The Cats that Stalked a Ghost

by Karen Anne Golden

  “Evelyn Clay told everyone her daughter was attending a finishing school in Massachusetts. There was even an article about it in the Erie Ledger. I suspect Evelyn knew someone at the home, and paid them handsomely to keep it quiet. She had her daughter admitted as Katrina Doe.”

  “Katz, people talk, especially in a small town. They gossip. Someone working at the home would have spilled the beans. But, if Evelyn paid off the person in charge, then they could have kept it secret.”

  “After the fire, which claimed the life of seven teenaged girls, it looks like the media would have had a field day with it, yet I only found one short article. The fire chief said the fire was accidental, end of story.”

  “Who knows,” Jake said. “Maybe in the 1960s, the county government was corrupt. If the building wasn’t kept up, all sorts of things could have caused the fire; faulty wiring is my number one guess.”

  “I’m surprised the other girls’ parents didn’t object.”

  “I’m thinking the other girls were from out-of-town, farmed here by parents who didn’t give a damn, and then were forgotten.”

  “Jake, Stevie said his mother told him the babies were saved. But what happened to them?”

  “Katz, I think the infants were adopted illegally, so there wouldn’t be a record of it.”

  “How would Stevie’s mother know this? The article in the newspaper said seven young women died, but didn’t mention anything about their babies.”

  “Unfortunately, we can’t ask her, because Stevie’s mom passed away several years ago.”

  “Always a hurdle,” she said, discouraged.

  “If those adoptions were legal, the birth and adoption records are sealed.”

  “And the Home’s copies of the adoption records — if there were any records — were destroyed in the fire.”

  Jake shook his head. “Katz, I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but maybe this is the grave of another Katrina.”

  “But Jake, don’t you find it odd that my missing shoes were on top of Katrina’s grave?”

  “Spooky, I agree, but . . . ”

  “I just wish I could find a picture of Katrina.”

  Jake rubbed his chin. “Umm, photo. I’ve got an idea. Let’s drop Scout off at the Foursquare, and go have a look at the library.”

  “Why? The Erie Ledger is online.”

  “I know, but we’re not looking at newspaper articles. We’re looking for Erie school yearbooks, instead. Katz, you can at least find out if the ghost you’ve been seeing is really Katrina Clay. Her picture would be in the 1964 or 1965 yearbook.”

  “Brilliant!”

  Scout nudged her head under Katherine’s chin.

  Katherine hugged her. “You knew all along, didn’t you?” she asked the cat.

  Scout crossed her eyes, and gave a deranged look.

  “So that’s my plan,” Jake said.

  “If I have it my way, all seven girls will be moved to the Ethel cemetery.”

  “That sounds like a difficult undertaking.”

  “No, you didn’t just use that word.”

  “Oh, sorry. It won’t be easy. I’m sure there will be lots of red tape, and legal hurdles to jump.”

  “That’s why I have an attorney,” Katherine smiled.

  “What about this wreck of a building?”

  “Demolish it! Bulldoze it! This land isn’t that far from the Erie town limits. We could make it into a memorial park.”

  “That’s not a bad idea. I think it will be easier for Erie to remember this place for the right reasons — what happened to these girls — if the building is torn down, and a memorial park is built. But, Katz, this will be expensive.”

  “It shouldn’t cost too much,” Katherine said, covering her mouth to conceal a laugh.

  Jake winked, “Yeah, if you’re a millionaire.” He extracted his cell phone and clicked a picture of the grave marker. “Let’s head on out, Sweet Pea. I’ll carry Scout.”

  Katherine handed the Siamese to him. “Do you think Katrina’s spirit will move on, once we bury her with her real name?”

  “Let’s make sure it’s really Katrina Clay, first, okay?”

  “Ma-waugh,” Scout agreed.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Later that evening, a fast-moving thunderstorm swept through Erie, leaving behind fallen limbs and other kinds of storm debris. Jake and Cokey were at the pink mansion, framing out the new maintenance room in the basement.

  Katherine nervously waited at the front door of the Foursquare for Colleen, who was fifteen minutes late. A second storm was pushing through with loud thunder and lightning. Then, the heavy rain began. Colleen parked in front of the Foursquare, opened her umbrella, and ran to the house. Katherine opened the door.

  “Colleen, hurry up and come in. I was worried about you driving in this.”

  “Oh, I didn’t drive from the city. I’ve been with Daryl.”

  “Did you two make up?” Katherine asked nosily.

  Colleen didn’t answer, but shifted the topic. “This rain just won’t let up.”

  “It’s better than snow,” Katherine volunteered. “Where’s your equipment?”

  “I only brought the K2 meter and the flashlight this time. No need for the other stuff.”

  “Here, come to the kitchen. I’ve got something to show you.”

  “Where are the cats?” Colleen asked, looking around.

  “Scout and Abra are prowling around, but I locked the others in a room upstairs. The kittens are back from their surgeries, and aren’t supposed to be running around, but try to explain that to two hyperactive Siamese,” Katherine chuckled.

  “Katz, why don’t Jake and you move into the bungalow while the mansion is being worked on? Mum and Jacky are back in Manhattan. Daryl and I can help you move your stuff.”

  “We don’t have that much to move, but thanks for offering,” Katherine said, then asked again. “That’s the second time you’ve mentioned Daryl. Did you or didn’t you get back together?”

  “Yes, Katz, we did. Daryl said he was going to be more sensitive to my needs, instead of becoming Mr. Hyde when I disagree about something.”

  “Are you referring to what you told me happened at the armory?”

  “I’m probably being a selfish brat, but I’d much rather have my boyfriend ask me instead of order me to do something.”

  “Yes, I agree. Colleen, I’m not taking sides here, but Daryl was probably trying to hide the fact that he was freaked out that his cousin Jake, and maybe even me, were at the mansion during the explosion.”

  “Speaking of Jake, where is he?”

  “He’s next door helping Cokey. As soon as they get the basement framing done, they can start hanging sheetrock.”

  “Jake has time for that with his teaching schedule?”

  “No, I meant to say, Cokey and Margie have a drywall crew that will come in and finish.”

  “Okay, I get it now. You want to keep a close eye on the progress being made at the mansion.”

  “Something like that. Plus, to make sure Cokey doesn’t leave anymore flammable rags around.”

  “Exactly, and also, that no one smokes in your house!” Colleen caught herself. “I’m sorry. That sounded really bad considering the fact my brother caused the fire.”

  “That’s water under the bridge. For your brother’s sake, I’m glad the fire chief ruled the explosion accidental. Jacky and I talked about what happened. I told him I would forgive him, if he’d seek help for his drinking problem.”

  “I pray he follows through. When did you talk to him?”

  “Mum brought him by before they drove to the airport in Indy.”

  Colleen stopped, and put a finger to her lips. “Shhh, Katz, did you hear that?” She gazed up the stairs.

  “Mao,” Dewey cried. “Yowl,” Iris answered, behind the closed door of the upstairs front bedroom.

  “That’s the cats. Jake and I made a cat room upstairs.”

  “Where, pray tell?” C
olleen asked. “I hope it’s not in the haunted rocking chair room.”

  “We haven’t had a paranormal experience since Jake and I found Katrina’s grave.”

  “Seriously?”

  Katherine nodded.

  The two walked to the kitchen, which was beautifully appointed with appliances, but lacked a dining table. Margie’s and Cokey’s folding card table with metal chairs were in the corner.

  “Have a seat,” Katherine said. “Want something to drink?”

  Colleen sat down, and set her large bag on the oak floor. “No, I’m good.”

  Katherine slid a yearbook in front of Colleen. “Remember when I texted that Jake and I were heading to the library to look at Erie school yearbooks?”

  “Yeah, is this one of them?”

  “The library didn’t have the year we wanted, but Jake’s great-uncle, at the courthouse, loaned us his copy.”

  Katherine opened the yearbook to the page marked with a yellow post-it note.

  Colleen moved closer to look. “Class of 1964,” she read out loud. “Which one is it?”

  Katherine pointed to the middle photo.

  “Ah, she was so pretty.”

  “Meet our ghost — Katrina Evelyn Clay,” Katherine announced solemnly.

  “Spirit,” Colleen corrected. “So, Katz, there isn’t a reason for us to communicate with Katrina. She’s passed over, and — ”

  “Is at peace now,” Katherine finished.

  “Do you think we’ll ever find out why she warned you?”

  “I don’t think we’ll ever know, but I thank Katrina for saving my life. She beckoned me to go into the carriage house, so I wouldn’t be in the explosion.”

  Colleen agreed. “It makes good sense to me. Have you decided on a name for the memorial park?”

  “Katrina’s Park. I want it to be a happy place for children,” Katherine said, breaking into a wide smile.

  Scout and Abra slinked into the room, and assumed their stalking positions. They lowered their heads and crept slowly, their stomachs almost touching the floor. Abra’s tail twitched furiously, while Scout’s thumped back-and-forth, in an agitated fashion.

  Scout clucked. “At-at-at-at.”

  “Girls, what is it?” Katherine whispered, slightly alarmed, thinking the spirit was back.

  Colleen swiftly reached into her bag and extracted her K2 meter.

  The Siamese continued stalking an unseen force, slowly and steadily, until Scout pounced on the object at hand — a small gray mouse. The mouse thwarted the great Siamese huntress by running underneath the refrigerator.

  Colleen screamed, while Katherine jumped up on her chair. “A mouse!”

  Abra glanced at Katherine, and licked her lips in tasty anticipation while Scout crossed her eyes dreamily.

  Katherine got down from her chair, and caught each cat around the middle. “Oh, no, you don’t. I’m taking you two upstairs.”

  Scout squawked, and Abra shrieked a loud “Raw” in protest.

  Colleen leaped out of her chair, and said, “You’re not leaving me alone in here with a mouse!”

  The Siamese struggled to be put down. “Stop it! You’re not catching that poor creature on my watch.”

  Colleen said, “You really want to stay here now?”

  “Not thinkin’ so,” Katherine answered. “As soon as I put the cats in their room, I’m calling Jake. We’re officially moving to the bungalow — tonight!”

  “Na-waugh,” Scout disagreed, and lightly bit Katherine on the chin. “Naw,” Abra added.

  The End

  Dear Reader . . .

  I love it when my readers write to me. If you’d like to email me about what you’d like to see in the next book, or just talk about your favorite scenes and characters, email me at: karenannegolden@gmail.com

  Thank you so much for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. If you liked “The Cats that Stalked a Ghost,” I would be so thankful if you’d help others enjoy this book, too, by recommending it to your friends, family, and book clubs, and/or by writing a positive review on Amazon and/or Goodreads.

  I love to post pictures of my cats on my Facebook pages, and would enjoy learning about your pets, as well.

  Follow me @ https://www.facebook.com/karenannegolden

  Website: http://www.karenannegolden.webs.com

  Amazon author page: http://tinyurl.com/mkmpg4d

  Thanks again!

  Karen

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to my husband, Jeff, who is always the very first one to read my book.

  Special thanks to Vicki Braun, my editor, who is a lot of fun to work with. Vicki also edited the first five books of The Cats That . . . Cozy Mystery series.

  Also, thanks to Ramona Lockwood, my book cover designer.

  Thank you to my beta readers: Linda Golden, Ramona Kekstadt, and Melissa McGee.

  Thanks to my cats that keep me on my toes, and offer so much material for me to write about. Redmond, a ginger rescue, can open many locks. He throws books off my bookcase when he wants to chill out from the world. And, Rusty, a flame-point rescue, graces my Facebook pages with his funny antics.

  At the Rainbow Bridge, special hugs to my Siamese cat, Princess Pee Wee, who inspired me to write the character of Scout. Also, Iris, who was a Siamese thief, and Lilac who really did cry “Me-yowl.”

  The Cats that Surfed the Web

  Book One in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  If you haven’t read the first book, The Cats that Surfed the Web, you can download the Kindle version on Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00H2862YG Paperback is also available.

  With over 272 Amazon five-star reviews, “The Cats that Surfed the Web,” is an action-packed, exhilarating read. When Katherine “Katz” Kendall, a career woman with cats, discovers she’s the sole heir of a huge inheritance, she can’t believe her good luck. She’s okay with the conditions in the will: Move from New York City to the small town of Erie, Indiana, live in her great aunt’s pink Victorian mansion, and take care of an Abyssinian cat. With her three Siamese cats and best friend Colleen riding shotgun, Katz leaves Manhattan to find a former housekeeper dead in the basement. There are people in the town who are furious that they didn’t get the money. But who would be greedy enough to get rid of the rightful heir to take the money and run?

  Four adventurous felines help Katz solve the crimes by mysteriously “searching” the Internet for clues. If you love cats, especially cozy cat mysteries, you’ll enjoy this series.

  The Cats that Chased the Storm

  Book Two in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  The second book, The Cats that Chased the Storm, is also available on Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00IPOPJOU

  It’s early May in Erie, Indiana, and the weather has turned most foul. We find Katherine “Katz” Kendall, heiress to the Colfax fortune, living in a pink mansion, caring for her three Siamese and Abby the Abyssinian. Severe thunderstorms frighten the cats, but Scout is better than any weather app. A different storm is brewing, however, with a discovery that connects great-uncle William Colfax to the notorious gangster John Dillinger. Why is the Erie Historical Society so eager to get William’s personal papers? Is the new man in Katherine’s life a fortune hunter? Will Abra mysteriously reappear, and is Abby a magnet for danger?

  A fast-paced whodunit, the second book in “The Cats that” series involves four extraordinary felines that help Katz unravel the mysteries in her life.

  The Cats that Told a Fortune

  Book Three in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  The third book, The Cats that Told a Fortune, is available on Kindle and in paperback. Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00MAAZ3ZU

  With over 150 Amazon five-star reviews, “The Cats that Told a Fortune” is an action-packed, exhilarating read. In the land of corn mazes and covered bridge festivals, a serial killer is on the loose. Autumn in Erie, Indiana means cool days of intrigue and
subterfuge. Katherine “Katz” Kendall settles into her late great aunt’s Victorian mansion with her five cats. A Halloween party at the mansion turns out to be more than Katz planned for. Meanwhile, she’s teaching her first computer training class, and a serial killer is murdering young women. Along the way, Katz and her cats uncover important clues to the identity of the killer, and find out about Erie’s local crime family . . . the hard way.

  The Cats that Played the Market

  Book Four in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  If you haven’t read the fourth book, The Cats that Played the Market, you can download the Kindle version or purchase the paperback on Amazon at: http://amzn.com/B00Q71LBYA

  If you love mysteries with cats, don’t miss this action-packed page turner. A blizzard blows into Indiana, bringing gifts, gala events, and a ghastly murder to heiress Katherine "Katz" Kendall. It's Katherine's birthday, and she gets more than she bargains for when someone evil from her past comes back to haunt her. After all hell breaks loose at the Erie Museum's opening, Katherine and her five cats unwittingly stumble upon clues that help solve a mystery. But has Scout lost her special abilities? Or will Katz find that another one of her amazing felines is a super-sleuth?

  With the cats providing clues, it's up to Katherine and her friends to piece together the murderous puzzle . . . before the town goes bust! With over 123 five-star Amazon reviews, this thrilling, suspenseful read will keep you guessing until the last page.

  The Cats that Watched the Woods

  Book Five in The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery series

  If you haven’t read the fifth book, The Cats that Watched the Woods, you can download the Kindle version or purchase the paperback on Amazon at: http://amzn.com/B00VKF9Q2M

  What have the extraordinary cats of millionaire Katherine “Katz” Kendall surfed up now? “Idyllic vacation cabin by a pond stocked with catfish.” It’s July in Erie, Indiana, and steamy weather fuels the tension between Katz and her fiancé, Jake. Katz rents the cabin for a private getaway, though Siamese cats, Scout and Abra, demand to go along. How does a peaceful, serene setting go south in such a hurry? Is the terrifying man in the woods real, or is he the legendary ghost of Peace Lake? It’s up to Katz and her cats to piece together the mysterious puzzle. The fifth book in the popular “The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery” series is a suspenseful, thrilling ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.