by Fiona Grace
“Oh, he’s cute!”
“What do you have there?” he asked, pointing to her pet carrier.
“Oh. This is Nick. My fox,” she said, turning the carrier so he could see inside.
“Ah. Very nice. You like animals?”
She laughed. “I should. I’m a veterinarian.”
“Is that right?” he said, delighted. “Well, you are certainly welcome on our island. What brings you here?”
“I’ve actually been summoned by the council to help with a stray cat problem?”
“Si. We have a lot of strays. You stay long?”
She shook her head. “No. I have a practice in Mussomeli to get back to. But I’m here to help for a few days and offer suggestions to your animal control department.”
He laughed. “Animal control?” He laughed even harder, clutching his round belly. “We don’t have one of those. We don’t even have any animal care places at all on the island. That is why we all go to the island of Sicily for that.”
“Oh.” Maybe the problem was even worse than she’d thought. Mussomeli had been similar, until she arrived, with stray animals everywhere. But at least the council had been trying to do something about it, prior to her arrival. “It’s really bad?”
“Yes. They have done nothing so far. Nothing. Animals all over the streets. Everywhere.” He leaned in and scratched his grizzled chin. “Tell me. Do you do house calls? I have twelve cats of my own.”
“Oh, um . . . twelve?” She laughed. Were they that desperate? Well, yes, they had to be, if they were offering her such a sum to come out. She had a feeling she might be very busy over the next few days, and really earn her pay. But it would be worth it. “It’s a little too far to travel from Mussomeli, unfortunately. But I’m happy to stop in while I’m here!”
“Wonderful!” he said, smiling big, unashamed of his many missing teeth. The ferry banked around Vulcano, and he pointed to the island just beyond it, with a little settlement at the seaside; the brightly colored homes Audrey had seen in the photographs, climbing a hillside that was scattered with thick green trees. “That is my home. You will like it.”
She smiled as seagulls squawked overhead, arcing in the pale blue sky. The sun cast its rays on the waves of the calm sea, and the pebbles on the shore glistened like diamonds. Small, colorful boats lined the beaches. As she drew nearer, she noticed a small white cathedral on the jetty, children splashing in the sea, and a fisherman dozing on the dock. The balconies of the townhomes were bedecked in flowers of every hue. It was a postcard.
Her heart swelled, and she couldn’t fight the tears that came to her eyes. This—traversing the deep blue waters of Tyrrhenian Sea, surrounded by charming villages under the bright sun, was what she’d come to this part of the world for. This was like one of her dreams of this place, only a thousand times more vivid. Goosebumps sprang up on her arms. “I am sure I will. I’m sure my host will have plans for me, but can you tell me what is the one sight I should see while I’m here?”
“My home?” he suggested, winking. Then he laughed. “No, I joke. I say all of Lipari is a treasure. Just enjoy it all.”
He tipped an imaginary hat to her, picked up his crate, and walked toward where the boat was docking.
She stood up, picked up her pet carrier, and looked in at Nick. He seemed to be a little happier now that he was in the fresh air. It was nicer here, with a sea breeze tossing her hair and warding off the heat from the bright sun.
“Come on, bub,” she said to him as she found her way toward the exit with the small crowd of fellow passengers. As she did, she retrieved a paper from her purse. It had the address of the hotel on it. True to his word, he’d emailed her details overnight.
A little thrill passed through her as she stepped onto a long, narrow dock. A small harborside café was open, the tantalizing scent of seafood catching her attention. That would be a nice place to stop. On the pier, she smiled as she walked past a child with a bucket, collecting seashells among the rocky coastline. The moment she stepped onto terra firma, she saw a handsome older man in a jacket and tie, running toward her and waving. “Dottore! Dottore!”
CHAPTER FOUR
Out of breath, he grabbed her hand. “Dottore Smart?”
“Yes?”
Smiling from ear to ear, he held her hand in both of his and shook it. “Delighted! I am Matteo Gallo. I spoke to you on the phone!”
“Mr. Gallo!” she said, a little confused. He’d said he would meet her here, but she hadn’t told him which ferry she’d be on. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for coming here, but . . . have you been waiting here long?”
“All day, actually. The ferry from Messina is not always on schedule, and I did not want to have you wait. You see, we’re excited to have you,” he said, still shaking her hand, so hard she thought he might dislocate it. “I did not want to miss you. I will help get you settled. Perhaps I can interest you in a late lunch? You must’ve had a long trip?”
She nodded, looking over at the café. Her mouth was watering. “Very long. I left Mussomeli early this morning.”
“I trust it wasn’t too bad?”
“No. It was fin—”
“Anything we can do to make you more comfortable, you just ask! I have you put up in the best hotel on the island!”
“Oh, that’s all right, I’m just—”
“Yes, yes, come along,” he said, grabbing her bag. He tried to take the carrier with Nick, but Nick let out an ear-piercing screech, causing many in proximity to turn. He looked at it. “Your . . . pet . . . is friendly?”
She nodded as she picked up her carrier and shushed him. “He’s a fox.”
He gave her an apologetic look. “The hotel might—”
“That’s okay, he likes to roam outside. He doesn’t like being cooped up in one place,” she said, proud of herself for finally being the one to speak over him.
“All right, great,” he said, ushering her off the pier. They walked down the stone harbor area, past shops selling wares for tourists, a little boy selling pumice on a corner, and to the first car, parked on the corner. “I’ll take you right there so you can get settled. It’s not far, but after the day you’ve had, I’m sure you’d like to freshen up as soon as possible.”
He moved quickly, getting her bag into the back and helping her into the front of the car. As she sat in the front with Nick on her lap, she got the distinct feeling that he was in a hurry. That feeling only intensified when he jumped into the car and began to tear off, away from the harbor.
I hope this is okay, she started to worry as she looked down at Nick. I didn’t even ask him for identification. What if he’s some crazy man pretending to be the councilman, who just kidnapped me?
She relaxed a bit, though, when he pointed a place out to her. “That place is my uncle’s. We must go there for dinner and grappa. The best pasta alla Strombolana you’ll ever have.”
“Sounds great,” she said, even though she had no idea what that was.
“And over there is the cathedral. Very beautiful. Of course you will want to see that,” he said. “The town itself is very walkable, very nice. Perhaps you tour the pumice quarry?”
“Pumice, is that a—”
“Yes, that’s our main export,” he said. “And of course, we have the best seafood around. You will gain a little weight while you’re here, eh?”
That was the last thing Audrey wanted to do, but she smiled. He’d rolled down the window, so as they navigated the tight, curving roads, she got a good taste of the charming village. She didn’t notice much of a stray problem until she happened to peer down a narrow alley and saw a collection of cats congregating near a trash can. Then a black cat dashed in front of the car. There were a few sunning themselves on the front stoops of buildings. They may have belonged to someone, but they didn’t appear to have collars.
“Hmm, I see the problem with strays,” she said.
“Yes. It’s bad here, but it is even worse near the res
taurants. Some owners report that there are thirty or forty cats outside their back doors at any given time. And that number is only growing.”
She gasped. “That’s terrible. But Mussomeli had a similar problem. Maybe not as big, but it’s getting better,” she said proudly. “I think my plan had a lot to do with it getting on the right track, and I’m happy to share everything I learned with you.”
“Does your plan involve . . . euthanasia?” he asked.
“Oh, certainly not!” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t believe in that unless an animal’s suffering or at the end of its lifespan. It’s not these animals’ faults that they were born, and most of them are perfectly happy to live on the street. But obviously to curb the nuisance, we need to cut down the number of births.”
“And how do you propose we do that?”
“In Mussomeli, we’ve been capturing the males, neutering them, and releasing them out into the wild, or putting them up for adoption. We’ve been incentivizing pet owners to come in and have their animals spayed or neutered. It’s actually making a difference already. It’s only been in place a couple months and already the stray pet population has gone down around town.”
“Is that so?” He smiled. “Well, Dottore Smart, you are a welcome addition to our island, for sure. Others have made suggestions, but I must say, that is the best plan I’ve heard in a long while. I’m sure the mayor will agree.”
“Tell me,” she said, as Nick jostled in the carrier on her lap, trying to take in all the sights along with her, “who else has been making suggestions? I met a man on the ferry who said that the animals on Lipari were having no help at all. Surely, you have veterinarians here?”
He nodded. “We do, yes. We have one other veterinarian. But—” He paused as his car came to a stop at a corner. “We’re right near the largest shelter in town. I thought we could take a quick tour. Perhaps that would—”
“Yes, I’d love to see it,” she said. “As soon as possible. That would give me an idea of what we’re dealing with.”
He checked his watch. “It’s closing in another hour. You’d like to see it now?”
She nodded.
He made a sharp left and headed up a hill, out of town. “All right. Dottore Smart, I have to admit I was hoping you’d say that. You will be very welcome there.”
“Great,” she said. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER FIVE
The sun was rapidly sinking in the sky as they arrived at the fenced-in two-story house that served as the shelter. Before she got to the front door, Audrey could already tell the place was a horror.
The small, white stucco building had its front door open, and cats seemed to have overrun the place, because they were climbing in and out of the building. There was a fenced-in area, also entirely populated by cats. Not that the fence did any good, because they seemed to be climbing the fence, coming and going as they pleased.
Matteo winced as he pulled up into a parking spot on the gravel drive. “Oh my. It does appear that the cats have overtaken it, doesn’t it?”
Audrey opened the door to the car, and the second she set a foot down on the gravel, a gray cat came up to her, winding its body around her. Two more were headed her way. “Oh. Goodness,” she said, carefully closing the door so as not to trap any tails.
She’d hoped to take Nick out, but at the sight, he began hissing. She decided to leave him in his carrier on the hood of the car. He’d be safe there. The last thing she needed was him getting into a catfight with a hundred stray cats.
Poor Matteo tripped over the felines several times as he made his way around the car to join her. “Right this way,” he said apologetically, guiding her toward the open door.
It was like walking on a moving floor. Audrey had to squeeze to the side to accommodate all of the animals. Occasionally, she had a near-miss with a tail or a paw. The number of cat bodies of all colors and sizes only seemed to increase as she made it to the lobby. The waiting area may have once been a regular waiting room, with chairs, houseplants, and a coffee table filled with magazines, but now, every available space appeared to be covered in cats.
This wasn’t like Mussomeli at all. It was so much worse.
“This is your largest shelter on the island?” Audrey asked, looking around. The smell of cat urine stung her eyes, and there was fecal matter everywhere. The stench was so overpowering, she could barely breathe. No wonder they’d left the doors and windows open.
Matteo nodded. “It is. We have a couple of smaller ones inland. But this is the one that most people bring the strays to, because of its proximity to the town itself. As you can see, it’s in peril.”
I’ll say, Audrey thought, unable to peel her eyes off the squirming lot of cats, sitting, prancing, preening themselves. Clearly, this island was in trouble. “Do they do any spaying or neutering here?”
Matteo shrugged. “I don’t know. We can ask Sabina.”
“Sabina?”
“She’s the manager here,” he mumbled as a cat jumped from a cabinet into his arms. He quickly dropped it, looking rather green. Clearly, the stench was getting to him, too. “Oh. I think I might be sick.”
He rushed out the door, cats be damned, as Audrey looked around. Were there any humans managing this place? Because right now, it wasn’t looking so good. Alone, she tried to navigate toward a door in the hallway that said “Office,” and finding it slow-going because of the traffic, finally called out, “Hello?”
A head popped out of one of the doors, farther down the hall. “Si?”
“Hi! Sabina?” She struggled with her Italian, explaining, “Sono una veterinaria? From Mussomeli?” and then tried to remember the Italian word for “came.” “Sono . . .um . . .”
The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Eh?”
I’m butchering my Italian. She’d probably better understand my English, even if she doesn’t speak a word of it. “I came here with Matteo Gallo.”
The heavyset woman came nearer, tsking at the animals as she went, wading through them confidently, as if she was used to this mess. They seemed to part like the Red Sea for her. She donned a pair of bifocals and inspected Audrey, twisting her pale, doughy face as her eyes scanned her from head to toe. “You say you’re a veterinarian from America?”
Audrey nodded, relieved. Thank goodness. She spoke English.
“Not possible! What are they, hiring babies to take care of the animals in the States?” the grandmotherly woman chuckled.
Audrey paid it no mind. She’d been told the first half of her life that she was too young to do certain things, and the second half of her life, she’d been told she looked too young. It was her freckles. She said, “It seems you have a bit of a problem here?”
The woman laughed. “You can say that.” She extended a pockmarked hand. “I’m Sabina. This is my shelter. I’ve run it for twenty years, and it has never been this bad. Where’s Matteo? Did he get sick again? That man has no constitution whatsoever.”
Audrey shook her hand. “Yes, he had to get some air. What have you been doing?”
“We take the animals in when we can, take care of them. Try to adopt them out. We have clinics to spay or neuter once a month. But it’s not enough, as you can see.”
Audrey bent down to look at one of the cats. It looked healthy. They all appeared healthy, without any sign of mange, though many of them seemed a bit malnourished. Of course they would be. On an island such as this, there probably wasn’t enough food to go around.
“Come,” she said, “let us get out of this mess.”
Audrey finished with her inspection of the animals and stood up. Sabina led Audrey slowly to a room in the back of the building. It looked like a little break room, with a coffee service. Sabina tried to close the door, but one of the cats slipped through. “Out!” she cried. The cat listened, scampering away. She sighed. “It’s a hard job. I supply basic medical care to the ones that are sick. Me and Vito. Coffee?”
Yes. After the early day she’d had,
she could use the pick-me-up. “Sure. Vito?”
Sabina poured her a Styrofoam cup as she sat down. “My grandson. He lives with me here. So he helps me sometimes.”
Audrey took the cup. When she looked inside, she saw, unmistakably, that there was cat hair floating among the steaming liquid. She immediately lost her desire. “You live here?”
She nodded. “Upstairs. There is an apartment. This kind of job requires a person to be on it round the clock, you see.”
“It can’t be very nice to be living here, though, with all the—”
“It sucks,” a voice said. The door opened, and a tall, thin kid built like a basketball player with dark hair spilling in his eyes and earbuds in his ears came up behind Sabina. He hissed at one of the cats as he closed the door. Even with a pronounced, ambivalent slouch, he was almost two feet taller than her, with acne on his cheeks and a scowl on his face. “I never thought I’d say this, but it’s even worse than juvie. Who are you?”
“I am a veterinarian. I’ve been tasked with helping the island solve its stray problem.”
He snorted. “You? Good luck with that.”
Ignoring the obvious barb, she tilted her head. “You don’t have an accent.”
“You’re bright,” he muttered, going to a mini-fridge. He grabbed a bottle of soda, cracked the lid, and took a long swig. “Guess that’s why they gave you the doctorate.”
Sabina gave her an apologetic look. “Forgive Vito. He’s not had an easy time. His father is American. But there was a divorce, and he got into a lot of problems with the law back home . . . you know, stealing. Drugs. Being a boy. He’s lived here with me for the past four years.” She leaned in and whispered, “I’ve been trying to keep him in line and out of trouble.”
“Nonna. Stop talking about me like I’m not right in the friggin’ room,” he muttered.