The Corral Cat Caper (Klepto Cat Mystery Book 7)

by Patricia Fry

  "Wait," Savannah said, looking down at a message from Bonnie on her phone. "You're not taking the cow. She belongs to my friend at the B&B Ranch and so does one of the goats." Savannah walked over to the pen and looked the animals over. Finally she said, pointing, "I think it's that one—the brown and white Nubian."

  "But Harlan told me…" Elsie Beth started.

  "I don't care what Harlan told you," Savannah said sternly. "He's a thief and he stole that goat, the cow, a pig, some of (or maybe all of) those chickens, and my horse!"

  The sisters stood silent. Finally Elsie Sue said quietly, "That delicious pig was stolen? My, my."

  By eleven-fifteen, just about everything the two Elsies felt they couldn't live without was packed in the utility wagon. They'd created a spot on top of their belongings for the recovering dog. One carrier, holding their favorite two chickens, was tied precariously next to him. Michael toted the other carrier with the cat inside, and pulled the wagon. Savannah led two goats, Elsie Sue carried her raccoon in her arms, and her sister carried an antique bowl in a pillow case slung over one shoulder.

  As the strange caravan made its way along the brushy trail, Savannah lagged behind to watch the wagonload and keep an eye on the elderly women. Suddenly, she stopped. What's that? she wondered, peering through the brush in the direction of the sound.

  "Michael," she whispered loudly. "Hey, Michael…"

  "Your wife wants ya," Elsie Beth said, tapping Michael on the shoulder.

  He turned abruptly and saw Savannah pointing off to the north of the trail. "What?" he asked, stopping the forward motion of the large wagon.

  "Listen," she said. "Someone or something is out there. Do you hear that?"

  Michael stood still for a moment. "Yeah," he said, standing tall in an attempt to see what was crashing through the brush. Suddenly, they heard a gunshot ring out. "Good lord," he said. He then yelled out, "Hey, stop shooting."

  Just then, they heard voices—men's voices. One of them called out, "Where are you?"

  "On the trail just south of you," Michael hollered.

  The foursome listened and watched as the rustling sound in the brush came closer. Suddenly, a horse broke through the brush and joined them on the trail. The rider, a stocky man in his fifties, said, "Sorry, man. I didn't know anyone was out here. I was shooting at a buck I saw along the ridge back there. Missed him."

  "Don't you know there's no hunting on this side of the ridge?" Elsie Beth said. "Besides it's not deer hunting season," she scolded loudly. Under her breath, she added, "Fool out-of-town hunters."

  "Hey, we've been over there. The deer are all over here. I didn't think it made that much difference," he said.

  "Well the difference is, there are people over here, as you can see," Michael said.

  Just then another hunter appeared. "Lost him," the wiry man said when he caught up with his partner. "But he may circle around, so we'd better keep an eye out."

  Suddenly, they heard more rustling in the brush, but on the other side of the trail. All eyes were aimed in that direction. "There he is!" the second man shouted. "Let's get him."

  The stocky hunter, not wanting witnesses to any wrongdoings, said, "Now Jake, he's not in the hunting limits. How about we see if we can chase him back that way?"

  "Huh?" Jake said.

  "These here folks reminded me that we're outside the hunting range, Jake. We can't hunt over on this side."

  Jake looked at Michael, Savannah and the others and said, "Oh, yeah. I guess we accidently crossed the line. He stood tall in his saddle and said, "Hey, there he is. He's…comin' this way, for God's sake. Look out, ya'll might be trampled," he shouted.

  Just then something came crashing through the brush a few yards up the trail and stopped. "Oh my God," Jake said. "It's a damn horse!"

  "Peaches!" Savannah shouted. "Michael, it's Peaches!!"

  The mare let out a high-pitched whinny and trotted up to Savannah, who hugged the horse around the neck with her free arm, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, Peaches. Are you all right?" She wiped her eyes, handed the goats' leads to Elsie Beth, and began checking the mare. "She's all cut up," she said.

  "Yeah, that brush is nasty," Michael said. He set the cat carrier down and walked over to the horse. He looked her over and then ran his hands down the mare's legs. "I don't see anything serious," he said, patting her affectionately.

  Savannah turned and glared at the hunters. She scowled. "You jerks were shooting at my horse?!" she shouted. "You, you, you shouldn't be allowed to hunt anywhere in this state—or any other state."

  "Well, ma'am…" the stout hunter started.

  "Just get the heck out of here and don't show your faces on this side of the ridge again." She picked up a rock and held it in a threatening manner.

  Before she could hurl the stone, Michael intervened. He took the rock from her hand and let it drop to the ground. Turning toward the hunters, he said sternly, "I'd get the hell out of here if I were you. Go home. You don't deserve to have a hunting license."

  The men turned and rode off quietly.

  "Oh Peaches. Am I ever glad to see you," Savannah said.

  "Oh no, you're mistaken," Elsie Sue said. "That's Harlan's mare, Goldie. She broke out of her pen and has been missing for a while."

  Savannah faced the sisters and said defiantly, "I'm sorry to break this to you, but this is my horse. Your nephew stole her in the middle of the night from the stable where she was being boarded."

  "Oh no, Harlan bought that horse from a local rancher right about two weeks ago."

  "And that's exactly when my horse went missing," she said. "I tell you, she was stolen and I can prove it. My horse has a small scar on her back leg, just above the hoof. She turned toward Michael. "Would you cut me a piece of that rope I can use as a lead for her?" Savannah tied the rope around the mare's neck and then said, "Look there at her leg. See that scar?"

  "Well that don't prove anything, does it, Elsie Beth?" her sister asked.

  "Yeah, I kinda think it does," Elsie Beth said. "I was pretty sure he was lying to us again."

  Savannah dug out her phone and made a call. "Bonnie, I need a favor. Could you bring your horse trailer around to the highway, at the Carson turn-off—you know that dirt road that leads to the old abandoned homestead? And the sooner the better. Drive to the end of the dirt road. We're on our way there now—should be there in about fifteen minutes. And bring a halter and lead, will you?"

  "Sure, I guess," Bonnie said. "I'm giving a lesson, but if it's important I can do it."

  "It's important. Bonnie, you're not going to believe this," she said, sounding almost giddy. "We have Peaches with us."

  "What? You found her? Oh Savannah. Yes. I'll be right there."

  The unlikely convoy arrived at the dirt road just as Bonnie pulled in with the horse trailer.

  "My goodness, this is quite a sight," Bonnie said when she saw the laden-down group, now dusty and tired. She took a double-take when she saw the goats. "Georgia," she said. She looked at Elsie Beth. "That's my milk goat!"

  "What are you talking about? I've been milking this goat for weeks. She's mine."

  "Yeah," Bonnie challenged, "where did you get her?"

  "Uh…well…"

  Savannah smirked at the elderly woman and said, "Your nephew found her someplace?"

  Elsie Beth lowered her head and handed the lead rope over to Bonnie, who knelt down and began checking her goat over.

  "Sorry, Bonnie," Savannah said, looking sheepish. "I guess I identified the wrong goat back there in the pen."

  Bonnie smiled at Savannah. She then patted the goat and said, "Come on, Georgia, let's go home." Once Bonnie had secured the goat inside her pickup cab, she handed Savannah a horse halter and lead rope, which Savannah promptly put on her mare. While Bonnie opened the trailer doors, Savannah gave her mare a kiss on the face and then they loaded her into the trailer. "Wow, that's the best I've ever seen Peaches load," Bonnie remarked, chuckling. "I guess she
's eager to get home."

  "Can you take her to our place?" Savannah asked. "We won't be home for another few hours, from the looks of it. She has water. You know where we keep the hay."

  "Sure do. I'll take care of her; don't you worry."

  "Thank you," Savannah said, embracing her friend. She peered through the small window in the horse trailer and said, "See you soon, Peaches."

  Peaches bobbed her head up and down and nickered softly.

  Michael smiled. "Looks like she missed you, too." He turned his attention to the task before him. "Let's get you ladies loaded up first, shall we?" he said helping them into the backseat of Bud's truck. He lifted the dog in and led the goat to the open door. When she didn't jump up into the cab, he handed the lead rope to Elsie Beth and she urged until the goat hopped up and joined them inside. Elsie Sue still held the raccoon in her arms. The dog lay on the seat between the two women and the goat stood on the floor.

  Michael pulled the wagon around to the back of the pickup. "I'm glad Bud has a hydraulic lift on this truck. We can just roll the wagon on it and load the whole thing at once."

  He took one more look at the wagon and said, "Let's unload the chickens first." He loosened the rope that secured their carrier and lifted it out, placing it next to the cab in the pickup bed.

  Once the wagon was loaded and secured, Savannah placed the cat carrier on the floor in the front seat and the couple climbed in.

  "Okay, ladies," Michael said, twisting in his seat to see them, "where are we going?"

  "Go south on the highway," Elsie Beth said. "We'll take the Belton offramp."

  Savannah lowered her brow. "Belton? That's in the ritzy part of town, isn't it?"

  "Yeah," Elsie Beth said.

  Savannah glanced at Michael, he rolled his eyes. "Probably a shortcut to the avenue district," he said quietly.

  Once they'd taken the turn-off, he asked, "Okay, now where? This street takes us on through to the other side of the estates, right?" He looked around at the large homes amidst lush grounds.

  "Yeah," Elsie said. "Turn left here. It's in the cul-de-sac at the end of the street."

  "Here?" Michael asked disbelieving. He and Savannah stared at the huge, well-kept, Tudor home in front of them, large willow trees lining the driveway.

  "Yeah, you can pull into the driveway and let us out."

  Elsie Sue said, as she glanced over at the house. "Ah, it's nice to be home." She giggled. "But was kinda fun living like pioneer women, don't you think, Sis?"

  "For a while, yes. But I'm glad to be back."

  "Me, too."

  Savannah and Michael sat stunned. As they continued to ogle at the luxurious home, they spotted a man of about sixty wearing jeans and a crisp print Western shirt step from around the side of the house. "Mom, Auntie, where have you been?" he said, when he saw the women sliding out of the backseat of the truck.

  "Oh, trying to help your aunt Garnet's grandson, Harlan out," Elsie Beth said, "and having a little vacation away from charities and all. We went back to our roots, Son," she said, a hint of a smile on her lips.

  He scratched his head, looking confused. "Well, we've been searching everywhere for you—thought you might be in the South of France or at our flat in Italy. We couldn't figure out where you were vacationing this year. In the wilderness, huh? Now that's novel," he said. "Well welcome home, Mother and Aunt Elsie. Let me help you bring in your things."

  In the meantime, Michael and Savannah had exited the truck. They stood silent, taking in the unexpected scene before them.

  "Oh, Stanley, this is Michael and Savannah Ivey," Elsie Beth said. "…my son, Stanley."

  "Hello," Michael said, shaking the man's hand.

  Savannah nodded and continued looking around at the mansion and grounds.

  "Would you like to see the place?" Elsie Beth asked. "It's rather unique."

  "Yes," Elsie Sue said, grabbing Savannah's arm with one hand while holding the raccoon in the other arm, "come look around. There's a bit more to it than our other place," she said, giggling.

  "Sure," Savannah said. "Let's get the animals out first, shall we?"

  In the meantime Elsie Beth handed the goat's lead to Stanley. "Here, would you put her in a pen?"

  Michael lifted the dog out of the truck and placed him gently on the lawn. Savannah picked up the cat carrier and peered in at the Himalayan. Stanley reached over and took the carrier. "Hi Hazelnut," he said to the cat.

  "Oh Stanley, you know that's Gracie," Elsie Sue said, laughing.

  He grinned. "Whatever you say, Auntie."

  Once they'd toured the home and grounds—which included barns, pens, and stalls for numerous farm animals, including a couple of champion Arabian horses—Savannah and Michael walked back to the truck and climbed in. Before starting the engine, Michael sat and stared again at the large home. He shook his head. "Man, that was a surprise."

  "Wasn't it?" Savannah agreed. "I wouldn't have thought in a million years…"

  He shook his head in disbelief. "So what do you want to do now?" he asked. "Grab a bite to eat?"

  "All I want to do is go home and see my horse." She reached into her pocket and slid her phone out. "It's Bonnie," she said before answering. "Hi, girlfriend. Is my horse back home?"

  "Yes, and she sure seemed happy to be there. Poor thing was awfully hungry."

  "Yeah, I would imagine. There's not much to eat in all that brush. Thanks, so much for taking her home."

  "My pleasure. I'm just glad you found her in one piece. How did that happen?" she asked.

  "Well, some hunters were shooting at her. Thought she was a deer," Savannah said.

  "Good God," Bonnie said. "Where do these people come from?"

  "Hey, Bonnie, you'll never believe where the Elsie sisters live."

  "Where? The No Cal Ghetto south of Belton?"

  "No, in a luxury home in Belton."

  "What?" Bonnie said.

  "Yup, complete with manicured gardens and maids."

  "Well, I'll be. That's crazy." Bonnie laughed. "Hey, wanna hear something else crazy?"

  "Sure," Savannah said.

  "Your cat."

  "Uh-oh, what did he do?"

  Michael looked over at Savannah inquisitively.

  Bonnie continued. "Well, once I got Peaches settled in the corral, I noticed your housekeeper standing on the porch with Lily. I walked over to let her know what I was doing there and that's when I saw your cat. He was sitting on the sill scratching on the window and meowing. I could hear his meows through the window. He was frantic to get out."

  "Peaches," Savannah said. "He saw you bring Peaches back and wanted to go hang out with her. He loves that horse, and she's pretty fond of him, too. They're great friends."

  Bonnie laughed. "Well, he sure was worked up."

  "We're on our way home now. As soon as we get there, I'll take him out so they can visit." She smiled. "Oh Bonnie, what a great day. Thank you again for bringing her home."

  Bonnie spoke more quietly now. "It was the least I could do. I'm just so glad she's okay. Hey," she said more loudly, "wanna go riding soon?"

  "Yeah. Let's let Peaches rest for a while and, can we wait until hunting season's over? I don't like being shot at."

  "I hear ya. Absolutely." Bonnie added, "But it isn't deer season. What's wrong with these guys?"

  "I guess they get out in the wilderness with a gun in their hands and figure anything that moves is fair game—even a horse, for heaven's sake," Savannah said.

  Within a few minutes the Iveys walked through the front door of their house. Michael called out, "We're home!"

  "Oh, hi," Helena said as she emerged from the nursery. She put her fingers up to her mouth and said, "Shhh. She's sleeping."

  "Everything go okay?" Savannah asked.

  "Yes. Just fine," Helena said, smiling. She then said. "Oh, that small girl brought your horse back. She keeps crying."

  "Crying?" Savannah questioned.

  "Yes, hear her?" />
  Michael and Savannah listened.

  Meow .

  "I hear the cat," Michael said.

  "Yes, he's been crying, too."

  "He wants out," Savannah said, walking toward the kitchen. She petted Rags and he turned around and around on the cat perch at the window. Then she heard it, a whinny. She looked out and there was Peaches staring toward the house whinnying repeatedly.

  "Gads, they are both carrying on," Savannah said. She picked up the cat's halter and slipped it on Rags, grabbed the end of the leash and opened the side kitchen door. "Wait for me!" she yelled as Rags took off at a dead run trying to pull her along after him.

  As they neared the corral, Peaches put her nose near the ground and blew in the cat's direction. Rags, peered at her from under the bottom fence rail, then expertly climbed the fence post and walked along the top rail. Peaches nickered, raising her head toward the cat and Rags leaned into her, rubbing his body along her face. When Peaches pulled away a bit, Rags lost his balance and almost fell. Peaches pulled her top lip back, exposing her teeth as if she were smiling and bobbed her head up and down.

  "Look at those two," Michael said, as he walked up behind Savannah. "If that don't beat all. That's a definite display of affection if I've ever seen it between two animals."

  Savannah laughed. She reached out and ran her hand gently along Peaches's face and scratched Rags behind the ear at the same time. "Yes, unlikely friends, for sure."

  Other books in the Klepto Cat Mystery series

  Catnapped

  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, has 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.