by Kathi Daley
I plastered myself against the wall and took a photo. I was too far away to hear what they were saying, but I didn’t dare move closer. If the man with his back to me was Shredder, he’d recognize me, which was something I wasn’t sure I wanted to happen. I didn’t know what Shredder was mixed up in, which meant I wasn’t sure whether he was meeting with a good guy or a bad one. Given what I suspected had been Blaze Whitmore’s recent fate, I wasn’t certain I wanted to draw attention to my snooping activities.
Kensington said something to the man I thought was Shredder that made him turn around and look in my direction. I flattened myself against the wall, then scooted back to the restroom. I thought I’d managed to make it inside without being seen, but now I was trapped. If I walked out the way I’d come in Shredder would see me, and now I was snooping for sure.
I paused to consider my options but eventually decided that despite my very tight, very short dress, my almost nonexistent thong underwear, and my high heels, I was going to have to climb up on the sink and slip out the window. I suddenly wished I’d opted for cotton briefs and a dress that was more spy worthy and hoped I’d be able to make my escape with at least a small piece of my dignity intact.
Unfortunately, a group of women came into the ladies’ room just as I was sprawled in my most compromising position, with one leg out the window and the other still balanced on the sink.
Once I completed my escape I took off my heels and carried them in my hand as I headed to the beach bar.
“Kensington’s guest showed up. I’m pretty sure it was Shredder,” I said to Luke upon arriving at the table he’d managed to procure.
“Shredder? The steak house doesn’t seem like his sort of place.”
“I agree, but I’m pretty sure it was him.” I pulled up the photo on my camera and showed it to Luke, who narrowed his eyes as he studied it. It wasn’t a lot to go on, but Shredder wore his hair quite a bit longer than the current trend.
“It only shows the back of his head and shoulders, although based on the hair and build it could definitely be Shredder,” Luke commented. “Didn’t you get a look at his face when you left the restaurant?”
“I didn’t leave through the front. When I realized the second man might be Shredder I panicked and went out the bathroom window.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t want him to know I was spying on him.”
“Why would he think that? Even if he saw you, wouldn’t he assume you were in the restaurant for dinner?”
I paused. “Yeah. I guess I really didn’t think things through. I’m pretty sure Kensington saw me watching them. He said something to his companion, who started to turn around, so I scooted down the hallway to the bathroom. I don’t think his guest saw me. Let’s get out of here. Suddenly I feel the need to regroup.”
“Maybe you should just ask Shredder what’s going on. If his business with Kensington is as supersecret as you seem to think it is, they most likely wouldn’t be meeting in a restaurant.”
“That’s true. I suppose I might be seeing espionage where none exists. Maybe Shredder will be home tomorrow and I can have a chat with him. It would be nice to put this mystery at least to bed. I’m sorry I wasted your time.”
“You didn’t waste my time, but I do think you might be making a bigger deal out of Shredder knowing this guy than makes sense. Even if the guy is a fed, as Kekoa thinks, that doesn’t mean Shredder is related to him in any sort of official way. For all we know, the man could be Shredder’s uncle or an old family friend.”
“Maybe, but my gut is telling me otherwise. Let’s get out of here anyway. I can’t wait to get out of this dress.”
“Now that,” Luke grinned, “is something I’m more than happy to assist you with.”
Chapter 4
I woke in the middle of the night to see a light outside the window. I glanced over at Luke, who was snoring softly, before climbing out of bed. I slipped on the pair of shorts, T-shirt, and sweatshirt I’d discarded on a nearby chair before dressing for the steak house. Then I slipped my feet into a pair of flip-flops and stepped over the dogs, who we’d taken swimming before turning in for the night. They were all so exhausted I didn’t think an earthquake would wake them.
I grabbed a flashlight from the kitchen, although I didn’t turn it on. I headed out the side door and paused. It was a clear night and the moon was high in the sky, providing adequate light. I stood perfectly still and listened once I’d made my way onto the drive, away from the pool. I could hear the waves in the distance, but little other sound pierced the darkness. Based on the position of the bedroom window, I had to assume the light had come from the north pasture. I looked in that direction, but I didn’t see a light or any sign of an intruder. Luke and the dogs were safe inside, so my primary concern was for the horses on the property. Luke had taken them into the barn for the night, so I headed there.
Luke’s ranch was fairly isolated, so it wasn’t as if people cut through it as a means of getting from one place to another. There were, however, quite a few homeless people on the island, and I’d recently noticed a camp had been set up not far from here. I didn’t necessarily think a member of the homeless population would hurt the horses even if that was who I’d seen, but it was a warm, dry night, so it seemed unlikely that our visitor was someone simply seeking shelter.
I quietly opened the barn door so as not to alert a possible intruder to my presence. I didn’t see a light or hear anything that would indicate there was anyone in the building. I stepped into the darkness and looked around. The barn smelled of fresh hay and manure, and the only sounds I heard were the soft snorts of the horses, most likely curious about who had disturbed them at this time of the night. I turned around and was going to head back to the house when I heard a sneeze.
“Who’s there?” I demanded as I clicked on my flashlight.
No one answered, but I did hear a scurrying in the stall where Luke’s newest foal was kept. I took several steps in that direction, my heart beating with each movement. I couldn’t see anyone in the stall, so I scooted up to the side and looked over the wooden door.
“Well, I’ll be. What are you doing in here?”
The child, who I assumed was seven or eight judging by his size, glared at me with fearful eyes.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I assured him. “What’s your name?”
“T-t-tommy.”
“Well, Tommy, why don’t you come on out of there so we can have a chat?”
“Are you going to call the police?” The boy, who obviously hadn’t had a bath in days, looked like he would flee at a moment’s notice if I answered incorrectly.
“No, I’m not going to call the police. I just want to talk to you. Are you hungry?”
Tommy’s eyes grew at least two sizes.
“I can make you a sandwich if you want.”
He stood up slowly. It was at that point I noticed the kitten he had clutched to his chest. “Is that your kitten?” I asked.
“He lives under the barn. There are three of them. I think the mom left, so I like to check on them when I can.”
Luke hadn’t mentioned kittens. Maybe he didn’t know. There were a lot of feral cats on the island, so kittens seemed to pop up everywhere.
“Maybe the kitten would like some milk. Why don’t you bring it inside?”
The boy, who was dressed in filthy shorts and a faded T-shirt, nodded but didn’t answer. He did, however, follow me back to the house.
“It’s awfully late for you to be out here by yourself,” I commented as we walked along the cement walkway. “I bet your mom is worried.”
“Ain’t got no mom.”
“Okay, then, how about your dad?”
“Gone.”
“I see.” I opened the back patio door and led the boy into the kitchen. I found a bowl for the milk. “So who takes care of you?” I asked after settling the kitten on the floor with her saucer and then began gathering ingredients for a sandwich.
“It’s just me and Buck.”
“Buck?”
“Guess he’s sort of like an uncle, although he isn’t a real uncle.”
“I see. And where is Buck now?”
“Out.”
I sliced the sandwich I’d made in half and set it on a plate. “Chips?” I asked, holding up the bag.
“Yes, please.”
I set the plate on the table in front of the boy and then sat down on a chair across from him. “So do you and Buck live near here?”
“Sometimes.”
“Sometimes?” I asked.
“Buck likes to move around. We’ve been camping in the woods not far from here. Buck’s been gone for a few days and I don’t like to sleep at the camp when I’m alone, so I’ve been sneaking down to sleep in the barn. Am I in trouble?”
“No, you aren’t in trouble. If I were you I’d sleep in the barn too. It’s warm and safe and it’s nice to have company.”
Tommy held up his glass. “Can I have more milk?”
“Absolutely.” I got up and refilled the boy’s glass. “Do you think Buck will be back tonight?”
The boy wiped his mouth with the back of his dirty hand. “Dunno.”
I paused to consider what to do next. I’d said I wasn’t going to call the cops and I wouldn’t, but I couldn’t very well send Tommy back out to sleep in the barn.
“You said there were three kittens. I wonder if the other kittens would like some milk.”
Tommy scratched his head, which was covered with dirty blond hair, before answering. “I think they would. It seems like they’re hungry.”
“I think because they know you maybe you can help me catch them when you finish your sandwich. We’ll bring them in and make sure they all have plenty to eat.”
The boy looked at me with mistrust in his eyes, but then he agreed to my plan. It wasn’t a particularly cold night, but it did worry me that the child didn’t have a sweatshirt or jacket of any kind. Despite the warm weather during the day it did get chilly as the night wore on and I couldn’t imagine sleeping outside without some sort of protection.
“I have a sweatshirt you can borrow.” I held up a blue one I’d left in the laundry room. It hadn’t yet been washed, but given the state of the boy’s other clothing I didn’t think that would matter.
“I’m okay.”
“It’s starting to get chilly and I’m not sure how long it will take for you to locate and catch the kittens. Maybe you should take it just in case.” I handed it to the boy, who hesitantly accepted it. “In fact, I really never wear this particular sweatshirt anymore. Why don’t you just keep it?”
“Are you sure?”
I shrugged. ‘Yeah. I was just going to use it for rags.”
Tommy slid the sweatshirt over his head. Given my petite size, it fit him pretty well. I grabbed the flashlight and indicated he should precede me through the back door. We crossed the patio and then headed back down the path to the barn.
“You said you were camped near here,” I said as we walked. “Do you have a tent?”
“No.”
“A sleeping bag?”
“Buck has some blankets, but I don’t need one. The kittens are usually over near that pile of hay.” Tommy paused and pointed. “There’s a hole that goes under the barn.”
“And they come out when they see you?” I asked.
“Usually. They like me. Sometimes I bring food to share with them.”
We decided it would be best if I hung back while Tommy lured them out. The first kitten emerged and Tommy caught it and handed it to me and went back for the other. After we’d caught both kittens, we brought them inside the house and fed them.
“They seem pretty hungry,” I observed as the kittens lapped up the milk.
“Their mom hasn’t been around to take care of them for a while.”
“Do you know what happened to her?”
Tommy shrugged. “Guess she just got tired of being a mom and moved on. It happens. When I first started coming around I’d see her once in a while, but I haven’t seen her for days. Do you think the kittens are going to be okay?”
“I think they will. We can take care of them if their mom really is gone. Maybe they’d like to sleep in the house rather than under the barn.”
“I bet they’d like to sleep on a real bed,” Tommy agreed. He’d begun to relax. “Are you going to let them sleep on yours?”
“No. There’s already someone in my bed.”
Tommy nervously glanced toward the hallway. “The cowboy who owns the place?”
“Yes, him, and three dogs.”
“The kittens don’t like the dogs.”
I picked up a longhaired black kitten and wiped his face. He sure was a cute little thing. The other two were just as cute. One was white and the other was gray-and-white-striped, but black kittens always had been my favorite. I glanced at Tommy, who needed to have his own face wiped. “I’m sure you’re right about the kittens not liking the dogs. There’s an extra bedroom just down the hall that has a very big bed. I wonder, if I had the kittens sleep there, would you mind staying as well to look after them? I hate to leave them all alone in a strange place. We wouldn’t want them to be scared.”
The boy stared at me. I could see he was calculating the odds that I was trying to trick him into doing something he didn’t want to do. “You won’t call the cops?”
“No. I already promised not to call the cops. I just want to have someone look after the baby kittens, and it seems like you might have time to take on a job like that.”
The boy frowned and looked toward the hallway again. “What about him? Will he call the cops?”
“His name is Luke and he won’t call the cops either. I promise. So how about it?”
“Okay. If you think it will help. I guess I can stay one night.”
I smiled. “Great. How about if we give you a bath while the kittens finish eating?”
“I don’t like baths.”
“I can see that, but if you’re going to sleep in a real bed with clean sheets I think it would be best if you were clean as well. I can give you a T-shirt to sleep in. I’ll wash your clothes so you have clean clothes to put on tomorrow.”
The boy frowned.
“Luke has a pool that I’m sure he’ll let you swim in tomorrow, but only if you’re clean,” I told the boy. “There’s a waterfall to swim under. It’s really fun.”
“I saw the pool and it did look like fun. I guess I can take a bath if I have to.”
I made Tommy a nice warm bath and instructed him to leave his dirty clothes outside the door after he undressed. I left a long T-shirt I’d found in the laundry room for him to put on when he was finished bathing. I would wash his filthy clothes so he’d have something clean to put on the next morning. What he really needed were new clothes, but we’d figure things out as we went.
After Tommy was settled in the tub, I found an empty box and filled it with sand from the yard. As far as litter boxes went, it wasn’t the best, but it would have to do. I just hoped the kittens would use it and not the carpet if they needed to relieve themselves during the night.
When Tommy was bathed and dressed I tucked him and the kittens into the guest room and closed the door behind me. I realized I couldn’t keep Tommy indefinitely and had no idea what I was going to do in the long run, but for now the little boy and all three kittens were fed, warm, safe, and comfy. The blond-haired child was adorable once all the grime had been washed from his face. I wondered how he’d come to be with the man he’d called Buck.
I straightened the kitchen before heading back to Luke’s room. I was surprised he hadn’t awakened. He’d seemed sort of stressed lately but hadn’t said why. It appeared to me that he hadn’t been sleeping well, but when I’d asked him about it he’d said he was fine and I shouldn’t worry. Of course not worrying was easier said than done.
I peeked in on Tommy again on my way down the hall. He looked almost angelic as he slept with all
three kittens curled up next to him. I closed the door and continued on to the end of the hall, where Luke and the dogs were waiting. I stripped off my clothes and climbed quietly into the bed. Luke rolled over and pulled me toward him.
“Everything okay?” he asked, still half-asleep.
“Everything’s fine.” I decided to wait to tell him about Tommy in the morning.
Luke tightened his arm around me as I rested my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as I drifted contentedly off to sleep.
Chapter 5
Wednesday, March 22
I got up early the next morning to check on Tommy. As he was the last time I’d checked on him, he was sound asleep in the big bed with all three kittens sleeping next to him. I needed to figure out exactly what to do before he woke up. I’d promised I wouldn’t call the cops and I always kept my promises, but I found I wasn’t willing to let him return to a life with the obviously irresponsible Buck. Of course all I really had was Tommy’s word that his parents weren’t in the picture, so the first thing I needed to do was make sure he hadn’t just run away.
Luke had gotten up even earlier than I and had taken one of the horses out for a ride, so I hadn’t had a chance to mention that we had a houseguest, but I was sure he wouldn’t mind. Still, I needed to figure out a long-term solution. I thought about calling Jason, but he was a cop in addition to being my brother, and his job would most likely require him to call Child Protective Services. I thought about calling my dad, who would have the knowledge necessary to look in to the situation but was retired and so might not consider himself bound to certain actions. Still, Dad did tend to be a by-the-books guy, so in the end I called my mom, who agreed to come right over.
“The poor dear,” Mom sympathized as we shared a pot of tea. “He’s much too young not to have anyone looking out for him.”
“He said he didn’t have a mom and his dad was gone, whatever that means. A man he referred to as Uncle Buck looks out for him, although he isn’t a real uncle. From what he’s told me, I have a feeling they’re both homeless. I want to help Tommy, but I don’t want to do something that will land him in a situation where he’ll feel compelled to run away. I’ve only known him a short time, but I can tell he won’t thrive in the CPS system. The kid has a real independent streak.”
