PAWtners in Crime (Klepto Cat Mystery Book 10)

by Patricia Fry

  “I’ve been wanting to see your clinic,” Arthur said as they exited the car and walked with both cats toward the building, “but I didn’t expect Koko to be a patient.”

  “Yes, that’s unfortunate.”

  “Who’s that?” Arthur asked when he saw a car coming toward them through the parking lot.

  Michael removed the key from the door lock and looked up. “Probably the renters.”

  “Someone lives here?” Arthur asked, nodding toward the house behind the clinic.

  “Yes, a couple named Dale and Sharon,” Michael said as he ushered Arthur in through the back door of the clinic. He switched on a light. “I built that house for myself, and when Savannah and I got married, I began renting it out.” He pointed. “Let’s put her in the second room to your right, there.” He then closed the back door tightly and walked ahead of the boy down the hallway and switched on another light. When he noticed that Rags wanted to follow Arthur and Koko into the exam room, he reached down and unsnapped the leash, then disappeared into another room.

  Michael promptly joined Arthur and the cats and looked more closely at Koko’s leg, saying, “Let me take her back for x-rays.” When the boy seemed reluctant to turn the cat over to him, Michael said, “Hey, you want to be a vet; why don’t you come with me? You can see how we do x-rays. In fact, I may need your help.”

  It was a bit of a struggle to get a clear shot of Koko’s leg, but they finally succeeded. Michael placed the films on the display screen and invited Arthur to review them with him. “What do you see?” he asked.

  “Uh, I don’t know…I guess bones in a leg.”

  “Do you see anything broken?” When the young man hesitated, Michael said, “Wait—let me get something.” He motioned to Rags. “You stay there.”

  Arthur laughed. He looked at the cat, who sat in a chair watching the activity. “He’s not going anywhere…not as long as Koko’s in here.”

  When Michael returned, he slipped another film into the viewer. “Now, what do you see in this x-ray?”

  “Wow!” Arthur said. “That is a broken leg, isn’t it?” He pointed. “I see a crack right there.”

  “Yes,” Michael said. “…and on Koko’s film?”

  “No break!” Arthur said, excitedly. He looked up at Michael and asked, “Then why can’t she walk?”

  Michael grinned. “Maybe it’s because you’re carrying her everywhere. You haven’t given her a chance.”

  “But she held it up after it happened. She wouldn’t step on that foot. And when you examined her at the house…”

  “Yes, sometimes when you get hurt, you can’t, or don’t want to, use that finger, foot, or whatever at first. But as you just diagnosed, it isn’t broken, so she should be able to walk at least a little. There may be some tenderness in the muscle or the tissue.”

  “Oh,” Arthur said, placing her gently on the examining table.

  The two of them watched as the cat sat with one back leg held out in an awkward position. She began licking the wound.

  “Hold her, Arthur, I want to take a closer look at that abrasion.” He then asked the boy, “What do you think? Does it need stitches?”

  “Well, it has stopped bleeding. Doesn’t look deep.” He looked up at Michael. “It’s more of a scrape, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. That would be my diagnosis, Dr. Spence.”

  Arthur laughed. “So what will you do, put some medicine on it and bandage it?”

  Michael thought for a moment before answering. “Let’s see how she moves. Put her down on the floor, will you?”

  When Arthur placed the cat on the floor, Rags walked toward her. He butted Koko gently with his head and then rubbed his body against hers. She sat in place.

  “Walk, Koko,” Arthur urged.

  Just then, Rags swished his tail. He stared at Koko with a wild look in his eyes and promptly darted across the room and out through the exam-room door. Koko trotted after him. Arthur and Michael rushed to the door and peered down the hallway. They laughed when they saw Rags skid to a stop, turn, and rear up on his back legs. Koko stopped too, and began swatting at Rags playfully before twisting and running back up the hall.

  “I guess she can walk okay,” Arthur said. “Are you going to put a bandage on her leg?”

  Michael ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t think so, Arthur. What do you say we just clean it and let it go? We’ll both keep an eye on it. If it looks like it’s not healing right, we can make a new decision.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Hey, while you’re here, do you want a tour?” Michael offered.

  Arthur’s face lit up. “Sure do.”

  “Let’s close the cats in here and we’ll go look around.” Just then, Michael pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and announced, “It’s Savannah.” He said into the phone, “Hi hon. What’s up?”

  “That’s what we’re wondering. How’s Koko?” she asked.

  “She’s fine. Nothing broken.” He winked at Arthur. “…at least that was Dr. Spence’s diagnosis.”

  “Thank heavens,” she said. He heard her relay the message to Ruth. “So you’ll be home soon?” she asked him.

  “That depends,” he joked. “What’s for dinner?”

  “Oh,” she said, playfully, “that depends on what time you get home. If you don’t dilly-dally, it’s taco salad.”

  “Yum,” he said. “Dr. Spence and I are taking a tour of the facility here and then we’ll be on our way.”

  “Perfect,” she said, laughing.

  “This is really interesting,” Arthur said upon returning to the exam room. “I’ve never been to a veterinarian’s office before. Ruthie had to take one of our cats to a vet once when he quit eating.” He dropped his head. “She came home without Buster. The doctor said he had a cancer and they killed him right there. I was so mad at Ruthie. How could she let them kill our cat?”

  Michael leaned against the exam table while Rags and Koko milled around the room. “Arthur, there comes a time in an older…and sometimes a younger cat’s life when a decision must be made.”

  “You mean a decision to kill the cat?”

  “Yes, to humanely euthanize it.”

  Arthur grimaced. “But why? I don’t understand.”

  “Have you ever watched one of your cats suffer?” Michael asked quietly.

  Arthur thought for a moment then said, sadness in his voice, “I was in the swamp outside the mansion one night when I found an injured cat. I tried to help him. I wanted to take him to my quarters, but he bit me when I tried to pick him up. I think he was in a lot of pain.”

  “So what did you do?”

  “I stayed with him until almost daylight, then I had to get back. He was suffering, that’s for sure. I went looking for him the next night and he was gone. I figured he got better and went home—wherever his home was.”

  Michael stared at the boy before saying, “Well, Arthur, sometimes there’s no hope.” He rubbed his chin. “You see, a veterinarian’s passion is to save animals. But there are times when we must help them in another way—do the humane thing to keep them from suffering.”

  “Oh,” Arthur said, looking down at Koko and Rags. “I think I get it. I wanted Buster to live. But maybe that wasn’t the best thing for him. Is that what you’re saying?”

  Michael nodded. “Our pets depend on us for everything, and unfortunately, sometimes that includes helping them to die with dignity when the alternative is a lot of suffering for them and no hope.”

  “Well, maybe I will become an attorney or a pilot—I’m not sure I can be a veterinarian.”

  Michael smiled at the boy, who carefully picked up Koko and held her to him. She wriggled loose and climbed up on his shoulders, settling down for a ride. “Oh, she’s a shoulder cat, huh?” Michael asked.

  Arthur looked at him inquisitively.

  “She likes to ride around on your shoulders?”

  The young man reached
up and petted the cat, nodding.

  Michael snapped the leash to Rags’s harness and led the way out to the parking lot.

  “It’s dark already,” Arthur noted.

  They’d taken a few steps toward the car when they were suddenly blinded by a flash. Before they recovered, there was another, and another. “Koko!” Arthur screamed. “Come back!”

  Michael felt Rags reach the end of his leash and tug hard. He almost lost his grip, but managed to quickly pick up the cat, whose body became stiff and rigid in his arms. He glanced in all directions, trying to determine what was going on. “Who’s out there?” he called when he heard voices. Then he became aware of someone running across the gravel parking lot. His eyes adjusted to the relative darkness in time to see a light-colored car spew dust as it sped away.

  “Paparazzi,” Arthur said, angrily. “Michael, they scared Koko! She got away!”

  “Damn,” he said. “Let me put Rags in the car and I’ll get a flashlight. We’ll find her, Arthur. Don’t worry.”

  “What’s going on?” a voice said from behind them.

  Michael spun around. “Oh, Dale,” he said, upon seeing his new tenant. “I don’t know,” he said disgustedly. “Paparazzi, I guess—after this young man. His cat got away. Did you see her?”

  “Paparazzi?” he asked—peering toward the boy to get a look at him. “Who is he, a celebrity?”

  “No one you’d know, I’m sure,” Michael said, opening his car door. He dropped Rags onto the seat and reached underneath for the flashlight. “Which direction did she go?” he asked Arthur, who was hunched over, calling for Koko in the yard surrounding the house. “Karen, kitty, kitty,” he called.

  Michael shined the flashlight in the direction the boy was searching. “Doesn’t she know her new name?” he asked.

  “No, she’s been Karen for a while now; she’s not used to Koko yet. Karen, kitty, kitty,” he called. He reached toward Michael. “Gimme the light.” Suddenly, there was another flash, close up. Arthur, blinded for a moment, backed away, then squinted and spotted a camera aimed at him from behind a large shrub. “You damn…” he screamed as he lunged.

  The subsequent silence was broken by a disturbing thud followed by a series of profanities. “You broke my camera, you little twerp!”

  “Well, then you won’t be following me around taking my picture anymore, will you?” Arthur shouted.

  Within seconds, floodlights lit up the area and Dale reappeared. “Better?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” Michael said. “Arthur, what happened? What are you doing?” he yelled when he saw the boy raise the flashlight over his head. “Arthur, stop!” he shouted.

  The man behind the camera stood up, a mix of terror and anger on his face. “You broke my camera,” he said, examining the damage. “I’ll have you arrested!”

  “You’re on private property. You’ve been stalking me. I don’t think I’ll be the one going to jail, do you? Now get the hell out of here!” Arthur screamed.

  The slight twenty-something man behind the camera gritted his teeth. “I’ll get you for this, you stupid little rich kid.” He then turned and darted off into the darkness. The next thing they heard was the putt-putt of a motorized bike.

  “Where is she?” Arthur cried as he continued searching for Koko. “Oh God, this is awful. I just can’t lose Koko. Karen,” he called. “Here, kitty, kitty.”

  “Who is he, Dr. Ivey?” Dale asked, quietly.

  “His name’s Arthur. He’s from out of town. You’ve probably never heard of him,” Michael said, trying to brush him off.

  Arthur turned toward the others. “I think if you just let me look, she’ll come to me. She’s nervous right now…needs some space, if you don’t mind,” he said rather impatiently to the two men who had followed behind him…a little too closely.

  Michael gestured to his tenant. “Come on Dale, let’s get out of the way, shall we?”

  It was several minutes later when Arthur reappeared looking shaken. “Where’s Rags?” he asked.

  “In the car.”

  “Can I go get him? I think she’ll come out if she sees Rags.”

  “Sure, Arthur, good idea. I’ll help you.”

  Arthur carried Rags around in the direction he’d seen Koko go and placed him on the ground.

  Rags sat staring at Arthur, until the boy motioned toward a vine-covered slope behind the house. “Find Koko, Rags. Where’s Koko?”

  Whether he understood the command or recognized his friend’s name would forever remain a mystery, but within a few moments, Rags was heading toward where Arthur had last seen his cat.

  Meow. Meow, Rags said as he walked slowly to the edge of the small incline. He stepped carefully up the slope a few feet and stopped, cocking his head to one side as if he were listening. Suddenly he jumped back a little.

  “Koko!” Arthur shouted when he saw the sweet Siamese face poke out from beneath the vines. The cat emerged, shook her whole body, and then rushed toward Rags, who began rubbing up against her. “There you are, girl,” Arthur said, scooping her up into his arms. He grabbed Rags’s leash and stepped out to the parking lot.

  “Oh good, you got her,” Michael said, heaving a sigh of relief. He quickly picked up Rags and loaded him into the car. Arthur hurried to the passenger side.

  “Now I know who you are!” Dale hollered after them. “You’re that Spence kid who was held hostage in the Peyton Mansion in San Francisco!”

  Michael tightened his lips and climbed into the car. Their ride home was silent.

  “Sorry we’re late, hon,” Michael said when Savannah met them at the door. “We ran into a little…trouble.” They watched as Arthur walked with Koko past them and straight up the stairs to his room.

  “What happened?” she asked, frowning.

  When Michael saw Ruth wring her hands and start to follow Arthur, he called out, “Ruth, let’s give him a little space, okay?”

  Ruth stopped, looked at Michael, and then gazed up the staircase. She slumped a little and walked over to where Michael and Savannah stood. “What happened?” she asked, obviously concerned.

  “I can tell you.” The trio turned to see Arthur walking slowly down the stairs. “They found us here, Ruthie.”

  “Who?”

  “The paparazzi. They scared Koko and she ran away. Rags helped find her,” he said, petting the grey-and-white cat, who rubbed against his leg.

  “There was a confrontation,” Michael said quietly. When he noticed the women waiting for more, he revealed, “You should have seen Arthur. He broke the guy’s camera!”

  Savannah and Ruth looked at Arthur, who was grinning a little. “Broke his camera?” Ruth asked. “You hit him? You used violence?”

  Michael nodded. “Yeah, he took control of the situation—sent the guy off with a broken camera and his tail between his legs.”

  “I’m afraid he’ll be back,” Arthur said, solemnly.

  After a pause, Ruth said, “Well, it was bound to happen.”

  Arthur frowned. “What?”

  She laughed. “I guess it is a matter of be careful of what you wish for.”

  “My life still isn’t mine, is it, Ruthie?”

  She wrapped one arm around his shoulders. “Every life has challenges. We are facing one now. It will get better for you, I promise.”

  “Well, I’m not sure the boy has to put up with the paparazzi in his face every time he steps outside the house,” Michael said, angrily. “I’m going to call Craig and ask if we can have them arrested or something.”

  “Okay,” Savannah said. “Good idea, but how about after…”

  “After dinner,” Michael said, knowingly. “Got it. Hey, Arthur and Ruth, Savannah makes a great taco salad. What do you say we leave our worries on the doorstep and have dinner?”

  Savannah laughed and looped her arm in Michael’s. “Leave our worries on the doorstep?” she said mockingly.

  “Yeah, isn’t that what Louis Armstron
g said in his song, ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street’?”

  “O…kayyy…” Savannah said.

  “Yeah, leave your worries on the doorstep and walk on the sunny side of the street,” Michael sang out, causing a round of exuberant laughter.

  ****

  Once dinner was over and Arthur was occupied playing with Lily in the living room, Michael asked Ruth, “Could I’d speak to you for a minute?”

  “Sure,” she said, wiping her hands on a dish towel and hanging it to dry.

  “I’ll have Arthur help me put the baby to bed,” Savannah said, reaching out and patting Michael’s arm affectionately as she walked past him.

  “What is it, Michael?” Ruth asked.

  “Let’s sit here. Want more tea?”

  She put her hand up. “No more tea, thank you,” she said as she slipped into a kitchen chair.

  Michael cleared his throat. “I was just wondering if you’ve ever seen Arthur…angry.”

  She narrowed her eyes and lowered her brow.

  “I mean like out-of-control angry…” he explained.

  She thought about it and shook her head slowly. “No. Not that I can recall. Oh wait,” she said, “there was this one time when his mother told him she was going on an extended vacation. After she left that day, he went into a rage.” She looked at Michael. “Once, I caught him mangling some sort of video device she had brought him. Yes, I guess I have seen his rage a couple of times.” She made eye contact. “But you must understand, he has had no power and no freedom. Can you imagine the frustration and anger that’s built up inside him?”

  “So you think he felt threatened by the paparazzi? Is that why he overreacted?”

  “Sure. Threatened and powerless, and, Michael,” she reminded him, “he has not had the opportunity to learn how to manage his emotions—no real-life experience.”

  Michael tightened his lips. “So true. Well, we need to start that lesson now or the boy’s going to get himself arrested…or worse.”

  “I agree,” Savannah said as she entered the kitchen.

  Michael turned to look at her. “Where’s Arthur?”

  “Studying.” She sat down in a chair across from Ruth. “I’d like to talk to Craig about what happened.” She was silent for a moment, then said, “Maybe Rochelle can help him to…learn to handle things better.”