A Very Meowy Christmas

by Patricia Fry

  Max nodded. “Most likely.” When he saw the grey-and-white cat saunter into the room, he crooned, “Well, hi there, Rags, buddy. How’re you doing? Staying out of trouble?”

  “Lately, yes.” Savannah smiled down at the cat as he sauntered past. “He’s been a good boy. I hope he stays that way while we’re gone.”

  “Oh, that’s right, you’re taking off again. To the mountains, right?”

  She nodded. “And I don’t want him to give Auntie any trouble. She’ll be feeding the cats, you know—assuming she and Mom don’t decide to stay in Southern California.”

  “Oh, Rag’s is just fine,” Max assured her.

  “Unless he’s with us,” Michael said. He raised his eyes to the heavens. “This trip will be sublime because Rags is staying home.”

  “No animals allowed, huh?” Max asked.

  “We’ll take Lexie. She’s a good traveler.” Michael ran one hand affectionately over Rags’s back. “But you, buddy boy, are staying home. Yay!”

  Savannah rolled her eyes, complaining, “Oh, Michael.” She asked Max, “Hey, did you find any more clues as to who or what was sneaking around your place last night?”

  “No, but it appears someone was looking for something.”

  “A dry place to sleep?” she asked.

  “Maybe something more than that,” he responded, “the way things were moved around. Bags of cat food were shoved to one side, the cat carriers were moved. We have a stack of blankets we use for the cat pens and they were in a different place. Nothing seems to be missing, just moved around some.”

  “That’s odd,” Michael said.

  “Yeah. It has me puzzled since we sure don’t keep anything of value out there. But I think I’ll start locking that door just in case some drifter plans to move in.”

  “Probably a good idea,” Michael agreed.

  “So, you didn’t find anything out of the out of place here this morning?” Max asked.

  Michael shook his head and looked at Savannah. “Hon, what about you?”

  “No,” she said. “All was calm here this morning for a change.”

  Michael laughed. “You don’t suppose your trespasser knocked on the wrong door, do you?”

  “Not funny, Michael,” Savannah carped.

  “Well, if there’s trouble, it usually finds us—or him,” he said, looking at Rags, who was rubbing against his legs. He leaned down to pet the cat. “But we’re about to embark on a wonderful vacation without you, Rags, and,” he became more dramatic, “that means no trouble. Yay!”

  Chapter Two

  “Hi, Rochelle,” Savannah said when she answered her phone the following morning. “Are you guys packed and ready to start our adventure?”

  “Just about,” Rochelle said. “Simon’s sure working on it.” She laughed. “He’s having a devil of a time trying to decide what to pack.”

  “What’s the problem?” Savannah asked.

  “Too many clothes.”

  “Too many?” Savannah questioned.

  “Well, basically he has four pair of pants and maybe a dozen shirts, two pair of pajamas and three pair of shoes. Plus a couple of jackets and two or three beanies.”

  “And he’s overwhelmed? Our kids must have three or four times that, not counting the things they’ve outgrown overnight.”

  Rochelle spoke more seriously. “Well, Simon’s probably never had so many clothes in his whole life.” She chuckled. “I think he’s having fun packing and unpacking. He’s never owned a suitcase that would carry so much, either. When he lived on the streets, everything he owned fit in an old worn-out backpack.” She paused. “Well, you saw what he carried in that thing. You were here that first night he stayed with us. In fact, we threw away those holey jeans and t-shirts he had wadded up in there. Everything he has to wear now is new, except for a few things he found at a thrift store that he liked.”

  “So he’s looking forward to the trip?” Savannah asked.

  “Oh yes; we all are. He’s been in touch with Adam, you know. The boys are having a blast planning our activities on FaceTime.”

  “Oh dear,” Savannah said. “So the ten-year-olds will be running the show? That’s scary.”

  Rochelle laughed. “It’ll be nice when the boys meet in person and are no longer tying up our phones.”

  “So Simon has taken over your phones?” Savannah asked. “Adam doesn’t have a cell phone, either, so he must be using his mother’s.”

  “Right,” Rochelle said. “Marci and I have had to set limits. She seems nice—by phone anyway.”

  “Yes. We’re blessed that Marci and Eric truly want what’s best for Adam. We seem to be on the same page where Michael’s son is concerned.”

  Rochelle giggled. “Can’t wait to get those two boys together.” She added, “But yeah, I just wanted to touch base with you and make sure it was still okay if we arrive on Saturday—that’s tomorrow, you know?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “And we’ll pick up Adam, so the boys will have a chance to get acquainted in person during the hour-long drive to your house.”

  “We appreciate that,” Savannah said. “Are you bringing the birds? Clayton and Matilda probably don’t want to be left behind.”

  “Thor and Miss Picket,” Rochelle corrected.

  “Oh, that’s right,” Savannah said, “they’ve been renamed.”

  “Yes. But no. I think we’ll leave them at home in their outdoor cage mansion. Simon wants to bring them, but we have this nice young man in the neighborhood who can take care of them. He has birds of his own and he’s trying to earn money for his sport—I think it’s baseball. Anyway, I was concerned about the birds being confined to the smaller cage for so long. So, no. We’re not bringing the birds, just the boy.”

  “We’ll see you tomorrow afternoon, then.”

  “Yes. Let us know if we can bring anything or if we need to prepare in some way.”

  “Okay. Did Peter tell you that Michael and I went ahead and rented that three-bedroom cabin in the mountains? We checked and there are no storms expected in the near future—maybe just a little rain now and then, but we’re used to that.”

  “Oh yes,” Rochelle said. “Rain doesn’t stop our world. Hey, do we need fishing gear?”

  “I’ll check with Michael, but I think he has some that we bought last time we went fishing. I think we’ll be just fine. If we need anything, there’s a great sporting goods store in town. Hammond isn’t very big or sophisticated, but we do have a sporting goods store.” Savannah chuckled. “I don’t remember hearing you talk about going camping. Is this something you enjoy?”

  “Actually,” Rochelle admitted, “I’ve never been camping in my life.”

  “Not even in a cabin?”

  “No. And I’ve never been fishing or hiking either…well, unless you count walking the paved trail around the lake where I used to live in Maine.”

  Savannah chuckled. “So you’re a city girl through and through, are you?”

  “Yes,” Rochelle said guardedly. “Now there isn’t any sort of initiation for people like me and Simon is there?”

  “Simon hasn’t been camping either?”

  “Apparently not outside San Francisco. Peter’s been trying to clue him in about some of the things we might encounter in the forest—you know, bears, raccoons, snakes...”

  “Oh, you guys are going to have so much fun. At least I hope so.” Savannah quickly changed the subject. “Hey, my children are arguing over a toy. And I have a guest coming for coffee in a bit, so I’d better go. Great talking to you, Rochelle. I look forward to spending the week with you guys.”

  “Me, too.”

  ****

  “Who do I hear in there with that grouchy voice?” Alicia asked as she entered the Ivey home several minutes later. She approached Lily. “What’s wrong, girlfriend?”

  “He won’t leave my store alone,” Lily whined. Teddy rammed his fire truck into Lily’s display of pretend food stuff, and she screeche
d, “Mommy, he did it again!”

  Savannah cringed. “I’m sorry, Alicia. Our home isn’t always this chaotic—just most of the time. Since Mom left…”

  “Your mom doesn’t live here any more?” Alicia asked.

  “Heaven forbid. Yes, she does. I hope she never leaves us. But she and my aunt are on a road trip having the time of their life down in sunny Southern California.”

  Alicia nodded. “Oh, I remember now—Jenna told me.” She smiled. “Sunny? Warm? Am I ever jealous.”

  “I hear you. It’s been a chilly few weeks.”

  “So what are they doing down there—seeing the sights?” Alicia asked.

  “Yes, and visiting family and friends, riding roller coasters, attending beach parties, maybe even parasailing, for all I know. Oh, they had a spa day and Mom has been doing Jell-O shooters.”

  Alicia raised her eyebrows. “Wow. You go, Gladys.”

  “I know.” Savannah smiled. “I really am pleased that they went and that they’re having such a good time.” She slumped her shoulders. “But boy do I miss Mom around here. Thankfully, they’ll be back in just a few days.” She invited, “Come on into the kitchen and let’s visit. I have projects lined up for the kids at their little table; maybe they’ll play nice while we visit. If not I’ll have to bring out the big guns.”

  “What?” Alicia asked.

  Savannah whispered, “Popsicles.”

  “Oh, in my house it’s fruit pops—fruit-flavored lollipops.

  Minutes later as Savannah poured two cups of tea, Alicia glanced across the room at the children. “They seem happy now.”

  Savannah nodded and placed a small plate of gingersnaps on the table alongside some fresh pineapple spears. Then she put a bowl of halved grapes on the children’s table and sat down across from Alicia. “So is everything okay?” she asked.

  Alicia sighed. “I’m not entirely sure. I have to tell you, Savannah, while I’m pretty resilient and I don’t get easily rattled, I’m a little worried.” She put her hand on Savannah’s. “I really appreciate you talking to me about this. I’m running out of what ifs in my head. Maybe it’s time to get someone else’s opinion.”

  “Yes, those what ifs are killer. That’s no way to live,” Savannah said. When she saw Alicia staring into the dining room, she asked, “What is it?”

  “Oh, I was just watching your cat. He was sniffing around my purse.”

  Savannah moved swiftly toward Rags. “I’m sorry. He’s such a pest and he’s very curious.”

  “Is he the one who found that letter in your purse?” Alicia asked.

  Savannah nodded. “He does have a fetish for purses—in fact, any closet, drawer, suitcase, bag. He’s just plain nosey.”

  Alicia stood up. “I think he took something, but I can’t be sure.”

  “From your purse?”

  “There, Mommy,” Lily said, pointing toward the dining room. “Rags took it.”

  Savannah picked up something off the floor and handed it to Alicia. “Is this yours?”

  She nodded. “I actually brought it in case I got the courage to show it to you. It looks as though Rags made the decision for me.” She motioned for Savannah to take a look at it. “See what you think.”

  Savannah picked up Alicia’s purse and placed it on a high shelf. “This is just about the only place in the whole house where Rags can’t get, so this is generally where we put guests’ purses and anything else we don’t want him putting his paws on.”

  Alicia ran her hand over Rags’s fur and chuckled.

  “So what is this?” Savannah asked, carrying it back to her place at the table.

  “It’s a response to my letter.”

  “You wrote to him…or her? How?” Savannah asked.

  “That original note was in an envelope with a return address—general delivery in Mason.”

  “Oh, so you know his name?”

  She shook her head. “Just RJ.” She pointed at the letter Savannah held. “He doesn’t believe that I don’t know where the thing is he’s looking for. I don’t even know what it is, but it must be important to him, because as you can see, he’s still making threats. Savannah, how do I convince him that I don’t know anything about whatever it is he’s seeking?”

  Savannah quickly read the letter, then asked, “So you don’t know who RJ is?”

  Alicia shook her head.

  “Or what he’s looking for? He mentions his brother here. Do you know who he’s referring to?”

  Alicia shook her head. “I wondered if this guy had me mixed up with someone else. At least I sure hoped so, until this…”

  “What?” Savannah asked.

  Alicia pulled a photograph from her pocket.

  Savannah took it and strained to make out the faded image. “Do you know who this is?”

  “I’m pretty sure the kid on the left is my father,” Alicia said. “Um…I mean the man who raised me.”

  “Yeah, he was the only father you knew growing up. There’s probably nothing wrong with you referring to him as your father,” Savannah suggested.

  “Except that he took me away from my family,” Alicia spat. “I was just a small child playing in the yard with my twin sister when he took me.”

  Surprised, Savannah asked, “Do you remember that?”

  Alicia shook her head. “No. That’s what Mom told me. Savannah, who does that? I have to tell you that’s one thing I’m having trouble coming to terms with. I mean, I grew up loving him. He was good to me, but now that I know he kidnapped me, well, sometimes I hate him so much, and other times…” She shook her head. “I’m just so confused.”

  “I can imagine,” Savannah said.

  Alicia muttered, “No. I’m pretty certain you can’t.”

  Savannah cringed. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

  As if she didn’t hear the response, Alicia continued, “It didn’t seem unusual or odd to me at the time. I was taken care of. We were dirt poor, and I missed what so many other kids had—two parents; a mother figure—but I felt loved. He took good care of me.” She nodded toward the picture Savannah held. “But, yes, I believe that’s him—the man who raised me and maybe RJ—the man who sent this to me.”

  “So does he want to get to know you?” Savannah asked.

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I feel no warmth coming from those letters at all. There’s something he wants that he thinks I either have or know where it is. He wants it so badly that he says he’ll kill to get it.”

  “He said that?” Savannah asked.

  “Well, it’s strongly implied,” Alicia said.

  Savannah dropped the picture on the tabletop and leaned forward. “Alicia, I think you need to go to the authorities with this.”

  She shook her head. “No. You saw what he says in there about getting the police involved. No, I can’t do that.”

  “So what will you do?” Savannah asked.

  “I’ve been thinking that if my…uh…kidnapper hid something for this guy, RJ, it might still be in one of the places we lived as I was growing up.”

  “So you’re going to try to find it?” Savannah asked, her voice shrill. “How? I mean where would you begin? You’re talking about private property. How would you…?”

  Alicia took a deep breath. “I’m not sure, but…” She shook her head in frustration. “I don’t know what to do. I’m just so scared and angry…”

  Savannah stared across the table at her friend and spoke calmly. “I wonder why he’s just now looking you up. Why didn’t he get whatever it is from your father while he was alive?”

  “Good question,” Alicia agreed. “I have to wonder when he gave it to Dad—how long ago? And why is he just now coming after it? Maybe he’s been out of the country or something.”

  “Or hiding out from the law?” Savannah suggested. “I mean, if you don’t think he’s a loving uncle who’s seeking a family connection.” She leaned forward and spoke more quietly. “Maybe he’s been serving a long prison
term.”

  Alicia cringed. “I guess that’s a possibility.”

  “And, Alicia, what do criminals usually look for once they’re out of prison? The money they stole. Do you suppose that’s it?”

  “I guess it could be,” Alicia agreed. “He sure sounds desperate to get it, whatever it is.”

  “Okay,” Savannah said, “so you think your um…father figure might have hidden it where you lived at one time?”

  “I guess that’s likely, but where?”

  “Wait!” Savannah shouted.

  “What, Mommy?” Lily asked.

  She chuckled. “Nothing, honey-bun. I was just talking loudly. I’m sorry.” She turned back to Alicia and lowered her voice. “Your father used to live next door, on what is now my aunt’s and uncle’s property.”

  “Yes, I remember. While I was in college.”

  “Well, my uncle noticed evidence of some suspicious activity around his place just yesterday morning,” Savannah explained. “He said someone went into that room where your dad lived, which he now uses for storage. And whoever it was moved things around. He’s pretty sure it was human, as opposed to animal, because he saw fresh footprints in the mud outside the door.” Wide-eyed, she said, “I wonder if it was this guy trying to find whatever it is he’s looking for.”

  “I wonder,” Alicia said. She groaned. “Who knows where it might be. Dad and I moved around so much. Looking for it could be a challenge. Especially since I don’t even know what I’m looking for!” As if talking to herself, she continued, “But I just have to find it.” She looked up at Savannah. “Will you help me?”

  “Me?” Savannah asked.

  “I don’t know anyone else I can trust and I sure don’t want to involve my family. Besides,” she said, “I hear Rags is really good at finding things.” She gazed at the grey-and-white cat, who lay sleeping on his back with his feet in the air. She laughed. “Oh my, does he look comfortable. Anyway, I hear he has a knack for finding clues—heck he brought that note to your attention.” She let out a sigh. “Savannah, could we take him to some of my former homes and see if he can find this thing? I’d sure like to turn it over to this guy and get him out of my life before someone gets hurt.”