Cattywampus Travels (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 23) Read online

  Cattywampus Travels: A Klepto Cat Mystery

  Book 23

  by Patricia Fry

  Cattywampus Travels

  A Klepto Cat Mystery

  Book 23

  Author: Patricia Fry

  ISBN: 978-0-9985356-4-7

  All rights reserved

  © 2017 Matilija Press

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 1

  “What are you looking at?” Michael asked when he noticed Savannah staring through the windshield of their SUV.

  She sighed. “I’m just remembering when Colbi lived here before her brother came back into her life.” She gazed at the old homestead. “Looks like Harrison has done some refurbishing since he moved in.”

  “Yes, he has. That porch was practically falling down. I showed him how to shore it up and repair the steps.”

  “Much better. He’s done some painting too,” she noticed.

  “I think Leah did that. She’s a pretty capable young lady.” He opened the driver’s side door. “Shall we go in? Looks like everyone’s here.”

  She chuckled. “It seems as though the Ivey family is always the last to arrive; we’re either waiting for Lily to wake up from a nap or cleaning up after her…”

  “Or searching for her shoes,” Michael added, laughing. “I guess that’s life with a two-year-old.”

  “Shoes, Daddy,” Lily said from the backseat.

  “Yes, you’re wearing your pink shoes today, aren’t you?”

  “Blue flower,” Lily chirped.

  “Uh-huh, with blue flowers,” Michael agreed as he released the toddler from her car seat, placed her on the ground, and reached back in for a covered baking dish. “Lily, give Daddy your hand,” he instructed. “What’s in the gift bag?” he asked as he walked with his wife and daughter up the porch steps.

  “It’s a fruit bowl.” Savannah smiled coyly, adding, “With a note of promise.”

  “A note of promise? For what?”

  “Fruit from our orchard when it comes in this spring and summer.”

  Before Michael could respond, Leah opened the door and greeted them. “Hi! Come in and join the big surprise.”

  “So you were surprised?” Savannah asked, stepping inside and giving her a one-armed hug.

  Leah pulled back and brushed her dark-brown hair away from her face. Smiling, she said, “Oh yes. I thought we were just going to visit with Colbi and Damon this afternoon, and then here come all the rest of you.” She looked at the dish Michael carried. “…and food. This is so unexpected.” She leaned down toward the toddler. “Lily, you look pretty today. Is that your party dress under your jacket? We’re having a party, aren’t we?”

  “Shoes,” Lily said, pointing at her feet.

  “Nice. Are they new shoes?”

  Lily nodded.

  “Here, let me help you take off your jacket,” Leah offered. But when the toddler noticed the other guests sitting in the living room and milling around in the dining area, she hid behind Michael, staring out with big blue eyes.

  “Congratulations,” Savannah said when Harrison joined them. “I’m so happy for you two…and for Charlie.”

  “Thanks.” Harrison glanced around the room. “Sure didn’t expect this. What a surprise!”

  “Yeah,” Michael said, grinning. “You can’t get away with eloping around here.”

  Leah cocked her head. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, we’re going to find out about it, chase you down, and force a party on you.”

  Everyone who heard this laughed.

  “Well, I think it’s a great idea,” Harrison said, putting his arm around Leah and squeezing her to him. He released her and reached for the baking dish Michael held. “Let me help you with that, Michael. I’ll put it in the kitchen.” Before walking away, he asked, “What is it? Does it need to go into the oven?”

  Michael shrugged and looked to Savannah for direction.

  “It’s enchiladas. Yeah, you might put it in the oven on warm,” she instructed.

  “Let me take your coats,” Leah offered.

  “Baby Charlie?” Lily chirped.

  Leah smiled. “Do you want to see baby Charlie?”

  Lily nodded. When the toddler caught a glimpse of Colbi, her face brightened. “Baby Mary.”

  “Oh, and you want to see baby Rosemary, too, huh?”

  “She does like babies,” Michael said, removing Lily’s jacket. He handed it to Savannah and they watched as Leah walked off, taking the toddler by the hand.

  Savannah noticed an array of gifts on the window seat, placed theirs among them, then took off her own coat.

  “Hi,” Colbi greeted as she approached. “Let me take those coats for you.”

  “So were they surprised?” Savannah asked.

  “They sure were,” Colbi said, smiling.

  Just then Iris walked up cradling her infant granddaughter. “Colbi, Rosemary’s hungry. Here, I’ll trade you the baby for the coats.” She acknowledged Savannah and Michael. “Hi, girlfriend…Dr. Mike.”

  Savannah hugged Iris carefully, then smiled down at Rosemary and ran her hand tenderly along the baby’s cheek. “She changes by the day, doesn’t she?”

  “Yes,” Iris agreed, “and she just gets more and more beautiful.” Iris pulled back the blanket from the baby’s head and exclaimed, “Look, she’s going to have red hair!”

  “I believe you’re right,” Michael said, walking closer and peering down at the infant.

  Savannah looked across the room at Damon and said facetiously, “I wonder where that came from.”

  “Yeah, that thick, dark-red curly hair of his is probably dominant in the genes,” Iris said. “But she has Colbi’s blue eyes. Don’t you think they’re going to stay blue?”

  Savannah nodded. “She’s a beauty.”

  “A sort of miniature Maureen O’Hara,” Margaret said when she approached.

  Colbi chuckled as she took the infant from her mother-in-law and handed her the coats.

  “Hi, Auntie,” Savannah said, reaching for a hug.

  “You’re late,” Margaret scolded.

  “Yeah, well, it’s a work day for Michael, the enchiladas took longer than I expected, we couldn’t find one of Lily’s shoes, and we had to administer Rags’s medication.”

  In a more serious tone, Margaret asked, “How is the old boy?” She chuckled. “I mean the cat.”

  “Yeah, how’s my partner?” Craig asked when he overhead the conversation.

  “Doing well,” Michael said. “He’s out of danger and healing up nicely.”

  “He’s home now,” Savannah said. “Did you know that? He came home Thursday—Michael kept him at the clinic for an extra week and had staff take turns staying with him overnight.”

  Michael winced. “He’s been an expensive patient. I’ve had to pay a lot of overtime.”

  “But he’s worth it,” Savannah said.

  “That’s debatable,” Michael grumbled good-naturedly.

  “So he’s home? Is he taking visitors?” Craig asked.

  Iris grinned at her husband. “You want to visit a cat?”

  “Sure do,” he said. “If it wasn’t for that cat, I might not be here today.” Craig winked at Savannah. “Besides, I may get a piece of homemade pie or cobbler.” He cocked his head. “Did you brin
g some today?”

  “No, she didn’t,” Iris groused. “We’re having cake. Why do you think I complained about your driving all the way here? I didn’t want my cake to slide around.”

  Savannah’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you made a cake, Iris? I want to see it.”

  “Well, let me put these coats in the other room and I’ll meet you in the kitchen,” Iris suggested.

  Savannah gazed around the room looking for Lily and saw her sitting with Leah and a young woman she didn’t recognize on the sofa, playing with eleven-month-old Charlie. “Auntie, have you seen the cake?” she asked, heading for the kitchen.

  “No,” Margaret said, following her.

  “It’s beautiful,” Savannah told Iris moments later when she joined them.

  “Look at the detail in the decorations,” Margaret said. “You aren’t really going to let us cut into it, are you?”

  Iris sighed. “That’s always hard to take—watching that knife go into one of my works of art.” She smiled. “But I have pictures. I guess that’ll have to do.”

  “I hope it tastes as good as it looks,” Craig mumbled as he entered the kitchen in search of a beer.

  “Why wouldn’t it?” Iris challenged.

  “Yeah, why?” Margaret asked.

  He glanced around at the others, who were waiting for a response, then looked at Iris, who was frowning at him. “What,” he asked her, “you don’t want me to tell them about your failures?”

  “No,” she insisted, “I do not. Now drop it.”

  “What?” Margaret persisted, an impish grin on her face. “I want to hear about your failures.” She turned to Craig. “Iris has cake failures?”

  Just then Harrison stepped into the kitchen with Charlie in his arms. Leah followed, leading Lily by the hand.

  “Baby Charlie,” Lily said when Savannah picked her up. “See baby Charlie, Mommy?”

  Savannah held the toddler near the baby. “Awww, he’s smiling at you, punkin. He likes you, doesn’t he?”

  Lily nodded and reached out to touch Charlie’s hand. When the baby grabbed her fingers and tried to put them into his mouth, Lily shrieked and pulled back. “Baby eat my hand,” she said, giggling.

  When everyone else laughed, the game was on. Lily reached for Charlie’s hand again and again, each time pulling back and giggling.

  “Hey!” Max shouted from the stove, where he was stirring something in a pot. “If you’re not in here to help, move on out. I need my space.”

  “Temperamental chef,” Margaret huffed good-naturedly.

  “You don’t have to tell me twice,” Craig said, throwing his hands up in the air. He stopped and opened the refrigerator door. “Better get another beer,” he muttered. When he saw Damon heading toward him, he offered, “Ready for a brew?”

  Damon nodded.

  “What about you, Michael?” Craig asked, still holding the refrigerator door open.

  “Might as well,” Michael agreed. “Thanks, Craig.”

  Before leaving the kitchen with Lily, Savannah asked Max, “Need any help?”

  “Naw. I think Harrison and I have it covered. Thanks, though.”

  When Savannah entered the small dining room, she felt someone put a hand on her back. She turned to face a man who was only slightly familiar to her. He smiled. “It’s good to see you again.”

  A woman approached and stood alongside him. Savannah recognized her. “Mr. and Mrs. Benton.” She quickly corrected herself, “I mean Bea and Edwin. I’m delighted to see you too.” She turned to get Michael’s attention. When Lily squirmed in her arms, she released her onto the floor and watched her walk up to Margaret. “Michael, you remember Leah’s folks, Bea and Edwin.”

  “Sure I do,” he said enthusiastically, reaching his hand out to greet each of them. “How are you? So you made the trip from Idaho to share in the excitement, did you?”

  “Yes,” Edwin said. “It’s a happy occasion, isn’t it?”

  Savannah and Michael both nodded.

  Bea rested a hand on Savannah’s arm. “When Colbi told us about the surprise reception, we just had to come. I mean, what a great opportunity to see our grandson again and the kids’ home. We’re just so thrilled for them. It appears they’re doing well.”

  “Yes they are,” Edwin said. He leaned toward Savannah and Michael. “They’re struggling a little financially, but that’s what makes for a strong union—a couple working through these things together.” He gazed across the room at his daughter. “We’re very proud of them both.”

  “As you should be,” Michael said. He glanced behind Bea as a young woman approached. “Are you…?” he started.

  Edwin turned. “Oh, this is our younger daughter, Melissa. Honey, this is Michael and Savannah. They’re the ones who took your sister in when…”

  “Nice to meet you,” Michael said, taking her hand.

  “You sure look like your sister,” Savannah commented. She hugged her. “Beautiful, as well.” She gazed at the Bentons. “You girls both got your dad’s coloring.” She chuckled. “I’m the odd girl out in our family.” She nodded toward her own sister, who was laughing at something with her boyfriend, Bud. “Brianna got the nice skin and dark hair.”

  “Yeah, but you got the height,” Melissa said. “How tall are you, anyway?”

  “Not as tall as me,” Iris said, walking up. She put her arm around Savannah and smiled at her. “I’m five-ten.”

  “I wish I’d gotten the tall genes,” Melissa said. “I love basketball, but I’m probably too short to earn a scholarship.”

  “Yeah, height is important in basketball,” Michael agreed. “But it isn’t everything. Don’t give up.”

  Edwin winked at his daughter. “That’s what we keep telling her. You ought to see this girl on the court. She’s a dynamo!”

  “Oh, there’s Charlotte,” Savannah said excitedly. “Hi, Charlotte.”

  “Yes, we were talking to her earlier,” Bea said. She smiled as the teen approached. “She was telling us about her new kitty.”

  “You have a cat?” Savannah asked Charlotte. “I thought your sister was allergic to cats.”

  “Yeah, thee ith,” Charlotte said in her lisping way of speaking. “We got a cat that dothen’t make her thneethe.”

  “She said it’s a Balinese,” Bea explained. She put one arm around Charlotte. “She got it for Christmas, didn’t you, dear?”

  Charlotte nodded.

  “Way cool,” Michael said.

  “What a special gift,” Savannah agreed.

  Charlotte smiled, then frowned and asked, “Howth Ragth?”

  Savannah looked into the teen’s sweet face and marveled again at her abilities despite her Down syndrome. “He’s much better,” she said. “And he’s accepting visitors if you’d like to come see him. He’s at home hanging out in a large pen most of the time, to keep him from jumping up onto furniture or running up the stairs until he’s healed up better.” She took Charlotte’s hand. “Thank you for the sweet cards you sent him while he was sick. I have them all lined up near his pen so he can look at them.”

  Charlotte smiled shyly.

  “You sent the cat get-well cards?” Edwin asked. “How thoughtful.”

  “She’s one thoughtful young lady,” Savannah said.

  Just then Colbi joined the small group and announced, “Food’s ready. Come serve yourself.”

  “Where are your cousins?” Savannah asked her. “I thought they were coming.”

  “Oh, they couldn’t make it.” She laughed. “They sent a card and the most adorable poem.”

  “Cousin Klint wrote it,” Harrison explained upon overhearing the conversation. “It’s a kick.”

  “Where is it, Harrison? Can I show it to Savannah?”

  He pointed. “Sure. It’s in the desk, there.”

  While guests filled their plates and found seating in the dining room and living room, Colbi shuffled through a stack of mail in search of the poem. Moments lat
er, Savannah approached her. “Colbi, is something wrong?”

  “Um…no, I guess not,” she said, quickly picking up a card and handing it to Savannah. “Here’s that poem.” Colbi stared across the room at Leah, who was laughing with Melissa and Brianna.

  “This is really good,” Savannah said, after reading it. “Klint wrote it? He has quite a sense of humor, doesn’t he? I love the line about roping the filly and line-dancing into the sunset.” When Colbi didn’t respond, Savannah asked, “Colbi, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” she said a little too hastily. She turned toward the kitchen. “I’d better get a plate.” Over her shoulder, she asked, “Did you bring the enchiladas?”

  Savannah nodded. She joined Colbi in the kitchen and the two of them filled their plates.

  “So, are we set for our travels?” Margaret asked when Savannah sat down across from her.

  Savannah helped Lily settle into a chair next to her and handed her a small bean-and-cheese burrito before responding. “Oh, for next month? I think so.”

  “Where are you going?” Bea asked. “Someplace warm and fun?”

  Savannah glanced at her aunt, then said, “We have a rather convoluted itinerary; nine of us are flying east together, then splitting off and we’ll visit four different states.”

  “And before that,” Margaret said, “Vannie and I are taking a road trip south with her child and her cat.”

  “The cat’s flying east with us, too, isn’t he?” Craig asked.

  Bea looked askance. “Sounds rather…um…interesting. So what will you be doing in the East?” She paused, then added, “…in the dead of winter?”

  Margaret set her fork down and sat straighter. “We’re surprising a young friend of ours in Massachusetts for her eleventh birthday. Her grandparents know we’re coming, but we’re keeping it a secret from Marissa.”

  Savannah smiled broadly. “She will be so surprised. She’s such a delight. I can’t wait to see her again.”

  “Nice,” Bea said. “Is she from here?”

  Savannah nodded. “Marissa was with us last Christmas. We sort of helped her get out of a very bad living situation and become reunited with her grandparents, who’d been trying to find her for years.” She smiled. “It was the most glorious Christmas. Not only is the child an angel on earth, but to see her finally get a forever home—one with people who genuinely love her—it was just so heartwarming.”