Cats and Caboodle Read online

  “If you say so, but Michael…” Just then she felt something touch her thigh. “Oh, hello there, Ragsie. Looking for some attention?”

  Michael grinned. “Sure he is. All this talk about cats has him feeling insecure.”

  “Or he wants to be involved,” Savannah suggested. “He wants to go meet the avalanche of kitty-cats.” She spoke to Rags. “I don’t think so, buddy. It doesn’t sound like they need you in the middle of that already chaotic situation. I think you’ll have to sit this one out.” Before she could react, Rags leaped up onto her lap, ramming into her arm as she prepared to take a bite of peas. “Oh!” she said, startled. “Rags, you made me spill peas all over the place.”

  But it appeared that Rags was well aware of the pea cascade and he began eating those that had dropped into her lap. When Savannah scooted her chair back, he placed his front paws on the table and scarfed up a few more peas from the tabletop. Before she could stop him, he took a mouthful of them from her plate.

  “No, Rags!” Lily shouted. “Mommy, Rags ate your peas.”

  “No!” Teddy said. “No-no, cat!”

  Michael chuckled. “Wouldn’t you know that one of his first sentences is a scolding for Rags.”

  Savannah picked up Rags, but she didn’t know that he’d embedded his claws into her placemat.

  “Look out!” Michael said, reaching for her plate, but not quickly enough to keep it from crashing to the floor. “No, Lexie,” he reprimanded when he saw the dog heading toward the spill.

  “Oh, let her have it,” Savannah suggested, sounding defeated. “It’s just peas and a few bites of chicken.

  “There’s no broken glass?”

  “No.” Savannah picked up the plate and invited the dog to clean up the mess, then carried Rags up the stairs and disappeared with him.

  When she returned, Lily asked, “Where’s Rags?”

  “Having a time-out,” Savannah insisted, “so Mommy can have a few quiet moments of peace.”

  “Mommy okay?” Lily asked, concerned.

  “Mommy’s just fine, sweetheart.” She kissed Lily’s cheek before sitting down at her place with a clean plate. “Now, where were we?” she asked calmly. She glanced up at Michael and said, “Stop it!”

  “What?” he asked. He looked wide-eyed at Lily. “What’s Daddy doing?”

  “You’re grinning at me,” Savannah complained.

  “Well, I just think you’re cute.”

  Savannah did her best to keep a straight face, but soon everyone at the table was laughing: even baby Teddy had become caught up in the frivolity.

  ◆◆◆

  The following afternoon Savannah and her mother put the children down for a nap. As the two of them returned to the living room, Savannah asked, “Okay if I go over to the inn while the children nap? I want to see what Iris is dealing with.”

  “Oh, with the cats?” Gladys asked. “Michael told me she has quite a peculiar situation taking place over there.”

  “Yes. Strange cats are coming and going, I guess. It sounds like an easy fix to me, but according to Michael and Iris, it’s something you have to see to believe.” She shrugged. “So I’m going over to see it. I should be back by the time the children wake up.”

  “I’ll be here,” Gladys said. “In fact, Karl might come by for a cup of tea. He wants to try those ginger cookies I made yesterday.”

  “Are there any left?” Savannah asked. “I didn’t see any, or I would have had one with my lunch.”

  Gladys grinned. “I squirreled some away for Karl.”

  “Sounds like you two are enjoying each other’s company,” Savannah said.

  Gladys nodded. “We have a lot in common. Yes, we’re having a good time—you know, for as long as it lasts. No commitments.”

  Savannah stared at her mother for a moment, then said, “Hey, have you thought about planning a trip? You said you’d like to do a little traveling, and this might be a good time for you to go—before the holidays and all.”

  Gladys’s eyes lit up. “Yes. Maggie and I are talking about taking a cruise—maybe just the three-day to Ensenada and Catalina. We’re also considering a road trip south to visit your Aunt Rose and some of our nieces and nephews.”

  “And our new-found cousin, Janet?” Savannah asked.

  Gladys smiled. “Of course.”

  “Do it,” Savannah insisted. “When I come home from Iris’s I want to see your hotel reservations or cruise booking receipts.”

  Gladys thought for a moment. “I’ll talk to Maggie and Rose today.” A faraway look in her eyes, she said, “It would be nice to get away for a while.”

  Savannah nodded. “Oh yes. No children, no housework…” When she saw Rags enter the room, she ruffled his fur and continued, “no cats…especially no cats. Sounds like a perfect recipe for a perfect vacation. Do it!”

  ◆◆◆

  “Yoo-hoo,” Savannah called, opening the door leading into the Kaiser Inn lobby.

  “Hi. Come in,” Iris said, pulling her sweater around herself. “It’s blustery today.”

  “Yes, it is.” Savannah chuckled. “Hey, what’s up with the rags?”

  Iris smirked playfully. “Yeah, you laugh now, but wait until you see what’s really going on.” She realized Savannah was waiting for an answer and said, “I’m trying to plug up any access where cats might sneak in.”

  “Really?” Savannah grinned. “Is it working? Must be, I don’t see any cats. Where are your cuddle cats?”

  “Up in the attic room. It’s nap time.” Iris looped her arm in Savannah’s. “Let’s talk in the dining room. Want a cup of tea? Mattie just took a batch of cookies out of the oven.”

  “Oh, goodie. I missed out on dessert after lunch. Mom hid the cookies she’d baked.”

  “Hid them?” Iris asked. “Why?”

  “For Karl.” More dramatically, she added, “Can you believe it?”

  Iris laughed. “Good for Gladys.”

  “And Lily got the last yogurt parfait and wouldn’t even give me a bite. She tried to feed Buffy a spoonful, but not poor ole Mommy.” Savannah gazed again at the bits of cloth poking from various small openings, tiny alcoves, and gaps in the lobby walls and around the windows and the staircase. “That sure looks odd. So you say it’s working?”

  Iris shook her head. “Nope, two new cats met me in the bathroom first thing this morning. We have a leaky tap and they were thirsty, I guess. They seem to be nice cats.” She touched Savannah’s arm. “Oh, Oscar came back, but I almost didn’t recognize him.”

  “Why?” Savannah asked.

  “He was wearing a collar.”

  “Really?” Savannah watched as Iris poured hot tea from a porcelain teapot. “So do you think someone’s taking your cats? Is an employee sneaking them in and out for some weird reason?”

  Iris shook her head. “I doubt it. My staff has been with me for a while and this is something new. Why would they start that sort of behavior all of a sudden? To drive me crazy? In fact, most of my employees love the cats.” She chuckled. “It’s kind of a prerequisite for working here. One of the housekeepers doesn’t seem to like them all that much, but she tolerates them.” Iris shook her head. “No, I can’t imagine anyone here causing all this commotion. Anyway, remember, different cats are coming in. Where are they coming from?”

  “Hi, Ms. Savannah,” Mattie said, entering the room. I heard you were coming over and I wanted to say hi.”

  “Thank you, Mattie,” Savannah said, standing up and giving the chef a quick hug. “Oh, don’t those look good,” she said when she saw the plate of cookies Mattie had placed on the table.

  “Dark chocolate chip-oatmeal-cranberry-walnut surprise,” she recited.

  “What’s the surprise?” Iris asked.

  “I put a few raisins in there too, and a little coconut.”

  Iris grinned. “Thank you.”

  Mattie started to leave, then turned and asked, “Ms. Iris, did you see the new cat?”

  Iris slu
mped in her chair. “Another new one?”

  “I just shooed him out of the pantry. We’re going to have to put a lock on that door. If I didn’t know better,” she huffed, “I’d think it was bears raiding my pantry.”

  “I’m sorry, Mattie,” Iris said. “Maybe Savannah can help us decide what to do. I’ll show her around after we enjoy your cookies and tea.”

  “Wanna see the latest cat?” Mattie invited. “He’s a fancy one.”

  “Fancy?” Savannah repeated. “Yeah, I’d like to see him.”

  “Well, come on,” Mattie invited, leading the way into the kitchen. She pointed. “There he is.”

  “Oh!” Savannah yelped. “That’s a cat?”

  Mattie nodded.

  “Looks like a Yorkie or a Silky.”

  “What?” Mattie asked.

  “Yorkshire or Silky Terrier. They’re dog types,” Savannah explained. She moved closer and crouched where the long-haired grey cat sat staring at the pantry door. “Oh my gosh, he’s wearing something from the renaissance. Look at that sweet little hat and the jacket with gold braiding. That is just too cute.”

  “Cute, huh?” Iris carped. “Want to dress up your cats? We have some costumes you can have.”

  “You do? Where’d you get them?”

  “From the cats,” Iris said matter-of-factly. When Savannah looked confused, Iris returned to the dining room and opened a drawer in the buffet cabinet. Savannah followed and watched as Iris held up a miniature lace and velvet dress. “Sophie was wearing this over the weekend.” She displayed a black-and-white checkered vest. “One of the visiting cats had this on the other day.”

  “Wait, you aren’t letting your cuddle cats out, are you? Last I heard they were all indoor cats.”

  “No!” Iris insisted. “We do not let them out. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. The visiting intruder cats seem to have shown my cuddle cats a way out of the inn. They’re evidently getting out and going someplace.” Sounding exasperated, she said, “I don’t know where or how, but they come home looking like they’ve been teleported from another time period.”

  “Ohhh,” Savannah muttered. “That’s crazy.” She grinned. “They must be going shopping.”

  Iris ignored her friend’s attempt at humor, saying, “Let’s finish our tea and cookies, then maybe you can help me figure this out.”

  “But how…?” Savannah started.

  “If I knew,” Iris spat, “maybe I could stop this madness. We don’t have a clue as to how all these strange cats are making their way into the inn or where the inside cats are going. It’s as if by magic. It’s eerie, Savannah.” She tilted her head. “Now, you know how I like the supernatural and all, but kiddo, this has me freaked-out.” She spoke more quietly. “I’m trying to hold it together for the sake of the staff, but I can feel myself starting to crash and burn.”

  “Oh, Iris, I’m sorry. So…I mean, well, I don’t know what to say. Have you talked to your staff?” Savannah asked. “Surely someone has seen something. There has to be a logical explanation for cats being moved around like chess pieces.”

  “Yeah, like chess pieces,” Iris said. “It’s really getting to me. I’m tired of the game; it’s wearing me out.” She took a sip of tea, then asked, her tone brighter, “Hey, did you hear who’s coming to visit?”

  “Who?” Savannah asked.

  “Arthur and Suzette. They’re expecting a baby, you know.”

  Savannah’s face lit up. “No, I didn’t know. I knew they wanted to have one. When?”

  “When are they coming or when is the baby due?” Iris asked, chuckling.

  “Both,” Savannah said.

  “The baby’s due in March and they’re coming here next week.” She slumped a little. “I’m really eager to have them, but darn, I wish it were another time. They’ve decided to stay and help us feed Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless at the church, so they’ll be here for ten days or so.”

  “Great!” Savannah cheered. “Can’t wait to see them. And they’re staying at the inn?”

  “Yes. They’re actually coming to see Ruth and Mattie, of course, but they’ll want to spend time with us and you and Michael, as well. I thought we’d do our friends-and-family Thanksgiving on the following Friday. I’d already decided not to take reservations that week, so it’ll work out perfectly.” Iris huffed, “I just hope…”

  “What?” Savannah asked.

  “That this darned problem with the cats is resolved by then.”

  Savannah looked at Iris over the rim of her teacup. “So, do you have a plan? I mean…”

  Iris threw her arms up in frustration. “How can I have a plan when I don’t know what’s going on? Craig says to just chill and that whoever or whatever is causing this debacle will certainly come to the surface at some point, and then we can return to our peaceful life.” Near tears, she said, “I work hard to keep things running smoothly here. This just makes me so darned mad.”

  Savannah patted her friend’s hand. “I’m sorry, Iris. It must be awfully disconcerting.” She asked, “Have you contacted members of the Cat Alliance?” When Iris hesitated, she suggested, “Someone might know something about what’s going on. This could be happening county-wide or at least throughout your neighborhood.”

  Iris slapped the tabletop. “I never thought of that. I just assumed I was the only victim. Yes, I should reach out to others and see if they can explain this phenomenon.” She sat up straighter. “Hey, your aunt has called a meeting for Thursday.” She chuckled. “It’s at your house.”

  “Of course it is,” Savannah groaned.

  “If you can’t do it, just say so. You don’t have to host the meeting every month.”

  “Naw, it’s okay,” Savannah assured her. “Mom likes to be a part of the meetings, and the kids nap during that time in the afternoon, anyway. Yeah, bring your story to the meeting. Someone’s bound to have an answer for you.”

  “Good idea. Thanks, Savannah. Hey, great to have you home. Sorry to dump on you about my problems.”

  “It’s okay, Iris. Sounds like a real dilemma—I mean, you lost one of your first and most faithful employees, for heaven’s sake. Let me know if you want me to do anything, although I don’t know what it would be.”

  “Well, come with me and I’ll show you what’s been going on.” Iris stood up and walked toward the staircase. Savannah followed. When Iris heard Savannah chuckle, she asked, “What?”

  “All those rags poking out. It looks like your walls have zits or something.” She glanced around. “I had no idea there were that many holes in this place.”

  “They’re not really holes,” Iris corrected, “just gaps and little spaces here and there. It’s an old place.”

  “I know,” Savannah said. “Hey, do you suppose this has something to do with those cats that you found living in the walls when you were doing the renovation? Did you leave some cats or kittens behind?”

  “I’ve considered that. What do you think?”

  Savannah shook her head. “I can’t imagine that’s the case. First off, Rags wouldn’t have walked away if there were still cats here. After they found that…” she shuddered. “…that body in there, they opened up the walls and no more cats came out. Besides, if we’d left any behind, don’t you think you’d have seen them before this? I mean, it’s been over two years, right?”

  Iris nodded and continued making her way up the staircase. She led Savannah up a set of steps to a closed door. “This is the cat room. You’ve been up here to the attic room before, haven’t you?”

  Savannah nodded. “It’s been a while.” Iris opened the door and the two of them stepped inside. “Well, hi there, Sophie,” Savannah said. She ran her hand over the calico cat.

  Iris held up a pink collar. “I didn’t even know she was missing, but she must have been, because one evening when I fed them dinner, she was wearing this.”

  Savannah said quietly, “Or someone came in here and put it on her.” She took the collar from
Iris. “How pretty.” She pointed. “Oh, there’s Oscar. Hi, boy. You look good—put on a little weight, haven’t you?” she crooned. “And Sparky, right?” she asked, gesturing toward another cat.

  Iris nodded.

  Savannah scratched Sparky’s belly when he rolled over. “Awww, you’re a love-bug, aren’t you? Who’s this?” she asked, petting a long-haired tuxedo cat.

  “I don’t know,” Iris said. “A wannabe cuddle cat, I guess. Michael said he’s in pretty good shape except for a few mats, which Rupert and I combed out yesterday. He’s pretty mellow, but where the hell did he come from, and how did he get in here?”

  “You found him in here?” Savannah asked, looking around the room.

  Iris hesitated. “Well, I believe he first showed up down in the kitchen. Mattie brought him up here, and the next thing I knew he was lounging with the resident cats like he’d been adopted or hired or something.”

  “He gets along with them okay?”

  “Yeah, he’s very agreeable. A real sweetheart. Michael showed us how to give him a bath. Rupert, Ruth, and I have bathed three of them already. I mean, if they’re going to hang around, they’d better be sanitary.”

  Savannah laughed. “So you’re keeping them?”

  “What choice do I have?” Iris complained. “We tried to discourage the cats that were coming by not feeding them or petting them. They’d eventually leave, but they’d come back and bring their friends.”

  “Well, it doesn’t appear to be a problem, really. I mean this little boy is fitting right in as far as I can tell.”

  Iris grinned at her friend. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. Come on,” she urged, opening a closet door.

  “Oh!” Savannah said, backing away.

  “Yeah, earlier there were three cats in here; now what do you see? Five…six…?”

  “Oh my gosh,” Savannah remarked. “They’re on every shelf and all over the floor. Wow! And you don’t know how they’re getting in? Do they ever leave?”

  “I think so. We see them and then we don’t.”

  “Do they go outside? Do you see them in the gardens?”

  Iris shook her head. “Never have. They just appear inside. It’s all rather mysterious.”