A Picture-Purrfect Christmas (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 13) (20 page)

Michael glanced at the prisoner. “Who is he?”

“Mavis Cotton’s disgusting nephew…and there’s the other one,” she said, pointing to the man peering out at her from inside a second patrol car.

Just then another officer walked up holding Rags in his arms. “Is this the wild animal that attacked you?” he asked, grinning.

“Oh there he is,” Savannah said.

“Yeah, he was helping us fill out the report,” the officer said, chuckling.

Another officer quipped, “Okay if he joins us for coffee and donuts later?”

Neither Savannah nor Michael saw the humor in the moment. “Just bring him here so we can put him back to bed, please,” she said without emotion. She then looked up and asked, “Who’s that?”

Everyone gazed in the direction Savannah indicated and saw Detective Craig Sledge walking up the long driveway with another man in tow. They heard a booming voice. “Damn cat,” the man shouted. “If it wasn’t for that damn cat, none of this would have happened,” he complained.

“Wrong!” Craig said. “If only you hadn’t tried to harm those children, you pervert.”

“Esse,” Savannah said under her breath as the officers paraded him in front of a patrol car on their way to secure him inside.

“Yeah,” Craig said. “Found him trying to get away on a dirt bike stashed down near the highway.”

“I knew it was you,” Marissa said. “Why?” she asked, tears rolling down her cheeks. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Who is that?” Erin asked. “What does he want?”

“Me,” Marissa said quietly. She pointed. “He’s the one who tied me up and buried me in that cold hole. That’s exactly what he wore every day.” When she started to sob, Erin put her arms around her.

“Well, he won’t bother you anymore, young lady,” Craig said, walking up closer to the girls. “You can be sure of that.”

“But my father…” Marissa started.

“He won’t be bothering you, either,” Craig said quietly. “I’m afraid he’s dead.”

“Dead?” Marissa said.

He nodded. “We found him floating in the river out near where they were keeping you.”

“The wicked witch is dead,” Marissa said quietly, then she began chanting, “The wicked witch is dead.” She took a breath and said, “I don’t want to wish anything bad for anyone, but I just can’t help it. I…”

“I know,” Savannah said, embracing Marissa. “I know.”

“How long will he be in jail?” Marissa asked.

“Probably for the rest of his life,” Craig said. “Guess who’s the prime suspect in the murder of your father? Kidnapping and child torture are serious charges, but murder comes with a one-way ticket into prison and maybe even an e-ticket ride to the gas chamber, if they ever reenact capital punishment here.” He then said to the officers, “Let’s move them out so these folks can get their sleep.” He winked at the girls. “Tomorrow’s Christmas, you know.”

“We couldn’t have that fairytale Christmas without the lights,” he said, grinning. “Aren’t there two little girls here dreaming of a fairytale Christmas?”

She grimaced. “I’m not sure they know what a fairytale Christmas looks like. I think I’m the one with the dream—wanting that special Christmas for them.”

Michael gazed at the tree, smiling. “I believe they’re going to get it this year.”

“Oh, yes,” she said, wiping Lily’s face and lifting her from the high chair, which she’d moved into the dining room. She placed the baby on the floor and glanced at Michael, who continued to study the tree to make sure all the lights were lit. “Coffee’s ready. I made some cocoa, too.”

“With marshmallows?” he asked, expectantly.

She nodded. “With marshmallows.”

In the meantime, Lily stood looking at the tree, pointing and repeating over and over, “Uk, uk, uk.”

“What’s she saying?” Michael asked.

Savannah shrugged. “Heck if I know. Some secret language, I guess.”

Michael picked up Lily, raising her over his head as she giggled. “When are you going to let us in on your secret, huh? Huh?” he urged, jiggling her as she continued to giggle and laugh.

“How about we move some furniture in here closer to the tree,” Savannah suggested. “Let’s see, the loveseat, maybe, and Walter’s chair. I’ll set the dining room chairs around.”

They’d just finished rearranging the furniture when they heard a sweet voice ring out from the staircase landing. “See, it wasn’t a dream, Errie. Ms. Savannah and Dr. Mike are still here. So is Lily and the Christmas tree.”

“Don’t go so fast,” Erin cautioned. “It’s not going to disappear, you know.”

“I can’t help it. I’m just so excited.”

“Good morning, girls,” Savannah said, smiling. “I see you’re wearing your new robe and jammies. They fit, huh?”

“Yes. We found them on our bed when we woke up this morning. From you?” Erin asked.

Savannah nodded.

“Thank you,” the teen said, hugging Savannah and then Michael. She sat down next to Lily and began playing with her and the new toy Michael had helped her open.

“I love pink,” Marissa said. She wrapped her arms around Savannah. “Thank you.” She then hugged herself. “These jammies are so cozy. I’ve never worn anything this soft before.”

“What is it, Lily?” Erin asked. She turned to Savannah. “Do you know what she’s saying? She keeps pointing and saying, ‘Uk, uk, uk.’”

“I don’t know,” Savannah said.

“It’s
duck
,” Marissa said. “She thinks that goose ornament is a duck.”

“How did you know that?” Michael asked. “We’ve been trying to figure it out for days.”

Marissa laughed. “I taught her to say duck and now she thinks all birds are ducks.”

“Good to know,” he said, also laughing.

“Cocoa?” Savannah offered.

Both girls nodded, their eyes wide.

“With marshmallows?” Savannah asked.

“Yeah!” they said enthusiastically.

“Can I help?” Erin asked, standing.

“No,” Savannah called over her shoulder, “you wait there. I’ll bring it.”

“Here, Erin,” Michael said quickly, “why don’t you help Lily open this gift and I’ll take a picture of you both. Okay?”

“Sure,” Erin said, moving closer to the baby.

Once everyone had a mug of cocoa in hand, Erin asked, “How’s Rags feeling today? I mean, after his wild night rounding up those bad guys?”

Savannah ran her hand over the lanky cat, who was busy giving himself a bath. “He seems a little slow-moving this morning, but I think he’s okay. He ate a good breakfast,” she added.

The teen glanced at Buffy, who lay in her canopy bed peering out with round blue eyes. “Hey Buffy, you missed all the excitement,” she said. She then reached out and scratched Walter around the neck as he lounged on the edge of the area rug, keeping a keen eye on her.

“The tree is even more beautiful today,” Marissa said.

“That’s because it’s Christmas,” Michael told her. “Everything’s more special on Christmas. How are you feeling, hon?” he asked the child.

“Much better,” she said petting Rags, who had plopped down next to her on the floor.

“And you, Erin?” he asked. “You seem to be getting around a little better this morning.”

“Yeah. The soreness is starting to go away.” She took a breath, then coughed. “My ribs still hurt, though.”

Suddenly Marissa pointed. “Hey, there’s my name.”

“Where?” Savannah asked, smiling, a twinkle in her eye.

“On a package under the tree. Did Santa bring me something this year?”

Michael winked at her. “I guess he did.”

“How did he know I’d be here?” she asked, looking confused.

“Santa knows everything,” Savannah explained.

Erin smiled at Marissa. “Yeah, even when you’ve been naughty.” She started to stand, asking, “Can I get some water, please?”

“No!” Savannah stood. “I mean, you stay there, I’ll get it,” she said, rushing to the kitchen.

When Savannah returned, Marissa asked, “Can I open it?”

Erin nudged her. “Don’t be pushy.”

“Oh, sorry,” Marissa said, looking down at her hands. But her eyes kept wandering toward the tree and the beautifully wrapped package with her name on it. “It has cats on it. Wrapping paper with Christmas cats. Isn’t that cute?”

“Marissa, honey,” Savannah said, “before you open your gifts…”

“Gifts?” she exclaimed. “More than one gift?” She leaned closer to the tree, her eyes darting from package to gift bag to envelope and back to the package with Christmas-cat paper.

Savannah smiled. “Sure. But before we open the packages, we have a very special gift for both of you girls…something that wouldn’t fit under the tree.”

Marissa’s eyes grew wide. “What?” she asked. She looked around, then put her hand on the grey-and-white cat, who lay sprawled next to her. “Rags? Are you giving me Rags?”

Savannah chuckled. “Oh no, something better.” She stood and walked toward the kitchen. When she returned, she wasn’t alone. “Marissa, these are your grandparents,” she said, motioning toward the couple who accompanied her. This is Mabel and Roland Roberts.”

“But, you can call us Grandma and Grandpa,” Mabel said.

Marissa peered at the couple, who both smiled down at her. Her eyes darted from one to the other and then to Savannah and back to the couple again. Finally, “Wait,” she said, “I remember you. You came to the hospital, but I was kinda sleepy. I thought it was a dream. It wasn’t a dream? You’re real?” Michael gave her a hand as she struggled to stand, and she walked toward the couple.

“It wasn’t a dream, honey,” the woman said. “We did come to see you at the hospital. We’ve been looking for you for a very long time and we are so happy to have finally found you.”

“You are? How did you know about me?” Marissa asked. “No one ever told me about you.”

“You are sure full of questions,” Roland said, chuckling. He knelt down to the child’s level. “Honey, we’ve known about you since the day you were born, but your parents decided to keep you from us. They kept you hidden. Like your grandmother said, we’ve been looking for you for ten whole years.”

“Why?” Marissa asked, in all innocence.

Roland glanced up at his wife, then Mabel leaned down and took the girl’s hands. “To make sure you were being well cared for and safe.”

When Marissa started to cry, Mabel pulled the child to her and held her tightly, fighting back tears of her own. “I know, I know,” she said in a soothing tone, “it’s been rough for you. Horrendously rough.” She stepped back and looked Marissa in the eyes. “But, honey, that’s all going to change.”

“It is?” Marissa asked suspiciously. “How?”

Mabel chuckled a little. “We want you to come live with us in our home.”

Wiping at his eyes, Roland added, “…where you will be protected and safe for the rest of your life.”

“Really?” Marissa asked, her voice cracking. “Forever? A forever home?”

Her grandfather smiled at her. “Oh yes. Now that we’ve found you, we’re never letting you go and we’ll always keep you safe. I promise.” He reached his arms out toward her and she fell into them. Wiping at her eyes, she stepped awkwardly over to her grandmother and wrapped her arms around her waist. She then stepped back. “Home? Where is your home?”

“In a lovely town in Massachusetts.”

“Massachusetts…that’s far away from here, isn’t it?” Marissa said.

The couple nodded.

Straight-faced, the child asked, “Do you have other children? Any pets? Do you celebrate Christmas?”

“Marissa,” Savannah whispered, “are you going to make them audition for the job of loving grandparents?”

Marissa looked down. “I’m sorry,” she said, “it’s just that…”

The woman lowered herself into a chair near the child and held tightly to her hands. I know, honey. You want to make sure this is right for you. And you deserve to know about us. We are strangers, after all.” She took a breath and continued, “We have two children.” She hesitated before saying, “We had three. Your mother was one of our children. As you know, she has gone to be with the Lord.” She paused, then continued, “Our living children are both grown now and they have children of their own. One of them is about your age, and guess what,” she asked, a big smile on her face, “they live just around the corner. We have a sweet dog named Petunia and,” she scowled for effect, “…a kind of ornery cat named Brutus.”

“Brutus?” Marissa said, wrinkling her nose.

“Yes, he looks a lot like that one,” Mabel said, pointing at Rags.

Marissa looked lovingly at Rags. “Well, there will never be another Rags. But I would love to have cats of my own in a house of my own with a family of my own.”

“And we would love to have you as our very own daughter,” Mabel said, inviting Marissa’s embrace.

“Thank you. Thank you so much,” the child said. She limped swiftly toward Erin, who stood next to Michael, and hugged her.

“Hey, Rissy,” Erin exclaimed, “don’t knock me over!”

“Errie I have a home. I have a forever home,” she said excitedly. She looked up at Erin and said, “But, I sure will miss you.”

“No you won’t,” her grandmother said, quietly. Both girls stared at Mabel, who cleared her throat before speaking. “Erin, I understand that you’ve been a sister to Marissa.” She glanced at her husband. “We cannot deprive her of a sister as wonderful as you have been to her. We want you to come live with us, too.”

Erin’s eyes lit up. “Me? Really? I mean how? Will I actually be able to? Do I need permission?”

Mabel and Roland chuckled. She walked over and put her hands on Erin’s shoulders. “We’ve started the process to get that permission. Detective Craig has been a big help. Besides, won’t you be eighteen soon?”

Erin nodded and Mabel continued, “Then you can decide for yourself where you want to be. We just want you to know that you’re welcome in our home just the same as Marissa is, for as long as you need a home.”

Erin peered into Mabel’s face, then, choking up, she wrapped her arms around her and began sobbing.

Marissa patted Erin, a look of concern on her face. “Erin, are you okay?” She turned to the others and explained, “I…I’ve never seen her cry before. Erin, are you all right?”