The Corral Cat Caper (Klepto Cat Mystery Book 7)

by Patricia Fry

  Craig stared at her for a moment. "Makes sense." He cleared his throat. "So someone could have come in here and opened the gate without going to much trouble," he said.

  She nodded. "I guess so. But who? Why? We never see anyone around here."

  "She's right," Barney said. "…well, except for our regular students, clients, and customers."

  Craig turned and looked at Barney, who was leaning against the railing around the empty stall. "Seems like a good place to start. Why don't you go over your list of clients and customers one by one and figure out who was here most recently, who might have a gripe against you, who is most likely to be a thief… If you suspect anyone, we can run a check to see if they have a record."

  "You can do that?" Bonnie asked.

  "Yeah," he nodded.

  "I don't want to think that anyone we invite onto our property would do something like this," Barney lamented.

  "Where was the pig that was taken, Bonnie?" Savannah asked.

  "Oh, right over there," she said, pointing toward an enclosure just outside the barn.

  Craig eyed the pen where five small pigs milled around, then he looked down at Bella, who was lying at Barney's feet. "The dog didn't hear anything?" he asked.

  "No," Bonnie said.

  "This isn't the only place where you keep animals, is it?" Craig asked. "I saw some horses as I drove in—west of here."

  Bonnie nodded. "Yes you did. We have some of our outside stalls and corrals occupied."

  "They stay there during the night?" he asked.

  "Yes. We have the five horses you see here, half-dozen goats, and…" she hesitated "…I'd say a dozen—maybe fourteen—horses and ponies in the pens out front."

  "Our cattle herd consists of around eight head," Barney said. "…well, seven now."

  "And we have a few hogs, these young pigs, and some chickens," Bonnie added.

  "Didn't I see a goose here one day?" Savannah asked.

  "Yeah, they're seasonal," Bonnie said, laughing. "We're one of their stopovers during migration most years."

  "So that's your house?" Craig asked motioning to a structure west of where they stood.

  Bonnie nodded.

  "The barn is pretty far away," he observed.

  "Yes, and everything that's been taken was over here, on the east side of the property," Savannah said. She looked at the dog. "That's probably why Bella didn't hear anything."

  "Where does the dog stay at night?" Craig asked.

  Bonnie looked sheepish. "Inside with us."

  "So she's not watch dog, then?" Craig asked.

  "Not really," Bonnie agreed. "But she usually lets us know when someone's on the property. She hears them coming up the driveway before we do."

  "But what if the rustlers don't come in that way?" he said, walking through the east end of the barn and scanning the property beyond with his eyes.

  "You think someone's coming through our pasture at night?" Barney asked, removing his hat and scratching his head.

  "It appears that way," Craig said.

  Bonnie raised her eyebrows. "Well, now, that makes sense." She frowned and said, "But from where?"

  "Yeah, good question," Barney said. "There's nothing out there, just trails and brush, wouldn't you say, Bonnie Mae?"

  "Last time I rode out there, that's all I saw…and an abandoned shack."

  Craig looked toward the horizon. "Where are your eastern and southern property lines?" he asked.

  Barney made a wide sweep with one arm. "See that stand of fir trees? Just this side of them," he said.

  "You have quite a slice of land here, don't ya?" Craig said. "And is there a gate on the other side of the pasture?"

  "Yup," Barney said. "That one's locked."

  Craig looked at the rancher for a moment. "Are you sure about that?" he asked. "Have you checked it lately?"

  "No," he said shaking his head somberly. "As a matter of fact, I haven't."

  Craig looked him square in the eyes. "That could be where your culprit is coming from."

  Bonnie shook her head in disbelief. "But there's nothing out there. Trust me. I've ridden out there. It's all trails and brush. You can't get within miles of this place with a stock truck or trailer from that direction…even a car."

  "She's right," Barney said. "We back up to that wilderness area. There are no roads through that section."

  "When's the last time you rode your horse out that way?" Craig asked.

  Bonnie thought for a moment. "Gosh, it has been a while." She glanced at Craig, then said, "Maybe we should take a ride, Barney, and see if there's anything going on out there that we're not aware of."

  "I'll go with you," Savannah said. "…if I can borrow a horse," she added, solemnly.

  Bonnie nodded. "Sure. Let's do it. When can you go?" she asked eagerly.

  "Just about any time," Savannah said. "It's important, so I can make it a priority. I want my horse back." She looked out over the mountain range beyond. "I hate to think of her out there by herself." Just then Savannah reached into her jeans pocket and removed her phone. She looked at it. "It's Michael. Excuse me," she said as she walked away from the group.

  When she returned, the Teagues were watching Craig examine a patch of ground just outside the barn. "I think you're right, Barney," he said. "It looks as though someone used a brushy branch to conceal any footprints here." He looked at the couple. "Good thinking on your part to preserve this for examination." He gazed out across the pasture. "There's nothing here to show where the animals were taken, but what makes the most sense to me is that the…rustlers… walked them right out through that pasture." He rubbed his chin between his thumb and fingers. "Where they went from there is anyone's guess."

  "Hey," Savannah called out excitedly, "Michael thinks he has your goat."

  "What?" Bonnie exclaimed.

  Barney spun around to face Savannah. "Where…? How…?" he stammered.

  "Someone brought in an injured goat they found wandering around out near the reservation." She turned toward Bonnie. "She's a milker."

  "Our first clue," Craig said. "…maybe."

  Savannah passed her phone to Bonnie. "Here's a picture of her."

  Her smile quickly faded. "Nope, that's not Georgia."

  "Dang," Barney said. He looked at Savannah. "But tell your husband we'll take her if they can't find her owner." He thought for a moment and then said, "By the way, does he work with livestock? Well, he must if he has a goat in there."

  "A little. He specializes in small animals." She laughed. "…including large dogs. But he does see an occasional horse. Our newest veterinarian, Bud Hanson, takes on most of the livestock. Why?"

  "Well, old Dr. Humphrey is so far away and he seems to be slowing down. I've been thinking about finding someone else. I hear he may be retiring soon, anyway," Barney said.

  "Hey, we need to get back to work," Bonnie said, looking at her watch. "I have a student this afternoon and some horses to put through their paces." She grinned. "…and there are always stalls to clean."

  "Don't you have help?" Craig asked, looking around.

  "Yes, only…" Bonnie said.

  "Only what?" Savannah asked.

  Bonnie glanced at her husband. "Things are a little tight right now, and with feed going up, we've had to cut back on employee hours," she explained. "Now with this problem, I'm afraid our clients will go elsewhere for their boarding and training needs. That could put us out of business."

  Savannah put her hand on Bonnie's arm. "Well, let's take that ride and see if we can figure out what's going on, shall we? Now what day works for you?"

  "Tomorrow?" Bonnie suggested.

  Savannah thought about it for a moment and said, "I think I can make it work. Michael sometimes takes Tuesdays off. Let me see what his plans are. I'll text you later."

  "Okay. Great." Bonnie looked at Savannah affectionately. "Thank you so much."

  "Sure. I'm looking forward to it, as long as…" she said.

  "As long
as what?" Bonnie asked.

  "As long as you have a gentle horse for me to ride."

  "Oh Savannah, you're a good rider."

  "Yeah, but I haven't been challenged in years. I've only ridden my sweet mare. Hey, can I ride Wilson?" she asked.

  "Sure," Bonnie said. "I don't know why not. He's gentle, but he's game. He should be able to keep up with my gelding."

  "You girls be careful, now," Craig said with sincerity and concern.

  "We will, Daddy Craig," Savannah jested.

  Craig grinned at Savannah. He then turned to the Teagues. "Thanks for the tour. I'll do some snooping and let you know if I come up with anything."

  "We appreciate you coming out here, Detective," Barney said, shaking hands with Craig. The trio watched as he walked to his car.

  ****

  Later that evening after Savannah and Michael had put the baby to bed, Savannah said, "Thanks for agreeing to take care of Lily tomorrow."

  "My pleasure," Michael said sitting down on the sofa and pulling Savannah down with him. "Only…"

  "Uh-oh. Only what?" she asked, cringing a little.

  "Only, I'm not wild about you running all over the backcountry on a horse you're not familiar with in search of possible rustlers."

  "I understand your concern, Michael. I really do. But…"

  Michael rested his head against the back of the sofa. "There's always a but, isn't there, Savannah?"

  She pursed her lips. "Yeah, I guess there is," she said, laughing out loud. She tickled Michael until he coiled in defense of her attack. "And I usually get my way, don't I? Huh? Don't I?"

  "Yes," he finally said, trying to squirm away from her. "You usually get your way."

  She kissed Michael and said, "I promise to be careful. I'll be riding the most mellow horse in all the West. In fact, if he were to be evaluated, I'm sure they would discover that Wilson is a mechanical horse leftover from the demolition of a strip mall or a grocery store somewhere in Detroit."

  "What?" Michael said, scratching his head. "A mechanical horse?"

  "He's that gentle. In fact, he's the horse Charlotte rides when she visits the stables with me. Bonnie used to work with other mentally and physically challenged children; and Wilson was Bonnie's most reliable horse for that program."

  "Oh, well if Charlotte's mother lets her ride him, I guess he must be safe." He kissed her. "Just be careful, will you? We need you here…whole and in one piece."

  "You know I will. I have way too much at stake."

  "What time are you going?"

  "I'll meet Bonnie around eight. We want to get an early start."

  Chapter 2

  Savannah pulled her SUV into Bonnie's driveway at a few minutes before eight. "Hi," she called when she saw Bonnie at the hitching post saddling her Appaloosa gelding Zeke. Wilson, a leggy dark sorrel, stood saddled on the other side of the rail. "Oh, I brought my saddle," Savannah said. "We don't need it?"

  "Naw, we'll just use the one he's accustomed to. Climb up there and let's adjust the stirrups," Bonnie said.

  Once the two women and their steeds were on their way, Bella happily trotting along beside them, Savannah said, "Ahhh, this is so cool. I haven't been on a horse in…forever. The sound of leather squeaking, the clip-clop of their hooves…I love it!"

  "The leather's squeaking? Better have Barney treat that saddle with baby powder," Bonnie said.

  "Baby powder?" Savannah questioned.

  "Yeah, you don't want a squeaky saddle when you're showing or when you're trying to be inconspicuous. Besides—man, can it get annoying after a while on the trail."

  Savannah twisted a little in her saddle toward her friend. "Well, I like it. Thank you for letting me come along."

  "Can't think of a better riding companion," she said. She looked down at Savannah's legs. "Glad you wore those heavy denim pants. It's brushy out beyond our property. Here, I'll get the gate. You go on through and I'll close it."

  "So it isn't locked?"

  "No. Someone cut the lock off. Barney will replace it after we get back today."

  "Hey, that's cool the way you can get your horse to walk up to the gate sideways to open and close it. Does it take long to teach a horse that?"

  "Depends on the horse," Bonnie said with a laugh. "Peaches knows how to do it."

  "She does?" Savannah said, surprise in her tone. "I'll ask her to teach me how…if I ever get her back," she added.

  "Hey, girlfriend, none of that doubting-Debbie stuff, okay? We will find her and the other animals, too." Bonnie looked apprehensive. "I just hope we can get Justin's pig back. It was going to be his 4-H project for the county fair."

  "Do you think that's why they took the pig?" Savannah asked. "…because of his confirmation?"

  Bonnie hesitated. "Probably not. I mean, then why would they take the goat and Peaches?"

  "I guess you're right," Savannah said. She then offered, "…to confuse authorities?"

  "What authorities?" Bonnie said glumly.

  "Well, to knock us off their trail, perhaps?"

  "Maybe." Suddenly, Bonnie sat straight in her saddle, quickly reining Zeke in. "Look," she whispered, just loud enough for Savannah to hear.

  Savannah gazed in the direction Bonnie pointed. "Oh, how pretty," she said when she spotted a doe and a fawn grazing in a meadow below. She took out her phone and snapped a few pictures. The doe raised her head, stared at the two riders for a moment, and went back to eating.

  Bonnie and Savannah smiled at each other. Then Bonnie stood in her stirrups and looked around. "I'm not sure which way to go," she said. "I haven't been out here since the last rain and the trails are so overgrown." When she noticed Bella dart off to the left, Bonnie took a deep breath and said, mimicking a trail boss for a wagon train, "Forward ho!"

  Savannah laughed, then said, "Whoa, it is brushy. Hope it's not poison oak."

  "Too early for that," Bonnie said. She turned and grinned back at Savannah. "At least I think so."

  The women had ridden on the narrow trail through thick brush for a distance when Savannah said, "You know, we should be looking for clues."

  "What kind of clues?" Bonnie asked.

  "Oh, strands of Peaches's mane and tail, poop from a horse, cow, or goat…"

  "Good idea," Bonnie said. "This is the only way to and from our place on this side of the

  property. As the detective said, they must have taken them out this way."

  Savannah looked down at the ground. Suddenly startled, she said, pointing, "Well there's something. Looks like a goat's been out here."

  "Where?" Bonnie asked, backing her horse.

  "There, behind you."

  "Tsk tsk. Good job, Savannah only…" she said grinning.

  "Only what?" Savannah asked.

  "Didn't they teach you about poop in veterinary school, girl?" Bonnie said, laughing.

  "Well yeah, we dissected a lot of it from dogs, cats…and other animals," Savannah explained.

  "Well, that's deer droppings right there."

  "Oh, sorry."

  "Hey, goat, deer, and rabbit droppings are sometimes kinda similar," Bonnie said.

  Savannah gave her an inquisitive look. "Then how can you be sure this's deer and not goat?"

  Bonnie laughed. "I know my goats. Hey let's ride on; we're not getting very far and we have a lot of ground to cover if we want to explore little-known areas."

  "Let's go," Savannah said, enthusiastically.

  After nearly two hours of riding slowly through dense brush interspersed with open spaces, Savannah asked, "What's that place over there?"

  Bonnie looked around. "Where?"

  "Over near that tree," she said.

  "Oh, yes, that's maybe an old miners' or hunters' cabin." Bonnie turned in her saddle, resting her hand on the cantle so she faced Savannah. "Looks like an old homestead. It had been abandoned by the time we came here over fifteen years ago," Bonnie explained.

  Savannah continued to look ahead as they rode toward the
structure. "Well, it isn't abandoned anymore," she said.

  Bonnie turned forward in her saddle. "What?"

  "Yeah, looks like someone's living there."

  "Well, I'll be," Bonnie said. "That's downright weird." When they reached the place, Bonnie called out, "Hello! Anyone here?"

  The two riders glanced around the property. "Reminds me of a rundown shack in an old-timey Western," Savannah said under her breath. "Look at that rickety patchwork porch and taped window glass."

  "And the tarp and bricks on the roof. Must leak," Bonnie said. She stood up in her stirrups and scanned the area. "Sure looks different than the last time I saw it." As they moved closer, she whispered, "Hey, there's clothes hanging out to dry. Women's clothes. I don't see any cars. There's no way in and out of here by automobile, anyway," she said. She chuckled. "…maybe mule or motorcycle."

  Suddenly, from behind them, they heard, "Hello."

  Savannah and Bonnie turned toward the voice and were stunned to see an elderly woman wearing a pair of suede riding culottes and a long-sleeved t-shirt. Her white hair was pulled away from her leathery face into a small bun at the nape of her neck. "What do you two want?" she demanded.

  "Uh…we…" Bonnie stammered. "I didn't know anyone was living out here."

  "So?" the woman challenged.

  "Well, my husband and I own the ranch west of here. My friend and I were just out for a ride and happened to come across this place." She narrowed her eyes and asked, "Do you live here?"

  The woman put her hands on her hips and said, "Of course, why?"

  Bonnie wasn't sure how to respond.

  Feeling an obligation to intervene, Savannah said, "I'm Savannah Ivey and this is Bonnie Teague. We were just riding through, as Bonnie said. It's nice to meet such a free spirit," she said, smiling. "By the way, what's your name?"

  The woman stared at Savannah. "Elsie," she said. The corners of her mouth turned slightly upward. "Yes, a free spirit. I like that."

  "It must take courage to live in such dense wilderness. Are you alone out here?" Savannah asked.

  "I enjoy the solitude."

  Savannah licked her lips and took in a deep breath. "You certainly are isolated; probably don't get much company." She stretched in the saddle, trying to see what lay beyond the little hovel. "How do you get what you need out here? You must be ten miles from the nearest shopping area."