A Very Meowy Christmas

by Patricia Fry

  Savannah thought for a moment, then brightened. “Hey, you want to become a police officer. You probably know people on the force.”

  “Yeah, but I’d rather not come out about this yet. Know what I mean? I want to just resolve it quietly. Like I said, I especially don’t want my family involved. It would just mess up our wonderful healing process.” Alicia begged, “Will you help me?”

  Savannah winced. “You’re not talking about breaking any laws are you?”

  “Me break laws when I want to be a police officer? No. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  “Then, okay,” Savannah said. “I’ll do what I can. Tell me what you have in mind.”

  “There are a few places we lived where it would be easy to conceal something and there was a time when my father was spry enough to maybe dig a hole and bury something. I’d like to check out those places. Two of them are actually empty—unoccupied as we speak. One was just taken over by a man with a bunch of cats. I hear they’re trained cats. I spoke to our old landlord the other day.”

  “Oh, I think I know him!” Savannah said excitedly. “I mean the man with the cats. If it’s the same man, he performs with them in a circus of sorts.”

  Alicia’s eyes lit up. “So you know him? Do you think he’d let us snoop around?”

  “I’m pretty sure he would. Yeah, I could probably go out there with you tomorrow morning. We have out-of-town guests coming in the afternoon.”

  “Great. Let’s start there tomorrow, then.”

  ****

  “So do you know what you’re looking for yet?” Savannah asked when she picked up Alicia Saturday morning.

  “No. I wish I did. It would certainly make this easier. Savannah, I’ve tried and tried to remember someone named RJ or something Dad might have hidden…I mean, that man who raised me…”

  Savannah smiled at her friend, then said, “I got Sir Roscoe’s number and…”

  “Sir Roscoe?” Alicia questioned.

  “Yeah, the man with the trained cats; that’s what he calls himself.”

  “Why? Is he British?”

  “I don’t think so. I imagine it’s his stage name. He dresses his cat performers in Renaissance-type costumes, so that might be why. His name’s probably Roscoe Brown or something.”

  “Costumes?” Alicia questioned. “I don’t know much about cats, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one dressed up. The cats tolerate this?”

  “Sure, you can get a cat used to a harness, collar, or a dress even,” Savannah explained.

  Just then, Alicia lurched forward and gasped. “What’s that?” she shrieked.

  Savannah put her foot on the brake then saw that Rags was standing on the backseat batting at Alicia’s ponytail. She laughed. “Oops. I guess I forgot to tell you I brought Rags.”

  “Oh,” Alicia muttered. She turned to get a better look at him. “Hi, Rags. I hear a lot about you.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah, from your daughter. She’s always telling us something Rags did or didn’t do, when you bring her and Teddy over for a play date or whatever.” She smiled. “Crissy just loves playing with Lily. They’re good buddies.”

  “Cool,” Savannah said.

  “Oh, and I read about him in the paper a while back, didn’t I? I mean this cat. He saved a little baby who had crawled out onto a balcony. That was something else.”

  “Yes,” Savannah’s eyes lit up, “and you might be interested to know that he sometimes works with the local sheriff’s department on cases.”

  “No kidding? I mean, I’ve heard random stories about him, but I guess I really had no idea.”

  Savannah chuckled. “If you get on with the Hammond sheriff’s department after graduation, you might have an opportunity to work with him. Maybe he could become your feline partner.”

  Alicia laughed. When Rags jumped into the front seat and stood on her lap to look out the window, she petted him. “Well, I’m glad you brought him today. I’d love to see him work.”

  “I thought he might be useful in finding whatever it is we’re searching for.”

  “But, if we don’t know what we’re looking for, how would he?” Alicia reasoned.

  Savannah shook her head. “I don’t know how or why, but he seems to have this gift, you might call it.” She glanced briefly at Rags. “He definitely has a nose for trouble.” She slowed the car and said, “Well, I think this is it, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. Dad drove me past here once when I was around fifteen. He said we used to live here. I didn’t remember it until I saw it, then some of my memories came back. We weren’t here for long. We never lived anywhere for long. Now I know that was because Dad would get nervous about being found out.”

  Savannah patted Alicia’s arm. “Well, come on and I’ll introduce you to Sir Roscoe.” She took hold of Rags’s leash as she slipped out of the car and said to him, “Let’s go visit some of your circus friends, shall we?”

  “Welcome,” Sir Roscoe said, opening the door to his guests. “Nice to see friends from the old neighborhood.”

  Savannah smiled. “Sir Roscoe, this is Alicia. She lived here as a child.”

  “Oh, yes, hello. It must have been fun playing here as a youngster. It’s an interesting property. And the house is unique too. I don’t think it’s been changed much since you lived here, young lady. In fact, I don’t think it has changed much in the last forty years.” He laughed. “The cats love it because there are so many places for them to curl up and hide out and play. I couldn’t have found a better home for us.”

  “So you don’t mind if we look around?” Savannah asked.

  “No, no. Be my guest. Come in and I’ll give you a tour of the inside first.”

  Savannah looked at Alicia, who nodded. “I’d like that.”

  “Hello, Rags,” Sir Roscoe said, leaning over and petting him. “Want to come in and see some of your friends?” He stepped back for the women and the cat. “Excuse us, we were rehearsing.” He pointed. “See Carmen and Sylvester waiting up there on the pedestal for their command?”

  “You’ve taught them to just wait like that?” Alicia asked.

  “Yes, they’re pretty cooperative and trusting.” He nodded toward a pouch on his belt. “But these treats are probably the biggest influencer. Oh yes, with cats, it’s all in the trust and the treats.” He chuckled. “What most people don’t know is that each of our performances is different and that’s because of the cats. They’re creative characters, you know. So one day they might want to leap through a series of hoops and the next they’ll walk around them or just sit staring out at the audience. We rehearse, but the outcome of the performances is rarely the same.”

  “They’re beautiful,” Alicia said. She glanced around the room at the cats. “My goodness, how many do you have?”

  “Around a dozen—maybe more.”

  “You don’t know how many you have?” Savannah asked, amused.

  “Sure, I know each one and pretty much where they are and what they’re doing and who has eaten and who’s feeling puny at any given time, but I don’t often count them, unless we’re traveling. Then a head count is necessary.” He pointed. “I found those two sweet boys at Rags’s Cat Ranch just last week.” He tilted his head. “That place was named for Rags, right—for some heroic action?”

  Savannah nodded.

  “No kidding,” Alicia said, staring intently at the cat.

  “Aren’t they handsome?” Savannah said, admiring the two newest members of Sir Roscoe’s troupe. She looked around. “This is an extraordinary room. I wonder what the original builder had in mind. Do you know what all those alcoves are about? Is that just shelf space?”

  “Maybe they’re for religious objects—you know little shrines,” Alicia suggested.

  “Hmmm,” Savannah muttered. “Maybe.” Just then she yelped, “Rags.” She looked in the direction he was trying to pull her and saw a small black cat emerge from behind an overstuffed chair. “Hi there, kitty. You mu
st be a friend of Rags’s.” When Rags pulled against the leash again, she said, “Or he’s curious about where you came from.”

  Sir Roscoe laughed. “Yeah, let me show you that secret.” He glanced around. “This place has many secrets.”

  Savannah and Alicia looked at each other.

  Sir Roscoe petted the black cat. “Hi, Midnight. Been napping in the down under?” He moved the chair slightly and pointed. “It’s a sort of bunker.”

  “A bunker?” Savannah repeated.

  “Yeah, look,” Alicia said, “it’s a cool cubby where cats can hide.” She laughed, “They look so cozy down there. How many are there? I think I see four all snuggled together.” She laughed. “No room for you, Rags.”

  “That really is odd,” Savannah said. “I’ve never seen a hole in the floor of a house like that before.” She laughed. “Like a pocket.”

  Sir Roscoe shook his head. “Most of the oddities in this place have no rhyme or reason as far as I can tell. It’s like the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose—there seems to have been no plans. It was just built on whims and wishes. Maybe whoever built this place had cats.” He chuckled and his energy increased. “I can imagine them building around the cats.” He mimicked, “Oh, the cat wants to nap there, let’s not disturb him. Or, look, that cat wants to jump up after a fly or a moth, let’s add a ledge for him.”

  “Crazy,” Savannah said. She smiled. “But what a perfect place for you and your cats.”

  “Isn’t that the truth?” Sir Roscoe said. “Well, it takes a unique family to live here. There are hazards for the elderly, for example and even for little children.” He looked at Alicia. “You say you lived here as a child?”

  “Yes, for a brief period. I don’t remember it all that well. Although,” she said thoughtfully, “as I stand here and look around and listen to you, I’m having some weird sort of maybe flashbacks. Some of this is slightly familiar and I don’t know if it’s because I remember being here or maybe it’s because my dad told me things and that’s what I’m remembering.” She shook her head. “Anyway, it’s weird.” She looked at Sir Roscoe. “Could we look around in the yard?”

  “Sure,” he said. “There are some anomalies out there, too, as you’ll see. Some you might not notice. Let me finish up with the cats and I’ll meet you outside.”

  By the time Sir Roscoe joined the women, they were already tittering at what they’d seen.

  “Do you remember it?” he asked Alicia.

  “There’s something familiar here, but more a feeling than actually recognizing anything.” She looked at Rags. “He showed us a couple of interesting things.”

  “Yeah,” Savannah said, pointing, “including that crude jungle gym apparatus in the stand of banana plants, or whatever they are. The cats should love that.”

  “Yes, they do. I bring them out on leashes sometimes to play. And did you see the old fountain?” he asked.

  “No,” Savannah said. “Where is that?”

  Sir Roscoe took the lead. “Follow me. It isn’t working now, but you can see it’s quite ornate and was probably a real focal point at one time.” He motioned with one arm. “Can you just see water cascading down all these levels? It’s large enough you could even keep ornamental fish in the bottom bowl.” When Rags jumped up into the fountain and began pawing at the cement, he said, “Yup, looks like they had a problem with it at one time, doesn’t it, Rags? They had to cut a piece of cement out—maybe to make repairs on the pump or something.” He petted Rags. “They didn’t do a very good job of repairing the hole, did they?”

  Both Savannah and Alicia leaned over to examine what Rags was so interested in.

  “The repair doesn’t look recent, does it?” Savannah asked.

  Sir Roscoe shook his head. “Oh, no. This fountain hasn’t been operable for decades—maybe since that repair was attempted.” He looked out across the property. “Alicia, do you remember that old rope swing?”

  She followed his gaze. “Kind of. Yeah, I think so.”

  “Rags,” Savannah complained, “where are you going?”

  “Straight to the forbidden,” Sir Roscoe said. He petted Rags and added, “That is one area where I won’t take my cats.”

  “What’s out there?” Alicia asked.

  Sir Roscoe nodded to the left. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

  “Slow down, boy,” Savannah said, attempting to manage the cat on the leash. “No, Rags! Now just settle down.”

  Alicia laughed. When Savannah looked at her she said, “That’s what Teddy says when Lily talks about Rags. ‘No, Rags!’”

  Savannah smiled knowingly. “Oh yes, that was one of his first phrases.”

  “I can see why,” Alicia quipped. She then asked, “So Savannah, what do you think he’s interested in now? Shall we follow him?”

  “Let’s do,” Savannah said. “It appears he wants to go in the same direction Sir Roscoe is taking us. He just wants to get there faster.”

  “Oh yes, the gully-ditch,” Alicia said as they drew closer to the rope swing. “Someone hung the swing on this tree next to the gully-ditch for the thrill of swinging out over it, I guess. But this was off-limits to me because of the danger. To this day I’m afraid of heights and wild carnival rides.” She shuddered. “I can’t even ride the Ferris wheel without feeling queasy.”

  Sir Roscoe laughed. “I should cut this swing down. I’m sure it would be a curiosity for any youngsters who might be in the area.” He pointed. “But see how frayed the rope is in some places? It’s dangerous. I’m going to speak with the landlord about removing it.”

  “You don’t want to make it part of your circus act, huh?” Savannah quipped.

  He laughed, then said, “No, but your cat there seems interested in it. Iris told me that he’s a rather unusual cat. It looks as though he’d like to go for a swing.”

  Savannah pulled Rags back. “Not without a parachute.”

  Alicia watched Rags for a moment and asked, “What do you think he’s doing? Is he trying to show us a clue? I mean, look at him checking out that swing.”

  “Well, I don’t know why he’d be interested in a swing,” Savannah said. When he trotted back in the direction of the house, she threw one hand in the air. “Well, there he goes again. Now what, Rags?”

  “Back to the fountain,” Alicia said.

  “Let’s watch him,” Savannah suggested. After following him around for several minutes, she said, “Yup, it’s the fountain.”

  Sir Roscoe cocked his head. “Is there anything in particular you ladies are looking for? You seem to be looking for something.”

  Savannah nodded. “Yes, maybe.”

  Alicia added, “But we don’t know what it is.” She asked, “Have you or your cats, by any chance, found something unusual hidden anywhere around here?”

  Sir Roscoe frowned. “Like what?” He smiled. “Did you lose a dolly as a child or a stuffed teddy bear?”

  “Maybe more like a stash of money,” Savannah suggested.

  “What?” he exclaimed.

  Alicia nodded. “Yeah, or some sort of incriminating evidence of a crime, perhaps.”

  Sir Roscoe shook his head slowly. “No. Sure haven’t seen anything like that. Why?”

  When Savannah started to speak, Alicia jumped in, saying, “I’m studying for a test in my criminal behavior class and…um…well, someone said they planted a clue and I thought it might be here somewhere.”

  “On private property?” Sir Roscoe questioned.

  “You haven’t lived here long, have you?” Alicia asked. “It was probably hidden while it was vacant or they thought it was vacant. I don’t know. But if you find anything, would you let Savannah know, please?”

  “Sure,” he said. His face lit up. “Say, that might be fun finding a clue to a crime even if it is fake. Yeah, I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

  “Thank you,” Alicia said, smiling widely.

  ****

  “He’s an interesting man,” Alicia said onc
e the two women had returned to the car with Rags, “and what a fascinating place.”

  Savannah nodded. “I could explore here all day.” She asked, “So is there any other place we should visit—I mean where you and your dad lived over the years? Do you think if he hid something that it would have been here in Hammond or maybe where you lived in Stratton or Mason?”

  “I’ve been thinking about that. If it was something important that he hid from or for someone, he might have kept it with him everywhere we lived. And his last place of residence was next door to you—you know, where your aunt lives now.”

  “Right,” Savannah agreed. “Like I told you yesterday, my uncle believes someone may have been snooping around his place recently. Now was it someone looking for something or just a vagrant getting in out of the rain?” She was quiet for a moment, then shook her head. “It’s hard to imagine that someone looking for shelter would wind up out in our neighborhood—even harder to imagine he’d go to the trouble of finding that secret room. I’d think he’d sooner take shelter in the cat room. Max keeps it fairly warm in there for the kitties.”

  “Secret room?” Alicia asked.

  “Yes. Max didn’t even know about the room your dad rented when he bought the place. They evidently just never noticed it until we went on a hunt for some escaped kittens and stumbled across an opening to the basement room. We had to remove a big shrub to get inside. That’s when Rags found the stuff that led to us reuniting you with your family.”

  “What a blessed day,” Alicia said.

  Savannah smiled. “Well, I’m wondering now if whoever was on Max’s property the other night might be the same one who left those notes for you—that RJ person who’s looking for something.”

  Alicia shrugged. “Could be. So he knows Dad’s last address, huh?”

  “Possibly,” Savannah said, “and he knows your parents’ current address.” She looked at Alicia. “Is that where you were parked when the note appeared on your windshield?”

  “Yes, Mom’s and Dad’s. I was helping out with the children that day and found it when I got in my car to go home.” Alicia thought for a moment. “So he must know my parents’ names. How can that be?” She closed her eyes. “Oh, I’m so confused and scared. I just wish I knew who this person is and what’s going on.” She faced Savannah. “Maybe we’d better look around your aunt’s place. Would that be okay?”