The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer

by Lisa Orchard

  “You let the beanpole in, huh?”

  “Yeah, I figured I’d let her wake you up. I didn’t want to put my own life in danger,” Lacey giggled.

  Sarah laughed. “Jackie’s making breakfast. You might want to supervise.”

  Lacey snorted. “No kidding.”

  After a quick shower Sarah joined the girls in the kitchen. She wanted to read the diary immediately, but the smell of pancakes caused her stomach to rumble.

  “I’m starving!”

  “They’re almost done,” Lacey said with a smile.

  “I brought the diary to read after we eat.”

  “Cool beans,” Jackie crowed.

  Lacey set two plates of steaming pancakes on the table, and Jackie carried her own.

  “Dig in.”

  Sarah scarfed down her breakfast, anxious to explore the secrets inside the Cat Lady’s diary. The other two girls dug into their pancakes. For a while, the only noise in the kitchen was the sound of silverware scraping plates.

  Sarah finished first and licked the syrup from her fork. She grabbed the diary and opened it. She searched the entries for anything that would put Klonsky behind bars.

  “Where should we start?”

  “How about the day David disappeared,” Jackie suggested.

  “Umm, let’s see. Yeah, here it is.” Sarah cleared her throat.

  “ ‘August fifteenth. The police have searched everywhere for him. I am so worried that I can’t think straight. Where could he be? I’ve racked my brain for hours and still come up with nothing. Doctor Mahoney wants to give me something to make me sleep. Who wants to sleep? Where is David?’”

  “So this entry was written after David disappeared,” Lacey said.

  “Yep.”

  “What happened the next day?” Jackie asked.

  “I don’t know, there’s no other entries after that day.” Sarah flipped through the pages of the diary.

  “Okay, go back a couple of weeks. Let’s find out what was going on in the family,” Jackie suggested.

  Sarah cleared her throat. “’August first. I have finally worked up the courage to tell John we were through. He took it hard, but said he would not contact me again. I am grateful for his promise. However, I am afraid of his anger. It would devastate Russell if he knew, and it would tear my son apart. David is the reason there will be no divorce.’”

  “The Cat Lady was having an affair,” Jackie said as her mouth formed a perfect O. “She must have been so unhappy.”

  Sarah nodded. “Yeah, she only stayed in the marriage because of David.”

  “Who’s John?” Jackie asked.

  Sarah wrinkled her brow. “Let’s find out.” She turned the pages of the journal back a couple of weeks. “July twentieth.”

  “’John and I met at the cabin again. It is so peaceful there—I can forget my problems while I’m with him. I know we cannot go on like this much longer. For just awhile, though, it is a great escape.’”

  “Go back a few more weeks,” Lacey instructed.

  Sarah glanced at her sister, a smile spread across her face. She could tell Lacey was engrossed in the story.

  “Okay.” She turned the pages.

  “’July fifth. It is the day after the Fourth of July party. No one could tell. I feel like I have a large red A on my blouse. I hope Russell never finds out about this. He would never understand.’”

  “The poor Cat Lady,” Lacey said as her eyes welled with tears.

  “We still don’t know who John is.”

  Sarah felt sorry for the Cat Lady stuck in an unhappy marriage. The only reason she stayed in the marriage was because of her son, and then he vanished. Major bad karma for the Cat Lady. Sarah felt tears prickle in her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to keep them at bay.

  “Go further back,” Jackie said.

  “’June second. I have finally given in to John’s aggressive advances. Afterwards, I felt horribly guilty, but at the same time it felt so good to be wanted. Sadly, the good feelings overpowered my guilt. I am sure I will see him again. He has pursued me for months and has been quite relentless—he wants us to run away together. It is such a wonderful fantasy, to run away from problems, and then the reality of the situation comes crashing in. How will this effect Lonny and David I wonder? What would happen if they ever found out? The Klonskys have been such good friends, I fear this could destroy the friendship. Especially since I will never leave Russell. He is David’s father, and I will not break up our family. In time, John will see I am right.’”

  “The Cat Lady had an affair with John Klonsky!” Sarah’s jaw dropped.

  “That must be Lonny’s dad!” Jackie said.

  Sarah’s heart skipped a beat. An affair with John Klonsky! She knew they had found a huge piece of the puzzle. Staring at Jackie and Lacey, she saw a mixture of shock and dismay dance across their faces.

  “I bet a million dollars John Klonsky didn’t take it too well when the Cat Lady told him it was over,” Sarah said. She still couldn’t believe it. Shock ran through her body as she grappled with this new information. “This is the link we’ve been looking for.”

  Jackie stared at Sarah and nodded. “You’re right.”

  “We have to find out everything we can about the Klonskys and the Fedewas.”

  “How are we going to do that?” Lacey asked.

  “We have to go back to the library and talk to Mrs. Parker.”

  “Why?” Lacey asked.

  “Where else are we going to get the information?” Sarah picked up her plate and silverware and put them in the dishwasher.

  Jackie walked her plate over to the dishwasher and handed it to Sarah. “Let’s get our bikes and go down there, right now.”

  Just then, Uncle Walt shuffled into the kitchen wearing his bathrobe. His wispy hair was standing on end. He stared at the girls with a bleary-eyed expression.

  “Morning, girls.”

  “Morning,” they responded.

  “Boy, this is a surprise to see all of you up so early. Especially during summer vacation.” He stopped in front of the refrigerator, opened the door, and pulled out a pitcher of juice. “What’s gotten you girls out of bed so early?”

  “We’re being detectives,” Sarah said with a wide smile.

  “You don’t say?” he asked, walking to the cupboard and searching for a glass.

  “Yes, we’re on our way to the library right now.”

  “Going to the library during summer vacation. I like the sound of that.” He poured juice into a glass and took a sip.

  “See ya, Uncle Walt.”

  “Bye.”

  The girls rushed out the door, and hopped on their bikes.

  The day was already hot. Sarah stood on her pedals and glided through the streets of Harrisburg with the wind in her hair. She enjoyed the movement of the air as it cooled her skin. It felt wonderful, a nice reprieve from the suffocating humidity.

  She heard the sounds of the neighborhood as it awoke. The slamming of screen doors and yells of children as they played outside before the day grew too tropical.

  Taking in the neighborhood as she pedaled, Sarah couldn’t help but think about the Cat Lady and her tragic life. Did she have mornings like this? Watching David run through a sprinkler, or taking him for ice cream? Tears filled her eyes. What right did anyone have to take that away from her?

  A spark of anger started in her belly, then traveled through her body until it consumed her. She clenched her teeth to keep from screaming. Gripping her handlebars, Sarah took several deep breaths, hoping to calm the raging fire inside. Klonsky. The fire whispered.

  The girls parked their bikes in the library bike rack just as Mrs. Parker unlocked the doors for the day.

  “Perfect timing,” Jackie giggled.

  “Looks like we’re the only ones here,” Lacey said.

  “Does that surprise you?” Jackie asked.

  Sarah giggled in spite of the smoldering fire inside. “You’d be surprised, Jack, how
many people come to the library during summer vacation.”

  “You mean you’re not the only one?”

  “Nope.”

  “I don’t believe it.”

  “Believe it, beanpole.”

  Jackie and Lacey followed Sarah up the stairs. Her nerve endings prickled with anticipation; she knew they were close to putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. Opening the door, they found Mrs. Parker at her desk.

  “Mrs. Parker,” Sarah called out from the door.

  “Shhh. You’re supposed to be quiet in the library.” Mrs. Parker put her hands on her hips in protest.

  “There isn’t anyone else here.”

  Mrs. Parker shook her head. “How can I help you girls?”

  “We’re still investigating the Fedewa murder,” Sarah started.

  “Yeah, and we need to find out everything we can about the Fedewas and the Klonskys,” Jackie blurted out.

  Mrs. Parker walked out from behind her desk. “Well, girls,” she said taking a breath. “The Klonskys and the Fedewas were good friends. In fact, John Klonsky worked for Mr. Fedewa at his mill.”

  “Wow, are you sure?” Sarah asked, casting a sideways glance at Jackie. “What about Lonny and David?”

  “They were close. In fact, they were inseparable.”

  “No kidding?”

  “No kidding,” Mrs. Parker nodded her head emphatically.

  “Did you know Mrs. Fedewa and John Klonsky had an affair?” Jackie blurted out.

  “Where did you girls hear that?”

  “From a very reliable source,” Jackie said, acting mysterious.

  Sarah snorted. Jackie should be a movie star instead of a model.

  “I don’t know anything about that.”

  “We need to find out everything we can about the friendship between the two families,” Sarah said.

  “Yeah, please help us find Mrs. Fedewa’s murderer. She was your friend,” Lacey pleaded.

  Mrs. Parker frowned. “I don’t know anything about an affair between Frieda Fedewa and John Klonsky.”

  Sarah studied the librarian. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure,” she insisted, but gazed at the floor and sighed. “It wouldn’t surprise me if it were true, though.”

  “Why do you say that?” Sarah asked.

  Mrs. Parker sighed again. “Because, Russell worked all the time, and Frieda was lonely. Her only companion was her maid.”

  Jackie snapped her fingers. “The maid must have been the one taking all those pictures.”

  “What pictures?” Mrs. Parker asked.

  “Ahh—nothing,” Sarah said quickly, staring at Jackie with a ‘shut your mouth’ look. “I wonder if we could talk to her maid?”

  “Her maid died about five years ago…You know, you need to talk to Scoop Davis.” Mrs. Parker shook her index finger in the air.

  “Who’s Scoop Davis?” Sarah asked.

  “He’s the investigative reporter who covered the kidnapping for the paper. If anyone knows anything about the two families, it would be him.”

  “Does he still work for the paper?” Sarah felt a ray of hope and wiggled her tingling fingers.

  “No, he’s retired, but I do have his home phone and address. Would that help?”

  “Yes!”

  Mrs. Parker walked back to her desk and searched for a pen and paper, and then thumbed through her rolodex. She jotted down the information, and handed the paper to Sarah.

  “Thanks,” Sarah said.

  “Yeah, thanks,” Jackie chimed in.

  Armed with the new lead, the girls left the library. They trotted down the stairs and stopped on the sidewalk. Sarah studied the paper and then pulled her cell phone out of her pocket.

  “What are you doing?” Lacey asked.

  “Calling Scoop Davis.” Sarah held the phone to her ear. “It’s ringing.”

  “Hello,” a male voice answered.

  “Hello, ah…my name is Sarah Cole,” Sarah began, realizing she hadn’t rehearsed what she was going to say.

  “Yes?”

  “Ah…my name is Sarah Cole, and my friends and I are investigating the Fedewa murder. We were wondering if we could ask you a few questions about the kidnapping thirty years ago.”

  “I’m retired,” Scoop replied abruptly.

  “I know, but we think there’s a link between the two crimes, and Mrs. Parker told us you were the person to talk with about the kidnapping.”

  “Did you know the kidnapping has never been solved?”

  “Yeah. We think there’s a link, but we need more information to prove it.”

  “You said you think there’s a connection between the two crimes?” Scoop asked. Sarah could tell he was interested.

  “Yes, there is.” Sarah scuffed the sidewalk with her sandal.

  “What’s the connection?”

  “If we could meet… we could explain the whole thing to you.” Sarah crossed her fingers and held them up in the air for Jackie and Lacey to see.

  “Well, I was about to go fishing…but,” Scoop wavered. “I guess I could meet you first. Where do you want to meet?”

  “How about Hinkle’s?” Sarah beamed and gave the girls the thumbs up.

  “That would work.”

  “How about twenty minutes?”

  “Make it fifteen.”

  “Sounds good. Um… what do you look like?”

  Scoop’s laugh boomed through the phone. Sarah winced and pulled it away from her ear for a second. “I’m a balding Santa minus the beard.”

  “Okay, there’s three of us, and we’re called the Super Spies.”

  “The Super Spies, eh? I’m certainly intrigued. I’ll see you in fifteen.”

  Sarah disconnected the call. “He’s meeting us at Hinkle’s.”

  “Cool beans!”

  “Let’s get moving,” Sarah said, taking a step forward. Lacey and Jackie fell in step beside her.

  Reaching Hinkle’s with minutes to spare, the girls sauntered in the door. Sarah welcomed the cold blast from the air conditioning. It dried the sweat on her brow and the back of her neck.

  A hostess appeared and escorted them to a table. The girls ordered sodas while they waited for Scoop.

  Looking around, Sarah noticed the restaurant wasn’t busy. There were a few stragglers who were leisurely finishing their coffee or reading the local paper. It was the lull of inactivity just after the breakfast rush and right before the lunch crowd came bustling through the doors. The wait staff was gearing up, getting ready for the next surge of customers.

  “You guys, we’re so close to catching Klonsky,” Sarah said, stirring her soda with her straw.

  Jackie nodded. “We are.”

  “But how are we going to prove he did it?” Lacey asked.

  “I’ve got an idea, but I just need a little more information before I can tell you,” Sarah winked.

  “Tell me now,” Jackie demanded.

  “Yeah, tell us now.”

  “I can’t. I think Scoop Davis just walked in.” Sarah pointed to a balding man who stood at the hostess stand.

  Sarah saw the short, stocky man gaze around the restaurant. She caught his eye and gave him a tentative wave.

  He ambled over. “The Super Spies, I presume?”

  “That’s us,” Sarah said.

  Scoop grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the booth.

  Sarah studied him as he sat down; what was left of his hair was snow-white and curled around his ears. “You’re right, you do look like Santa without the beard.”

  Scoop shook with laughter, his blue eyes watering.

  He’s even jolly like Santa. Sarah stifled a giggle tickling the back of her throat.

  The waitress came by to take Scoop’s order. He dried his eyes while he ordered a soda.

  “So, how can I help you young detectives?” he asked.

  “We think there’s a link between the Cat Lady murder and the Fedewa kidnapping,” Sarah said.

  “Who’s th
e Cat Lady?” Scoop stroked his chin.

  “Mrs. Fedewa.”

  “I see… well, explain the connection to me.” He turned toward Sarah and gave her his full attention.

  Sarah took a deep breath, and told Scoop the whole story. She even told him about Chief Johnson and the threat of arrest.

  Scoop chuckled. “Well, you girls certainly stepped into a hornets’ nest.”

  The waitress brought Scoop his soda. He thanked her and waited until she was out of sight, and then pulled a flask from his pocket. Casting furtive glances around the restaurant, he poured a brownish liquid into his drink.

  The smell of alcohol burned Sarah’s nostrils. She wrinkled her nose and stared at Scoop, amazed by his brazen behavior. Sarah noticed the other girls gawked at him too.

  Scoop glanced up and caught Sarah’s eye; he seemed to notice he was the center of attention and winked. “A little hair of the dog.” He chuckled and took a long drink from his straw, then smacked his lips appreciatively.

  “It’s not even noon,” Sarah protested.

  “Hazards of the profession.” He took another long drink.

  “But you’re retired.” Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and flashed a disgusted look at Scoop.

  He cleared his throat. “Some habits die hard.”

  Sarah gazed at Jackie and shook her head.

  “Now, let me get this straight. You found Klonsky’s pin at the crime scene in a place where he shouldn’t have lost it, right?”

  “Right.”

  “It had blood on it, right?” He stared at Sarah.

  “Yep.”

  “The chief told him you found it at the crime scene?”

  “Yep.”

  “Well, there’s only one conclusion we can draw from this,” Scoop said in a matter of fact tone of voice.

  “What’s that?” Sarah held her breath.

  “You girls are definitely up a creek without a paddle.” He took another long drink of his cocktail and smacked his lips.

  “What?” Sarah crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Scoop, annoyed with his unconcerned air and his drinking.

  “Yeah, what about seeing him down by the creek and finding the knife?” Jackie asked.

  “Number one, you didn’t actually see him throw the knife in the water. There’s no way to prove he was the one getting rid of it.”

  “Crap,” Sarah groaned.

  “Number two, finding his pin at the crime scene can be explained, and number three, what was Klonsky’s motive?”