The Cat, the Vagabond and the Victim: A Cats in Trouble Mystery

by Leann Sweeney

  The kitchen, aside from what had been damaged in the pantry, appeared as I had left it. But once we walked into the living area, I noticed immediately that the TV remote was not where I usually kept it on the end table. It sat on the couch. I pointed this out and Candace picked up the remote with a gloved hand.

  She punched the power button. “You use your TV as a computer screen, right?”

  I nodded. “Since we know the live feed to the cat cam and security system was lost, I don’t expect you’ll see anything on the screen. It will have to be repaired as soon as possible so I can check on my fur friends when I’m gone—more now than ever.”

  We both stared at the blank screen with its two words: No Signal. Candace switched the signal input on the remote and Animal Planet lit up the screen. At least my satellite TV was still working.

  Candace’s eyes narrowed, her mind in gear. “So our intruder probably turned on the TV to see if he or she had cut everything off. But the hub of this network is your desktop computer, right?”

  “Yes.” It was Tom who answered for me and we both turned at the sound of his voice. “I doubt that will help us since wires were cut outside. But we still might be able to see who did all this damage.”

  “How?” Candace got busy dusting the remote. But even I could tell there were so many prints on it, it was an exercise in futility.

  “I have surveillance videos backed up to remote storage. The system is programmed to save everything from the minute an alarm is engaged. Even if this person disabled the cameras and cables, the cameras would have caught something beforehand.” He held up his tablet computer. “Good thing I’ve got my work van with my equipment. We can see what was happening right before the feed was lost.”

  We stood on either side of Tom as he went through several steps accessing a server that had multiple security layers. But the intruder seemed to have scoped out where every camera was. We saw no car in my driveway, and we saw no one approach my house. We only had the image of a pair of what looked like long-handled wire cutters right before we lost the feed.

  “Whoever it was, they knew exactly where to find the lines that needed to be disconnected step-by-step to keep them from showing up on camera.” Tom gripped my shoulder and massaged the muscles gently. “Sorry, Jillian. I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen if there’s a next time. I should have updated your system with newer products as soon as they came on the market. Clyde’s GPS is completely WiFi and connected directly to your phone, and it’s a good thing. I can make those changes to the house so you won’t lose feed again.”

  “Hey,” I said. “Aren’t you the one who told me that if someone wants to get past a security system, they’ll find a way?”

  “Yes, but—”

  Candace cut in. “She’s right. You can’t blame yourself when you’re dealing with someone this determined. Let’s keep looking for evidence. Did you see anything outside I can use?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing.”

  All three of us searched the rest of the house, but it was my knowledge of cats that gave us the few clues that might explain why someone had entered my home. Under my bed, I found clumps of short orange cat hair. I followed wisps of similar hair down the hall and through the kitchen leading to the back door. This was definitely Clyde’s fur.

  We stood in the kitchen, staring at the damaged back door. Candace had to put her evidence kit up against the door to keep it closed, which meant it had probably been left ajar while the intruder invaded my home.

  “Whoever came in here was after Clyde,” I said. “Cats will shed like crazy if they’re stressed and it looks like that’s what happened.”

  Candace said, “Certainly all your cats would have been spooked by a stranger coming in here unannounced.”

  “Trust me,” I said. “Clyde hid under my bed, was chased out and escaped through a door you can clearly see would have been ajar after the lock was removed.”

  “I wouldn’t argue with the cat expert, Candace,” Tom said. “I think she’s right.”

  All four cats had followed us as we’d traipsed around hunting for evidence and now sat behind us watching. They were probably thinking, Now they get it. Took them long enough.

  “Thank goodness for Clyde’s collar, is all I can say.”

  Candace appeared puzzled as she stared at the handful of orange cat hair in my fist. “This keeps coming back to the cat. Why?”

  “All I know is, you’ll figure it out.” I glanced at the door. “Meanwhile, Tom, I hate to ask, but can you fix this before it gets dark?”

  “You plan to stay here?” Candace said. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  Tom put his arm around me. “More than the door has to be fixed. I’ll put a temporary lock on the back. But your system has to be completely redone—and this time, no one will break in without me knowing the second it happens. My place is cramped—Finn sure likes to spread out—but you know you’re welcome there.”

  I smiled up at him. “Too cramped with five cats, including Dashiell. If you add that temporary knob and locks, maybe it will be okay. And you could stay with me, Tom.” But who was I kidding? I was shaken to my core by this brazen attempt to steal Clyde.

  “No way are you staying here.” Candace was emphatic. “Your door is damaged and Tom has a lot of work to do here. Besides, if someone wants this cat, we need to make it more difficult to find him.”

  I was too spooked to argue, even though transporting four cats to a temporary home would place even more stress on them.

  “Kara has plenty of room in her new house—even with two cats of her own. I’m sure I can stay with her.” I looked at Tom. “That means you can continue the investigation. And by the way, could you please help Birdie feel more secure in her house before you start work here? I’m worried for her.”

  “Wait a minute. You want me to put your job on hold so I can—” He stared down at me. “Yes, of course that’s what you want.”

  Twenty-four

  By early evening, the cats and I arrived at Kara’s place. Her two kitties, a calico female and an orange-and-white male, were sister and brother. Thank goodness they were mellow, but that didn’t keep the cats from engaging in plenty of hissing—all except Chablis. I’d brought my brood to Kara’s house before and Chablis went straight to the pantry where the treats were kept. She sat at the door and meowed.

  Kara laughed and accommodated her with a handful of treats while the other cats scoped one another out. A breakfast bar overlooked Kara’s gourmet kitchen and I slid onto one of the high-backed stools. She’d moved in a few months ago. If there’s a new-house smell—a freshness that comes from uncluttered space and beautiful fixtures—then this place had it.

  “Have you eaten?” she asked.

  “No time. I had to gather up clothes and cat quilts and food and get the crates ready and—”

  “I get it. That works out because Liam is on his way and we’re barbecuing skewered veggies for supper. I’ve made a quinoa salad and sliced up fresh peaches, too.”

  Kara, a recent convert to vegetarianism, had been finding ways to embrace her new and amazing kitchen. “Sounds delicious. Beneath this frazzled exterior lies a hungry woman.”

  “Good. Would you like wine? Tea? The hard stuff? Because after what happened at your house, you might need a finger or two of Jack Daniel’s.”

  “Wine would be great. Did I sound off my rocker when I called and asked to stay here?”

  Kara placed a glass of chilled white wine in front of me. “No more than usual.”

  I smiled wearily. “I’m convinced someone came to take Clyde. I only hope that person didn’t follow me here.”

  “You do know that you were tailed to my house, right?” She sounded so lighthearted that what she said made me think she was joking.

  “What are you talking about?” I sipped my wine, the Biltmore House White I loved.

  “Tom called. He told me he made certain no one followed you here—except for him, of cours
e. Apparently you didn’t even notice he was behind you.”

  “You’re kidding.” I had to laugh. “I guess I’m worse than terrible at spotting a tail. And here I thought he went back to the police station to work with Candace.”

  “He texted me that he’s on his way there since he knows you arrived safely. That man loves you so much.” Kara poured herself a glass of red wine. “When are you two getting married?”

  “What are you talking about?” I tried to sound shocked, but I wasn’t fooling her for a minute.

  “You are such a lousy liar, Jillian. I wasn’t an investigative journalist for years without trusting my instincts, and my instincts tell me he’s asked and you’ve said yes. Which is wonderful, by the way.”

  I felt as if a two-ton weight had fallen from my shoulders. Since Kara was John’s daughter, I’d been worried the most about her reaction to my saying yes to Tom’s proposal. I should have known she’d be happy for us. “Thank you. I didn’t want to upset you or—”

  “Don’t be silly. My dad would have wanted this for you. And Tom is the best. I used to work with him before I bought the paper, if you’ve forgotten. I know his character and looking at the two of you together makes me feel warm all over.”

  “I guess we can tell the rest of the family now—well, his family since I have no one but you. I wanted you to hear before I told anyone else.”

  “Any plans yet?” She swirled her wine before tasting it.

  “I’ve been procrastinating. I guess I wanted to make sure this was the right thing for both of us. How lucky can a woman be to have two such fine men end up loving her? I’ve been wondering if I truly deserve it.”

  “You most certainly do. Think about it, Jillian. You lost your parents before you even knew them, and while you were raised by loving grandparents, they passed away, too, while you were still pretty much a kid. How old were you when they died?”

  “I was in my early twenties.” I felt a lump in my throat thinking of them. They’d sure taught me how to love unconditionally.

  “That’s what I’m talking about. You were a kid. So the fact that you’re surrounded now by people in this town who love and care about you? Well, I say you deserve Tom’s love and so much more. It’s about time you shouted from the rooftops about your engagement.”

  I smiled, fighting back emotion. “I know that’s what Tom wants.”

  But Kara had grown serious. “Are you hesitant to remarry?”

  “I’ll admit I’m a little scared. It seems like when I love people with all my heart, they go away. I couldn’t bear it if Tom went away.” The tears I’d been fighting spilled down my cheeks. It suddenly dawned on me that this was what I’d been fearing since Tom asked me to marry him. This was why I’d been holding back, questioning my decision. But until this moment, it had been hidden in my subconscious.

  Kara set down her glass, came around the bar and hugged me. “No one is going anywhere. You are cherished by Tom, by me, by Candace. You’ve helped me settle into this town. You deserve every good thing that comes your way.”

  I drew back and wiped away the tears with the heel of my hand. “Thank you so much.”

  Clyde cut short any further conversation by chasing Kara’s orange and white boy Pulitzer around the kitchen. No surprise her calico was named Prize. Clyde, although fast, was no match for the much smaller Pulitzer’s speed. The race around the kitchen island continued through the open living area and up the stairs to the second floor.

  “Friends already,” I said. “Maybe everyone should hiss at each other first, get it over with and move on to playtime.”

  “It would be a better world.” Kara picked up her glass and motioned me toward the patio off the kitchen. “Let’s catch the sunset.”

  We were joined about fifteen minutes later by Liam Brennan, Kara’s boyfriend—although there had to be a better word than boyfriend since they were both in their thirties. Liam, with blond hair and an Irish twinkle in his blue eyes, greeted me with a hug and then wasted no time quizzing me about the recent crimes in Mercy. After all, he could end up prosecuting this case in the future.

  “What insights do you have into these two murders, Jillian?” He’d chosen whiskey for his drink, and the amber liquid glittered like jewels in his glass as it reflected the setting sun.

  “You probably know more than I do. Candace and Tom are working hard trying to come up with answers. Mr. Jeffrey had plenty of money, which as you know, means plenty of motive for the relatives. But Buford Miller? I’m not sure why he was killed, except he must have made someone pretty darn angry.”

  “Why’s that?” Kara asked. She’d moved her patio chair close to Liam’s and their hands were locked. I wondered if her interest in weddings went beyond her questions about my relationship with Tom.

  “Because it was a brutal murder,” Liam answered. “It takes a lot of power to hit someone hard enough to fracture their skull. Still, adrenaline will give even the frail a surprising amount of strength.”

  “True.” Kara nodded. “So we have Mr. Jeffrey’s death—a sneaky crime made to look like an accident or possible suicide—and Buford’s vicious murder with little or no evidence left behind. At least that’s what I took away from my conversation with Candace about the crimes. She told me they had no murder weapon in the Miller death and very few clues.”

  “Two killers, then?” I wondered aloud.

  “That would be my guess,” Liam said. “Candace said you know about Miller’s drug connection. Since this county has a big drug problem, I—”

  “A drug problem?” This surprised me.

  “Don’t you read the Crime Beat section of my newspaper, Jillian?” Kara said with mock surprise. “Half the problems in the area are related to makeshift meth labs, homeless alcoholics robbing convenience stores and stolen prescription drugs.”

  I sighed. “I skim that section. Too depressing.”

  “But Kara and I have to pay attention. It’s part of our jobs. She reports; I prosecute.” Liam drained the inch of whiskey in his glass. “Buford Miller had access to both illegal and legal drugs, though none of his legitimate patients ever voiced a complaint about missing their medicine. That’s how I’ve been trying to help Mercy PD—by checking on this home health care agency he worked for. Looks like their licensing is all in order.”

  “You found nothing suspicious?” I asked.

  “Not yet,” he said, “but I have a stack of background checks I plan to go through. This whole thing has made me realize how these private agencies are popping up to give in-home health care, and we haven’t been paying as much attention as maybe we should. The elderly can be taken advantage of so easily. Unfortunately, older people are not quick to complain when they suspect a caregiver isn’t on the up-and-up.”

  I nodded. “You’re right. That generation was taught not to complain and to believe health care providers shouldn’t be questioned. If my grandparents were still alive, that’s what they’d tell you.”

  Both Liam and Kara nodded in agreement.

  Kara said, “That’s not to say Buford’s agency did anything wrong aside from hiring a not so upstanding employee.”

  “Did Buford have a record?” I asked.

  “One DUI,” Liam replied. “The drugs the sheriff’s deputies found in his room were significant—several grams of cocaine and a bunch of meth. No wonder he needed a high-powered automatic handgun.”

  Kara responded immediately. “I moved here to a small town from the fourth largest city in the United States and this area probably has more guns than I could have ever imagined. It’s no surprise to me.”

  “Most of the weapons in this area are used for hunting,” Liam said. “A Sig Sauer isn’t exactly something you take out to the deer lease. He needed protection.”

  “When Candace figures out who his drug connections are, she’ll know plenty more than she does now about Buford’s death—though it could be unrelated to Mr. Jeffrey’s murder.”

  I sat back in my chair, thi
nking more about the idea of two killers. “Buford had the most access to Mr. Jeffrey’s medication. Could he have been hired to murder Mr. Jeffrey? And then whoever hired him decided Buford needed to be silenced?”

  Liam smiled. “You and Candace are on the same page. No wonder you’re such good friends. She’s been thinking along those lines, but says she wants to rule out any drug connection—someone Buford might have owed money to. We have a CI in the area that I’ve hooked her up with.”

  I was a tad confused. “CI?”

  “Confidential informant,” Kara said. “We have them in the newspaper business, and the police use them all the time—especially to hunt down leads in drug-related crimes.”

  “I get it. I’m just not up on all the lingo. So first she rules out a drug-related murder and only then she can move on to explore other motives?”

  “She’s prioritizing, but she’s probably exploring every possibility as she gathers the evidence,” Liam said. “Investigations like this don’t always lead straight to one suspect. Sometimes the evidence lines right up, but with this many family members? Not easy. She told me about the cousins, the sister and of course Dirk, the nephew. I believe her words were ‘the family is a hot mess.’”

  “She’s right. Everyone seems to hold grudges, keep secrets and refuse to speak to any of their relatives for years at a time.” I shook my head. “I’ve met them all and Dirk seems to be the only sane one.”

  “Good thing he’s the executor of the will.” Liam said this so casually, like this was known to the world, I couldn’t speak for a few seconds.

  Finally I said, “You understand Candace was looking to confirm that piece of information? I had my suspicions, but she told me they couldn’t be sure until she found the will.”

  “Wait a minute.” Liam dropped Kara’s hand and leaned toward me. “Dirk said he told Candace he was the executor. The guy called me right after his uncle’s death, asked me what steps he had to take for probate. If I remember right, he said his uncle didn’t have a lawyer, that he had this do-it-yourself will stashed somewhere and wondered if I could help him find it since I was a county attorney.”