Claws for a Cause (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 15)

by Patricia Fry

  Michael was first to speak. “Someone threatened my wife this morning.”

  Ms. Chatham peered at Savannah, who swallowed hard before explaining. “I was taking a picture of a flower, when a man popped up in front of me…”

  “An islander?”

  “Yes, I suppose—he looked like he belonged here—like a native. He was an older man, thin, wearing a faded Hawaiian-print shirt, board shorts, and carrying a small bag—canvas, I think. He was also wearing a straw hat.”

  The security guard smiled and said in a rather patronizing manner, “You’ve just described a good portion of islanders and tourists.”

  “Oh, yes, I guess I did. Sorry about that.”

  “What exactly did he do or say?” the woman asked.

  “He yelled at me for taking his picture.”

  “Did you take his picture?”

  “Yes, I guess I did, but I didn’t mean to. I was focusing on a flower. When he popped up, I guess I moved the camera and snapped the picture.” She located the picture on her camera screen and handed it over to the woman.

  After studying it for some time, the woman shook her head. “Doesn’t look familiar to me. I haven’t seen him around here, nor have I had any complaints about anyone matching his description.” She leaned forward and folded her hands on the desk in front of her. “Now, you say he threatened you in some way?”

  “Yes. He said he would…kill me.”

  Ms. Chatham frowned and sat back in her chair. “Now that’s rather odd, don’t you think? Why would someone threaten to kill you for taking a picture?”

  “I don’t know,” Savannah said. “I just thought…”

  Michael leaned forward. “We thought that if there was someone running around bothering your guests, you would want to know about it. And we certainly want to find out if my wife could be in any danger.”

  “Well, I doubt that, sir.” The woman seemed to be choosing her words carefully. “Every community has its faction of peculiar people—even bad people—but I certainly don’t know of any one individual or group who has been threatening or annoying tourists in this way. Why, we haven’t had a problem down here on Waikiki involving a tourist in about four years, and in that instance, we’re certain it was the tourist who got out of hand, not the islander.”

  “What did he do,” Michael asked using a sarcastic tone, “try to take a picture of a flower?”

  The woman sat silent for a moment. “No. No, Mr. Ivey, I’m sure it was something more serious than that. Our guests take photographs of our gardens and the orchids on display in the lobby all the time without any danger. I believe what happened to your wife was simply an isolated case. The poor man might have a record or maybe his religion prohibits being photographed.” She looked from one to the other of them. “I certainly wouldn’t let it spoil your visit here on the island, folks. Now, please go and have yourself a good time.” When Michael and Savannah remained seated, the woman said, “Do let us know if you have another encounter with this gentleman, will you? Otherwise, I don’t think you should give his comments another thought.” She reached into her desk and pulled out something. “How many are in your party?” she asked. “Just the two of you?”

  “Um, my mother and our daughter,” Savannah said.

  Ms. Chatham handed them four coupons. “Here, have dinner in the Bonsai Room on us. This will be good for any night you choose while you’re here in Honolulu.”

  “Thank you,” Michael said, taking the vouchers and rising from his chair.

  “But Michael,” Savannah said.

  “Come on, hon,” he encouraged.

  Once in the lobby, Savannah asked, “Do you believe a word she just said?”

  He grimaced. “I’d like to.”

  “Yeah, but it’s just hard for me to believe that she doesn’t know who that man is and that he hasn’t hassled guests before.”

  “Okay, Savannah,” Michael said more sternly, “does this mean you’re going to live in fear the whole time we’re here?”

  She stopped to think about his question. Then, shaking her head, she said, “No. No, Michael, I’m not. I guess if he’s a regular around here, he probably hasn’t actually hurt anyone or he wouldn’t be running around loose.”

  “Right,” Michael said.

  “And anyone who would overreact like he did in this situation is probably crazy and doesn’t know what he’s saying, anyway.”

  Michael smiled and nodded. “Yes, now shall we get on with our vacation? Are you going to be okay?”

  She took a deep breath. “Yes,” she said. “I think I’m okay. Just stay close to me, will you?”

  “After seeing the way that Hawaiian Michael guy leered at you, you’d better believe I’ll stay close.”

  ****

  “There he is, Michael,” Savannah hissed, that evening as they dined in the hotel.

  “Who? Where?” he asked, turning to look in the direction she pointed.

  “That island guy who scared me. He’s on the other side of that umbrella. See him? He’s wearing the same clothes, even.”

  Michael narrowed his eyes. “What’s he doing?”

  “I don’t know.” She ducked down a little and whispered, “Just don’t let him see me. He’s not coming this way, is he?”

  Suddenly they heard someone speaking to them. “Everything okay, pretty lady?”

  When Savannah turned to see Mikala standing next to their table, she said, “Yes. I mean, no. Mikala, that man is over there hiding behind that umbrella. Do you see him?”

  “Yes, I see him,” Mikala said. He knelt between her and Michael and pointed. “Now let’s see what he’s up to, shall we?” When Savannah stiffened a little, he said, “Watch. I think you’ll find this fascinating.”

  Savannah stared in the direction Mikala was pointing, but Michael was more interested in scrutinizing the handsome Hawaiian as the man moved closer to his wife.

  After a few moments, Savannah said, “Well, I’ll be. It’s a game with him and his idiot friends, isn’t it? He did the same thing to that poor woman in red. Scared her to death, then disappeared with his waiting buddies and began laughing it up as if they’d pulled off a good joke.” She sat rigid. “Well, it’s no joke to me. He scared me.”

  “But now you know he didn’t mean any harm. Can you see that he’s just one of our locals out to have fun at the expense of our guests? You aren’t in any danger—never were. I’m sorry you were frightened.” He stood and smiled down at her. “Now, will you relax and have a wonderful time here on our island home? There’s nothing more to fear than you would find in any other city.”

  “I guess,” Savannah said. “Thank you.”

  Mikala looked quickly at Michael, glanced across at Gladys, then back at Savannah. “Just use common sense, folks. Be aware of your surroundings.” He clapped his hands together, saying, “And have a great time, okay?”

  “Okay,” Savannah said.

  Gladys nodded.

  Michael kept his eye on Mikala as he bowed and walked away. “Who do you think that guy is, anyway?” he asked Savannah. “Why does he keep showing up? And what’s with that girlie necklace?”

  “I don’t know; maybe he’s my knight in…well, in island clothing. And Michael,” she scolded, “that’s not a girlie necklace he’s wearing. Hawaiian men wear tasteful jewelry from nature. Haven’t you noticed? In fact, we ought to dress you up in a puka shell necklace or maybe a shark’s tooth earring.”

  When his mother-in-law laughed, Michael smirked playfully at her and warned, “Now don’t you start, Gladys.” He peered at both of them and said sternly, “I’m not wearing any jewelry.”

  “I have to agree with Vannie,” Gladys said, “that necklace with the little shell in the center is quite attractive on Mikala.”

  Michael rolled his eyes, then reached around and hugged Savannah to him. “So, are you all better now? It appears that you weren’t the only one to feel the brunt of that man’
s fake wrath.” Michael started to take a sip of his exotic drink when something caught his eye. “Well, take a gander at that, will ya? It looks like your knight is taking advantage of another situation.”

  “What do you mean?” Savannah asked, frowning in the direction Michael nodded.

  “He’s over there consoling the woman that weird guy frightened a few minutes ago.”

  Savannah grimaced. “Now that’s odd. What is this, a tag team? The old guy terrorizes women and the Hawaiian Michael rushes to their aid?”

  “Well, it’s her problem now,” he said under his breath.

  “What do you mean by that, Michael?”

  He looked at Savannah. “I mean, it looks as if he’s moved on to greener pasture. I think he knows he’s not making it through this barbed-wire fence to get to you.”

  Savannah grinned at her husband and shook her head. “Oh Michael, you do have an imagination.” She wrapped one arm around his neck and kissed him, then whispered in his ear, “I love you.”

  He winked at her. “Okay, let’s enjoy this feast, shall we?” Addressing Gladys, he asked, “How’s your meal, Kalakeke?”

  Gladys laughed. “Very good, thank you, and I think Lillianna’s enjoying her chicken and mango. She likes the music, too,” she said, gesturing toward the baby, who was moving to the Hawaiian beat.

  Just then, Rebecca walked up to their table. “She’s a regular little island girl, isn’t she?”

  “She sure is,” Savannah said. “Which reminds me, do you know where we might find a baby shop or department store where we can pick up a few outfits for her? Don’t want to spend our whole vacation doing laundry.”

  “Sure, you’ll find some nice shops about two blocks that way,” she said, pointing. “Most stores stay open late. I’m sure you’ll enjoy walking along the beachfront during the early evening. There’s entertainment all up and down the avenue.”

  “Sounds fun,” Savannah said. “Thank you.”

  ****

  The following day after breakfast, everyone from the photography group met in the hotel lobby to discuss travel to and from the North Shore.

  “What a cute outfit,” Shelly said when she noticed Lily’s new whale-print sundress and matching sunhat. She stepped back and took a couple of photographs. “So what are your plans?” she asked Savannah and Michael.

  “I think we’ll be real vagabonds today, Hawaiian style,” Michael said.

  Savannah nodded and explained, “We’ll go with you all on the bus, if there’s room, and then take off from North Shore for the trip the rest of the way around the island using public transportation.” She looked at Gladys. “You’re up for that, aren’t you, Mom?”

  “Sure am,” she said.

  “Want to join us, Shelly?” Savannah asked.

  “I just might. Sounds like fun.”

  Once they were seated on the shuttle bus with the photography group, a man sitting across from Michael and Savannah said rather loudly, “Did any of you have a problem with that island fool yesterday?”

  When no one responded, he said, “He darn near scared my wife to death.”

  “Do you mean that scary man in the faded shirt who makes threats?” Savannah asked.

  “Yes,” the woman sitting next to the man said. “Did he terrorize you, too?”

  “He sure did. Glad to find out he was evidently harmless.”

  “He is?” asked the small woman whose long blond hair hung in ringlets. “I’m still shaking. I wondered if I should report him to the police or something.”

  Michael responded. “We talked to the head of security about him and she indicated she didn’t know what we were talking about.”

  “Fat chance,” the man said, loudly. “They’ve gotta know about that idiot, the way he’s running around scaring women. It just ain’t right and I won’t stand for it. I hate being treated like that. If all the natives are like that, I’m outta here and not comin’ back.”

  “But Harv,” his companion said, “the other man was so…” she rolled her eyes, “…well, comforting and charming.”

  Harv made a face. “Phony baloney. Pam, he just wanted to get into your…pocketbook.”

  “So you met Mikala too, did you?” Savannah asked, smiling. “He seems to come right to a woman’s rescue once he sees a damsel in distress.”

  “Mikala?” Pam said, looking puzzled. “Oh no, it must be a different guy. This man was beyond handsome and his name is the same as Harv’s—Kalewe for Harvey. Isn’t that a wild coincidence?”

  “Wait,” Savannah said, “was he wearing a necklace with a diamond in a small abalone shell?”

  “Yeah, that’s the Hawaiian Harvey,” Pam said, excitedly. She swooned. “What a charming man.”

  Michael looked knowingly at Savannah. “What a coincidence,” he said, “isn’t it Savannah?”

  Sheepishly, she said, “Yeah, I guess it is.”

  ****

  Later that morning, after the group had spent a couple of hours photographing surfers and some of the monstrous waves at the North Shore, the Iveys, Gladys, and Shelly boarded a bus that would transport them the rest of the way around the island.

  “This is really something—to be able to see the coastline of the whole island in just a couple of hours,” Savannah said.

  “Oh, it’ll take longer than that, with all the stops you’ll want to make along the way,” Gladys said. “In fact, why don’t we get off here and have an ice cream cone at that parlor, shall we?”

  “Yes, let’s do,” Savannah said. “Want to, Shelly?”

  “Sounds great.” She lowered her voice. “And I’d like to find a restroom.”

  “Definitely,” Savanna agreed.

  Once the Ivey party and their belongings were off the bus, Michael put the baby in the stroller and they started walking toward a small strip mall. “Ice cream first?” he asked.

  Savannah nodded. “As long as the place has a restroom, hopefully with a changing table.”

  When the women returned from the restroom, everyone ordered ice cream cones and bottles of water. They were enjoying the treat and chatting about their experiences at the North Shore, when Savannah squinted her eyes, looked around, and said, “I keep hearing something.”

  “What?” Michael asked. “Traffic, music, people talking, clattering in the kitchen, the milk shake mixer thing?”

  “No, it’s more like a kitten.”

  “What?” he said, furrowing his brow. “Are you so homesick for the cats that you’re hearing kittens? Are you seeing kittens, too?”

  “No, just hearing one—like it’s underfoot...under the floorboards.” She put her hand on his arm. “Now listen, Michael. Do you hear it?” she asked, trying to peer through the cracks in the rustic floor.

  “Hey,” Shelly said, “I think I hear something.”

  When Savannah noticed a young man wiping down the table next to them, she caught his attention. “Excuse me, but is that a cat I hear? It sounds like it’s under the floor.”

  “Yeah, a stray. We think it’s hurt.” He shrugged. “My boss is afraid it’s just going to die under there and stink up the place.”

  “And no one has tried to help the poor thing?” she asked. “It sounds like it’s in distress.”

  “No, we don’t feed it. We want it to just go away.” With that, the boy walked back behind the counter.

  “Are you finished?” Savannah asked the others. When everyone nodded and began to gather up their trash and water bottles, she stood and led the group out through the front door.

  “Where are you going?” Michael asked, when he saw her determinedly walk away.

  “To see if I can find that cat,” she said, disappearing behind the small building. When Michael caught up with her, she said, “I’m looking for a crawl hole.”

  “Savannah, really?”

  “Oh yes. Didn’t you hear that kid? The cat’s hurt. We’ve got to see if we can help. Look, here’s a box
we can put him in. Michael, why don’t you start searching the Internet for a cat- rescue shelter. Surely, they have them here.”

  “Look,” Shelly said, pointing, “there’s a hole.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how

  you’re going to get it to come out. Surely you’re not going to crawl under there, are you?”

  Savannah surveyed the situation. “I sure hope not. It must have rained over here recently,” she observed. “Do you see a newspaper or something I can use to keep from getting muddy?” Within a few minutes, the two women had located a piece of cardboard. Savannah placed it next to the opening, and knelt on it. “Kitty, kitty?” she called into the space. “Here, kitty.”

  Suddenly, she heard a woman’s voice. “What’re ya doin’?”

  Savannah glanced up to see a rotund island woman of about eighty wearing a blue muumuu in an orange hibiscus print. “We want to take a look at the cat we hear under there. We think he’s hurt.”

  “Yeah, a dog got ‘im. He’s been under there yowling ever since.”

  “And no one has bothered to help him?”

  The woman stared at Savannah. “Help him do what?” she asked.

  “To heal. Take care of his wounds.”

  “Look, lady, I don’t know where you come from—some hoity-toity city where cats are pampered, maybe—but here, cats are a dime a dozen. They’re only worth whatever rats they can kill. A sick cat’s worthless,” she said, disappearing between two buildings.

  Hearing this, Michael urged, “Come on, Savannah. Let’s not interfere with their culture.”

  She turned and glared at her husband. “Michael, I can’t believe you said that. You took an oath, remember? Now how about if you all stand back and I’ll see if the cat will come out.”

  “It’s no use, hon,” Michael said, after Savannah had spent several minutes attempting to lure the cat out.

  “I can see it in there, Michael. It wants to come out, but it’s frightened.” She thought for a moment, then said, “Bring Lily here. It looks young. Kittens and puppies tend to like babies. Maybe it will come to her.”