by Patricia Fry
“Who is that little creep, anyway?” Margaret asked, stepping closer. She leaned forward, trying to peer into the face that was partially hidden by a head of thick blond hair. “Sandra Swanson,” she snarled. “Is that you, you floozy?” She then stepped closer. “Wait—that’s not real hair; that’s a damn wig.” She reached out and tugged on it and it came off in her hand. Margaret then ripped the black mask off the intruder’s face and stood there, dumbstruck. “Well, son-of-a-…it’s Sam,” she said disgustedly.
“What?” Max said, spinning the young man around to face him. “Sam. Why?”
“I never took any of them out,” he complained. “I gave them a choice. You don’t give them a choice. You make them stay in those pens whether they want to or not. I wanted to give them the choice to stay or to go—to live the life they want. It should be up to them, not you. You’re not God,” he ranted.
Savannah and Margaret stood stunned as Max said, “Well, Sam, I guess if you don’t understand it by now, after all the time and energy I’ve put into teaching you, there’s no way we can explain it to you.”
“This is your prowler?” Jim asked when he and Deputy Ben saw the tall, lanky, young man standing next to Max.
“Yeah, it seems so,” Max said.
“So you caught him yourself?” Ben asked.
“Um, the cat…” he pointed.
Jim began to chuckle. “That’s the same cat that…”
“One-and-the-same,” Margaret said. “The one and only.”
Jim grinned, then asked Margaret and Max, “Do you want to press charges?”
Max shook his head. “Naw, as long as he gets help. You know, his thinking is screwed up. Can you get him a psych evaluation or something? …and his father should be alerted to what he’s been doing.” He then addressed the boy. “Sam, you’re no longer welcome here. If we see you on our property or we have any more trouble, we will have you arrested.”
The trio watched the taillights on the squad car disappear into the night before Savannah broke the silence. “Gads, I can’t believe we beat up on that kid.”
“Well, Vannie, I’m sorry, but he deserved it—damn loony tunes.”
She glanced at her aunt, then moved swiftly toward her car. “By the way, I brought you some kitties.”
“Oh thank heavens,” Margaret said.
“Yeah, Rags told us they were wandering around outside and Michael found them lounging on our porch.”
Everyone chuckled.
“I hear you had quite a day,” Max said, as he took the carrier from Savannah’s car. “What a cool story of the twins’ reunion. Gosh, that family must be on cloud nine tonight.”
“Yeah, it was an amazing day. I’ve never witnessed anything quite like it.” She choked up. “Unbelievably heart-wrenching.”
“So what now, Vannie?” Margaret asked. “How will you top this day?”
Savannah shook her head. “I have no plans or desire to try topping it. I just want to go home and live quietly and peacefully—no more drama, please.”
Margaret grinned. “In your world? Yeah right!”
****
“What a day,” Savannah said as she settled into bed that night with her husband.
“Yeah, two mysteries solved,” Michael said. “Now can we get back to normal?” he asked in a pleading manner.
“Oh yes,” Savannah murmured as she snuggled against him. After a few moments, she asked, “Do you mean the average person’s normal or this family’s normal? Because I kind of think that we attract unusual people and circumstances. I don’t think we’re destined to…”
Before she could finish her thought, Michael groaned. “Oh no. Your phone.” When he felt her move to pick it up, he said, “Nooo, Savannah. Let it go. There’s nothing more important than…”
“Sorry, hon,” she said. “For someone to call this late, it has to be important. I couldn’t sleep if I didn’t answer it.” She kissed him on the forehead. “I’ll be right back.”
“Hello,” she said into the phone.
“Hi, just calling to check on you…and your cat.”
“Oh hi, Craig. We’re fine. You heard about our little tussle tonight?”
“Yes.” He paused, then scolded, “What are we going to do with you, Savannah?”
“What do you mean?” she asked innocently.
“You can’t be taking the law into your own hands like that.” Before she could respond, he said, “And I hear that you and your aunt went on your own investigation regarding the child-abduction case.”
“Yeah, we reunited a family. Was that a bad thing?”
“Well, what if this isn’t their child—then what?” He spoke more sternly now. “If they have a DNA test down the road and find out they aren’t related, they’ll suffer another heartbreak.”
“Craig, are you mad at me?” she asked quietly. “Or are you jealous because my aunt and I cracked the case…actually, two cases?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Craig said.
“Well, you sound grumpy and mad, when you really should be pleased and happy. I am.”
After a long silence, Craig said, “I just worry about you, that’s all. What does Michael say about all this…stuff you get yourself involved in?”
Savannah chuckled softly. “Well, he isn’t all grumpy and scoldy, anyway.” She then went out on a limb. “I think you just feel bad that you weren’t in on all the excitement. Don’t worry, Craig, I’ll be sure to include you next time we have a case.”
There was another long silence. Then he laughed. “Yeah, you do that…the next time you have a case.” He then changed the subject. “Hey I guess your neighbor is off the hook.”
“What do you mean?”
“Evidently, Mrs. Crankshaw died of accidental poisoning.”
“Oh no,” Savannah said. “What happened?”
“Yeah, well, sometimes older folks get things mixed up and she mistook a poisonous substance for one of the spices or powders she likes to cook with and it slowly poisoned her system. It doesn’t appear that her husband knew anything about it, although the DA wants to investigate further. I think he’s an innocent bystander. In fact, he had this stuff in his system, too, only he evidently didn’t eat as much of it as his wife did. He said that she put it in her health drink every day.”
“Oh, that poor woman,” Savannah said. She looked at Michael as he lay in the bed, hands behind his head, watching her. “Hey, it’s late. Gotta go. Thanks for calling, I think.”
“Sure. Goodnight, Savannah. Hey, I’m sorry if I came on too strong. It’s just that Iris and I care about you and Michael and that little Ivey of yours. But hey, let me know if you ever want to join the force. You and your cat.” He cleared his throat and coughed before saying, “You’d be an asset.”
“Wow,” Savannah said after hanging up the phone. “Craig sure chewed me out.”
“Good,” Michael said, smiling.
She grinned. “Then he complimented me. Invited me to join the force.”
“What?” Michael said, pulling back. “You’re not…”
Savannah shook her head vigorously, her blond hair swishing from side to side. “No way, Michael. I love my life as a mother and wife,” she said, kissing him. Then she whispered in his ear, “…but a good mystery to unravel sure can spice things up.”
Other books in the Klepto Cat Mystery series
Catnapped (Book 1)
When Savannah Jordan agrees to help her aunt while she recovers from a broken foot, she doesn’t expect to walk into a mystery, become part of a not-quite-legal surveillance team, be kidnapped by a deranged stranger and meet a steaming hot veterinarian.
Beloved neighborhood cats are missing—the community can only guess at their fate—and Aunt Margaret’s life is being threatened. Is it because she has a clue to the missing cats or is it something more sinister? Of course, as in all of the Klepto Cat Mysteries, Rags, an ordinary cat with a most unusual habit, ha
s a paw in saving the day.
If you like light mysteries with only a little terror, if you’re infatuated by interesting cats and if you love a love story, you must read this book.
Available at Amazon.
Cat-Eye Witness (Book 2)
Savannah and Aunt Margaret open the old Forster home to the Hammond Cat Alliance for a fundraiser to help rehabilitate the abused horses rescued months earlier from the catnappers.
Before the afternoon is over, the collected funds go missing and someone is murdered in an upstairs bedroom.
Suspicion surrounds Iris, a local waitress and Savannah’s new best friend. The only witness to the murder is Rags, Savannah’s cat. With the assistance of a cat psychic and Rags’s good friend, Charlotte (the young girl with Downs), the cat helps to “paw” the killer… but not before an attempt is made on Rags’s life. The case is solved only after Rags comes face-to-face with the killer for the second time.
Detective Craig Sledge is new to this book, as is Damon, Iris’s errant son. Sledge finds this to be one of the muddiest cases he has ever worked, with inconsistent clues and no apparent motive. He’s constantly surprised, perplexed and impressed by the cat’s uncanny ability to come up with clues he has missed. His fascination with the attractive Iris Clampton also mystifies the detective.
In this story, one of the rescued horses goes into labor and there’s a night of high drama at the ole corral as veterinarians Savannah and Michael work to save the foal. This experience renews Savannah’s deep interest in horses and riding, which ultimately serves to help her bond with a very important surprise character who finds his way into her life and Michael’s just as they prepare to say their wedding vows.
While Rags is the animal star, he isn’t the only animal featured in this story. Layla is back in all of her tangerine feline beauty. And Rags makes friends with Buffy, a perky almost Himalayan cat and the inseparable duo, Walter, an all black cat and his sidekick, Lexie, a charming Afghan mix dog. Savannah’s new ride, Peaches, also debuts in this story. An incident with this mare adds another dimension to Savannah’s and Michael’s relationship. Can he hold her with open arms?
Some say this is a love story with a mystery in the background. And it’s a story of family and friendship as newlyweds Margaret and Max continue to be a meaningful part of Savannah’s and Michael’s world.
Available at Amazon.
Sleight of Paw (Book 3)
In this story, Michael Ivey, the local veterinarian (Savannah’s new husband) is attacked by an enraged client and then later accused of this man’s murder. The evidence quickly stacks up against Michael, until Rags, Savannah’s kleptomaniac cat, starts digging up clues implicating the unlikely suspect.
Coinciding with the details of this challenge is the discovery that the old house, which the couple purchased from Savannah’s aunt, is cursed. Is this why the couple has not been blessed with a child?
Savannah’s sister Brianna comes for a visit. She teams up with the Iveys’ vet tech, Bud, to discover how to break the gypsy spell and they fall hard for each other. Will their courtship be strengthened or weakened by a frightening carjacking incident?
Detective Craig Sledge is prominent in this story as the lead investigator in the murder case. As usual, he engages in some creative tactics to get the information and the confessions he’s after. He has also become embedded in Savannah’s friend, Iris’s family. He’s dating Iris and helping with her son, Damon’s rehabilitation in prison. If you read the 2nd in the series, you know that Rags (the cat) helped to put Damon in jail.
Available at Amazom.
Undercover Cat (Book 4)
A popular local journalist goes missing just before she has the opportunity to turn in her story exposing unscrupulous cat hoarders. Not only is Colbi a friend of Savannah’s and Michael’s, Damon (now out of prison and employed by the local newspaper) has a strong personal interest in her. In fact, Damon breaks some rules and some trusts in his search for Colbi.
Is this a love connection? It’s doubtful because Colbi is a strong advocate for the feral cat population and Damon hates cats—or so he believes.
Colbi’s rescue is almost too late. She needs time to heal both physically and emotionally. So the Iveys invite her to recuperate in their home. Just when Colbi begins to feel safe, a body is discovered in the Iveys’ orchard and Rags (their kleptomaniac cat) goes missing. Can someone in a nearby homeless camp shed some light on the evolving mystery?
Available at Amazon.
The Colony Cat Caper (Book 5)
Savannah Ivey, a veterinarian out on maternity leave; her aunt Margaret, the founder of the Hammond Cat Alliance; and Colbi Stanton, a reporter for the local newspaper take on a cat colony at an old, abandoned building. Odd activity around the place makes them wonder if it actually is vacant; some believe it’s occupied by something other-worldly.
When a stranger comes to town and suggests the Alliance open the old building to a fund-raiser, everyone gets involved, including Rags, Savannah’s kleptomaniac cat. He finds something that day that stirs a lot of people—both law-abiding and crooks—into action. Are the feral cats and their caretakers in serious danger? What (or who) lurks inside the old building? What secrets does it hide? And who has the key that unlocks the mystery?
Available at Amazon.
The Celebrity Cat Caper (Book 6)
Rags, the kleptomaniac cat, opens up a whole new bag of tricks, when he becomes a therapy cat in a children's reading program. A documentary film crew arrives to capture the cat in action and they get more than they bargained for. Find out how Rags handles his sudden celebrity status.
In this story, Savannah and Michael Ivey invite strangers into their home during a torrential rainstorm and learn that one of them has a sinister past. Someone is murdered, Savannah is stalked, Michael's life is threatened, and Rags helps to uncover an old mystery that, until now, has everyone baffled.
The Iveys' baby Lily is three-and-a-half-months old and, along with nine-year-old Adam, provides some sweet and warm moments throughout this fast-moving story with many twists and turns.
Avalable at Amazon
The Corral Cat Caper (Book 7)
The Corral Cat Caper features a lot of horse energy. It's rich in adventure of the feline as well as equine sort. In one scene, Rags attempt to save their sweet kitty, Buffy, from a catnapper and Savannah helplessly watches this drama unfold via a surveillance camera app on her phone.
This story is full of sweet and evil surprises, unexpected twists and turns, and plenty of action and adventure.
Available at Amazon
The Gallery Cat Caper (Book 8)
An old friend of Michael’s, who has become a successful artist, invites the entire Ivey family to his beach house. But their vacation is not all fun-and-games. It appears that someone is out to get the artist; and the Iveys and their friends keep stumbling upon clues to the tangled mystery.
Rags is up to his old klepto tricks, and it’s a good thing because, not only do his uncat-like antics prove to be amusing, he manages to save two lives.
Join the hilarity and suspense as this mystery unfolds. Enjoy some of your favorite human and animal characters as well as a few new ones, all of them giving this story a light and rich quality.
Available at Amazon
Mansion of Meows (book 9)
Rags's documentary is scheduled to debut. The showing will take place at the investor's San Francisco mansion, where the Ivey family and film crew will stay. Of course, the mansion holds secrets and Rags is instrumental in letting the cats out of the bag.
Savannah and Aunt Margaret share another daring adventure and, of course, find themselves in deeper than they expected.
This mystery may be the most eerie in the Klepto Cat Mystery series.
Available at Amazon
PAWtners in Crime (Book 10)
When Michael and Savannah invite young burn victim and heir Arthur Spence into their home, they don’t expect danger to f
ollow. The sensationalism around his family’s dark secrets have the paparazzi in a photo-snapping frenzy and the young man isn’t yet equipped to deal with their shenanigans. Are they issuing the unnerving threats to Arthur’s life, or is it a beloved family member? Rags, the kleptomaniac cat, has a new PAWtner in fighting crime and what a team they make. They delight in sticking their noses and digging their claws into the facts of the frightening matter. Hold onto your seats—there are some harrowing moments in this story, and some startling surprises.
Available at Amazon
PAWSitively Sinister Book 11
The Ivey family travel to San Francisco to help Arthur and his long-time friend, Suzette, clean out the mansion. News of the massive estate sale lures a variety of people, including former residents and long-ago visitors, each carrying stories of bizarre activities occurring there in the past. When the klepto cat, Rags and his pawtner Koko make some ghastly and ghostly discoveries, everyone goes into research mode and they’re stunned by what they uncover - evidence of people gone missing, a treasure-trove of loot, and spirits unable to rest. This is by far the most PAWSitively Sinister story in the series.
Available at Amazon.
