The Corral Cat Caper (Klepto Cat Mystery Book 7)

by Patricia Fry

"What happened?"

  Elsie was quiet for a while and then she said. "What happened when?"

  "Your accident. How did you get hurt?"

  "Oh that. Didn't they tell you? They told everyone else."

  "No," Savannah said, starting to feel confused. "They didn't tell me." She decided to change the subject. "Were you raised with sisters and brothers?"

  Elsie's face lit up. "Yes. There was Garnet, Coral…she was the oldest. My big sister. There was…let's see…Daisy, and Frank, and another brother that I can't remember right now." She looked down at her hands and said, "Oh, and Elsie, of course."

  "Yes, you're Elsie," Savannah said smiling.

  "Yes, I'm Elsie. That's right."

  Savannah furrowed her brow and looked over at her passenger. "Do you have a lot of animals?" she asked.

  Elsie smiled. "Oh yes, lots of them. There are rabbits, deer, foxes…" she started.

  Savannah chuckled. "You have a lot of wild animals around, don't you? And you have a pet raccoon, is that right?"

  Elsie nodded. "One came to live with me and the goats and Toto."

  "Who's Toto?" Savannah asked.

  "Well, the dog," she said matter of factly.

  Savannah cocked her head. "I thought that was Ellwood."

  Elsie giggled and put one hand up to her face. "Oh that's right. How silly of me. Toto was my dog when I was Alice."

  Savannah frowned. "When you were Alice?"

  "Yes, Alice in Wonderland."

  Savannah was quiet for a moment and then she said, "Do you mean Dorothy in Wizard of Oz?"

  Elsie giggled again. "My brain train is off the track again," she said, continuing to giggle in a high-pitched voice. "I was Alice and I was also Dorothy. Did you watch me?"

  "Do you mean you were in plays—you were an actress?"

  "Yes, and my name was on a big poster outside the junior-high-school auditorium."

  "I wish I'd been there to see you. Must have been fun for you."

  "Oh yes, it was. But after the accident, there were no more plays, no more acting, no more baby…just about everything was gone."

  The women sat in silence for a few miles and then Savannah said, "I'm sorry, Elsie."

  "For what?" she asked, smiling.

  "Uh, well, about your accident."

  She turned abruptly toward Savannah. "Who told you? I'm not supposed to talk about it."

  "Uh, I guess I just heard about it someplace. Sorry I brought it up." After a few more minutes, Savannah asked, "What's your last name, Elsie?"

  The woman said, "Elsie says there's no reason for anyone to know that but the coroner." She looked smug and said, "So I'm not telling."

  Savannah squinted in confusion. Then she asked, "Elsie, have you had trouble with anyone taking anything from your place?"

  "Like what?" she asked. She laughed. "I don't have much anyone would take…'cept my critters."

  "And no one has bothered your animals? You don't have any missing?"

  Elsie shook her head slowly. "No."

  "Have you seen anyone around your place?"

  Elsie turned slightly toward Savannah and said sharply, "Yes. Yes, I have."

  "Who?" Savannah asked, eager to hear her response. "What did they look like?"

  "You," Elsie said with a grin. "I saw you riding your horse by my place."

  Savannah sighed. "Anyone else? Have you seen any strangers…besides me and my friend?"

  "And Dr. Ivey," she said.

  "Yes, anyone besides us?"

  Elsie thought for a moment and finally her face lit up and she said, "Yes!"

  "Tell me about it," Savannah urged.

  "Hunters. I've seen hunters on foot and some on horses." She looked at Savannah. "They come through our place hunting wild pigs, you see. It's turkey-hunting season now." She leaned toward Savannah as if sharing a secret and said, "Sometimes they poach deer out of season…know what I mean?"

  Savannah nodded. "But none of them has bothered you or your animals, right?"

  Elsie shook her head, then pointed. "Turn here, dear. It's a dirt road. Some cab drivers don't like to drive on it with their cars, so if you want to let me off here, that's okay."

  "No," Savannah said. "I can make the drive. I don't want you to have to walk too far.

  "I don't mind. That's why Elsie bought these good walking shoes, ‘cause I walk everywhere." After a mile on the rutted road, Elsie said, "That's it. We're at the end of the road. Let us out here, would you?"

  "Sure," Savannah said, stopping the car. She looked at the trail head and said, "That's a gnarly trail there. I don't know how you manage it in your dress...and carrying a dog."

  "That's what this apron's for, you see. It helps keep the brush from tearing my clothes. It's tough material. Here, feel," She invited.

  "Yes, it's tough, all right," Savannah said, rubbing the fabric between her fingers and thumb. She walked around to the passenger door and opened it. She carefully lifted the dog from Elsie's lap, then took her arm and helped her step out of the SUV. "Will the dog be able to make the walk?" Savannah asked, handing Ellwood back to her.

  "Oh yes, he can walk on three legs. He does it all the time. But," she said as if sharing a secret, "today, he's going to ride in the wheelbarrow. You see, I hid it in the bushes there, so he can ride."

  Savannah walked over to the brush where Elsie pointed, found the wheelbarrow, and wheeled it out in the open. Elsie laid the dog carefully on a folded towel in the bottom of it, placed the small purse she carried next to the dog, and took off pushing the wheelbarrow up the trail.

  "Now take care," Savannah called after the woman as she watched them disappear into the brush. She stood there for a moment shaking her head. What a strange being, she thought, …living out here like this. Just doesn't seem safe.

  She looked around. I'd better get out of here, she thought as she closed the passenger door and walked around to the driver's side. She peered in the window to check on Lily and saw that she was still sleeping peacefully. Once inside the SUV, she turned it around and drove slowly over the rutted dirt road, her head filled with thoughts of Elsie and many unanswered questions.

  Chapter 5

  "Michael, I hope you don't mind going out to eat tonight," Savannah said after she had greeted him that evening. "I didn't make it to the grocery store after all. By the time I got back from taking Elsie home, it was getting late and I wasn't in the mood to shop."

  He feigned disappointment. "Go out to eat again?" he said in a complaining tone.

  "What do you mean?" she asked defensively. "You've had a home-cooked meal every night this week, except for maybe…"

  "Yeah, except for the bowl of canned soup you gave me last night. We had sandwiches the night before." He thought for a moment and then laughed. "We ate at your mother's for two nights."

  "Gosh, I have been slacking, haven't I?" she said frowning. "I'm sorry, Michael. You need good meals. I'll try to do better."

  He grabbed her around the waist and kissed her. When he pulled away, he looked into her eyes and said, "You're doing just fine. You give me everything…I mean everything I could want." He ran his hand over her hair and tickled her cheek with a strand of it. "You're busy this week with the baby, the wedding, your detective work…" he said.

  "Yeah, my detective work," she repeated, laughing. "Okay then, we're ready if you are. Wanna go see what's cooking at the diner?"

  "Let's go."

  "Hi guys," Iris greeted as the trio made their entrance into the town's most popular café. "How's my little angel?" she asked, addressing Lily. The baby smiled and waved her arms in the air. "You're so cute," Iris said running her hand over the baby's head. "Sit anywhere, guys."

  "Oh, my phone," Savannah said as she sat down in the booth. "It's Craig. Hi Craig, what's up? Did you talk to that guy?" Savannah listened for a couple of minutes before ending the call.

  "Anything new?" Michael asked looking up from the menu.

  "I guess not," she said, taking off h
er jacket. "I saw the guy who may have taken Peaches today and…"

  "You what?" Michael said so loudly that he looked around to make sure he hadn't disturbed anyone. "You what?" he repeated more quietly.

  "While Lily and I were out running errands, I saw this guy with camouflage on, and…get this, Michael…he had a bandage on his right forearm. He went into a sporting goods store, so I…"

  "So you called Craig?" he asked expectantly.

  "Well," she looked sheepish, "not until I…"

  "Oh no," he said taking in a deep breath. "…not until what?"

  "Well, nothing dangerous. I waited until he came out of the store and I went in and asked some questions. That's all."

  "Uh-huh…" Michael said.

  "I found out where the dude was headed and called Craig and told him. But Craig said he was gone by the time he got there. He asked around and didn't learn much. The bar tender just figured he was an out-of-town hunter, only…"

  "Only what?" Michael asked.

  "Hunting isn't allowed in that area where Bonnie and I heard the shots. And deer season isn't for another four months."

  "Did you tell Craig that someone shot at you?"

  "Now Michael, I told you a deer came busting out of the brush at the same time. I'm sure the shot came from a poacher who was after a deer. Or he was hunting turkeys and flushed a deer. He was in the wrong place, but he probably didn't even know we were there."

  Michael stared at his wife for a moment and said, scolding, "Well, it's dangerous to ride in those hills during any of the hunting seasons. You never know what those gun-toting city-slickers are going to do." When he saw Savannah's lip quiver, he took her hand, and asked, "So did you enjoy your ride with Elsie?"

  Savannah wiped the corners of her eyes with her napkin and said, "Yeah, I guess. She's something else, isn't she? She seems so out of it and frail, yet she lives out there in the wilds and walks miles to catch a ride when she wants to go somewhere. I guess she's frail in the mind, but tough physically." She laughed and squeezed Michael's hand. "Does she speak in first person to you?"

  "Huh?"

  "You know, refer to herself in the first person…‘Elsie did this,' ‘Elsie said that?'"

  He frowned. "Yeah, I think I have heard her do that. Well, you know, she had an accident when she was young and it evidently affected her mind."

  "That's what she told me, but she didn't tell me what happened. Do you know?"

  He shook his head. "Either she has forgotten the details or…"

  "I don't think that's it, Michael," Savannah said. "I think she knows exactly what happened, but she's been sworn to secrecy."

  "Awww, Savannah, where do you get these things?" he said laughing. "Sworn to secrecy? That doesn't make much sense, does it?"

  Savannah stared off into space. "Nothing about Elsie makes much sense."

  ****

  Saturday morning found the Ivy household a-bustle with activity. "It's a big day, hon and it looks like the weather's going to cooperate."

  "Yes, it's a gorgeous day for a wedding," Savannah said peering out through the large kitchen window into the backyard. "I see that Antonio and his helpers have the chairs set up and they're working on the arbor. Oh, those climbing roses are beautiful—full of blooms." She turned to face her husband. "I might just keep them."

  "And put them where?" he asked with a smile.

  "Hmmm, I'll have to think about it. Maybe I'll keep the arbor, too." She looked at the clock and said, "Yikes, Helena will be here in an hour, I'd better finish up in the kitchen and start getting us dressed."

  Michael poked Lily in the tummy and said, "What are you going to wear, little missy?"

  Savannah turned and said, a smile on her face, "Her pink ruffle dress. I've been waiting for an occasion for her to wear it." She said to the baby, "…just hope you don't muss it up before the ceremony."

  "What's she going to do," he said tickling the baby's tummy, "sit in a mud puddle?"

  Lily laughed.

  "Dribble chocolate down her dress?" he said, tickling her again.

  The baby laughed harder.

  "Hey," Michael shouted.

  Startled, Savannah turned and said, "What?"

  "Come look at this. I think I saw a tooth."

  "A tooth, really?" Savannah said rushing to Michael's side.

  "Yeah," he said enticing the baby to open her mouth. "Look, there it is—a tiny white tooth has sprouted and there's a bump next to it. No wonder you've been drooling so much," he said, while wiping Lily's chin yet again. He turned to Savannah. "You haven't noticed the tooth? She hasn't…bitten you, yet?"

  "No." She ran her finger over the baby's gums. "Oh how cute is that? Her first tooth. And on a special day—Iris and Craig's wedding day."

  Three hours later, guests had assembled and the ceremony took place with Michael and Savannah standing up for the happy couple. Colbi and Damon entertained Lily, who was content to chew on her teething ring throughout the brief ceremony.

  "Congratulations, you two," Savannah said, embracing both Iris and Craig and kissing each of them on the cheek."

  Michael shook Craig's hand and hugged Iris affectionately.

  "Thank you for everything, you two," Iris said, smiling brightly.

  "Yeah, thanks," Craig said.

  By the time the congratulations were all spoken and the couple had posed for numerous photographs, Helena and her helpers had the food spread out on a table on the wrap-around porch and guests had begun to help themselves. Savannah returned from laying Lily down for a nap, baby monitor in hand. She looked around and noticed Craig's partner Ramon Gonzales filling his plate. "Hello Ramon," she said cordially.

  "Oh hi Savannah." He nodded. "How are you?"

  "Great. It's a wonderful day, isn't it?"

  Ramon looked over at Craig and Iris, who were chatting with the minister. "Yeah, man, I never thought I'd see the day Sledge would get hitched."

  "Well, I think they'll be happy together."

  "I'm sure of it. He's a different man since he met that gal."

  Savannah smiled. "I haven't seen you around, lately. Are you and Craig still working as partners?"

  "Yeah, on some cases, we sure are." He took a bite of a chicken wing, swallowed, and asked, "Hey, did you ever find your horse?"

  She frowned. "No, darn it. Every day she's gone, I'm more worried that something bad will happen to her."

  "I can imagine. I hear you've been looking for her out on the east slope."

  "Yes—behind the Teague place. That's where she was when she went missing. They're also missing a cow, a small pig, and a goat—maybe some chickens." She continued. "And someone almost got our cats when we boarded them there."

  He scowled. "What would a knucklehead like that want with cats?"

  "That's what we wondered. Haven't figured that out yet. Nor have we figured out who it is or where he's taking the animals. We've ridden out into the hills behind the stables and haven't found much."

  Just then a woman walked up to Ramon. "Hey, where's your wife?" she asked.

  "Oh, the kids had something going on today. She couldn't make it." He looked from the woman to Savannah and asked, "Do you two know each other?"

  Both of them shook their heads. The woman said, "You're the homeowner here, right?"

  "Yes, Savannah Ivey." She put her hand out in greeting.

  "This is Sergeant Barbara Kettleman," Ramon said. "She's an investigator in our division."

  "Nice to meet you," Savannah said.

  "How do you know Sledge?" Barbara asked.

  Savannah smiled. "Long story. But the short version is that my cat…"

  "Oh wait," Barbara said, smiling in amusement, "your cat is the kleptomaniac."

  Savannah nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's a good description."

  "He's well-known in local law-enforcement circles. We refer to him as Sledge's silent partner." She looked toward the house. "Is he here? I'd love to meet him."

  "Sure. In fact, ther
e he is, watching from his perch," Savannah said pointing at the large kitchen window.

  "Oh look at that. I think he wants out," Barbara said.

  "Yes, he loves people and he loves being outside. But he's going to enjoy this party from inside today," Savannah said with a laugh.

  "He reminds me of my neighbor's cat, Smoky," she said. "But Smoky isn't as big. That cat's a big boy." She turned toward Ramon. "Hey Gonzales, do you remember that missing kid case we worked together? That family had a cat like him, only he was all grey and smaller. He kept showing us where the boy was and we didn't pay any attention to him."

  "Yeah, I remember that," Ramon said. He addressed Savannah. "The cat kept trying to corral us into the kitchen. We'd already looked in the kitchen several times. We'd gone through the whole house and were about to put out a missing person bulletin, when Kettleman…"

  "Yeah, I finally acknowledged the cat, who was butting up against my leg over and over. When I looked at him, he walked away from me so I decided to follow him. He led me straight to the kitchen and started clawing on one of the cupboards. Hell, we'd already checked all of the cupboards. But I decided to humor the damn cat and opened the cabinet. It was one of those lazy Susan deals—you know, it spins around. Well, when I opened it and spun the thing around, there was the kid sitting on it."

  "We'd checked that cupboard and he wasn't there," Ramon said. "Then Kettleman checks it again and there he is, like magic."

  "What the kid had done was, he crawled into the cabinet, took a ride on the lazy Susan shelf and then got off in the back of the cabinet. When we looked inside, we couldn't see him. Of course, the cat knew he was in there."

  "That was another lesson in checking out the obvious," Ramon said with a chuckle.

  "The obvious," Savannah said as if to herself.

  "Pardon?" Barbara said.

  "Just thinking out loud," she explained. She then said, "Barbara, nice to meet you. I see someone over there I need to talk to. Please, go on in and meet Rags if you want. He'll enjoy the attention." Savannah approached a small group of people on the far side of the lawn. "Excuse me, Craig," she said. "Can I speak to you?"

  "Sure, honey," he said. He motioned toward a row of chairs. "Let's sit over here. Can I get you something to drink?"