The Cats that Stalked a Ghost

by Karen Anne Golden

  Katherine opened the pouch to find a sterling silver Claddagh pendant with a deep blue gem. “Mum,” she gushed. “It’s beautiful.”

  “It’s your birthstone. The jeweler said it’s Tanzanite.”

  “Help me put it on.”

  Mum got up and took the necklace from Katherine. She pinched the lobster claw and wound the necklace around Katherine’s neck. “The necklace accomplishes two things at the same time: it’s new and blue.”

  Colleen moved over. Taking her cell phone out of her bag, she snapped several pictures.

  Elsa came in wearing a very low-neck, sexy, black cocktail dress, with high-heeled sandals. “Wow, Katz, you look like you just jumped off the cover of Glamour magazine.”

  Katherine radiated. “Thank you, and so do you.”

  Since August, Elsa had been Katz’s official cat-wrangler. Her job was to mind the cats while Jake and Katherine attended their wedding reception, and afterward take care of the felines for a few days while the couple was away. She was also in charge of getting Scout and Abra ready for their part in the wedding ceremony. Elsa held up a handled bag from a specialty pet accessories store. “I’ve got the cats’ collars, and Abra’s cape.”

  “I can’t wait to see them,” Katherine said enthusiastically.

  Elsa extracted two blue, rhinestone-studded collars wrapped in pink tissue paper. The lace cape was edged with amethyst-colored rhinestones.

  Colleen asked, “Why’s there only one cape?”

  Katherine smirked. “Because we can’t get a cape on Scout, but we can on Abra.”

  Elsa giggled. “Katz, I hope you don’t mind, but I got these charms for their collars.” She held one of them up.

  Katherine leaned in closer to take a look. “It’s a silver cat charm. How cute.”

  “It’s sterling silver so it’ll never tarnish. It fits perfectly on the collar’s metal D-ring thingy. Scout’s neck is a tad bigger than Abra’s, so to tell the collars apart, I’ll put the single cat charm on Scout’s, and the charm with two cats on Abra’s. That way we won’t get them mixed up.”

  “Adorable,” Katherine said. “Thanks so much. It was very sweet of you.”

  “My pleasure,” Elsa said, inching to the door. “Okay, before I leave, let me quickly go over my part. After you go downstairs, I’ll wait up here by the landing. When I hear the famous words, ‘with this ring,’ I’ll send Abra down first. But, right now, I want to go to the playroom, and put the collars on Scout and Abra. Then I’ll hang out with the cats. Can you knock when you’re going down?”

  “Yes. Oh, and please, make sure they’re locked in the playroom with the other cats when the ceremony is finished.”

  “Of course, no problem. Actually, Katz, I have Scout’s and Abra’s new cat carrier tucked away downstairs in the living room. As soon as their part is finished, I’ll put them in it. I’ll wait until the service is over, then I’ll carry them upstairs. See ya later,” Elsa said, leaving the room.

  Katherine meant to call after her, and say that putting Scout and Abra in the carrier wasn’t a good idea, but she got distracted by Mum. Scout hated the carrier and would be quite vocal in letting the wedding guests know.

  “Katz, love, I’m going downstairs,” Mum said. “I’ll meet you at the bottom landing, as rehearsed. Oh, and Colleen, with those spikey heels, hang on to the handrail. Be careful coming down.”

  Colleen rolled her eyes, “Yes, Mum.”

  After Mum left, Katherine said to Colleen. “I’m a nervous wreck, but when I see Jake, I’ll know that everything will be okay.”

  Colleen pinched her on the arm, “Aren’t you glad you moved out here to find the perfect man?”

  Katherine grinned ear-to-ear. She grabbed her beaded purse and extracted her cell phone. She sent a text to the judge to begin. Also, she asked her to signal Tommy to begin the Wedding March. Muting her phone, she took Colleen by the arm. “Age before beauty,” she joked.

  Colleen tossed back her hair and quipped, “We’re two months apart. And, Miss Katz, you’re older.”

  The sound of the cats in the playroom had become very loud. Katherine wondered if Elsa had them playing with the laser pointer toy.

  Colleen whispered, “Shouldn’t Elsa be trying to calm them down, instead of getting them all riled up?”

  “I’ll poke my head in, and see what’s going on.” Katherine slowly opened the door, and tried to peek in. Iris squeezed through the tiny opening, and bolted down the stairs. Katherine hastened after her. Iris stopped abruptly on the second landing.

  Katherine called, “Come here, Miss Siam.” Iris craned her neck, and tried to push her head through the balusters. Taking one look at the gathering, she hissed, and hiked it back upstairs. Katherine grabbed her and held her close. She whispered, “I promise to check on you later.” Katherine could hear loud laughter from the guests below. “Wish me luck, my treasures,” she said to her cats.

  Iris yowled, Abby chirped, and Lilac me-yowled. Abra cried a sweet “raw.” But Scout cried a loud “waugh,” which seem to say to the other cats, “Shut up already, and move away from the door.”

  “Thanks, Scout. I’ll see you in a minute,” Katherine said, closing the door.

  “Wait,” Elsa said, following after her. “I’m sorry. I promise not to open the door until I hear the word. I’ll stay right here.”

  After the laughter died down, Tommy fired up the CD player, and the Wedding March began — again.

  Colleen said, “Let’s get this show on the road.” She descended two steps and nearly tripped. Looking back at Katz, she said, “I meant to do that.”

  Katherine waited until Colleen had gone down the second landing, then slowly made her descent. When she turned the corner, all she could see was Jake — the love of her life — waiting for her. Her brown-haired, brown-eyed handsome man looked dashing in his tuxedo. She never felt so happy.

  The feeling was mutual. Jake’s adoring eyes locked onto hers.

  Mum met her at the foot of the stairs and took her hand. She led Katherine over to where Jake was standing. Katherine scanned the room and smiled at each of the guests. Grandpa Cokenberger blew her a kiss while Grandma nudged him in the ribs.

  Judge Hartman stood in parlor doorway, behind a podium. She nodded at Tommy to stop the music, which he did without a hitch. She said to the small audience, “Who presents this woman to be married to this man?”

  Mum answered in her Irish brogue, “On behalf of those who are with us, and those who have gone before, I give my blessin’ to this union.” She placed Katherine’s hand in Jake’s.

  The couple stepped closer to the podium, with best man, Daryl, and maid of honor, Colleen, flanked on Jake’s and Katherine’s sides.

  “Katherine Orvenia Kendall, do you take Jake Johnny Cokenberger as your lawfully wedded husband?”

  “I do,” Katherine said, glowing.

  “Jake, do you take Katherine to be your legal wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward?”

  “I do,” Jake leaned in and kissed Katherine on the cheek.

  Smiling at the ab lib, Katherine winked. Jake continued, “Katz, before these witnesses, I vow to love you and care for you for as long as we both shall live.”

  A happy tear slid down Katherine’s cheek and she squeezed his hand.

  The judge continued, “The exchange of wedding rings represent the vows and promises the bride and groom have exchanged.”

  Hearing the cue, Elsa opened the playroom door, and was startled to see Scout and Abra curled together on top of one of the cat trees — fast asleep. Abra was snoring.

  “Scout! Abra!” Elsa called. “Wake up! Why did you go to sleep?”

  Scout raised her head and muttered a mild protest. Her sapphire-blue eyes were crossed, and one fang showed.

  “Hurry up, you two,” Elsa pleaded. “They’re waiting downstairs.”

  The Siamese casually jumped down. Meanwhile, the other cats were waking up too. Iris had already made a beeline for
the door. Lilac and Abby were running to the door, as well.

  “Oh, no you don’t. Get back. Back!”

  Elsa was too late. Iris escaped and streaked down the stairs. She could hear raucous laughter from below. “Oh, great, some cat sitter I am,” she said out loud. Shutting the door, she planned her next strategy.

  Inside, Scout and Abra were taking their sweet time coming to the door. Meanwhile, Lilac and Abby vowed to get out, as well.

  Elsa slowly opened the door again just enough to wedge her right foot in. Maybe the threat of a mild shoe-nudge would stop the feline escape. Lilac jumped over her foot, while Abby hunkered down and slithered under it. Both shot down the stairs.

  Elsa glanced irritably at the seal-point sisters. “Both of you are such brats. Hope you’re having fun annoying me.”

  “Ma-waugh,” Scout agreed, then slowly slinked out of the room, muttering a volley of Siamese. Once outside the playroom, Scout yawned while Abra stretched.

  Elsa looked up at the ceiling, in frustration. She stooped down, grabbed Abra, and attached the wedding cape to the cat’s collar. She tugged the jeweler’s ring box from her dress pocket and placed it on the floor. Scout inched toward it.

  “No, not you,” Elsa cautioned. “You’ve already got Katz’s ring for Jake on your collar. This is for Abra.”

  The rehearsed plan was for Abra to trot down the stairs first with Scout following a minute later. They had practiced the routine many times, and each time the Siamese had nailed it — without any catly deviations from the plan. Until . . .

  “Abra, are you ready?” Elsa whispered.

  Jake called again, “Abra, bring it.”

  Abra grasped the box with her V-shaped jaws. She sprinted down the steps, four-at-a-time, with such speed her cape blew backward, like Superman’s. Scout ran behind her.

  Elsa, freaking out, said, “Scout, come back here. You’re not supposed to go yet.”

  Scout stopped on the first landing and sassed a loud “waugh,” which seemed to say to Elsa, “Go to blazes. I’ll go when I want to go.”

  Elsa threw up her hands, and said, “I give up!” She carefully walked down the stairs in her high-heeled sandals. Stopping on the bottom step, she studied the room. She spotted Iris peeking out from behind the Eastlake hall tree, but Lilac and Abby were nowhere to be seen. And Scout and Abra were missing, too. Elsa was relieved that none of the wedding guests noticed her, and that all eyes were on the happy couple.

  Jake said again, “Abra, bring it to me.”

  Abra came out from underneath the chair Grandpa Cokenberger was sitting on. When Grandpa felt her brush by his leg, he broke into a loud laugh. “Here, kitty, kitty.”

  Abra gave a side glance of extreme distaste to the elderly man. She didn’t like being called “kitty.” She was a Siamese diva, and expected to be addressed that way.

  The guests cooed and awed at the sight of Abra in her lace cape. Still clutching the jeweler’s box in her jaws, she approached Jake, rubbing the side of her face against his leg. Abra was in her element, loving every second of attention until the judge’s cell phone rang an annoying Sci-fi themed ringtone.

  “Oh, no,” Katherine whispered to Jake, recalling the first time she laid eyes on Abra. It was during a Hocus Pocus magic act in Chicago where the cat had launched off the stage and into the audience to seek out an obnoxious cell phone. Clearly the past doesn’t repeat itself, she hoped.

  Abra stood up on her hind legs in a meerkat pose. Her head remained motionless, but her ears swiveled back and forth trying to pinpoint where the phone was located. She dropped the ring box at Jake’s feet, then ran into the parlor where the judge’s purse was lying on the floor. She pounced on it like it was “something good for dinner.” Scout joined her and engaged in a tug-of-war; Scout clutched the strap, while Abra clawed the bag.

  The judge, not being a cat person, didn’t know what to do. She looked at Katherine for a hint. Katherine mouthed the words, “Wait just a second.” The judge nodded.

  Elsa launched into cat-wrangling mode and made a mad dash for the Siamese. She grabbed Abra, then reached for Scout, but the errant Siamese bit her, and then trotted over to Katherine. Lilac and Abby were positioned on the parlor window valance, craning their necks to get a better view of the Scout and Abra fiasco. “Me-yowl,” Lilac cried gleefully. “Chirp,” Abby cried softly.

  Katherine snatched Scout. “Sweet girl,” she said affectionately. She kissed the Siamese on the head, and held her close while Jake removed the ring from her collar. Jake took the ring and handed it to the judge. He then picked up the jeweler’s box, and handed that to her, as well.

  Katherine motioned Tommy to take Scout to the carrier in the next room. Tommy, in his rented tuxedo, looked very dapper, and older than his twelve years of age. He took Scout from Katherine’s arms, draped Scout unceremoniously over one shoulder, and disappeared around the corner. Scout protested the entire way. Tommy spoke very quietly to calm her down. “You’re such a cutie,” he said.

  Elsa was busy. Struggling to maneuver in her high-heeled sandals — worn only to impress the wedding photographer — she’d already jogged with Abra into the next room, and put her in the carrier. Now she had to find Miss Siam.

  First, she looked behind the Eastlake hall tree. No Iris. Then, she caught the flick of a pencil-thin tail nearby, thumping on the floor. Iris was hunkered underneath Cokey’s chair, and with her delicate brown paw, was extracting his wallet out of his back pocket. Cokey didn’t have a clue what was going on, but sat whispering to Margie about how hungry he was, and that he couldn’t wait for the reception.

  Elsa swooped down, snatched Iris, and held the Siamese in her arms. Iris protested with loud caterwauling the entire way upstairs to the playroom. Elsa thought she needed double pay for her services, but giggled at how clever Katz’s cats were. She wasn’t out of deep water yet; somehow she had to get the other two down from the valance. She lamented, That’s just what Katz needs right now, for me to put up a ladder.

  The judge cleared her throat, then said to Jake and Katherine, “These rings mark the beginning of a journey filled with wonder, surprises, tears, laughter, grief, and joy. May these rings glow with the warmth and life that flows through their wearers today.” She placed Jake’s ring in Katz’s hand.

  Katherine turned to Jake and lovingly looked into his brown eyes. “With this ring, I give you my heart. From this day forward, you shall not walk alone. May my heart be your shelter, may my arms be your home.”

  The judge handed Jake Katherine’s ring.

  Jake said, “Katz, I give you this ring as a symbol of my trust, my faith, and my love for you.”

  The judge said joyfully, “By the power vested in me by the State of Indiana, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

  Jake didn’t need any prompting. He swept Katherine into a kiss that went on for more than the customary few seconds. Daryl pulled Colleen into an embrace and did the same. The wedding guests stood up and gathered around the happy couples. Grandpa Cokenberger was the first to congratulate the pair, followed by Cora and Johnny. Mum planted a kiss on Katherine’s cheek and said, “T’was perfect. May you always be happy.”

  Chapter Eight

  Russell Krow snapped several more photos of the bride and groom, then followed the judge with his eyes. She was leaving. She’d already cleared the door to the back office, and was about to take the stairs to the basement. Obviously, she had parked in the rear of the mansion.

  Russell wanted to talk to her. He wanted to set things right. He knew he should take more photos of the wedding party, before they left for the reception, but his need to talk to Janet was far greater. What would Katz and Jake do anyway — fire him? It was a little too late to do that. Besides, he thought, he’d make up for the lost photos at the reception, where he’d be taking pics by the hundreds.

  “Janet, wait just a second,” he said to the judge. He rushed over to her side.

  The judge
glared at him. “I want nothing to do with you.” She headed down the stairs.

  Russell followed her. “Wait! Dammit, woman, would you just give me a second?”

  “Why, so you can tell me more lies?”

  “What are you talking about?” He caught up with the judge and seized her by the arm. “Come with me.” He pulled her deeper into the basement.

  “What are you doing? Let go of me,” she said, struggling.

  “Let’s have a little fun before we go to the reception,” he said seductively.

  “Listen, I know you’ve been cheating on me. Everyone in town is talking about what a fool I am for dating a younger man. But they neglected to tell me you’ve been seeing other women, particularly that gal upstairs who takes care of Katz’s cats.”

  “You’re nuts,” Russell said, almost affectionately. “Who told you this pack of lies?”

  “Shhh,” the judge whispered. “I hear someone coming.”

  Chapter Nine

  Katherine pinched the side of her dress and hiked it up a few inches above her knee, so she wouldn’t trip and take a nose dive down the steep basement steps. “Judge, are you down there?” she called. At the foot of the stairs, she turned right, and noticed the half-bathroom door was closed. She could see light underneath the door and assumed the judge was in there.

  She knocked, but there wasn’t an answer. She knocked again, “Judge, I have your bag.”

  When she didn’t hear an answer, she tried the doorknob, but it was locked. “Who’s in there?” she asked. She knocked on the door again, then jiggled the knob.

  “Whatever,” she said, in exasperation, turning away. She thought she heard people whispering farther in the basement.

  “Who’s back there?” Katherine demanded. Starting to walk back, she stopped when she smelled a strong odor behind her. She couldn’t readily identify it. Was it perfume? Perhaps, the judge’s perfume? No, it couldn’t be her perfume, she thought.

  The odor had a pungent, sweet smell, and was almost medicinal. She followed the scent to the classroom and was alarmed to see the exterior door standing wide-open.