Silence of the Lamps

by Karen Rose Smith

  Caprice needed something to keep her from thinking about Grant’s visit tonight. She feared he was going to tell her that they were over before they started. Instead of worrying about that all day, she might as well help her uncle.

  “What time did she come around before?”

  “She was here around ten yesterday morning, and then again around seven in the evening.”

  Caprice checked her watch. It was eight o’clock.

  “I’ll come out and we’ll see what we can tell about her from a distance if she won’t get close. Then we can talk about our options. I can be there in about half an hour. Give me the address.”

  A half hour later, she drove toward York, taking side roads according to her uncle’s directions. She ended up on a beautiful bucolic property. Alaskan cedars that had to be at least thirty years old flanked one side of the two-story house. The rest of the property was dotted with decades-old silver maples. Pink and white petunias bordered the front gardens while a hanging basket with impatiens in a beautiful fuchsia color dangled from the front porch ceiling.

  After Caprice parked, she went up to the porch and her uncle Dom was there, ready to let her inside. A chocolate Lab greeted her too.

  “He’s friendly,” her uncle said with a hug for her. “His name’s Loafer because he likes to loaf by the sofa.”

  “How old is he?” Caprice asked.

  “About eight. They rescued him from a shelter, so they’re not sure. Come on in and I’ll introduce you to Mitzi and Tux. They were rescue kittens too and are brother and sister.”

  “I think I like your clients and I haven’t even met them.”

  Dom laughed. “They’re good people. I could tell right away. I’ll give Loafer a toy with some treats in it, and we can go out on the patio and sit. How about iced coffee?”

  “That sounds great.” She wiggled a Ziploc bag she’d brought with her. “I brought you some of my choco chunks and chips cookies.”

  “Now that’s a breakfast my doctor wouldn’t approve of, but I’ll run it off with Loafer later.”

  “You’re going to make me feel guilty enough to go for a swim, aren’t you?”

  Her uncle laughed. “Come on. If we sit out here long enough, maybe our visitor will arrive.”

  On the patio her uncle asked, “Have you made any headway in the Drew Pierson case?”

  “You make me sound like a private investigator.”

  “Ever think of getting a license?”

  “Like I don’t have enough to do. No, if I give up home staging for anything, it will be to run an animal rescue shelter. But that’s not on the horizon right now.”

  He pulled two patio chairs close together. “So, any progress on the case? Do you have any suspects?”

  Caprice sat, and waited for him to do the same. “Not yet. I do have people I want to question, though. I just have to figure out the best way to do it. Bella and I talked with Drew’s sister. She told us about some of his friends, and I want to talk to them.”

  “Did he have many friends?” her uncle asked.

  As she related what she had learned about Drew’s friendships, her uncle held up his hand to stop her.

  “Over there,” he said. “Under the gnarled redbud. I’ve seen her there before. She uses it like a tent. I think that’s where she takes her naps in the afternoon. She’s completely shaded and surrounded by the leaves and branches that reach to the ground. She must feel safe there.”

  Caprice watched as the silver-haired tortie snuck under one side of the bush and the leaves jiggled. The branches swished a little, and then she came out on the other side where she could see them.

  “Do you mind if I talk to her?” Caprice asked.

  “Go ahead. I’ve mostly been just sitting here like a statue, afraid I’d scare her away.”

  “I might scare her, but let’s see.” She lowered her voice. “Hey, pretty girl. Are you hungry? We have some food for you.”

  Caprice had made up a dish of cat food, and now she stood and took it over to the edge of the patio. The tortie retreated under the redbud bush but didn’t run off.

  Caprice kept talking. “We just want to see how you are, and if you need somebody to take care of you. Do you think you’d like that?”

  “Somebody else who talks to animals as if they’re human. At least I don’t feel so crazy,” her uncle muttered.

  “I’m going to let you eat, and I’m going to go back over to that chair and sit. Okay? You can come over. It will be all right.”

  Caprice went back over to the chair and sat down beside her uncle. She kept talking. “It’s okay, baby. Come on. Get some breakfast.”

  After a few minutes, when the cat saw that the coast was clear around the dish, she came out from under the bush and unevenly walked toward the food. She kept her eyes on Caprice and Dom, though.

  Caprice murmured to her uncle, “I think she’s limping a little.

  “Back right leg. I’ve noticed it too. It’s one of the reasons I called you.”

  As the feline ate, Caprice took her camera from her pocket and zoomed in to examine her. The cat was thin, yet rounded a little at the belly. Bloating, or something more? Her green eyes looked clear, not at all weepy.

  The tortie suddenly stopped eating, sat back, and scratched at her neck.

  Caprice suspected she had fleas. She needed good nutrition and maybe a flea treatment to get healthy again.

  After the cat finished eating, she sat on the corner of the patio in the sun, washing herself. She cast wary glances at Caprice and her uncle Dominic every once in a while, but seemed more relaxed than afraid.

  “I’m going to try to approach her,” Caprice said. “I really don’t want to use a trap cage unless we have to.”

  Caprice approached the cat until she was about three feet away. She sat down on the patio on the same level. The tortie eyed her but didn’t run. She lowered herself, facing Caprice, her paws tucked under her.

  “You’re not afraid of people, are you? What happened? Did you get lost?”

  And so it went. Caprice spent about half an hour just sitting there, talking to the cat, letting the tortie eye her and get used to her. She knew she’d be taking a risk if she tried to pick up the animal. Cat scratches and bites were nothing to fool around with.

  Suddenly the cat stood, looked around, finished a few scraps on the dish, and then went to the bush and hid underneath.

  Caprice picked up the dish, stood, and turned toward her uncle. “If you lived here and we had all the time in the world, I think we could gain her trust.”

  “I only have two days left here,” her uncle said.

  “All right. Then we’ll use the Havahart trap. I’ll bring it out here tomorrow and put tuna inside. Once she walks in, she’ll trip a mechanism and the door will shut. I’ll call Marcus and see if I can get an appointment. He’ll understand if this doesn’t work out and we have to cancel.”

  “Then what will you do with her? Not take her to some shelter—”

  “Of course not. I’ll try to find her a home. I will find her a home. It might take a little time, but she can stay in my garage until I find someone who will take her.”

  “I’m glad I called you,” Uncle Dom said with a grin.

  “I’m glad you did too. I’ll come back tomorrow around the same time and we’ll see what we can do.”

  * * *

  After her visit with her uncle and his new feline friend, Caprice drove to the storage locker center. She punched in her passcode, and the gate slid open. She drove to the row where her units were located.

  As she usually did, she parked to the side so another car could pass. After she climbed out of her van, she found her key ring and chose the small key for her padlock. She unlocked the first of her three storage units.

  Grasping the door handle, she lifted the door and it rumbled up.

  Her compartments were ten feet deep and fifteen feet wide. Although they were stacked with staging items—rolled rugs, lamps, and tables�
�she could reach everything. Labeled boxes lined the sides of the units, and she kept a path open to walk through.

  As she sorted through items, she tried to keep her mind distracted from thoughts about seeing Grant later. Not that she didn’t want to see him. She just wasn’t sure she wanted to hear what he had to say.

  Taking a clipboard from a side table, she checked her inventory list for the unit. Crossing to the rear, she pulled a box of old bottles from the top of the stack. She remembered there were several cobalt blue ones in there. They’d look perfect on the primitive shelf she’d purchased from Isaac.

  She found another carton she was looking for in the second storage shed. It was tucked along the side on the bottom of a stack. She lifted off the top two cartons and then opened the flaps on the bottom one. There was a fishing net. She’d picked that up at Colonial Days in East Berlin, she remembered. It would be perfect draped on a wall in the octagonal room of the house.

  She was checking her list again for other possibilities when her cell phone played. She thought about letting it go to voice mail, but her curiosity usually won out. Vince’s face stared up at her and she answered.

  “Hi. What’s up?” she asked. It was unusual for him to call her during the day.

  “I wanted to let you know that the police cleared the crime scene, so Rowena should be back in her house. Not that you should go talk to her or anything.”

  “Did you let Nikki know?”

  “No, I did not. She needs to stay away from this, Caprice. Don’t argue with me on that point.”

  She wouldn’t, because she knew Vince was right. “Rowena won’t want to go back there if the place needs to be cleaned up.”

  “From what I understand, that was supposed to happen yesterday. Rowena asked the detectives for a recommendation for a cleaning service that specializes in this kind of cleanup. They gave her one.”

  “How do you know all this? I’m sure Detective Jones didn’t tell you.”

  “I have my sources.”

  “Like someone you used to date who still works at the police department?”

  “Maybe,” he drawled. “At least my romantic past is good for something.”

  “You mean other than experience?”

  He chuckled. “What are your plans for today?”

  “I’m at my storage units collecting a few items, but then I’m going home and taking Lady to visit Dulcina while I work at the house I’m staging. I just came from the house where Uncle Dom is pet sitting. Tomorrow we’re going to catch a stray cat.”

  “What are you going to do with another cat?”

  “Take her to Marcus. But then I’ll help find her a good home.”

  “Pretty soon you’re going to run out of people in Kismet who want animals,” Vince said wryly.

  “Then I guess I’ll have to expand my reach, won’t I.”

  “I’d expect nothing less from you.”

  Of course, Grant was still on Caprice’s mind, and since Vince worked with him . . . “Has Grant talked to you about anything unusual happening?”

  “You’re going to have to give me a more specific hint than that. He still works mainly from home. You know that. He drops in here only when he needs something, or meets a client here instead of there.”

  “You do talk, though, right?”

  “Guy talk and girl talk are two different entities. What do you want to know?”

  “Did you know his ex-wife is coming to town?”

  Her question was met with silence. Then Vince whistled low. “No, I didn’t know that.”

  “He hasn’t said anything to you about it?”

  “Caprice, this is Grant we’re talking about. He doesn’t talk about his personal life, not even with me. He told you about it?”

  She explained about Ace’s concert and how that was the night that Grant was having dinner with Naomi.

  “So he won’t be coming along to the concert, huh?”

  “I’m not as upset about that as I am about the whole idea of his seeing her again. What if—”

  “Caprice, just stop. You said you’re seeing him tonight?”

  “Yes, he thinks we should talk about it in person. I’m afraid he’s going to say we should stop dating.”

  “It’s not like you to be a doomsday proponent. Talk to Grant. Then worry if you have to.”

  Her brother’s advice was good. She just didn’t know if she could take it.

  A half hour later, she was back at home rounding up Lady and then taking her to Dulcina’s.

  “Thanks so much for watching her for me today,” she told Dulcina as Lady ran inside her neighbor’s house. “After leaving her alone earlier, I didn’t want her to be alone the rest of the day. I was at the property where my uncle is pet sitting. A stray has been visiting, and we’re going to try to catch her tomorrow.”

  Dulcina was already kneeling on the floor, rubbing Lady’s belly. “You know I’ve thought about adopting a pet.”

  “I know you have.”

  “I just wasn’t sure about the timing, with dating Rod and all.”

  “Were his girls excited about the concert tickets?”

  “Not as excited as I’d like them to be. They didn’t even know who Ace was. Rod and I showed them photos on the computer and told them about his tour. His younger daughter seems more excited than his older daughter. I don’t know, Caprice, I’m not sure this is going to work out.”

  “But you don’t know that it isn’t either,” Caprice interjected hopefully.

  “No, I don’t know that it isn’t. But I do know one thing for certain. I can’t live my life waiting around. I can’t live my life for him and his daughters when I’m not even really included in his life yet. Do you know what I mean?”

  Caprice knew exactly what she meant. “You have to live your life just in case Rod isn’t the one for you.”

  “Exactly. And you know, I think I’d like a cat. It just seems like serendipity that you’re going to catch one.”

  “Maybe. Sometimes they can outsmart the cage.”

  “How old do you think the cat is?”

  “I’d say between two and five. It’s hard to tell. She’s a tortoiseshell.”

  “I don’t care what color or breed,” Dulcina responded.

  “This cat could need a lot of care and attention,” Caprice warned. “She’s malnourished. I can tell that just from looking at her. She doesn’t seem frightened of us, but I’m not sure she wants close contact with us either. Would you be ready to take on a pet like that?”

  “Dating Rod and being around his daughters, I realize I need to nurture. I’m a patient person. I think I could help an animal like you’re talking about.”

  “She could be out on her own for a reason.”

  “You mean FIV?”

  “So you know about that?”

  “I do. And I say let’s cross one hurdle at a time. You said you have a vet appointment for her?” Dulcina asked.

  “I do. That’s if all goes well.”

  “If she has FIV, I could still take care of her, right? Especially if she’s not showing symptoms.”

  “It would be best for you to talk to Marcus about that if it happens.”

  “Text me if you capture her. Text me from Dr. Reed’s, then I’ll decide what to do. Fair enough?”

  “Very fair.”

  Just what were the chances that everything would go as planned? What were the chances that she could capture a cat? What were the chances the cat would be healthy?

  What were the chances that she and Grant would still be dating when the night was over?

  Chapter Nine

  That evening Caprice was out back playing with Lady when Grant and Patches arrived. She’d needed to do something to burn off excess energy and excess worry.

  He came into the yard from the back gate, and he’d never looked so good. He was wearing blue jeans that fit just right and a chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His black hair was a bit mussed from the breeze.

&nbs
p; Grant bent and unleashed Patches. The dog ran to Lady and they began rooting through the shrubs together. As Grant approached her, he gave her an unsure smile. She couldn’t quite find a smile to give him back.

  He asked, “Do you want to toss balls for them, or do you want to go up to the porch and talk?”

  “Is this going to be a long conversation or a short one?” she returned, in a way just wanting to get the conversation over with. Would Grant even stay for dinner?

  “It’s whatever we decide it’s going to be.” He simply motioned to the glider on her back porch.

  Lady and Patches came running when they moved to the porch. Both dogs followed them, took a few slurps from the water bowl there, then settled at their feet as they sat together on the glider, though not quite close enough to touch.

  “How was your day?” he asked. It seemed he wasn’t eager to jump into their conversation.

  “Dulcina might take in a stray I’m going to help Uncle Dom catch.”

  “Your uncle Dom likes pet sitting?”

  “He seems to.”

  Caprice had already had enough of this surface chitchat. She slanted toward him, bringing her leg up onto the glider. “Talk to me about what you’re going to do.”

  He looked nonplused for a few seconds. “I’m not going to do anything. You have to trust me, Caprice.”

  Her dad was the only man she truly trusted. Well, okay, maybe she trusted Vince too. But as far as her romantic life? She’d trusted men and they’d hurt her. Her first love had been in high school. Craig had gone to California after graduation and had eventually sent her a “Dear Caprice” letter, breaking off their relationship once he was established in college. Okay, so long distance didn’t work. If she had truly learned that lesson, she and Seth Randolph would have gone their separate ways when he’d taken the fellowship in Baltimore to pursue a career in trauma medicine. But she’d been infatuated with the handsome doctor and had let that linger a little too long. A few years ago, she’d fallen in love with a man with a daughter. Travis had seemed ready to move on, but then he and his ex-wife had reunited. That reunion made her doubly wary of Grant’s situation.