GALLERY CAT CAPER, THE

by Patricia Fry

  The Gallery Cat Caper

  A Klepto Cat Mystery

  Volume 8

  by Patricia Fry

  The Gallery Cat Caper

  A Klepto Cat Mystery

  Volume 8

  Author: Patricia Fry

  ISBN: 978-0-9908313-0-3

  All rights reserved

  © 2014 Matilija Press

  Chapter 1

  "Well, I'll be…" Michael said, leaning back in his desk chair. "Savannah!" he called. "Can you come here for a minute?"

  "Where are you?"

  "Office."

  "What?" she asked, appearing in the doorway with their baby in her arms.

  "I can't believe this," he said, staring into the computer screen.

  She moved closer.

  "An old friend of mine just contacted me out of the blue. He wants to get together and catch up on all those years since college."

  "How cool. Is it someone you'd like to reconnect with?" she asked.

  He smiled up at her. "Sure would. I always wondered what happened to him." Michael took Lily from Savannah and lowered the baby onto his lap. He shook his head. "I can hardly believe it, but he's an artist, and apparently not the starving kind." After striking a few keys on the keyboard, he added, "Here, look at some of his work. It's really quite amazing."

  Savannah leaned toward the computer screen. "Wow! That's stunning."

  "There's more," Michael said, pulling Lily away from the keyboard with one hand and punching a few more keys with the other. "Look at this."

  "Oh my gosh, is he ever talented!" She studied the paintings displayed on the page and said, "It's an interesting technique, isn't it? I mean, it's realistic, yet a touch whimsical." She stood straight and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. "If his work is a reflection of the artist, I'd say he's playful, yet grounded, and extremely gifted."

  "Yeah, you've pretty much pegged Peter Whitcomb. Except, when we were students, he wasn't doing art…that I know of." He rolled the office chair back a bit and looked up at his wife. "He has issued an invitation I'd really like us to consider."

  "Oh?" Savannah said. She perched on the edge of the computer desk and waited to hear more. In the meantime, Michael pulled Lily back from the keyboard again and handed her a small plastic box of mints to play with. The baby shook the box vigorously and smiled.

  "He has a gallery in a beach community down south of LA. He also owns a large home right on the sand." He hesitated before saying, "Savannah, he wants us to come down there this summer."

  Savannah's face lit up. "My, my—does that sound inviting!"

  "He said we could stay for a month if we want." He looked her in the eyes. "Imagine, summer at the beach. Oh, and he allows kids and pets. He has a dog and cats himself."

  "Pets? How big is this place?"

  Michael picked up the box of mints off the floor for the third time and handed it back to Lily. "Big enough for our family and some of our friends, if we want to bring anyone along."

  "And this is Peter's home?" she asked.

  "No. He lives someplace else. He rents the beach house out, but he's offering it to us for free." Michael reached for the box of mints again. Before he could give it to Lily, however, Savannah pulled a small stuffed doll out of her back pocket and handed it to her.

  Michael smiled down at the baby, then said to Savannah, "There's just one caveat."

  "Uh-oh," she said, narrowing her green eyes, "he wants us to paint the place?"

  "No," Michael said, chuckling.

  "He needs someone to care for his ailing grandmother?"

  He laughed. "Savannah, no. Don't be silly."

  "What then?"she asked, tilting her head, her highlighted blond hair flaring over one shoulder.

  Michael thinned his lips before responding. "Well, he was kind of vague, but he seems to think someone's out to get him."

  Savannah frowned. "He's being threatened?"

  "I don't think so." He shook his head slowly. "It seems to be an attack on his work-his reputation. What he described to me sounds like sabotage…or he has become paranoid." He shrugged. "I don't know which."

  "So we wouldn't be walking into a dangerous situation, right?" she asked.

  "No. In fact, one of our classmates went into law enforcement. I think if Peter was concerned for his safety, he'd invite him to the beach, not a couple of veterinarians."

  Savannah gazed at her husband and baby daughter. Finally, she asked, "When?"

  Michael smiled up at her. "Pick a date, my dear."

  "When can you get away from the clinic? How long are you thinking we'd be gone?"

  Michael pondered the questions. "I'd like to take a real vacation, wouldn't you? Our vacations usually mean three days away—two of those traveling." He took her hand and asked, "How would you like to live at the beach for three weeks—or maybe longer?"

  She took in a deep breath. "Gosh, that long?" She then relaxed a little, smiled, and said, "That might be wonderful, actually."

  "Peter says they have concerts in a nearby park at night, he has a big art show coming up, the ocean's right in the backyard, and there's just a lot to do and see in the area. Maybe your mother would like to come and help out with the baby." He winked at her. "We could have a second honeymoon."

  "Can you get away for that long?"

  Michael nodded. "Sure; Bud's been practicing full-time long enough. He and the new tech should be able to handle our patient load without me. Hey, if your sister can leave her medical practice for a few days, maybe she'd like to spend some time with us. How long has it been since you and Brianna have frolicked on the beach together?"

  Savannah clasped her hands in front of her and smiled. "That would be great fun."

  Michael continued. "Bud might like to join us for a weekend, too."

  "Oh, I'm sure they could use a vacation." She chuckled. "It's hard to imagine Bud at the beach, though; he's such a cowboy. But yeah, let's ask them. Will Ivey Veterinary Clinic survive with both veterinarians gone?"

  Michael thought about her question, then said, "I'll see if I can get Dr. Gladstone to take our emergencies. I helped him out last year when he and his wife toured Europe."

  Savannah sat with her thoughts for a few moments, then said, "I'm flat-out speechless. It's so temping, but that's a long time to be away from the house, the orchard, the animals, our friends..."

  "Everything's back to normal at Bonnie's stables since they nabbed the horse rustler. There's no reason why we can't board your horse there," he said. "Antonio can tend to the orchard. If a crop comes in while we're gone, maybe Helena and Antonio's wife could use it for jams and jellies."

  "Yeah, that might work. I'd miss most of the apricot harvest. Some of the peaches and plums might ripen while we're gone, too. I'll invite Auntie and Colbi and maybe some members of the cat alliance to come pick what they want." Savannah reached out and petted the large grey-and-white cat, who had joined her on the desktop. "That just leaves the small animals. What will we do with them for an extended period?"

  "Let's take them with us," Michael said, matter-of-factly.

  She glanced at the cat and then at Michael. "Are you serious?"

  Meow!

  Michael laughed. "He seems to think it's a good idea, don't you, Rags?" He cleared his throat, then asked Savannah, "What do you think about us taking Adam? We've never gone to the beach with my son."

  She smiled at the thought. "Oh, that's a great idea. He'd have a blast. Do you think Marci and Eric would let him go? Would there be room for all of our family, pets, and guests?"

  "Heck, the place has something like five or six bedrooms and four baths. Peter told me it sleeps fifteen people—more if you bring sleeping bags. And it's all furnished, even with
towels, sheets, blankets, pots and pans….and," he added, "a housekeeper."

  "Gee, a beach mansion. This just gets more and more exciting, Michael. And having Mom there as a nanny—what a great idea. She would adore spending time with her only grandchild, and we could enjoy some nightlife."

  "You got that right. I saw Peter's itinerary at his website. He's evidently involved in a lot of activities related to the arts—art shows, art walks, and things like that. That big show I mentioned is at a movie star's house. I forget who the actor is, but it sounds like a big deal." He reached out and squeezed Savannah's knee, saying, "So pack your little black dress and diamond earrings along with your bikini and sunscreen. We're going on vacation!"

  ****

  A week and a half later, on Lily's six-month birthday, the Ivey family headed south in their SUV. Since Savannah often sat in the backseat with the baby, Lexie, their Afghan-hound-mix dog, was allowed to take Savannah's spot in the front. Rags, having become a seasoned road-trip traveler when he and Savannah were single, roamed free in the car. He spent most of the trip lying on the back of the seats, watching the scenery zoom past. When he wanted a nap, he stretched out in one of Buffy's pink canopy beds next to the large wire pen that the Himalayan-mix shared with their black cat, Walter. There was just enough room in the back of the SUV for extra water bowls, a litter box, and tote bags with necessary baby and pet supplies. They had rented a small trailer to carry the remainder of their belongings.

  "When did you say Adam's coming?" Savannah asked.

  "Marci and Eric will bring him Thursday. Tomorrow is his last day of school."

  "They'll stay over with us, won't they? They aren't going to make that long trip down and back in one day."

  "That's the plan," Michael said. He smiled. "I can't wait to boogie-board with my son." He glanced at Savannah in the rearview mirror. "Your mom's coming tomorrow?"

  "Yes, in the afternoon. I'd like to get us settled first—have time to find where they keep the forks and spoons, whether we need to buy toilet paper—things like that." She reached out and petted Rags, who had jumped down next to her. "Bud and Bri are coming over the weekend. Oh, and Iris and Craig may possibly come for a few days. I finally got a strong maybe out of them. He's attending a seminar in Vegas next week, and they might drive over to the beach and spend a few days with us before heading home."

  "Cool." Michael chuckled. "You have trouble visualizing Bud at the beach—what about Craig? Do you think he even owns a pair of swim trunks or board shorts? We see him only in his detective garb."

  "We can always go shopping," she said, laughing.

  "Hey, we've been on the road for five hours; are you hungry? Want to stretch your legs?" he asked.

  "Yes, I think Lily's ready to be free of her restraints. Let's find a grassy area where we can eat our picnic lunch and let Rags and Lexie out. I brought harnesses for the other cats, but I'm not sure they'll wear them."

  Michael switched on the blinker. "I'll bet we can find a picnic area around here somewhere. Let's ask when we get gas." He glanced at Savannah in the mirror again. "I put Walter's and Buffy's harnesses on a couple of times recently. They seemed okay with them. They were happier when I took them off, but they didn't really object to wearing them."

  After filling the gas tank and driving a short distance, Michael pulled into a small park. "Perfect," Savannah said, looking around. She had already put Rags's harness on him. When they stopped, she led him out of the car and tied the long tether to a nearby tree. She poured him a bowl of water and placed some kibbles on a paper plate. In the meantime, Michael took Lily out of her car seat and carried her while walking Lexie on her leash to a dirt area away from the picnic tables. Savannah checked on the other cats. "Well, one of you used the litter box. Good girl-or boy," she said. She opened the door to the wire pen and invited the cats to step out and get a little exercise within the confines of the car.

  She was standing at the picnic table unpacking the sandwiches, fruit, baby food, and water bottles when Michael returned saying, "Mission accomplished. Lexie is now at least two pounds lighter."

  Savannah smirked at his humor. "Here, let me change her," she said, taking the baby from him and walking with her to the car. "Go ahead and eat your sandwich." She called over her shoulder, "There's hand sanitizer on the table."

  Michael tied Lexie to a tree near Rags and showed her the water bowl, before washing his hands and unwrapping his sandwich.

  In the meantime, Savannah changed Lily's diaper. "Hi Buffy," she said when she saw the fluffy buff-and-brown cat climb onto the back of the seat. Buffy stared down at the baby through clear blue eyes, then stepped into Lily's car seat and watched the diaper-changing process from there. Lily squirmed to see the cat, squealing with delight.

  "You love your little Buffy, don't you, baby girl?" Savannah said, lifting the baby to a sitting position. "Yes, you love her almost as much as she loves you." She looked at the cat. "Do you want to go outside for a while, little one?" While Lily patted at the cat, who managed to stay just out of her reach, Savannah grabbed one of the leashes and snapped it to the harness she'd put on Buffy earlier. She then stepped out of the car with Lily in one arm and Buffy in the other.

  "She probably doesn't need a leash," Michael said.

  "Uh-uh. I'm not taking any chances with Buffy." She looked at Rags, who had walked around the tree so many times his tether was only a quarter of its original length. "Here Michael, would you hold the baby and Buffy? I need to untangle Rags."

  "What about Walter?" Michael asked. "Doesn't he want to join us for lunch?"

  "I don't think so. He's asleep in his tent. He looked at me, blinked, and laid back down. I guess he's not a road-trip guy."

  Michael took Lily from Savannah. He put Buffy on the ground and stepped on her leash to keep her from wandering, then held the baby's little hand out of the way in order to take a bite of his sandwich without her grabbing it. "I guess this is what it would be like to have five kids," he said, after Savannah joined him at the picnic table. "Are you game?" he asked, smiling at her seductively.

  Savannah stifled a chuckle. "Let's see how this vacation goes, shall we?" she said, washing her hands and then opening a jar of strained pears for Lily.

  After the lunch stop, Savannah and Michael loaded everyone back into the car and continued traveling south. It was dark by the time they reached Peter's house. They were surprised to find the porch light on and a glow emitting from behind the wood-slat blinds. "What a big place," Savannah said, staring out the car window at the massive structure.

  "Wait here," Michael said, stepping out of the car.

  Savannah watched as he slid the key Peter had sent them into the deadbolt lock. He tried to turn it and seemed to be having trouble. Suddenly, Savannah felt a surge of anxiety. Oh gosh. What if we're at the wrong house? she thought.

  Within a few moments, however, Michael had the door unlocked. He walked back to the car, unbuckled the baby seat, and carried it—sleeping baby and all—toward the house. Savannah picked up her purse, stepped out of the car, and motioned for the dog to exit, as well. After locking the cats in the car, she led Lexie to a patch of grass where the dog promptly relieved herself.

  "Did you think I had the wrong house?" he asked her, when she joined him at the front door.

  "Yes, were you having trouble with the key?"

  "Naw, I was just funnin' you."

  "Michael, don't do that," she said, slapping at him.

  "Hey, what are you trying to do, get a reputation for domestic violence our first few minutes in town?" he said, laughing.

  Once inside the spacious living room, Michael set the baby seat down and Savannah closed the front door and locked it. "Wow," she said, as Michael began turning on lights in the dining room and kitchen. "This is kinda funky and rustic, but sure is big. Look at this kitchen! I could cook for twenty in here and serve them all at that monstrous table in the dining room."

  "Let's look at the bedrooms," Michael s
aid, taking her hand and leading her down a hallway. "Ordinary bedroom, ordinary bedroom…" he said as he poked his head into each room. "Oh, here's one with an ocean view-cool bedroom." Michael turned toward Savannah. "Let's go upstairs." After reaching the top landing, they walked into the first room on the left.

  "This is gorgeous!" Savannah swooned. "Look at the exquisite furnishings."

  "But wait, there's more," he said, leading her out the door to a room at the end of the hallway. "This one has an ocean view." He stepped over to a sliding glass door, unlocked it, and slid it open. "Check it out—a balcony overlooking the ocean."

  "Wow!" Savannah said. "I can't see it, but I can hear it and smell it. Nice." She walked back inside and scanned the room. "Hey," she said, "here's an alcove just right for Lily. What's on the other side of it?" she asked quietly. She opened the door and exclaimed, "Another bedroom—with a view!" She looked around. "We can take the room with the larger balcony and attached bath, Mom can have this one, and we'll put Lily in the middle."

  "Yeah," Michael said. "We'll all three have access to her, and our privacy, as well."

  "That's what I was thinking," Savannah said, wrapping her arms around her husband's neck and kissing him.

  He kissed her back a couple of times and then pulled away, saying, "We'd better unload the rest of the family." He yawned, and added, "…and get some sleep."

  Savannah followed Michael back down the hall toward the staircase. "So that leaves rooms for Adam and one for Marci and Eric for one night. Bri and Bud can have Marci and Eric's room while they're here," Savannah calculated. "And if Craig and Iris make it, even if someone else is here, we still have plenty of room. This will work out just fine." As they made their way down the staircase, she said, "This place is great. I can't wait to see it in the daylight."

  "So what do we absolutely need from the car tonight?" Michael asked, yawning again.

  Savannah said, "The portable crib, the animals, the blue suitcase…actually, I'd like to bring it all in tonight. I don't want to leave it out there. We can stack it in the living room and deal with it in the morning."