Patricia Fry - Klepto Cat 05 - The Colony Cat Caper Read online

  Damon started to laugh and said, “There she is! Hellooo, Dolly,” he sang to the tune of the old song.

  “Oh, how original,” Colbi snipped good-naturedly. She set her purse down and turned to see where her little dilute tabby was. “Come here, baby girl…you sweet thing.” She walked over, picked up the kitten, and snuggled with her.

  “I can hear her purr all the way from here,” Damon said. He walked over and tickled the kitten. She batted at his finger and he laughed and sparred gently with her. “Let me hold her,” he said.

  “Why, you don’t even like cats,” she said, squeezing the kitten against her and kissing the top of her head.

  He smirked and then grinned his sideways grin. “I have to say, that one has won my heart, haven’t you Dolly?” He reached out and petted the kitten. He then looked into Colbi’s dark-blue eyes. “And so have you,” he said, bending down and kissing her gently.

  “Mmm, nice,” Colbi said, kissing him back. She pulled away and studied his face. Pleasant, she thought. He has such a pleasant face—a handsome face. Her eyes took in his thick head of curly dark-red hair. She couldn’t resist running one hand through it.

  “Mew!”

  The couple looked down at the kitten Colbi still held to her chest. Dolly stared up at Damon through round green eyes and then her gaze moved to Colbi.

  “I’ve never known a cat to make eye contact for such long periods as this little girl,” she said. “It’s almost uncanny.”

  “Well, she has pretty Dolly Parton eyes and she knows how to use them,” Damon said.

  “Dolly Parton has brown eyes.”

  “But she wears eyeliner like little Dolly,” Damon insisted.

  “Here, you hold our baby for a few. I have to change and then feed a bunch of cats before we go out to see another bunch of cats.”

  “I’ll feed the feral cats if you want,” he said. “Remember, I learned how to do that when you were…” Damon paused.

  “When I was abducted?” she said solemnly. “You sure did.” She stood on her toes and kissed Damon again. “Yeah, you can feed them, if you don’t mind.”

  Damon watched as she bounded up the stairs toward her bedroom. Gosh, she’s beautiful, he thought to himself. I never thought in a million years, I’d be with someone like Colbi.

  ***

  Twenty minutes later, Michael and Savannah pulled up to the Fischer building and parked next to Colbi’s old pickup, which she’d inherited when her dad died. The sky was already dark. Michael reached into the backseat of Savannah’s Honda and retrieved a flashlight, checking to make sure it worked. “It’s awfully dim, dang it.” He grimaced and then his eyes widened. “Wait,” he said, “I think I put one in your glove box a while back.” Savannah straightened out her legs so Michael could open the glove compartment. He felt around for only a few seconds and came out with a flashlight. “Much better,” he said after moving the switch back and forth a few times. He turned to Savannah. “Bundle up. It’s chilly out there.”

  “And spooky,” she said. “You know, I told Auntie I was NOT coming out here in the dark—too many stories of sightings. Too eerie. Maybe I’ll just wait here.”

  “Suit yourself, hon,” Michael said as he climbed out of the car and closed the door. Before he reached the entrance gate, Michael heard Savannah’s car door open.

  “Michael, I changed my mind. Wait up.”

  He smiled as she looped her arm through his and began walking with him toward the gate.

  “Where are they?” Savannah whispered.

  Michael shined the flashlight around the area. “I don’t know.” He called out, “Damon, Colbi are you there?”

  Silence.

  Suddenly Savannah’s grip on Michael’s arm tightened. “What was that?” she whispered.

  Something caught his attention, too. He stopped and shined the flashlight in the direction of the movement.

  “Oh my God, you guys,” Colbi whispered loudly as she rushed toward the couple, “there’s something in there.” As she got closer, she grasped Savannah’s arm and said, “And it’s not even human.”

  Chapter Four

  “What’d you see?” Michael asked.

  “It’s more what we heard,” Damon said, as he caught up to Colbi.

  “Yeah,” Colbi agreed rather breathlessly. “It was a moaning and growling sound.”

  “Maybe it was a catfight,” Michael suggested.

  They both shook their heads. Colbi said, “I don’t think so. It’s like, coming from inside the building.”

  “They might be able to get inside,” Savannah said. “We aren’t sure they can’t.”

  “If that’s a cat we heard, it’s an awfully big one,” Damon said. “Weird, just weird. Come on Colbi, let’s set the traps and get out of here, shall we?”

  Michael shined the flashlight along the ground in front of them. He moved the light over to the feeding station. He then ran it up the side of the building, stopping to examine the second-story windows. He was curious now. What had alarmed Colbi and Damon? There had to be a logical explanation. “Stay there,” he said, as he walked toward the north side of the building. “I see cats over here,” he said in a hushed tone.

  The remaining three, also too curious to stay put, moved in a close pod behind Michael.

  “What was that?” Colbi whispered loudly.

  “Where?” Michael asked.

  “I thought I saw something in that window. Or maybe it was just the way the light hit the glass,” she said.

  “Let’s hope so,” Savannah said. “If I see a ghost, it may just scare the baby right out of me.”

  Colbi and Savannah both laughed nervously.

  “There,” Colbi said more loudly.

  “Shhhhh,” Damon said.

  She whispered, panic in her voice, “Did you see that? There was a face in the window. Someone…or something is definitely in that building. It is not vacant.”

  “Where?” Savannah whispered. “I don’t see it.”

  “It’s gone,” Colbi said. “It was just there for a split second. Now it’s gone.”

  “Could it be a cat?” Savannah asked.

  Colbi thought about it and shook her head. “I don’t think so. No. It was a face—and not a normal human face. Gads, it was so creepy, you guys.”

  “Well, it’s gone now,” Michael said. “How about we go set those traps and get out of the weather.”

  “I’m for that,” Savannah said, turning and heading back in the direction they’d come from.

  “Wait,” Michael said. “Savannah, walk with me so you can see where you’re stepping. We don’t need you falling down out here.”

  ***

  The following morning, Savannah was just returning from a brief walk with Lexie when the phone rang. “Oh hi, Michael. What’s going on?”

  “Just thought you and your cohorts…cat-sisters-in-crime…would like to know—Bud stopped by your colony this morning and found two cats inside the traps. You’re two-for-two!” he said with a chuckle.

  “Oh that’s good—what kind of shape are they in?” she asked.

  “One has a respiratory infection—so glad she stepped into our lair,” he said attempting a Boris Karloff impersonation. “We’ll treat her and then spay her when she’s feeling better. I gave her a light sedative to calm her; she’s not setting a very good example for the nice calm pets that come in here.”

  “Is she terribly upset?” Savannah asked, concern in her voice.

  “Not the worst I’ve seen,” he said. “She’ll be okay, I think. Heck, maybe she’ll tame down some after this ordeal and become adoptable.”

  “That would be wonderful,” Savannah said. “What about the other one?”

  “An easy neuter, inoculations, and release. He’s older and has probably been on his own for a long time. With management—regular feeding, and water—he’ll live for another several years out there.”

  “Thanks, Michael. You know I’d come in and take care of the ferals, bu
t…”

  “No, not a good idea, Savannah. That’s why Bud and I volunteered for the job. You shouldn’t be in close contact with potentially ill cats that might scratch. Too dangerous.”

  Savannah laughed. “You are so overprotective,” she said.

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Michael said. “Get used to it! Gotta go. See you tonight. I love you.”

  “Love you, too,” she said

  Savannah headed for the bedroom to take her morning shower when the house phone rang. It was Margaret. “Hi,” she said. “Couldn’t get through on your cell.”

  “Yeah, I was talking to Michael. They caught two cats in the traps—he and Bud are treating them, neutering one.”

  “Cool. We’re making progress,” she said. Then her tone changed. “Hey, some of the members think we should have another meeting. The newer volunteers still have questions—things are coming up in their colonies that they don’t know how to handle.”

  “Like getting permission to trespass?” Savannah asked with a chuckle.

  “Yeah, that too,” Margaret said. “So do you feel like attending another meeting?”

  “Sure. Okay with me. Want to do it here, again?”

  “Well, we’re thinking about an evening meeting and Colbi has invited us to her place. Are you good with that?”

  “Sure.”

  “Then I’ll have Betty put something in the paper. We’ve lost some of our volunteers—they couldn’t hack the routine.”

  “Yeah, it is quite a commitment and not for people who don’t like getting their hands dirty. So when?” she asked.

  “I’ll let you know—but I’m sure it’ll be within the next few days.”

  “Okay,” Savannah said. “Hey, did Colbi tell you she saw something last night out at the old building?”

  There was silence. Finally Margaret said, “No. I didn’t talk to her long.” She hesitated and then said, “You know, rumors can cause a big boost in people’s imaginations.”

  “I guess—but she was kinda shook up.”

  “She did tell me that she set another trap out there this morning on her way to work.” Margaret chuckled. “She carries overalls in her car so she can keep her work clothes clean.”

  “She’s quite the dynamo, isn’t she? She’s going to keep Michael and Bud awfully busy at this rate.”

  “Yeah, what do you say we go out there later today and see if she caught anything? Want to?”

  ***

  Puffy white clouds framed a bright sun ball as Margaret and Savannah arrived at the Fischer property that afternoon.

  “Bingo! Looks like the trap’s been sprung,” Margaret observed. She walked ahead of Savannah, knelt down, and then said, “Dang.”

  “What’s wrong?” Savannah asked.

  “It’s empty. Food’s still there, but no cat. I’ll set it again.” Once Margaret had set the trap and slid it back into the crawl space using the old cane she’d brought for that purpose, she said, “Okay, the cats ate this morning. Let’s not feed this afternoon. Maybe the reason we didn’t trap a cat is because they aren’t hungry.”

  “But you can’t catch a cat in a sprung trap, Auntie,” Savannah said. “So if a cat sprang it early on and escaped, there would be no chance of catching another one, whether they were hungry or not.”

  Margaret stood and stared up at her niece. “Yeah. That’s right,” she said with a sigh. She looked down at the partially exposed trap. “Well, if we don’t feed them, they’ll be more apt to go in after the food. I can come out here later today and…”

  “Not alone, Auntie,” Savannah warned.

  Margaret thought about it for a moment and then said, “No. I’ll get Max to come with me. If we’ve trapped a cat, we’ll take it to Bud. Either way, we’ll feed the cats. We don’t want to starve them into oblivion.”

  ***

  Savannah and Margaret drove to Colbi’s house together for the special meeting on a misty Friday evening. Savannah chuckled and said, “Do you know what Michael calls us?”

  “No. Should I be afraid to ask?”

  “Sisters of the cat brigade,” she said with a laugh. “Or cat-sisters-in-crime.”

  Margaret grinned. “Where is he tonight?”

  “Drove over to meet Marci and Eric at the halfway point to get Adam. He’s spending the weekend with us.”

  “Great. Hope we get to see him this time,” Margaret said.

  “I think we’re going to take him out to the Fischer place to see the cats,” Savannah said.

  “In fact, we’ll do the feeding tomorrow, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  “By the way, did you trap a cat yesterday?” Savannah asked.

  Margaret shook her head. “Nope. Trap sprung again…no cat. So Max and I just fed and left.”

  Savannah thought for a moment and then said, “I wonder why? Is the trap faulty? Do we have a super-smart cat out there? It’s unusual that one of those traps would be sprung by a cat from the outside, isn’t it?”

  “Sure is,” Margaret said. “Max thinks we’re being sabotaged.”

  “Who would…?” Savannah started.

  “Hell if I know,” Margaret said. “But I’d sure like to trap that little golden boy and get that abscess treated. It’s not getting better. It’s damn frustrating when there’s a need and a purpose and something (or someone) is preventing us from accomplishing it.” She gritted her teeth. “Frustrating!”

  “And kitten season isn’t too far off—we need to get them all spayed and neutered

  before we have twice as many kitties growing up in that environment.”

  “Amen,” Margaret said. She then glanced at Savannah as she drove, saying, “That was a great article Betty put in the paper. We should attract a crowd tonight.” She grinned and said, “I guess it helps to know people in high places.”

  “Like who?” Savannah asked.

  “Well, Damon,” she said rather impatiently, “…and Colbi.”

  Savannah laughed. “High places? They’re reporters.”

  Margaret pulled the car into Colbi’s driveway and parked. “Well, they’re in a position to help us with publicity—that’s what I meant.”

  Savannah lurched forward. “Oh, did you see that?”

  “What?” Margaret asked looking in the direction Savannah pointed.

  “Colbi’s wild cats,” Savannah said with a laugh. “I saw some scurry under the porch over there.”

  “Yeah, she has quite a few here. I think she said eight.”

  “And to think that little Dolly was one of them until she got sick and needed special in-home care. That kitten sure socialized nicely, didn’t she?”

  Margaret nodded. “Yeah, she should be the poster cat for ferals everywhere.”

  A few minutes later, Colbi responded to Margaret’s knock and promptly ushered the two women inside.

  Savannah glanced around the room. “Hey, look what you’ve done in here.”

  “Yeah, you’ve made it a lot bigger,” Margaret noticed.

  “It’s a trick my mom used when she entertained. She’d shove the dining table over to that wall and use the space to set extra chairs. Voila, now it’s one big room.”

  “Where’d you get all these chairs?” Margaret asked.

  “Borrowed them from the conference room at the newspaper office,” she said, smiling. Colbi put her hand on Savannah’s arm and said, “Now you’re the first ones here, so you sit where you’ll be most comfortable.” She glanced toward the front window. “I see headlights—more guests are coming in. So take your pick while you can.”

  Savannah started to sit in a wingback chair when Margaret said, “Here, sit on the couch—looks cozy.”

  Savannah considered Margaret’s suggestion and then said, “Naw, I’d be better off here—too hard to get up out of a soft sofa. I’d be stuck there until I deliver,” she quipped.

  Margaret looked at Savannah and back at the sofa. “Oh yeah, I guess that could be a problem.” She walked over to the chair next to whe
re Savannah sat and settled in.

  During the following fifteen minutes, the three women greeted several Alliance members as they came through the front door, and a half-dozen first-timers. The guests included a retired couple who often fed strays and hoped to get more involved, a woman in her fifties who wanted information about how to discourage stray cats from bothering her own cats, a 4-H leader who thought a cat colony might be a good project for her group, a gentleman who knew where there was a cluster of stray cats and wondered what to do about it, and a forty-something-year-old woman who happened to sit next to Margaret.

  Margaret held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Margaret Sheridan. This is Savannah Ivey.”

  “I’m Camille,” the woman said.

  “Are you a cat person?” Margaret asked.

  Camille looked down, her cropped black hair falling around her face. Then, peering at Margaret through large-rimmed glasses under long bangs and said, “Just curious.”

  “Do you have cats?” Savannah asked.

  “Yeah, lots of them, actually. They just find me…you know how it is.” Her smile revealed recently whitened, slightly crooked teeth. She adjusted the hem on her blouse with her fingers.

  “I like your top,” Margaret said as she glanced down at Camille’s filmy, purple-and-black flowered blouse. “Just my style…and color,” she said, drawing attention to her own lavender print blouse.

  Camille smiled, but did not comment.

  “So are your cats feral or domesticated kitties?” Savannah asked.

  “Just cats,” she said with a shrug. “Not pedigrees. I can pet them, if that’s what you mean…well, some of them.”

  Just as Ida was about to call the meeting to order, there was a light rap at the door. Before Colbi could respond, the door opened and Damon’s mother Iris stepped in.

  “Hi, Iris,” Colbi said. “Welcome.”

  Iris cringed slightly and apologized. “Sorry I’m late. My replacement at the diner got caught in a traffic jam on his way back from Straley.”

  “It’s okay,” Ida said with a smile. “We’re just getting started.”

  Iris walked over and gave Savannah a hug and patted her bulging tummy before sitting across from her in an empty chair. Savannah smiled. Margaret reached out and squeezed Iris’s hand in greeting.