The Cats that Broke the Spell (The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery Book 8)

by Karen Anne Golden

Stevie touched his half-brother on the shoulder. “Your secret is safe with me, but don’t do everything Dad tells ya to do. Trust me. He ain’t lookin’ out for you. Go home now. Catch ya later.”

  Jerry joined his friends in the Nova, and they left, cranking up their music as they drove by.

  “Dad, did you hear me, I can’t find him,” Salina whined in a defeated voice.

  “Salina, there he is,” Jake said, pointing at the middle turret window. Wolfy Joe was sitting on the sill, looking in at Scout and Abra, who stood up on their hind legs and dangled their front paws, doing their meerkat pose on the other side.

  “Wolfy,” Salina said, running to the pink mansion’s front porch.

  The gray cat cried, “Mir-whoa,” and leaped into her arms.

  “That’s one problem solved,” Stevie said, joining Salina on the porch. He put his arm around his daughter, and the two of them walked back to their house.

  “Bye, Jake,” Salina turned and said.

  “Bye, Salina,” Jake answered, returning to the mansion.

  Scout and Abra met him at the door. They both stretched up to be held. Jake picked them up and kissed them on the forehead, then set them down. “You’ll be with your mom and furry friends soon. Thanks for warning me about Salina. I think that calls for a treat!”

  The Siamese became very boisterous and flew to the kitchen cabinet where the cat treats were stored.

  Handing the rowdy cats their treats, Jake said, “That’s it for now. Don’t want you to get car sick.”

  He pulled out a chair and sat down. He called Katherine. She answered on the third ring. “Hi, it’s me,” he said.

  “Where are you? Are you on the way?”

  “No, I’m still waiting for Daryl. Did Colleen make it?”

  “Yes, we’ve been playing catch-up and stuffing our faces with pizza. She just went up to bed. What about you? What have you been up to?”

  “I had to stop a kidnapping,” he said, then explained in some detail what had just transpired.

  Katherine was shocked. “Delores must really want her granddaughter back or she wouldn’t risk going to jail with a fraudulent court order. I know Chief London said she was a criminal, but I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for her. She’s lost her daughter, and now, maybe, she wants to reconnect with her granddaughter.”

  Jake said, “You have a big heart, Sweet Pea. But Delores didn’t send any good grandmother vibes out to me. There’s something hinky about her and her son.”

  “How could you tell in such a short amount of time?”

  “By Salina’s reaction. She was scared to death of them.”

  “Poor girl.”

  “Hey, listen, I hear a loud truck idling in front. It has to be Daryl. Gotta corral you know who.”

  “Have fun with that. See ya soon.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The next morning at the farmhouse, Katherine and Colleen got up from the kitchen table and carried their breakfast dishes to the sink, then took their coffee cups to the front porch. Katherine chose the swing and Colleen sat on a wicker chair.

  “I’m surprised the cats didn’t bless us at breakfast,” Colleen said.

  “They got me up at six, so I fed them. Now they’re passed out on my bed.”

  “Does eating breakfast normally make them sleep like that?”

  “They were up all night, exploring. Didn’t you hear them?” Katherine asked, amazed.

  Colleen shook her head, “No.”

  “Honestly, you didn’t hear the dumbwaiter going up and down?”

  “I thought Jake fixed it so the cats couldn’t get in there.”

  “He oiled it, so it wouldn’t make that awful noise anymore, but he didn’t fix it. Scout pries the insert door off, and Abra pushes the button.”

  “What a duo! They really need their own reality TV show. What time did Jake bring the cats?”

  “Around one or so. When he brought their carrier in, Scout was having a complete catfit. She sounded like someone was murdering her. Abra was very good; she didn’t make a peep.”

  Colleen laughed. “Yes, I’ve heard Scout having a catfit before, but I was so tired. I slept like I was in a coma.”

  “I’m glad one of us got some sleep. I certainly didn’t,” Katherine yawned. “It’s a beautiful morning,” she said, switching to a positive topic.

  “It’s really nice out here. I think I could get used to living on a farm,” Colleen mused. “Know any hot farmers?”

  Katherine snickered. “Really? I thought you’d always be a city girl.”

  “With Daryl out of the picture, I guess I could always finish school in Manhattan.”

  “I’d be very sad if you moved back,” Katherine said with a frown. “Colleen, when I talked to Daryl yesterday, he said he missed you. I think he’s having second thoughts.”

  “I’m not chasing after him. He’s the one who broke it off.” Colleen grabbed her phone out of her pocket. “Here, let me show you the text he sent me.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t have to do that. It’s private.”

  “No, it’s not. Daryl told Jake and Jake told you, so I might as well show you the original.” Colleen scrolled down and found the message. She got up to show Katherine.

  Katherine read it. “I agree it’s very cold.”

  Colleen took the phone back and read it out loud. “We need to take a break from each other.”

  “Brutal,” Katherine commiserated, then thought, Jake said he suspected there was another woman, but I don’t get that impression at all. Something else must be going on.

  Colleen gloomily returned to her chair and took a sip of her coffee. “I’m sorry, Katz. Let’s talk about something else.” Colleen looked to the west. “You know, the only thing that creeps me out about this farm is the out-buildings.”

  “Yeah, there’s a bunch.”

  “Six,” Colleen counted.

  “Why would rundown sheds creep you out?”

  “Well, because anyone could be hiding in them.”

  “Why would anyone want to hide in a shed?”

  “All sorts of people might want to — maybe a criminal running from the law or even an ax-murderer.”

  “Ah, thanks. That comment totally freaked me out. Guess who’s staying tonight as well?”

  Colleen muttered, “I was going to anyway. Don’t want to leave you out here with an ax-murderer.” She tipped her head back and laughed.

  Katherine rose from the swing and set her coffee cup on the wicker table. “Would you feel better if we checked out the sheds?”

  “Sure, why not. Let’s go for it.”

  The two friends walked down the steps and headed toward the first shed. The rickety door was already partially open.

  “Well, what do you think, Carrot Top? Should I open it all the way.”

  “Are you packin’?”

  Katherine smirked and asked a rhetorical question, “Why should I?” She grabbed the rusted handle and pulled. A terrified groundhog ran out, brushed her leg, and fled to the cornfield.

  Colleen jumped. “The Saints preserve us. What kind of creature was that?”

  “You’re the one addicted to the Animal Planet. I can’t be sure, but it looked like a groundhog.”

  “A well fed one. Are there any more of those creatures in there?”

  Katherine stepped in and looked around. “No, we’re safe. I’ll leave the door ajar, so the poor critter can get back in.”

  “Onward to the next shed; we’ve got five more to go.”

  Katherine walked to four of the sheds, opened their doors, and found nothing of interest. Two of the sheds were completely empty, but the other two held a rusted collection of antique farm equipment. Walking to the last shed, closest to the cornfield, she noticed it was the only one locked.

  “Maybe this is where the ax-murderer lives,” Colleen teased.

  Katherine didn’t answer for a moment. She scrutinized the antique lock. “This is curious. This lockset is the same kind that�
�s on the farmhouse’s front and back doors.”

  Colleen replied in a cautious tone, “Why would the owner lock one shed and not the others?”

  “Maybe this one contains something dangerous, like pesticides or scary farm implements.”

  “Scarier than the ones we just saw?”

  “Hope not. Some of those pitch forks looked like props from a horror movie.”

  “If the lockset is the same as the one on your front door, maybe your key will unlock it.”

  “I left my key ring in the house.” Katherine started to leave. “I’ll go get it.”

  “No, wait. See that rock against the shed?”

  “Yeah, and?”

  “It’s the only rock there. It doesn’t fit in. I bet it’s a fake.”

  “A fake rock?”

  “I bet it’s a hide-a-key,” Colleen said, picking it up. “Shut the door! I’m right.” She pulled the key out and handed it to Katherine.

  Katherine turned the key over in her hand. “It looks the same.” She inserted the antique key in the lock and opened the door. “Look, there’s even electricity in here.” She stepped in and tugged the overhead light’s pull-chain.

  Colleen stepped in beside her. “T’is a nightmare to behold.”

  “I’ve never seen so much junk in my life.”

  Three of the shed’s interior walls were lined with shelves from the cracked concrete floor to the ceiling. Plastic bins contained small tools, nuts and bolts, nails, screws, and a host of machine parts. One large bin was marked “National Geographic 1953 to 1970.” A stack of bricks was to the right of the door.

  “At least the farmer put labels on things,” Colleen said, tongue-in-cheek.

  “I’m afraid to move for fear that I’ll trip over something.”

  Colleen pointed behind the door. “Katz, why are those cages in here?”

  Katherine stooped down and glanced at the identification tags. “They’re from the Rescue Center.”

  “They look brand-new.”

  “They are.”

  “Why would they be locked up in here?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll check into it. In the meantime, if you grab one and I get the other, we can load them in Sue-bee. I’ll take them to the Center next time I go there.”

  “Okay, good idea. Are we done here?”

  Katherine snickered. “Unless you want to hang out and catalog everything.”

  “Not happening. This place stinks.”

  “It’s definitely got that old house basement smell.”

  Katherine stepped out, and Colleen followed.

  “Hand me that fake rock?” Katherine asked, locking the door.

  “Why?”

  “I’m curious why a hide-a-key would be here. No one in their right mind would want any of that junk stored in there.”

  “You know what they say. One person’s junk is another person’s treasure.”

  Katherine and Colleen trudged to the Subaru and loaded the cages. Heading back to the house, Katherine asked, “Are you still creeped out by the out-buildings?”

  “Sort of. If I lived here, I’d bulldoze them. They don’t seem to serve any purpose.”

  “I’ll go inside and make us a fresh pot of coffee.”

  Colleen sat down on the top step. “I’ll wait here. I’ve got mud on my sneakers.”

  “Come to think of it, mine are a muddy mess also,” Katherine said, sitting down, and taking off one of her shoes.

  “T’is such a mess,” Colleen complained. “That’s what I hate about sneakers. The mud gets deep into the grooves. It’s hard to get out.”

  The cats began pawing at the screen door and caterwauling. “Yowl,” Iris shrieked. “Me-yowl,” Lilac added. Crowie began climbing the screen.

  “Get down,” Katherine scolded, without looking at the door.

  “Katz, turn around and look,” she said, pointing at the front door. “It’s bizarre. Your cats are lined up in a row. What does that mean?”

  Katherine hobbled on one foot to the screen door. “Calm down. You act like you’re starving to death.”

  “Ma-waugh,” Scout disagreed.

  “Give me a second. I’ll be right in.”

  “Hiss,” Abra spit.

  “That wasn’t very nice,” Katherine admonished.

  Katherine and Colleen were too busy looking in at the cats, to see the woman approaching. When the woman spoke, they both jumped.

  “Oh, you scared me,” Katherine said to Elizabeth Howe.

  “I’m sorry,” Lizzie Howe apologized. She was dressed in a red halter dress, wearing her signature flip flops. Her black cats gathered around her. She held an aluminum pie pan with a foil cover. “I baked it this morning. It’s blueberry pound cake. It’s from my late mother’s recipe.”

  “Oh, how sweet,” Katherine said, looking at the pie pan. “Would you care to join us?” she offered, pointing to a wicker chair. She then noticed Lizzie’s feet were caked with mud.

  “I think I better sit on the step,” she said, sitting down next to Colleen.

  Two of Lizzie’s cats padded to the door and looked in at the felines. Inside, five of the cats hiked up their tails and scampered to another part of the house. Scout and Abra stood their ground.

  Colleen got up and sat down on a wicker chair without speaking or saying hello to the visitor.

  “I’m sorry I started out on the wrong foot the other day,” Lizzie apologized. “I feel terrible about it. I wanted to bring you this cake as a peace offering.”

  “Thank you,” Katherine said, accepting the cake.

  Colleen mouthed several words to Katherine. “Don’t eat it. It’s poisoned.”

  Katherine pretended she didn’t see her and hoped Lizzie didn’t either.

  Colleen cleared her throat, “Does it have poppy seeds in it?”

  “Oh, heavens no, I never put poppy seeds in any of my recipes. The seeds get stuck in my teeth,” Lizzie said, flashing her brilliant smile, then she admired, “You have beautiful Siamese.”

  “Thank you. You have beautiful black cats,” Katherine said, then bit her tongue for saying black cats instead of cats.

  “I suppose you’ve heard about the trouble in front of my property the other day.”

  Katherine said to herself, Murder would have been a better word choice. Instead, she answered, “We’re shocked that Dr. Goodwin’s life ended so tragically. Have you heard anything about the investigation?”

  “I was hoping that you’d know something because you’re such good friends with Chief London.”

  Katherine gave a quizzical look and shrugged. “Chief London isn’t involved in this case.”

  Lizzie continued, “The day of the shooting, I spoke to Sheriff Johnson and told him everything I knew, which was not much. I was on my screened-in porch when I heard the shot. I couldn’t get to the front gate soon enough to offer assistance.”

  “I knew Dr. Goodwin only in a professional context. I didn’t know him personally. Some people said he had a prickly personality,” Katherine said, trying to get Lizzie to open up on why she didn’t care for him.

  “Yes, he was a prick,” Lizzie said, not mincing words. “When I volunteered at the new rescue center, he tried to kiss me. I smacked him, and quit.”

  “Is that why he made up the lie about the number of cats you have?”

  “I don’t think he was that creative. He was sleepin’ with one of your volunteers.”

  “One of my volunteers,” Katherine repeated. “Who?”

  “Melinda Hudson. She’s very manipulative. She probably put the bug in his ear.”

  Katherine wanted to ask more questions about Melinda, especially the part about her being involved with Dr. Goodwin, but instead, she asked, “Why would other people in town accuse you of hoarding cats?”

  “I don’t know and I don’t care. I take in strays, hire a vet to fix them up, and try to place them in a loving home. If I can’t do that, I send them on their way.”

  “I’m sorry,
what does on their way mean?” Katherine inquired.

  “I’m dear friends with Dr. Sonny. Have you met him?”

  Katherine was taken aback. “Yes, he’s my vet. My kids love him.”

  “Na-waugh,” Scout cried through the screen.

  Katherine put her hand to her mouth to suppress a laugh.

  Lizzie asked, “Did one of your Siamese just say No?”

  “Scout had her shots yesterday. She’s not too keen on needles.”

  “Mine either,” Lizzie said. “Dr. Sonny and I have known each other since elementary school. I adore him. We have an arrangement.”

  Colleen leaned forward on her chair, in sudden interest. “What kind of arrangement?” she asked nosily, finally joining the conversation.

  Lizzie petted the two tortoiseshell cats and said, “I originally approached Dr. Sonny with my idea, but . . . I’m getting ahead of myself. I take stray cats to him. Trust me, out here in the country, you’d be surprised at the number of people who abandon their pets on my property. Dr. Sonny checks them over, gives them their shots, spays and neuters them, then if I can’t find a home for them, I drive the cat or cats to a cat sanctuary north of here.”

  “Cat sanctuary? That’s fascinating,” Katherine said with interest.

  “It’s not only a sanctuary for feral cat colonies, but also has an adoption facility on site.”

  “What’s the name of the organization?”

  “Kitty Cache.”

  “I’ve heard of them, but I forget where they’re located.”

  “They’re close to the Indiana/Ohio border. But getting back to me, what I want to do, I mean to accomplish, is to turn my land into a cat sanctuary. I’d like to work with you on the project.”

  Katherine smiled ear-to-ear. “Let me think about it, but the prospect sounds wonderful.”

  “Good,” Lizzie said, getting up. “Amara, take the girls home.” The large black cat jumped off the porch, and the other cats fell in behind her.

  Katherine said, in admiration, “I don’t know how you do that. Sometimes I can get my cats to follow me, but when I do, I have to bribe them with lots of treats.”

  “Don’t you know? I cast a spell on them.”

  Katherine’s and Colleen’s eyes grew big.

  Lizzie laughed. “I was just kidding.” She continued laughing, and walked down the steps to the path that led to the cornfield. The tall oriental shorthair, named Isadora, darted back to her former position in front of the screen door. She seemed hypnotized by Scout and Abra on the other side. She reached up with her long, slender paw and tugged the handle to the screen door; the door opened a few inches and the black cat slipped inside.