Katherine grabbed her watch off the nightstand. “It’s nine o’clock!”
“Why didn’t the alarm go off?”
“Because the clock has gone missing.”
“What?” Colleen asked, sitting up and wiping her eyes.
“I bet I know which one carried it away.” Katherine looked suspiciously at Lilac, who was now taking her turn to jump onto the windowsill.
“The sun’s shining. That must mean it stopped snowing.”
“That’s a good sign. We better get dressed. I vote we skip breakfast and eat a big lunch somewhere down the highway.”
“Good idea.”
The two hurriedly got ready. While Colleen showered, Katherine fed the cats, who ate heartily. “Good girls,” she complimented.
When the time came to check out and put the cats into the dog carrier, Katherine said to Colleen. “You pick up L-i-l-a-c.”
“Why are you spelling?”
“Because she associates “pick up” and her name to mean a trip to the V-e-t. Trust me, she’ll be the first one to bolt, and then we’ll never catch her. Hold her tight while I get I-r-i-s.”
Total pandemonium broke out. The three Siamese streaked throughout the room, catapulting off of walls and jumping over beds until Katherine tackled Iris and Colleen caught Scout. Lilac rocketed under one bed, and lodged herself in the far recesses of the box spring’s lining.
“Great,” Katherine said in exasperation, putting Iris gently in the carrier and partially closing the door. Colleen handed Scout to her. “Waugh,” Scout complained, trying to squirm away. Katherine put the struggling cat next to Iris and closed the metal door.
“How are we going to get Lilac out of there without ripping off the lining?” Colleen moaned.
“Where’s Lilac’s toy? Do you see her bear?”
Katherine and Colleen looked around the room. “There it is,” Colleen said, picking the toy off the foot of her bed.
“I’ve got a plan. We’ll crawl under the bed and you’ll hold the bear up to the opening in the lining. I’ll be poised, ready to catch Lilac.”
“Listen to this one,” Colleen said incredulously. “Have you gone crazy? There’s creepy crawlies under there.”
“Here, take the bear.”
“For the love of Mary,” Colleen protested, snatching the bear and getting down on her knees. She partially slid under the bed. “Ah-choo,” she sneezed. “I found the clock.”
“That’s a relief,” Katherine said joining her. “Now put the bear up where Lilac can see it and say, Qweek! Qweek!”
“Squeak, squeak,” Colleen said in a monotone voice.
“No, not ‘squeak.’ Qweek! Qweek!” Katherine corrected. “It’s a game we play.”
Both women began saying “Qweek! Qweek!” Lilac hesitated for a moment, then lunged out the hole and grabbed the bear. Katherine seized Lilac and placed both cat and bear into the carrier.
* * * *
The rain pelted the small car as it headed south on Indiana State Highway 28. Katherine struggled to see the road through the dense fog and pounding rain. The squeaking and scraping of the cracked, aged windshield wipers had so frightened the cats, they had given up crying and now lay huddled in the far corner of the carrier.
“‘Tis a nightmare to behold,” Colleen said. “Do you realize it started raining on the Indiana-Ohio border, and it hasn’t stopped since?”
“This is the worse drive I’ve ever done,” Katherine said wearily.
“It snowed to beat the band in Pennsylvania,” Colleen declared. “And now this wretched rain in Indiana. I hope this isn’t an omen,” Colleen finished.
“Omen?” Katherine said skeptically. “I don’t believe in such nonsense. Maybe Mark was right and we should have flown.”
“Shoulda, coulda,” Colleen laughed. “But we didn’t. At least we’re almost there. That sign a while back said Erie was only nine miles away. What did Mark say when you called him?”
“He said he was relieved that we’d finally made it, and he’s waiting for us at the house.”
“Hey, look,” Colleen said excitedly. “There’s a sign for Erie.”
“Woo hoo! This is the town limit. There’s the Red House restaurant. I had lunch there.”
The cats began meowing loudly. Katherine slowed down and said, “Help me look for Lincoln Street.”
“Jackson Street . . . Washington Street . . .,” Colleen said as they drove by. “Here it is. Turn, turn.”
Katherine split off the highway and began squinting for house numbers. “Look for 512.”
Colleen cupped her face to the passenger side window, “It’s so dark here. I can’t see anything.”
“There it is.” Katherine stepped on the brake and did a complete stop in the middle of the street.
The house loomed like a pink giant. Every light had been turned on in the house, as well as the two outside lampposts. Katherine pulled into the driveway and parked under the covered carport. Mark’s Honda was parked several feet away. The cats became unusually quiet.
“We’re here, kids.”
“Incredible. This house is huge,” Colleen said, gathering her handbag and getting out of the car.
Mark opened the side door and bounded down the steps. “Welcome home,” he said smiling.
“Hello,” Katherine said, as she began to unwedge the carrier from the back seat.
“I’ll help you with that,” he said.
They transported the carrier up the stairs while Colleen held the door. They shuffled inside and positioned the carrier on the floor in the dining room. The cats began to move about anxiously. “Waugh,” Scout protested.
“What beautiful Siamese,” Mark admired.
“We should put them in the room where I’ll be sleeping tonight as soon as possible—wherever that room may be,” Katherine said.
“Patricia made up your great aunt’s room. If you remember from the grand tour, it’s the largest bedroom in the house,” Mark explained. He turned to Colleen and said, “Your room is down the hall.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Katherine said. “Mark Dunn, this is my friend, Colleen Murphy.”
“I’m pleased to meet you,” he said, extending his hand.
Colleen shook it. When Mark turned to pick up the cat carrier, she winked her approval to Katherine.
Katherine mouthed the words, “Stop it.”
“I think I can manage this alone,” he said lifting the carrier.
“Waugh,” Scout complained. “Me-Yowl,” Lilac shrieked. “Yowl,” Iris added.
“Scout, stop jumping,” Katherine said, peering through the metal door. “You’re stepping on Iris.” Iris hissed. Scout boxed her on the ears. Lilac hovered in the corner.
Mark walked into the atrium and struggled with the dog carrier. The cats kept shifting from side to side, which made it difficult to hold level. “I lied,” he said, sheepishly. “Do you mind giving me a hand?”
Katherine grabbed the end of the carrier and peered in the cage. “I said stop it,” she reprimanded the cats.
Colleen remained in the atrium, awestruck at the splendor of the house. “This house is a palace!”
“Ms. Murphy,” Katherine called halfway up the stairs. “Don’t you want to see your room?”
Colleen bounced up behind them. “My own room,” she said playfully.
“We’re punch drunk from the drive,” Katherine explained to Mark. “Which way do we go, left or right? This house is so big, I forgot which room was my great aunt’s.”
“First door on the left.”
They carried the cats into the bedroom and set the carrier down on the red Oriental carpet.
“Where’s my room?” Colleen said.
“Fourth door down the hall on the left—at the very end,” Mark said, and then to Katherine, “Listen, I hope you don’t mind, but I set up the cat stuff in here. I assumed you’d want to keep them locked up with you the first night.”
Katherine looked around and observed t
he litter box in the corner. “Thanks,” she said. Near the armoire were several empty bowls for food, and a bowl of water. She closed the door, bent down, and opened the carrier door. “Come out and see your new home.”
Scout was the first to leap out. She was followed by a reluctant Iris and skittish Lilac. Immediately, the three of them began sniffing various articles in the room. Lilac had found an unappealing odor—undetectable to the human nose—under the nightstand. She scrunched up her face and pulled her lips back to expose her fangs. Iris had discovered an imaginary spot on the rug and was busy burying it with wide sweeps of her paws. Scout had already opened the closet door and was inside investigating.
“Allow me to unload your car,” Mark offered.
“Thanks,” Katherine said, smiling.
They heard a scream, and then the sound of someone running down the hall.
“Colleen!” Katherine shouted.
Lilac and Iris shot under the bed. Iris growled. Scout dashed out of the closet and hurtled toward the door as Mark yanked it open.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Katherine said, snatching her.
Mark and Katherine rushed into the hall. Colleen was standing near the landing, holding something in her hand.
“Are you okay?” Katherine asked.
“I’m good. I’m sorry I screamed. I thought I’d broken it,” she said, holding up a black instrument.
“Is that your ghost hunting gizmo?”
“Yes, it’s new. The latest model,” she said, excitedly. “It’s a K2 EMF meter. It detects spikes in electromagnetic energy.”
“So what are you doing with it now?” Mark asked, perplexed.
“I thought I saw someone pass by my door.”
Katherine said to Mark, “Is there anyone else in the house?”
“No,” he said firmly. “But I’d better take a look-see to make sure.” He sprinted down the stairs two at a time.
“Was it a man or woman?” Katherine asked.
“Just a dark shape. I had my back turned, rummaging in my bag, when I felt someone looking at me. So I turned around and saw this black shape—like a dark fog. I rushed into the hall but didn’t see anything, so I got my meter out. Katz, for a moment the red light came on.”
“So? What does that mean?”
“It means this house may have a ghost,” Colleen said eagerly.
“Okay, definitely both of us need to sleep,” Katherine suggested.
Mark returned. “I didn’t find anyone downstairs, but let me have a look up here.” He searched four of the five bedrooms, excluding Katherine’s.
“Have all the exterior locks been changed?” she asked.
“Yes. In fact, I want to give you your keys.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a key ring. “Each key is individually labeled. The writing is small, but readable.”
“Yeah, with an electron microscope,” she said lightly.
“Are you okay?” Mark asked Colleen.
“I’m just tired and seeing things,” Colleen said drowsily. “I’ve got a few bags in the car. I think I’ll fetch them and then call it a night.”
“Good idea,” Katherine said. “Me, too.”
“I’ll help you,” Mark said.
The three went out to the car and unloaded it. After several trips they emptied the car. Colleen went upstairs to her room, while Katherine followed Mark into the kitchen. She saw two food trays on the red Formica and chrome table. “You made food for us? How thoughtful.”
“Just a few things to make sandwiches. Are you hungry?”
“Yes, famished, but I’m too tired to eat.”
“I’d better put it away before it spoils,” he said, putting the sandwich tray into the empty refrigerator.
“What about this tray?” Katherine asked.
“I think we can leave it out. Those are Patricia’s famous poppy-seed muffins.”
“That was very kind of her.”
“I’m so glad you made it safely,” he said, getting serious. “I hope you’ll be very happy.”
“Thanks, I plan on it.”
They both were startled by the sound of a heavy object crashing on the floor above them.
“What room is that?” Katherine asked, dashing into the dining room.
“Sounds like Colleen’s,” Mark said, passing her and bounding up the stairs.
Katherine quickly followed him. “Colleen,” she shouted.
“False alarm,” Colleen said, rounding the corner of the upstairs hallway. In her hand, she was holding the broken base of a hurricane lamp. “I’m so sorry, but I seem to have caught the lamp on my sleeve, and before I could set it right, it fell to the floor. I’m afraid I’ve made a terrible mess. There’s glass all over the floor.”
“You gave us a fright,” Katherine said, holding her heart. “I thought the dark shape had got you,” she teased.
“I’ll take care of it,” Mark said, disappearing into another room, returning with a broom and dustpan.
“‘Tis my mess,” Colleen said firmly, taking the broom from his hands. “But thank you kindly for offering.”
He handed it to her. “It was nice meeting you.” He turned to Katherine. “I’ll be going now.”
“I’ll walk you to the door,” she said.
They walked down the stairs together. In the atrium, he said, “I’ll be by around eleven o’clock to pick you up and go to Dr. Sonny’s to fetch Abigail. I also need you to sign some papers.”
“Papers?” Katherine asked, inquisitively.
“A receipt for the initial distribution of money from Orvenia’s estate.”
“Could we go to a bank, as well?” she asked. “If you have appointments scheduled, I can go on my own.”
“I have one appointment in the morning, but after eleven o’clock I’m officially taking the day off. I have a surprise to show you before I leave,” he said changing the subject. “Stay right there.” He opened the pocket doors to the living room, then announced, “Okay, you can come in now.”
Katherine went in and immediately noticed her great aunt’s portrait hanging to the left of the fireplace. “Oh, this is wonderful. Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure. Now, I truly must go.”
“See you tomorrow,” she called after him. She opened the door leading to the covered carport.
“Lock up behind me,” he said as he left.
“Thanks for everything.”
He winked, then hurried down the steps.
Katherine walked from room to room, checking the locks on windows and doors. She left a couple of lamps on downstairs, then went upstairs and did the same.
Colleen came out of the bathroom wearing a red plaid nightgown and green satin slippers. “What do you think of my new pajamas?” she smirked.
Katherine burst out laughing. “You look like a Scottish elf. You didn’t cut yourself on the glass, did you?”
“No. I found a plastic bag in the bathroom closet and put the glass in it. I locked it up in the closet. Don’t let me forget to get rid of it in the morning. I don’t want the cats to get in it.”
“Cats,” Katherine said darting to her room. “They’ve been unusually quiet.” She opened the door to discover three cats curled up together on the bed, cuddled into one breathing fur ball. When she called out good night to Colleen, they didn’t even flinch. “Poor kids,” Katherine said. “Sleep, my darlings.”
She hurriedly got ready for bed. Before slipping under the covers, she placed the alarm clock in the top drawer of the nightstand. She turned off the light and immediately fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Six
The muffled sound of the alarm clock inside the closed drawer became an integral part of Katherine’s dream. She dreamed she was sleeping in her apartment in Manhattan, and the phone kept ringing. One of the cats had pressed the off switch on the answering machine, so the phone rang for what seemed to be hours. The dream ended abruptly when Iris jumped on Katherine’s chest and growled.
“Okay. O
kay,” Katherine said, gently pushing the Siamese off. Iris jumped on the nightstand and growled again.
Katherine got up, opened the drawer, and turned off the alarm.
“Good morning, Iris.”
Iris yowled.
“Where are your sisters? Lilac? Scout?” she called.
The small lump at the foot of the bed began to move forward, tunneling in search of an opening in the feather comforter. Lilac jumped to the floor, yawned, and then did a full body stretch. “Me-yowl,” she said, darting for the open door.
“Scout?” Katherine asked, worried. Iris bounded after Lilac. They thundered down the stairs.
Scout must have opened the door, Katherine thought. Scout is running amok in a house that hasn’t been cat-proofed. She fumbled for her bathrobe and put it on. “Scout,” she called from the top of the stairs.
“She’s down here,” Colleen said.
“Where?” Katherine said, hurrying down the stairs.
“Ah-Choo,” Colleen sneezed, and then added, “We’re in the kitchen having a spot of tea.”
Katherine joined Colleen in the kitchen. “Cats don’t drink tea,” she kidded.
“Here. I’ll pour you some.”
“Thanks. I still don’t see her.”
“Waugh,” Scout said, entering the room.
“Magic cat,” Katherine said.
“Why did you call her that?” Colleen said, setting two cups and saucers on the table.
“Because she’s already figured out how to open the door.”
“What door?”
“My bedroom door.”
Colleen looked guilty and said, “When I got up this morning, Scout was throwing herself against it. I thought she’d hurt herself so I let her out. She’s been prowling about the place ever since.”
“I kind of wanted to keep them locked up the first day in their new environment.”
“Why?” Colleen asked, biting into a muffin, scattering seeds on the table.
“Because this trip has been very stressful for them and I wanted to keep them in one room of the new house for at least a day, then introduce them to the rest of the house . . .” Katherine cleared her throat dramatically. “Gradually.”
Lilac chased Iris through the room. They spun their imaginary tires on the ceramic floor, caromed off the doorframe, and ran into the other room. Scout chased after them.
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