By Cat or By Crook (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 20)

by Patricia Fry

  “See what?” came a voice from the attic opening.

  Margaret quickly slipped the small book into her jacket pocket.

  “What are you doing here tonight, Willie?” Iris asked, sounding a little impatient. “Don’t you work nine to five like the others?”

  “I forgot something and came back to get it. I heard you up here and decided to see who it was. What are you doing up here, anyway?” The scrawny young man stood on the next to top rung of the ladder and peered around in the attic. “Wow, I didn’t even know this was up here.”

  “Yeah, it was pretty well hidden. Now, Willie, go on. I’ll see you in the morning. We want to finish up in bedroom four, right?”

  “Yeah, I guess so,” he said, taking in as much as he could of the mysterious room. “So what are you doing up here, anyway?”

  “Hoping to capture some cats,” Iris said.

  “Cats live in the attic? I’ve seen cats around outside.” He scowled. “How would they get up here?”

  “We’re trying to figure that out. Now go on your way Willie. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Iris said more sternly.

  “Who’s that?” Margaret asked once he’d left.

  “One of the construction crew,” Iris said. “Although he’s sure not like the others.”

  “In what way?” Savannah asked.

  “Well, he’s the one I used to see with Melvin, doing the digging around the property…”

  “So why do you think they were digging holes?” Margaret asked.

  “Heck if I know,” Iris said. She added more thoughtfully, “It’s as if they’re searching for something.” She gazed in the direction of the attic opening. “The entire work crew leaves at quitting time, but not Willie. I see him around here at all hours.”

  Suddenly Savannah yelped, “Rags, where are you going?” When the others looked in her direction, she said, “He wants to go into that small space there.” She looked at Margaret. “I think that’s where the cats come in from, but we haven’t been able to find where it lets out.”

  “Let him go,” Margaret said. “He’ll show you.”

  “But I don’t want to lose him somewhere inside these walls. What if he can’t find his way out or back up here?”

  “Yeah, then we’d have to break into my nicely painted walls,” Iris said. “No, Savannah. Don’t let him go down there.”

  Margaret looked around the room, then picked up a golf ball she saw sitting amongst a pile of old clothes. She held it over the opening. “Listen. Maybe this will give us a clue about where this goes.”

  The women listened as the ball bounced around and rolled away, the sound becoming softer and softer until it could be heard no more.

  “Well, it appears to be a chute of some kind,” Iris said. “But for what? I mean, it’s so narrow. It’s not a laundry chute.”

  “No, it wouldn’t be a laundry chute,” Savannah agreed. “It seems to be just the right size for a cat to fit through, and look at Rags—he sure wants to go in there.”

  “Let him go, Vannie,” Margaret urged.

  Savannah frowned at her aunt. “No. I’m not sending him down there.”

  Margaret grinned. “He sure wants to go. Look at him pull.”

  “Hey, there are no cats up here now. Why don’t we block that opening so they can’t find their way in here anymore. Problem solved,” Savannah said.

  “Except,” Iris said hesitantly.

  “Except what?” Savannah asked.

  “Except they could still live inside the walls. That’s not a total solution. We need to find out where this tunnel goes.”

  “Tunnel,” Savannah said. “Maybe that’s it.”

  “What?” Iris and Margaret asked.

  “Maybe this leads to an actual underground tunnel.”

  “Well, if we were talking badgers or ground squirrels or gophers, I might agree,” Margaret said. “But Vannie, a cat can’t dig a tunnel. What are you thinking?”

  “Maybe cats didn’t dig it. Maybe it was dug by a badger or a gopher. Let’s go take a look outside,” Savannah said, heading for the ladder with Rags in her arms. She turned back and asked, “Are you guys coming?”

  “Wait, I think I found something,” Margaret said.

  “What?” Iris asked, moving toward Margaret.

  “Look at this, girls. It’s an old safe.”

  “Yeah, that is old and ornate,” Iris said, running her hand along the top of it. “Hey, this would make a neat bedside table or plant stand for one of the guest rooms.”

  “How are you going to get it out of here?” Savannah asked. “It looks really heavy.”

  “Where there’s a will there’s a way,” Iris said.

  “What if it has something in it?” Margaret asked. “Like money?”

  “How would you ever find out? Who would have the combination?” Iris reasoned.

  “And you don’t want to blow it open and ruin it,” Savannah said. She glanced across the room. “Auntie, would you hold onto Rags’s leash? I want to block that cat hole. Then let’s go see if we can find the other end of the tunnel.”

  “In the dark?” Iris snarked.

  “I guess it is pretty dark out there, isn’t it? Maybe we’d better wait until daylight.”

  “Okay,” Iris agreed. “How about late in the day after the work crew has left? Say tomorrow?”

  “Works for me,” Margaret said.

  Savannah thought for a moment, then said, “Let me check with Michael and get back to you. It depends on what time he gets home from work tomorrow.” She then instructed, “Shine the light around, Iris. I want to find something to put over that hole.”

  “How about one of those boxes?” Iris suggested. “Can we lay it on top of that opening and put something heavy in it so the cats can’t push it off?”

  Savannah emptied a cardboard box and put it over the opening, then found an old encyclopedia, which she placed on top of it. “There,” she said. “That should work.”

  “Thank you both,” Iris said. She reached out and scratched the cat on the cheek, murmuring, “And you, too.” Suddenly she noticed something. “What do you have there, Rags?”

  “What?” Savannah asked, looking in the cat’s direction.

  Iris held something up for the others to see. “He was pawing in that box and this popped out.”

  “Looks like someone’s art project,” Savannah said, briefly studying the pastel drawing before lifting Rags and carrying him toward the attic opening.

  Iris dropped the picture back into the box and, as she walked away, Margaret’s curiosity prompted her to pick it up. She held it so she could see it in the light. “Hmmm, a rose with a big spider on it,” she mused. “I think it’s a black widow.”

  “Auntie,” Savannah said, “will you hold Rags while I climb part of the way down the ladder? Then I’ll take him.”

  “Okay,” Margaret agreed, tossing the drawing haphazardly.

  Once the women had helped Iris push the stairs back up into the closet ceiling and they’d returned to the living room where Savannah secured Rags into his carrier, they stepped out through the front door and watched as Iris locked up.

  “Who’s that?” Margaret whispered, squinting into the night.

  “Who?” Iris asked.

  “I saw someone dart behind your car.”

  “Well, hell,” Iris said. “Who was it?”

  “I don’t know, your outside lights aren’t bright enough to see detail and he hid before I got a good look at him…or her.”

  Iris set her jaw. “Let’s go see, shall we, ladies?”

  “Uh…us?” Margaret said.

  “Yeah, what if he’s…” Savannah started.

  “I’d really like to see who’s been following me around,” Iris said. “And what better time than when I have a gang to back me up. Come on.”

  Reluctantly, the women followed Iris, Savannah still carrying the cat in his carrier. She set the carrier next to her car and rushed to catch up with the others, when t
hey suddenly stopped.

  “Willie,” Iris said sounding startled. “Now what are you doing? I thought I told you to leave the property.”

  “Just getting some tools together for tomorrow,” he said.

  “Looked like you were cowering behind this car,” Margaret said, “like you didn’t want to be seen.”

  “Well, you scared me. I didn’t know who you were when you came running after me.”

  “Willie,” Iris said, “this isn’t working out for me. I’m going to talk to the foreman about having you replaced.”

  He stood straighter. “Oh that won’t do you no good. My job’s guaranteed, you know. I can work here if I want to and you can’t do nothing about it.”

  “Is that right?” Iris asked. “We’ll just see about that.” She peered into the darkness. “Now where’s your truck?”

  Willie gestured off to the right and shrugged self-consciously. “I parked out there.”

  Iris strained to see his vehicle, then finally said, “Well, go get in it, and leave. Go on. Anything that needs doing can be done tomorrow. Now skedaddle.”

  Margaret and Savannah watched with Iris as the young man raced off. Soon they heard a car door slam and the sound of gravel crunching under the tires of Willie’s small pickup.

  “Strange kid,” Iris said. “I don’t know what in the heck he’s up to, but I don’t trust him.”

  “What do you suppose he means when he says his job’s guaranteed?” Savannah asked.

  Iris gritted her teeth. “I don’t know, but I aim to find out.”

  “Hey, let’s go check out this book, shall we?” Margaret said, pulling it from her jacket pocket.

  Savannah stared at her aunt. “I didn’t know you took that thing.”

  Appearing only slightly ashamed, she said, “It was an accident. I stuffed it in my pocket when that kid came up and forgot I had it.”

  Iris looked Margaret in the eyes. “Maggie, I really don’t think I ought to let you take it.”

  “Awww. I’ll bring it back.”

  “Yes, I know you will, but, well, it just doesn’t seem right. And I don’t want to get into any conflicts here. The job’s going fairly well.” She looked off into the distance. “Except for that damn kid who seems to be stalking me.” She reached out. “Let me keep it here.” When she saw the disappointment on Margaret’s face, she said, “Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt. No one even knows about it or seems to care what’s in the attic. Can you bring it back tomorrow? Will you be coming here with Savannah?”

  Margaret nodded and stuffed the book back into her jacket pocket. When she saw the scornful look on her niece’s face, she asked, “Vannie, aren’t you curious? There could be some juicy tidbits in here.”

  “Well, I must say I’m torn. I’m curious, but…”

  “But what?”

  “Do I really want to know stuff that might incriminate someone or put us in danger?”

  Suddenly Margaret jumped. “You know who would really like to see this book?” Before anyone could answer, she said, “Colbi.”

  Iris nodded. “Yeah, our Colbi would get excited about seeing it and trying to figure out what it means.” She faced the others. “Did I tell you I’m keeping a journal? Colbi and Damon are bringing me some rather interesting things for it. You know—social events held here in the early years, big-name guests, what people wore, what was served…things like that. In the old days, they used to report that stuff on the social pages in local newspapers. Don’t you think that would make interesting reading for guests?”

  “Gosh, it sure would,” Margaret said. “You could publish a book to leave in each room.”

  “Are you going to show it to Craig?” Savannah asked.

  Iris squinted in Savannah’s direction. “Show what to Craig?”

  “That book Auntie found.”

  “I don’t know. Let’s see what’s in it first, okay?” Iris let out a sigh. “I’m just not comfortable going behind the owners’ back like this. It is their property, you know.” She looked at Margaret. “But you found it, Maggie. And I’ve pretty much been given carte blanche here. Yeah, I guess we could take a closer look at it, to determine whether it’s worth showing to the siblings.” She glanced at Margaret and then Savannah. “See you both out here tomorrow afternoon.”

  Chapter 4

  “Hi there, sweet dog,” Savannah said when she walked into the living room later that evening and saw their foster dog lying at Michael’s feet. “She seems right at home, doesn’t she?”

  “Yes, she hasn’t made any waves around here, that’s for sure. Either she’s been someone’s pet or she’s just so grateful for a home that she’s on her best behavior.”

  “Have you checked to see if she belongs to anyone?”

  “Yeah. No dogs meeting her description have been reported missing—at least in the Hammond area.”

  “What would you do if you’d found her owner?” Savannah asked.

  “Good question,” he said, grinning.

  “Oh, so you didn’t actually do a thorough search, did you?”

  He winked at her. “And break a little boy’s heart?”

  “What have you heard about Aaron? How’s he getting along?”

  “Still in the hospital.” He smiled. “But he’s doing well and should go home in a day or two. I talked to him this afternoon and told him his dog misses him and is eager to go home with him. He cried.”

  “Awww. His parents are okay with him having the dog?” she asked.

  “I guess so. I hope so.”

  Savannah kneeled and petted the dog. “Sure wish I knew your name,” she said. “It’s so unfriendly to keep referring to you as ‘dog.’”

  “Oh, it’s Lassie,” Michael said.

  Savannah looked at him. “How do you know that? Did she tell you?”

  He laughed. “No, that’s what Aaron has decided to name her. He said he’s read all of the Lassie books and he believes this dog is every bit as much a hero as the storybook Lassie.”

  “Oh,” Savannah said, reaching for the dog’s paw. “Nice to meet you, Lassie.”

  “Guess who called,” Michael said. “I don’t know why he called on the landline. Weren’t you answering your cell phone today?”

  “Uh,” she picked up her phone off the coffee table. “I guess I turned the ringer off when I ran errands earlier and forgot to turn it back on.” She grinned. “I thought it was awfully quiet today. So who called?”

  “Rob.”

  She plopped down on the sofa. “Rob? Really? What did he want? Did you talk to him?”

  “He left a message. I didn’t notice the blinking until after I’d put Lily to bed. He said

  Rags’s documentary has been sold and…well, you should listen to the message yourself or call Rob.”

  She looked at her watch. “It’s probably too late to call. They sold it? What does that mean?”

  “Apparently, it means we’ll start getting royalties or residuals, or whatever. He also said something about a series of children’s books featuring Rags. He wants to arrange a photo session for Rags in a studio here in town.”

  “Not Hollywood?” Savannah asked, chuckling.

  “No. It sounds as though he hired a photographer right here in Hammond.”

  She crinkled her brow. “Really?”

  “Yes. Go listen to the message; I left it for you.”

  Savannah considered her husband’s suggestion for only a moment. When she returned, she said, “Wow! That sounds like quite a production. Looks like Rags is going to be a star again.” She picked up Buffy, who had followed her into the living room. “And maybe some of his friends. Rob said he wants a few other cats to photograph, as well.” She sat down with Buffy and petted her plush fur. “We could use Buffy, Dolly, maybe little Molly.” She laughed. “I’ll bet my aunt would love to have some of her cats participate. She sure gets bent out of shape with jealousy whenever Rags is lavished with attention.” Becoming more serious, she said, “It so
unds like Rob wants to start right away. Do you suppose he hired the photographer already—before checking with us?”

  “It appears so,” Michael agreed. He then asked, “So did you find any cats in the attic tonight?”

  Savannah shook her head, then grinned and leaned toward Michael. “Guess what? My aunt found a hit list and an old safe she wants to crack.”

  “Huh? A hit list?”

  “That’s what she thinks it is. You know my aunt—everything is suspicious. She found this old book with names in it and some of the names are crossed out. She and Iris said that some of the people whose names are crossed off died under fishy circumstances. It’s kind of eerie, isn’t it?” She sat straighter. “And get this—my grandfather’s name is on that list with two check marks next to it.”

  “She thinks it’s a hit list? That’s rather absurd. It’s probably a list of people old Mr. Kaiser loaned money to or borrowed money from. What does Iris plan to do with the book?” he asked.

  Savannah hugged Buffy to her and kissed the top of her head. “Well, Iris let Auntie take it home and maybe have Colbi help her research some of the names. It could contain information about some of the mysteries surrounding that old place.”

  Michael rolled his eyes. “Lordy, lordy.” He looked at her inquisitively. “What was in the safe?”

  “I don’t know. It’s locked. Where do you suppose someone would keep a combination to an old safe back then?”

  Michael ran his hand through his hair. “Gosh, that’s anyone’s guess. Taped under the safe itself, a secret hiding place in a desk, in a safe deposit box…”

  “Just about anywhere, huh?”

  “Can’t the Kaisers hire a locksmith?”

  Savannah stared at her husband for a moment. “A locksmith can open a safe?”

  “Sure, I imagine they can.”

  “It never occurred to me it would be that easy. I’ll suggest Iris call one.” When Savannah’s phone started to ring, Buffy slid easily from her lap onto the floor. “Speaking of Iris,” Savannah said looking at the screen. “Gads, what’s she calling for so late? Hi Iris, what’s up?”

  “Just wanted you to know, I told Melody about the safe up in the attic and she’s not interested. She gave me permission to use it in one of the rooms. But I was thinking…”