11 The Cats that Cooked the Books

by Karen Anne Golden

  “You mean since that woman left.”

  “Salina, play nice.”

  “Don’t get me started.” She frowned.

  “You didn’t answer my question. How’s he handling things?”

  “He’s all right. He mopes about the house, but has been keeping himself very busy.”

  “I wonder what will happen with the storefront?”

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Rachael gave it to dad. He plans on selling it.”

  “Probably a good idea.”

  “Oh, here’s something else, before I forget it. Rachael left you something.” Salina set the kitten on the floor, then reached into her bag. She drew out an envelope and handed it to Katherine. “I’ve been meaning to deliver this to you.”

  “What is it?”

  “After Rachael left, I found it in the guest room on the dresser. It’s addressed to you.”

  Katherine opened it and quickly scanned the contents. Writing in a flowing cursive, Rachael described her job with the magician, how long she worked for him, and her relationship with Scout and Abra. She wrote several endearing accounts of the Siamese, and how much she loved them. She mentioned that when the magician was performing in the Catskills, she’d take the pair to stay with her grandmother who owned a big, Victorian house in Nyack, New York. She ended the letter by admitting she wanted to take them away from the abusive magician but someone else beat her to it. She was heartbroken when the Siamese sisters were separated, but thrilled that Katherine had ended up with both of them. At the end of the page was a smiley face. “Thank you for everything.”

  Salina interrupted, “Why don’t you read it out loud.”

  “Oh, it’s just a sweet thank you from Rachael.” Katherine avoided mentioning the magician’s name in front of her sensitive seal-point girls.

  Scout and Abra jumped to the floor, stretched, then bolted out of the room. Intruder raced after them in hot pursuit.

  Salina giggled. “I better get her. I think she’s had enough excitement for the day.”

  Salina wrangled the kitten down the stairs, then said, “I’m leaving now.”

  “Thanks for coming. Say hello to your dad.”

  Salina put the kitten over her shoulder, picked up her bag, and left.

  As Katherine was closing the door, Chief London pulled up in front of the mansion. Katherine met him halfway. “I’m so happy to see you. How are you doing?”

  “Better every day,” he said. “Bruised ribs are not any fun.”

  “Oh, how I know. Been there, done that,” Katherine agreed. “Come in. I have something to return to you.”

  “I think I know what it is.”

  They walked inside the house. Katherine led the chief to the living room where Iris eyed him curiously.

  He spoke to the Siamese. “Glad to see you. I don’t have anything of interest in my pockets, but you can check anyway.”

  Iris yowled excitedly.

  The chief sat down on the damask loveseat.

  Katherine walked to the marble-topped curio and lifted the chief’s photo of his wife and returned it to him. “Iris would like to apologize for stealing this from you.”

  The chief tipped his head back and laughed. “As soon as I discovered it was gone, I knew the thief had taken it. What do you have to say for yourself?” he asked Iris.

  Iris didn’t answer but jumped up on his lap. She reached up and tapped his short-cropped beard with her paw. The chief rubbed her ears. Iris was cross-eyed in cat heaven and purred loudly.

  Katherine asked, “Have you heard anything about Rachael Thomas?”

  “Only that she’s testifying against the kingpin of the mob, who ran a money laundering website. His name is Marcel Blumberg, and his colleague is Ray Russo.”

  “Wow, if I was Rachael, I’d be scared to death.”

  “I can imagine she is. You heard the news about Stevie?”

  “Sort of. What news?”

  “Rachael gave him the storefront and a Tercel.”

  “Salina just told me about the storefront but not about the old car.”

  “You know I’m not superstitious, but I think that place has some bad karma associated with it.”

  “Because of what happened to you and Officer Troy?”

  “Yep.”

  “Could be. I wonder who’ll buy it?”

  “I hope someone local.”

  Katherine snickered. “Someone local and not connected to the mob?”

  “That’s about right.” The chief gently removed Iris from his lap. “I better be off. I told the Missus I’d come home for lunch, so I best be going.”

  Katherine became serious. “Jake and I are so happy you’re okay.”

  “Me, too,” he said, brushing off the sentiment. “Oh, and Katz, next time I have a suspect, can I bring ‘em over here, so your cats can help me search for evidence?”

  “Well, not thinking that’s a great idea. I’m kind of hoping the cats are going through a phase.”

  “Ha!” he belted. “Habitual cat criminals. I knew it!” The chief headed to the door and left.

  Katherine climbed the stairs to check on the cats. She counted her lucky stars that the chief was wearing a bulletproof vest. She trembled to think about what a tragic loss it would have been if he’d been killed. She felt sorry for Rachael and even sorrier for Stevie. She hoped someday he’d find the right one.

  Suddenly, in the midst of gloomy thoughts, she was overcome with happiness, as if a ray of sunshine had broken through a cloudy day. She was happy in her marriage, happy with her friends, and happy with her extraordinary cats that were special in more ways than one.

  Dear Reader . . .

  Thank you so much for reading my book. Many of you emailed and asked me to write more about the other cats, besides Scout and Abra. Well, I hope I’ve done this in The Cats that Cooked the Books.

  Coincidences are a common occurrence. Just the other day, I drove into the city and literally bumped into three cousins I hadn’t seen in years. I’m sure you can think of dozens of coincidences as well. It’s a normal part of life.

  I love it when my readers write to me. I try to answer all emails within twenty-four hours.

  Email me at: karenannegolden@gmail.com

  For all of you, who will write reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads, thank you so much. I very much appreciate it.

  I love to post pictures of my cats on my Facebook pages, and would enjoy learning about your pets as well. Follow me @ https://www.facebook.com/karenannegolden

  If you are new to the series, the following pages describe my other books. If you love mysteries with cats, don’t miss these action-packed page turners.

  Thanks again.

  Karen

  The Cats that Surfed the Web

  Book One in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  If you haven’t read the first book, The Cats that Surfed the Web, you can download the Kindle or paperback version on Amazon.

  The Cats that Surfed the Web, is an action-packed, exhilarating read. When Katherine “Katz” Kendall, a career woman with cats, discovers she’s the sole heir of a huge inheritance, she can’t believe her good luck. She’s okay with the conditions in the will: Move from New York City to the small town of Erie, Indiana, live in her great aunt’s pink Victorian mansion, and take care of an Abyssinian cat. With her three Siamese cats and best friend Colleen riding shotgun, Katz leaves Manhattan to find a former housekeeper dead in the basement. There are people in the town who are furious that they didn’t get the money. But who would be greedy enough to get rid of the rightful heir to take the money and run?

  Four adventurous felines help Katz solve the crimes by mysteriously “searching” the Internet for clues. If you love cats, especially cozy cat mysteries, you’ll enjoy this series.

  The Cats that Chased the Storm

  Book Two in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  It’s early May in Erie, Indiana, and the weather has turned most foul. We find Kathe
rine “Katz” Kendall, heiress to the Colfax fortune, living in a pink mansion, caring for her three Siamese and Abby the Abyssinian. Severe thunderstorms frighten the cats, but Scout is better than any weather app. A different storm is brewing, however, with a discovery that connects great-uncle William Colfax to the notorious gangster John Dillinger. Why is the Erie Historical Society so eager to get William’s personal papers? Is the new man in Katherine’s life a fortune hunter? Will Abra mysteriously reappear, and is Abby a magnet for danger?

  A fast-paced whodunit, the second book in “The Cats that” series involves four extraordinary felines that help Katz unravel the mysteries in her life.

  The Cats that Told a Fortune

  Book Three in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  In the land of corn mazes and covered bridge festivals, a serial killer is on the loose. Autumn in Erie, Indiana means cool days of intrigue and subterfuge. Katherine “Katz” Kendall settles into her late great aunt’s Victorian mansion with her five cats. A Halloween party at the mansion turns out to be more than Katz planned for. Meanwhile, she’s teaching her first computer training class, and a serial killer is murdering young women. Along the way, Katz and her cats uncover important clues to the identity of the killer, and find out about Erie’s local crime family . . . the hard way.

  The Cats that Played the Market

  Book Four in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  A blizzard blows into Indiana, bringing gifts, gala events, and a ghastly murder to heiress Katherine "Katz" Kendall. It's Katherine's birthday, and she gets more than she bargains for when someone evil from her past comes back to haunt her. After all hell breaks loose at the Erie Museum's opening, Katherine and her five cats unwittingly stumble upon clues that help solve a mystery. But has Scout lost her special abilities? Or will Katz find that another one of her amazing felines is a super-sleuth?

  With the cats providing clues, it's up to Katherine and her friends to piece together the murderous puzzle . . . before the town goes bust!

  The Cats that Watched the Woods

  Book Five in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  What have the extraordinary cats of millionaire Katherine “Katz” Kendall surfed up now? “Idyllic vacation cabin by a pond stocked with catfish.” It’s July in Erie, Indiana, and steamy weather fuels the tension between Katz and her fiancé, Jake. Katz rents the cabin for a private getaway, though Siamese cats, Scout and Abra, demand to go along. How does a peaceful, serene setting go south in such a hurry? Is the terrifying man in the woods real, or is he the legendary ghost of Peace Lake? It’s up to Katz and her cats to piece together the mysterious puzzle. The fifth book in the popular “The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery” series is a suspenseful, thrilling ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

  The Cats that Stalked a Ghost

  Book Six in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  While Katherine and Jake are tying the knot at her pink mansion, a teen ghost has other plans, which shake their Erie, Indiana town to its core. How does a beautiful September wedding end in mistaken identity . . . and murder? What does an abandoned insane asylum have to do with a spirit that is haunting Katz? Colleen, a paranormal investigator at night and student by day, shows Katz how to communicate with ghosts. An arsonist is torching historic properties. Will the mansion be his next target? Ex-con Stevie Sanders and the Siamese play their own stalking games, but for different reasons. It’s up to Katz and her extraordinary felines to solve two mysteries: one hot, one cold. Seal-point Scout wants a new adventure fix, and litter-mate Abra fetches a major clue that puts an arsonist behind bars.

  The Cats that Stole a Million

  Book Seven in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  Millionaire Katherine, aka Katz, husband Jake and their seven cats return to the pink mansion after the explosion wreaked havoc several months earlier. Now the house has been restored, will it continue to be a murder magnet? Erie, Indiana is crime-free for the first time since heiress Katherine, aka Katz, and her cats moved into town. Everyone is at peace until domestic harmony is disrupted by an uninvited visitor from Brooklyn. Why is Katz’s friend being tracked by a NYC mob? Meanwhile, ex-con Stevie Sanders wants to go clean, but ties to dear old Dad (Erie’s notorious crime boss) keep pulling him back. Murder, lies, and a million-dollar theft have Katz and her seven extraordinary cats working on borrowed time to unravel a mystery.

  The Cats that Broke the Spell

  Book Eight in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  When a beautiful professor is accused of being a witch, she retreats to her cabin in the woods. Soon a man dressed like a scarecrow begins to stalk her, and vandals leave pentagrams at her front gate. The town of Erie, Indiana has never known a witch hunt, but after the first accusation, the news spreads like wildfire. “She stole another woman’s husband, then murdered him,” people raged in the local diner. “She uses her black cats to cast spells to do her evil deeds!” But what do the accusers really want? How is Erie’s crime boss involved? In the meantime, while the pink mansion’s attic is being remodeled, Katz, Jake and their seven felines move out to a rural farmhouse, which is next door to the “witch.” They find themselves drawn into a deadly conflict on several fronts. It’s up to Katz and her seven extraordinary cats to unravel the tangle of lies before mass hysteria wrecks the town. Murder, mayhem, and a cold case make this book a thrilling, action-packed read that will keep you guessing until the very end.

  The Cats that Stopped the Magic

  Book Nine in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  This classic whodunit boasts a new cast of characters: a self-centered magician, a compulsive gambler, a sweet cat wrangler and her grandmother, a caring nurse, and a wealthy couple. How are their lives intertwined with a show cat named Abra? In 2009, two Siamese cats performed in Magic Harry’s Hocus-Pocus show, in front of hundreds of devoted fans. But their lives were far from magical, and their careers were cut short when Abra was stolen backstage after a performance. Why did the magician increase the insurance on Abra days before she disappeared? Was Abra stolen and sold on the black market? Or did anonymous cat-lovers rescue her from a life-threatening situation? A wealthy tycoon wants a Siamese cat with a specific look for his dying wife. Why? Four years later, Abra ends up in an animal shelter. Where had she been during this time? Back in Erie, Indiana, Katherine and Jake work on borrowed time to piece the puzzle together before Magic Harry tries to take Abra away from them.

  The Cats that Walked the Haunted Beach

  Book Ten in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  This fast-paced mystery is chock-full of coincidences and bizarre twists. When Colleen and Daryl get together to plan their wedding, they can’t agree on anything. Colleen is at her wits’ end. Best friend Katherine votes for a time-out and proposes a girls’ retreat to a town named Seagull, which borders Lake Michigan and the famous Indiana dunes. Mum is adamant they stay in a rented cabin right on the beach. Against Katz’s better judgment, she agrees with Mum’s plan — only on one condition: she’s bringing Scout and Abra, who become very upset when she’s away from them. With the Siamese in tow, Katherine and Colleen head to the dunes to find that Mum’s weekend retreat is far from ideal. The first night, they have a paranormal experience and learn that a ghost walks the beach when someone is going to be murdered. Meanwhile, ex-con Stevie has a date with a woman he met online. But this news doesn’t prevent the town gossips from spreading a rumor that he’s having an affair with a married woman. How does Abra finding a wallet lead to a mix-up with dangerous consequences? It’s up to Katz and her extraordinary cats to unravel a deadly plot that ends in murder.

  Acknowledgements

  I wish to thank my husband, Jeff Dible, who edited the first draft of this book. Thanks for supporting my creative process and helping me clarify complicated plot points.

  Thank you, Vicki Braun, for being my amazing editor. You’ve been there for me on ten of my b
ooks. You are the best.

  Also, thanks to Rob Williams, my book cover artist. I’m always impressed how you can incorporate four or more stock photos into a seamless picture.

  Thanks, Ramona and Louie for beta reading my book.

  Thanks to my loyal readers, my family, and friends.

  The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series would never be without the input from my furry friends. My husband and I have many cats, ranging in ages from five to sixteen-years-old.