The student Glen Frye knelt on the hallway floor and did what Katherine told him to do. Katherine kicked the tire iron and it went skidding down the hallway, out of arm’s reach. Colleen ran from the kitchen, switched on the hall light, and grabbed her cell. She punched in 9-1-1. “Get the police over here immediately. A man broke into the house and my friend has a gun on him! Katz Kendall. I mean Katherine Kendall. We’re at the bungalow! Wait I’ll find out,” Colleen said to Katherine. “What’s the address here?”
“205 Alexander Street,” Katherine answered.
Colleen repeated the address into the phone. “Okay, I’ll leave the cell on until the police get here. Thanks.” She set the phone down on a side table, per the 9-1-1 operator’s instructions.
Katherine said to Colleen, “I saw Scout and Abra run back into their room. If Lilac and Abby are in there, can you shut the door?”
Colleen took a wide berth of Glen and observed the four cats inside. She quickly shut the door.
Glen struggled to get up but Katherine kicked him in the lower back. “Hey, I’m a crack shot! Now stay the hell down!”
Colleen and Katherine could hear police sirens in the distance. Colleen rushed over to stand by the front door.
Hearing the sirens, Katherine thought, I do hope they’re coming over here first, and not to the mansion.
Glen said slyly to Katherine, “You’ve got something that belongs to me. If you give it to me and let me go, I’ll tell you where your cat is.”
“I don’t have anything of yours,” she said doubtfully.
“Yes, you do,” Glen said in a low voice. “I saw you pick it up on the roof and put it in your pocket.”
Katherine wondered where Glen had to be in order to have observed her, then remembered how she picked up an envelope on the roof outside her bedroom window. Fishing in her pocket with her free hand, she tugged it out. As she tore open the envelope with her teeth, a gold charm bracelet fell out in her hand. ‘I Luv Mommy’ was engraved on the charm. Katherine said with growing disgust, “You stole this from Stacy when you assaulted her. What kind of sicko are you?”
“I didn’t steal it. She got the car door open and I lunged to stop her. The bracelet came off in my hand. Look,” he pleaded, “Just hand it over and I’ll tell you about your cat. Don’t you want to know?”
Suddenly Katherine got a sick feeling deep in her stomach. What if he killed her, she thought, then asked skeptically, “What does he look like? Is he fat or skinny? When he sits up is he tall or short?”
“He’s tall and skinny,” he said.
“Liar!” Katherine exploded. She knew Glen was referring to the day Scout and Abra strolled into the classroom. They were both tall. “You were standing outside my room and heard me say my cat was missing.”
“Wait a minute,” Glen pleaded. “I didn’t see the cat, but I heard it. That damn Russian had it in his Four Winds, locked up in the back. It was howling like a banshee.”
“What were you doing in Misha’s motorhome? Did you kill him?” Katherine accused. She wondered if there was any truth to Glen’s story about the cat, then said, “Just shut up until the police get here.” She dropped the bracelet back into the envelope.
Colleen opened the front door and directed the Erie police to the back hall. Chief London and an officer Katherine didn’t recognize dashed in. Cokey and Jake sprinted in after them.
The chief said to Katherine, “Ms. Kendall, I’m here now. You can put the gun down.”
For a moment, Katherine was so caught up in an adrenaline rush, she continued pointing the gun at Glen.
“Katz, put the gun down,” Jake said emphatically. Katherine snapped out of it, held the gun out at arm’s length, muzzle pointed up, and set it slowly on the side table.
Chief London stooped down and handcuffed Glen. “Stand up,” he barked. Glen tried, but wasn’t able, so the chief and the other officer helped him to his feet. The chief frisked him, yanking out his wallet and cell phone. He also found a high school ring with the initials J. G. on it. He tugged a blue latex glove on and removed an evidence bag from his pocket. He dropped the items inside and handed the bag to the officer.
“Well lookie here,” the chief said gruffly. “Mr. Frye. You’re just the man I’ve been lookin’ for.”
Glen threw the chief a venomous look and threatened, “You’ve got nothin’ on me.”
“Is that a fact? Enjoy taking souvenirs from your victims? This ring belongs to Jane Gilroy. Remember her? The last woman you murdered?”
Katherine handed the chief the scavenger hunt envelope. “Chief, inside is the bracelet belonging to Stacy Grimes. Glen just said it fell off when Stacy jumped out of his car. One of my party entertainers was a close-up magician who lifted things from my guests’ pockets —”
The chief interrupted impatiently, “Okay, I know this is leading somewhere.”
“The bracelet was in Glen’s pocket; Misha the magician pickpocketed it. I suspect that when Glen tried to get it back, Misha wanted money for it. Glen wasn’t able to buy it, so he came back later to the mansion to look for it.”
“You lying bitch,” Glen muttered.
“You can’t talk to her like that,” Jake said, throwing a punch at Glen, but Cokey blocked it.
Katherine explained. “Chief, the last time I saw Stacy Grimes, she said the father of her child had given the bracelet to her.”
“Is this true, Mr. Frye?” the chief asked, irritably. “Are you the daddy?”
“I ain’t that kid’s father.”
“This is the way I see it, Mr. Frye,” the chief began. “You somehow managed to get the magician to drive you to the Sanders trailer court. Then you strangled him. You called my niece Tiffany to come and pick you up, but she declined.”
“That’s a freakin’ lie!”
“I’ve got a text message on my phone that says otherwise. Why did you call Tiffany? Was she going to be your next victim?”
“You’re crazy,” Glen said.
“It’s only a matter of time till I find out who picked you up and drove you back to the pink mansion,” the chief said. “Someone else working with you?”
“I hitched a ride. I don’t know who the hell it was, some trucker. Hey, I’m getting a lawyer,” Glen swore. “I’m gonna sue you, the town, and that witch with the cats. I need to see a doc for my wounds. Can’t you see I’m bleeding? Better hope they don’t have rabies, Katz!” he threatened. “Because if they do, they’ll get the needle.”
Katherine was speechless. The man is pure evil, she thought.
“Getting a lawyer is the smartest thing you’ve said,” the chief advised, then read Glen the Miranda warning.
After the chief finished, Glen said sullenly, “You’re wasting your time. I’m innocent.”
“Let’s see,” the chief said, tugging at his beard. “Possession of a crime victim’s personal belonging is good evidence. But you ain’t heard nothin’ yet. Stacy Grimes is alive. She’s out of her coma. And she’s talking. You don’t have a leg to stand on.”
Another cruiser parked in front of the bungalow. Officer Glover got out of the car and hurried into the house. The chief said, “Dan, help Officer Troy take Mr. Frye down to the station so we can question him. Make sure he gets medical help for his cat scratches.” The two escorted the former computer class student to the Erie police station.
The chief lingered behind. He said, “I’ve got a strong suspicion, Ms. Kendall, you’ve just single-handedly caught the Festival Murderer. Or should I include the cats, too? They seem to have done a number on Mr. Frye. Would you like to come and work for us?”
Katherine shook her head, “No, but thanks for offering.”
The chief patted her on the back, “Good work!” he praised. “I want to talk to you more about this, but I’ve got other fires to put out. Gotta get a hold of the task force and do a million other things. How about I get your statement in the morning?” he asked, walking to the front door.
“Chief, w
hat about the tire iron Glen broke in with. I kicked it to the back of the hall.”
The chief walked back and pulled out a larger evidence bag. He carefully picked up the tire iron and slipped the bag over it. He scratched his head. “Gut-feeling is Glen probably used this to overpower those poor women before he strangled them. I’ll make sure Detective Martin knows about this.”
Katherine nodded, but then said hurriedly, “Before you leave, can you give me information about the Four Winds motorhome you found, belonging to the Russian, Misha? Did anyone report seeing or finding a Siamese cat? Several hours ago she was stolen from my house. Glen said my cat was locked up in a back room in Misha’s motorhome.”
“Well, Ms. Kendall, that intel certainly places Glen in the motorhome with the victim.”
Katherine said excitedly, “I need to go and see if my cat’s there.”
“Hold on there, hot shot,” the chief insisted. He removed his smartphone from his belt clip and called someone. He spoke for a moment and then reattached the phone to his belt. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there wasn’t a cat in the motorhome. Gotta head out,” he said, leaving.
“If Glen was lying about my cat, I have reason to believe Barbie Sanders stole her.”
“Barbie Sanders, you said? She’s in a holding cell right now. She’s the town’s egger. We found her with her brother egging the mayor’s house. Caught in the act! Her car was full of eggs from out-of-town. I’ll ask her about your cat, but I’m bankin’ she didn’t do it.”
“Appreciate it,” Katherine said.
“Good evening,” the chief said to Colleen, as he walked out the door.
Jake gathered Katherine in his arms and said, “I was so worried something awful had happened to you. How did that nutcase know you were at the bungalow?”
Colleen offered, “He was standing outside the bedroom door when Katz said we were coming over here. But all Katz said was ‘bungalow.’ How did he know the address?”
“Small town, Colleen,” Jake answered. “People know everything about everybody.”
“I guess my secret ‘getaway house from the mansion’ isn’t so secret, after all,” Katherine said with resignation. She buried her face in Jake’s chest. “Well, I hope I never have to apprehend a crim again, but at least I didn’t have to fire a shot.”
Colleen collapsed in a nearby Morris chair. She said in an exaggerated Irish accent, “I thought we’d all be killed.”
Jake kissed Katherine on the forehead, “Your gun instructor would be proud! I’ve got to leave for a short while. I got to find Cokey and patch up that broken window. We can’t stay here tonight with it open.”
Colleen added, “Oh, Cokey’s gone. He left right after the officers hauled Mr. Clean away.” She caught herself and said, “Shut the door, Katz! Do you remember the web search… ?”
Katherine shot her a look and mouthed the word No. Jake had turned and didn’t see the gesture.
“Oh, never mind. I’m just running at the mouth,” Colleen said, recovering.
Jake looked momentarily confused. “I’ll be back in a minute. I need to see if Cokey needs any help hauling the plywood over here.” He left, still with an inquisitive look of “what the hell did that mean?” on his face.
“Katz, why did you shush me when I mentioned Mr. Clean and the Internet search?”
“I’d kind of like to keep this between you and me. I haven’t told Jake about the cats’ special sleuthing abilities, however they work. We know they’re special, but Jake doesn’t. For the time being, I want him to think they’re ordinary housecats. Let’s just take it one day at a time.”
Colleen agreed. “Of course, Katz. My lips are sealed. Do you really think I should leave Monday? I’m worried about you.”
“Don’t worry. I’m good. I’ve got a Glock,” Katherine said lightly, trying to put her friend at ease.
“Seriously, Katz, please come back to Manhattan,” Colleen implored. “Your living in this place scares me to death. I think you’re safer in Manhattan. You can have your old apartment back. Jacky and I would gladly move back in with Mum.”
“How do you know that bad luck wouldn’t follow me back to NYC? Besides, I have people in Erie I care about. Jake, Cokey, Margie and their kids. My new friends.”
Colleen replied with a wink. “Mostly Jake. What was with the diamond ring in his pocket? Is he going to pop a question?”
Katherine shook her head. “I don’t have a clue. Colleen, I’ve only got four more months, and I’ll inherit my great aunt’s fortune. I’ll decide then whether I want to stay here or move somewhere else.”
“Ma-waugh,” Scout agreed from behind the door of Katherine’s bedroom.
Colleen laughed nervously.
Katherine said sadly, worrying about Iris, “When Jake comes back, I’m going to ask him to drive me to the Sanders trailer court. I want to look for her.”
“I’m so sorry about Iris,” Colleen comforted.
“I won’t have a moment’s peace until I find her,” Katherine assured.
“I know,” Colleen said, beginning to choke up. “I won’t either.”
Chapter Eight
Early November
It was a bitterly cold day. The wind whipped up and down Lincoln Street, blowing leaves out of the piles that residents had made on either side of the street for the town’s vacuum leaf removal truck. The leaves scattered down the hill with each gust. The wind chill made the outside thirty-eight degrees feel even colder. Katherine bundled up in layers to finish the leaf raking chore. Cokey said he would hire someone to do the strenuous task, but she declined. She told him it would do her good. “Great exercise,” she explained. Cokey had looked at her like she’d lost her mind, but didn’t persist. He was aware that Katherine was mourning the loss of Iris, who had been missing for two weeks.
Katherine hadn’t given up hope. She’d driven to the Erie animal shelter twice a day and checked to see if Iris had been turned in. She knew she was annoying the limited staff, who assured her they’d call if Iris showed up, but it was too painful to wait for a call that never came. The shelter lacked the funds to be a no-kill facility, so Katherine vowed she’d change that once she got her inheritance. Scout, Abra, Lilac and Abby missed their friend. They sensed that all was not right with their human, and clung to her even more.
The evening when Iris first went missing, Katherine and Jake drove to the location of the Misha’s motorhome, but the state police wouldn’t let them search inside. When they arrived, the motorhome was being jacked up by a special tow truck, and was impounded for further evidence gathering. The officers were sympathetic, but swore there wasn’t a cat inside. They said they’d checked every nook and cranny. No cat. No Iris.
The next day, Katherine created and printed flyers with Iris’s picture on it to post all over town. Jake’s family rallied behind Katherine in searching for the Siamese. Cokey, Margie and the kids went door-to-door asking residents if they’d seen the missing feline. Even Jake’s unfriendly mother warmed up to Katz and, with Jake’s dad, pounded the streets of Erie, alerting the residents about the missing cat. Colleen and Daryl drove out to the Sanders trailer court and tacked up a poster there. At first, some of the residents were suspicious, but once they knew the flyer was about a missing pet, they allowed them to post one on a telephone pole outside the entrance.
Katherine offered a reward. The flyer stated: With the safe return of my seal-point Siamese, you shall have one thousand dollars in cash. The reward brought a barrage of phone calls. Katherine followed up with each one. The usual scenario was that someone would call stating they’d seen Iris. Katherine would jump in her car, drive to the caller’s place, and then be disappointed when the cat turned out to be a tabby cat or some breed other than a Siamese. When Jake was able, he’d go along on these trips and comfort her when she got home. But today, Jake was teaching. It was Friday, and she wouldn’t see him until later in the evening.
Colleen had flown back to Manha
ttan, but called or texted every day, asking about Iris and giving Katz moral support. The estate’s lawyer, Mark Dunn, suggested a television spot in the city during the evening news, but Katherine declined. She reasoned that the city was so far away, and that if Iris had escaped the motorhome, she’d still be in the Erie area. Detective Martin, who also loved cats, took a flyer and posted it at the state police headquarters. Many officers promised to be alert to finding the missing pet.
Katherine had her back to the street when the pickup truck pulled up. Turning to see who it was, and expecting to see either Margie or Cokey in their Dodge Ram, she was surprised to see Sam Sanders, Erie’s best approximation of a “crime boss” behind the wheel, with his daughter, Barbie, riding shotgun. Katherine couldn’t imagine what they could possibly want, but stood staring at them until Sam got out and came over.
“Ms. Kendall, I think we got off on the wrong foot,” he said kindly. He wore a black jacket, white dress shirt, and dark blue jeans. His beard was closely cropped. He looked very handsome, but his ice-blue eyes seemed to tell an ominous tale. “I’ve thought back on that day I offered you a bribe, and I’ve kicked myself a million times. You must think I’m a horrid man.”
Katherine turned and leaned the rake up against the magnolia tree. “What can I do for you?” she asked.
“My daughter and I just got back in town. I was in Chicago for a couple of weeks and Barbie and her brother Bobby were up at Lake Monty staying in the family cabin. I have a true story to tell and it’s a good one. I don’t want you to jump to any conclusions until you’ve heard me out.”
“Okay,” Katherine said, wondering what a crime boss would tell her. She gazed at the truck and at Barbie, who was staring straight ahead like she was in some kind of trance. She wondered why she didn’t get out and join the conversation.
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