by Patricia Fry
Cassie nodded.
“Well, I’ll surely tell Leon all about you two—and how special you and your cat are.”
Both children smiled widely.
Kathleen started to stand up to leave, then sat back down. “You know, Leon won’t know anyone when he gets here.” She addressed Adam. “Maybe you’d like to meet him.”
Adam looked at Savannah. “But…I…”
“We live in California. They could be pen pals,” Savannah suggested.
“That would be wonderful. You two boys could be pen pals.”
“What’s that, Savannah?” Adam asked, scrunching up his face.
“Someone you write to and they write back to you. Like you and Marissa do.”
“Yeah!” Adam said excitedly. “That would be cool to have a boy pen pal.”
“Here’s my card,” the woman said, handing it to Savannah. She pointed. “As you can see, I’m a florist. I own several flower shops throughout the state and concessions in grocery stores.” She pointed. “There’s my email address. Send me yours and, when we get back, I’ll see if Leon would like to communicate with Adam.” She looked down at the cat. “He is special, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, kinda,” Savannah agreed. “He does seem to have good instincts.”
Kathleen hugged Savannah. “You have been most kind; I will never forget you and your family.” She pulled back and said before leaving, “Blessings to you and yours.”
“Good luck with your trip,” Savannah called after her.
Just then Aggie appeared with an elderly man. “I heard what happened. Rags used his intuitive powers to find that woman’s passport? Where is that intelligent cat?”
“Here he is,” Cassie said.
“That’s him,” Aggie said to the man. “My grand-cat, Rags. Isn’t he special?”
When Savannah got a nod from the librarian, she said to Aggie and her friend, “We’d better get back to the signing table. We’ll be finished in half an hour and I think we’re getting together at the condo afterward. I hope you and your friends and Jess can join us. Holly and I had some food brought in.”
“We’d love to,” Aggie said.
****
The next morning everyone was on their own for breakfast. The women had set out platters of leftovers including sweet rolls, boxes of cereal, fruit, energy bars, milk, and a variety of juices. “Now whatever we don’t eat, we have to throw away, so eat hearty, everyone,” Holly announced. “After you eat, girls, bring me your toothbrushes so we can pack them.”
“Don’t you want them to brush their teeth first?” Keith asked.
“Yes, I do,” Holly said. “Brush your teeth, then bring me your toothbrush.” Holly turned to Savannah and Michael, who had just finished helping Lily eat her breakfast. “This has been an absolute delight.”
Keith stepped up beside her. “I don’t remember when we’ve had such a great vacation.”
Savannah glanced at Michael. “We feel exactly the same way.” She spoke more softly, “I guess there’s just nothing more special than family.” She patted Michael’s face. “Don’t you agree?”
He smiled. “I’ve gotta say, I’m loving it. I hope we can do this again, and soon.”
“Yay!” Adam said loudly.
“Yay!” Cassie said. “Adam and I want to do more vacations.”
“Maybe next time we’ll do it in the summer,” Holly suggested. “Or maybe on some tropical island.”
“Sounds good to us,” Michael looked down at the cat, who had just joined them in the kitchen. “What do you think, Rags?”
The cat let out a loud meow. Everyone laughed.
“I’d count that as a yes,” Keith quipped.
Savannah hugged Holly, then Keith. “I will miss you so much.”
“I know,” Holly said. “I’ve loved being with you guys. It’ll to be hard going home and leaving you behind.”
With tears in her eyes, Savannah suggested, “Maybe we can focus on what we’re taking home rather than what we’re leaving behind—I have so many wonderful memories.”
Michael joined the others in a group hug, and everyone laughed when the children squeezed between their legs, not wanting to be left out.
Chapter 11
The following Sunday after church the Iveys’ Hammond friends and family gathered at their home for a late potluck lunch.
“So how was the big vacation?” Brianna asked. “I haven’t seen anyone since you all got back.” She nudged Iris. “You went to New York, right?”
Iris nodded. “Yes, we toured the city, Central Park, museums. It was wonderful.”
“We also did a tour outside the city,” Craig said. “Now, upstate New York is where it’s at for me. Beautiful—wintery, but beautiful.”
“We saw a lot of postcards and photos showing what the area looks like in spring and fall,” Iris said. She swooned. “I’m definitely going back there.” Chuckling, she added, “The boys loved the hustle-bustle of the city. Now they’re talking about maybe going to college there instead of in Southern California.”
“Yeah,” Craig said, “I don’t think they’re serious. Anyway, once they experience the beaches and the beach babes down south, I guarantee you they’ll stick with plan A.”
“How was your trip to Baltimore, Maggie?” Iris asked. She glanced at Max. “Did you two have a good time?”
“Wonderful,” Margaret said. “Max’s son and his family are fun to be with. They kept us on the run, didn’t they, Max?”
“They sure did. We saw basketball games, water polo matches, even a science fair at the boys’ school. Those two young-uns sure are kept busy. Ryan plays in a band; Max is the athlete.”
“They named one of your grandsons after you?” Craig asked.
Max smiled. “Yes, he’s my namesake. Nice, isn’t it?”
“Sure is,” Craig agreed.
“How did you like your daughter-in-law?” Iris asked.
“Oh she’s a keeper,” Max said. “Don’t you think so, Maggie?”
Margaret nodded. “Yes, and she’s a wonderful hostess. We got along great. It was very nice, but we were sure ready to slow the pace down. We came home to relax from our vacation.”
“I hear you,” Michael said.
“So how did it go with your family in Connecticut, Michael?” Brianna asked. “Did you and your brother learn anything about your roots?”
“Boy, did we. We learned that our dad wasn’t our real dad, and we had breakfast with a guy who wants to be our dad, but we’re not sure he actually is. We met a whole bunch of relatives we didn’t know we had, including a grandmother.”
“She’s ninety-two and a real kick,” Savannah explained. “…spunky and fun.”
“So what did you find out about your real father?” Iris asked quietly.
“The one who claims he is—well, he’s a recovering alcoholic and he owns a restaurant. But Keith and I aren’t sure if he’s actually our father or if his brother, who died young and looked more like us, is our father.”
Savannah nodded. “GranGran seems to think it was her deceased son.”
“Wow!” Brianna said. “Michael really did have skeletons in his closet.”
Bud chuckled. “What about the cat? You took the cat on this extended trip, didn’t you?”
“Oh yes,” Michael said. He looked at Savannah. “I guess he diagnosed a boy’s illness, got catnapped and found his way back to Gladys’s house, and that was just in Los Angeles.” When he noticed everyone was on the edge of their seat waiting to hear more, he said, “He found a lost little girl and her dog, caught a thief who stole Aggie’s…um…GranGran’s purse—oh, and found a woman’s passport just in the nick of time so she could fly to another country to adopt a child.”
“He’s also the one who uncovered some of your family secrets, Michael,” Savannah reminded.
“Just a typical day for that cat,” Craig quipped.
“So Michael, will you stay in touch
with your family?” Margaret asked.
He noded. “With Keith, Holly and the girls, most definitely.”
Savannah laughed. “Talk about two peas in a pod.”
Michael grinned at his wife, then continued, “My grandmother might spend some time with us—she’s talking about a half year here and a half year with Keith’s family. I don’t know about the man who claims to be my dad; I’m not sure he wants a relationship. I’ll leave that up to him.” He faced Savannah. “So, are you satisfied now?”
“About what?”
“Now that I have nearly a dozen new relatives. You’re the one who pushed and pushed to make this happen.”
She looked him in the eyes and asked in a serious tone, “Well, the question is, are you satisfied?’
He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “I couldn’t be happier.” When he pulled back, he said, “But our Christmas gift list has sure grown by leaps and bounds.”
****
It was after midnight when something woke Savannah. She raised herself up on one elbow and that’s when she saw a glow coming from the overstuffed chair across the room. She felt around on the bed and realized that she was alone. “Michael?” she whispered.
“Oh, hon, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I heard you laughing. What are you doing?” she insisted. She turned on the bedside lamp and saw that he was looking down at his phone. Glancing at the clock, she asked. “Are you playing games in the middle of the night?”
“No,” he said. “Just a minute, hon.” After tapping on his phone a couple of times, he placed it on the side table, then walked over and laid down with Savannah. He pulled the blankets up over them and chuckled. “Keith couldn’t sleep and neither could I.” He kissed her. “We were texting.”
“In the middle of the night—like a couple of teenagers? How did you know he couldn’t sleep?”
“I was awake when I heard a text come in. I thought it might be important.” He smiled. “It was Keith. I guess we couldn’t sleep for the same reason.”
“What reason?” Savannah asked. “Jet lag?”
“No.”
“Too wound up after our great vacation?” she asked.
“Not really—oh, maybe. No, hon, we were both thinking about our parents, in particular our father.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, and we’ve decided we want to go back to Connecticut and do some sleuthing. Heck, maybe we’ll even take Detective Craig along.”
“When?” she asked, apprehensively.
“Oh, not until after the baby comes—probably midsummer. It could be that our father has been dead for a long time, so no hurry.”
“Or it maybe he’s alive and running a restaurant,” Savannah suggested.
Michael was quiet for a moment, then said, “I don’t think so. I didn’t feel any chemistry with Brandt Hanson. Know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I think so. I’ve tried to figure out how I’d feel in your situation. It sure must feel weird knowing that you’d been lied to all of your life, by the people you trusted most in the whole world.”
Michael propped himself up a little bit. “Well, I don’t think I exactly feel betrayed, just confused. I’d sure like some straight answer, and I think Keith would, too.” After thinking about it, he said, “It probably won’t change my life in any really important way, but it seems to me that everyone should know something about their roots—you know, the basics that comprise a human being.”
Savannah let out a sigh and scrunched down against her pillow. “Well, I hope you boys can relax some in the meantime.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, get your eight hours of sleep instead of texting secret messages all night.”
“Come here,” he said, chuckling. He lay back against his pillow and reached for her. “Now that you’re awake, I’d rather play with you.”
She giggled. “You are wound up, aren’t you, Michael?”
“Just happy,” he said. He then asked, “Did I hear you and your aunt talking about a new cat colony somewhere?”
“Yes, she wants me to help her with it—you know, take inventory, trap and release or rescue, whichever is appropriate, and maybe foster some kittens.” When she heard her husband sigh, she said, “Michael, I’ll be staying closer to home now that I’m officially in my third trimester. Lily’s at an easier age. You know how I like to have a project. Besides, there are times when I miss working at the clinic.”
“Really?” he asked. “You’d like to come back to work?”
“Probably not. I like being a mommy more. But I can’t just vegetate. I need to be involved in something worthwhile.”
He ran one finger along her face and said quietly, “You could sew or take up art. How about knitting? You did some sort of sewing before Lily came.”
“Yes, embroidery.” She frowned. “But that isn’t my thing. I need to be active, and, as I said, doing something worthwhile.”
“You could embroider things for less-fortunate children. You could go to the gym to get your exercise, and don’t forget canning.”
“Yes, I’ll do the canning and make jam like I did last year. It looks like our trees are going to produce again. But Michael, I really want to do this. And I have the time to do it. What’s the problem? What’s your objection?”
“No real objection, honey, I just want to be sure you’re not getting into anything over your head. You already have a busy life with Lily and our animals. Think about your horse, for heaven’s sake. She takes a lot of your time and work when she’s here.”
Savannah smiled. “Yes, she does. I can’t wait to get my figure back so I can start riding again.”
“So where is this cat colony you’re so interested in?”
“At the old abandoned church out west of town,” she said quietly.
“The seminary?” he hissed. “Oh no, Savannah, you gals don’t have any business hanging around that rat hole.”
“Rat hole?”
“Haven’t you heard about what goes on out there? It’s been rumored to be a biker hangout, it’s implicated in black-market activity…someone was found dead out there a few years ago, for heaven’s sake. Oh no, Savannah, this is not a good idea.” He propped himself up on one elbow again. “You know, it’s even reputed to be haunted.”
“Haunted? Oh, Michael, you don’t even believe in such things, do you?”
“I haven’t decided.”
Savannah grinned. “Well, like you said, it’s all rumors. Besides, Max knows the caretaker and he’s all for us getting involved in helping the poor cats that were abandoned on that property.” She kissed him and rolled over. “Now go to sleep. There’s nothing to worry about. Auntie and I will be just fine.”
Stay in touch with Patricia Fry, author of the Klepto Cat Mysteries
Patricia Fry and Her Books
Stay in touch with Patricia Fry, author of the Klepto Cat Mysteries
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Other books in the Klepto Cat Mystery series
Catnapped (Book 1)
When Savannah Jordan agrees to help her aunt while she recovers from a broken foot, she doesn’t expect to walk into a mystery, become part of a not-quite-legal surveillance team, be kidnapped by a deranged stranger and meet a steaming hot veterinarian.
Beloved neighborhood cats are missing—the community can only guess at their fate—and Aunt Margaret’s life is being threatened. Is it because she has a clue to the missing cats or is it something more sinister? Of course, as in all of the Klepto Cat Mysteries, Rags, an ordinary cat with a most unusual habit, has a paw in saving the day.
If you like light mysteries with only a little terror, if you’re infatuated by interesting cats and if you love a love story, you must read this book.
Available at Amaz
on.
Cat-Eye Witness (Book 2)
Savannah and Aunt Margaret open the old Forster home to the Hammond Cat Alliance for a fundraiser to help rehabilitate the abused horses rescued months earlier from the catnappers.
Before the afternoon is over, the collected funds go missing and someone is murdered in an upstairs bedroom.
Suspicion surrounds Iris, a local waitress and Savannah’s new best friend. The only witness to the murder is Rags, Savannah’s cat. With the assistance of a cat psychic and Rags’s good friend, Charlotte (the young girl with Downs), the cat helps to “paw” the killer… but not before an attempt is made on Rags’s life. The case is solved only after Rags comes face-to-face with the killer for the second time.
Detective Craig Sledge is new to this book, as is Damon, Iris’s errant son. Sledge finds this to be one of the muddiest cases he has ever worked, with inconsistent clues and no apparent motive. He’s constantly surprised, perplexed and impressed by the cat’s uncanny ability to come up with clues he has missed. His fascination with the attractive Iris Clampton also mystifies the detective.
In this story, one of the rescued horses goes into labor and there’s a night of high drama at the ole corral as veterinarians Savannah and Michael work to save the foal. This experience renews Savannah’s deep interest in horses and riding, which ultimately serves to help her bond with a very important surprise character who finds his way into her life and Michael’s just as they prepare to say their wedding vows.
While Rags is the animal star, he isn’t the only animal featured in this story. Layla is back in all of her tangerine feline beauty. And Rags makes friends with Buffy, a perky almost Himalayan cat and the inseparable duo, Walter, an all black cat and his sidekick, Lexie, a charming Afghan mix dog. Savannah’s new ride, Peaches, also debuts in this story. An incident with this mare adds another dimension to Savannah’s and Michael’s relationship. Can he hold her with open arms?