed them what Beth-Beth’s problem is. My job here is done.’ Once she got the thyroid diagnosis and started taking the medication, he sort of abandoned her.”

  “Well, it doesn’t mean he has to run away from home,” Savannah grumbled.

  Cassie suggested, “Maybe there’s someone else who needs his help. He went to help another little girl or boy.”

  Savannah smiled weakly at the child as they walked into the restaurant. She continued checking her phone while they ate, and they were just finishing their meal when a text came in. Haven’t found him, yet. Still looking.

  “Damn,” she said.

  Adam looked surprised. “I never heard you say that before, Savannah.”

  “Sorry,” she muttered.

  “My mom says that word sometimes,” Cassie revealed.

  Everyone looked quizzically at Holly, who squirmed in her seat and mumbled, “Do not.”

  “Well, it sounds like that word,” Cassie insisted.

  Michael patted Savannah’s knee. “I’m sorry, hon. I’m sure he’ll show up. He always does. He’s a smart guy.”

  “I know, but when I think of all the things that could…” she started.

  “Let’s not do that, okay?” he said gently. “Come on, finish your breakfast and…” He suddenly remembered something. “Hey, have you used that thing Rochelle taught you?”

  She looked puzzled for a moment, then said, “Oh, no, I haven’t. Yes, I should do that. However, it might be too late.” She fretted. “Do I want to do it or not?”

  “It can’t hurt, can it?” Michael offered. “Go ahead, hon.”

  The others watched as Savannah placed her fork on her plate, closed her eyes, and sat silent for a few moments. She opened her eyes and smiled. “There. That ought to keep him safe. Or,” she winced, “at least make me feel better.”

  “Which is a good thing, right?” Michael prompted.

  A few minutes later Holly said, “Tell me about that exercise you just did. It’s something Rochelle taught you?”

  Savannah nodded. “Yes, she taught me how to protect myself and others and even animals with a white light. You just imagine it around you or, in this case around Rags. I have it around all of us too—protecting us as we travel.”

  “Tha
nk you,” Keith said.

  “You’re welcome.” She winced, adding, “I just hope it works.” She leaned toward them. “I know it works from the standpoint that I’m more relaxed and less worried whenever I’ve done this technique.”

  “Really?” Keith said, obviously interested.

  “Yes. In fact, Rochelle told me about someone she knows who had this exercise tested big-time. She was at the hospital with a dear friend who’d been in an accident. She finally remembered to use the white light to protect her friend, who’d been hurt pretty badly.” Savannah hesitated and looked at the others. “As Rochelle tells it, the woman could not visualize the light around her friend that night. It just wouldn’t go. I guess she’d never had this happen before and she kept trying different ways to get the protection for her friend, just imagining a circle of light around her, mentally drawing a circle of light around her, picturing a white light enveloping her, but nothing worked. The light kept dissipating. Shortly, I guess, the doctor came out and announced that he couldn’t save her friend.”

  Holly gasped. “Really? So does Rochelle think that gal died because her friend didn’t put the light around her soon enough?”

  “I don’t think so. If I understood Rochelle correctly, the woman couldn’t visualize the white light that night because the soul had already left the body.” Savannah shook her head. “I don’t really know enough about all that woo-woo stuff to understand the nuances of a situation like that, but I’ll tell you—after hearing that I’m terrified that I’ll see the light refuse to circle someone I love.” She grinned. “I keep using the technique, anyway.”

  Keith asked gently, “So when you put it around Rags just now, did it work?”

  Savannah’s eyes lit up. “Yes. Yes. Thank you for asking that. It gives me hope.”

  Holly smiled. “So all indications are that Rags is okay—that he’s just maybe out adventuring.”

  “Yes. Darn cat,” she muttered. She had another thought. “Or maybe he’s locked in someplace—a shed or a barn or garage or something. Hey, I’d better have Auntie and Max look in our shed.” She turned to Michael. “Have you opened that up since we’ve been home from the beach?”