Animal Shelter Mystery (8 page)

“Miss Newcombe came to see Patches and Lad,” Violet announced. “The new dog is called Lady, and she's Lad's sister.”

Mr. Alden reached a hand out to Miss Newcombe. “My grandchildren have been searching for you for nearly two weeks. I know you like to keep to yourself, Clara, so perhaps you didn't want to be found. But they may have some special news for you.”

Benny opened his mouth to speak, but whatever words he was going to say turned into a big yawn.

Jessie ran into the den and came back. In her hand was the farmer's black notebook with the deed tucked inside. “Here,” she said, unfolding the yellowed paper. “Read this. We think this is an important piece of paper about your land.”

The old woman looked less frightened now in the warm, well-lit kitchen. Who could be afraid of these kind faces?

The woman read the paper once, then seemed to read it again. Finally she looked up at everyone. “You don't know how important this deed is.”

“Ah, but they do,” Mr. Alden said. “My grandchildren have been investigating some strange goings-on at your house. They have reason to believe a demolition company has got hold of your property. They intend to develop it if they can buy it for good when it comes up for sale tomorrow.”

The woman nodded her head up and down. “How right they are. You see, years ago this property belonged to Jacob Kisco. Back then my father rented from him the house, the two barns, and some meadows for the price of the milk, eggs, butter, and cheese he got from our herd of cows. Mr. Kisco always said he had made arrangements to leave the land to our family when he died, but he never gave my father the deed.”

Mr. Alden sat down at the table a few feet across from Miss Newcombe. “But everyone in Greenfield always thought the land belonged to your family, Clara.”

Miss Newcombe lowered her eyes and twisted the lace handkerchief in her hands. She didn't speak for a long time. When she finally did, her voice was shaky. “Yes, I know that's what people thought. You see, my father only planned to stay on the property until the state came to claim it. But they never sent anyone, so Father stayed there. After he died, I stayed on, too.”

“Miss Newcombe,” Henry said softly. “Was the Greenfield Animal Shelter part of Mr. Kisco's land at the time that he died?”

Miss Newcombe's soft blue eyes looked frightened again, and she could hardly hold her cup of tea. “I guess I have to tell the other part of the story. You see, I felt so guilty about staying on land that probably belonged to the state, I offered the state use of some of the property when they wanted to open an animal shelter in these parts. At the same time, I wanted to protect my father's good name, so I kept the Newcombe name out in case the truth ever came out.”

“So
you're
the founder!” Jessie cried out.

“Yes, I am,” Miss Newcombe said. “I didn't want to let anyone know because I worried that someone would take away the land someday. Now someone has.”

Violet patted Miss Newcombe's hand to make her feel better. Jessie refilled her cup.

“I love animals, you know. I fully expected to make a bid on the land when fifty years had passed after Mr. Kisco's death. But then these terrible men showed up.”

Now Benny was awake. “With the bad, rusty truck that's always following us,” he told Miss Newcombe. “They called our house with scary voices, and stole Grandfather's gas, and put a bad note in Jessie's newspapers.”

She patted Benny's hand. “Yes, Benny. Those men scared me, too. They told me they had already bought the land and I had to leave. They ordered me to close down the shelter. I wondered whether there was any way to stop this from happening, so I went up to the capital to check old property records. I didn't want anyone to know what had happened, so I left Greenfield quietly.”

“Is that when you sent your pets to different families?” Jessie asked.

“Yes. I knew from my friend, Dr. Scott, that your family liked animals, so I dropped Patches off one night. I left animals at other places around town. I was in such a state, I didn't have time to write notes to everyone or even check the animal tags and such. And, of course, I see some of the pets wandered away from where I left them and tried to find their way home again.”

Jessie brought out some of Mrs. McGregor's coffee cake and set it in front of the woman. “Where have you been staying all this time?” she asked.

“Different places. I found a small room at the state capital so I could see some lawyers and visit the Land Records Office. That turned out to be a disappointing trip.”

“I bet Mr. Tully thought you were bothering him,” Benny said.

Miss Newcombe smiled a bit. “Yes, I'm afraid such a busy man didn't have much time for someone with no papers or proof that the land belonged to my father, who left it to me in his will.”

“The will!” Henry cried. “Do you have a will?”

“Yes, of course,” Miss Newcombe said. “I was my father's only child, and he left everything to me, including the land he was sure Mr. Kisco had left him.”

“The will is all you need,” Mr. Alden explained. “That and this deed. You stay here with us tonight. Then tomorrow I'll drive up to the capital and file this deed before the deadline. You'll be back in your own home by tomorrow afternoon.”

The old woman took a long sip of tea to calm herself. “Do you really think so?”

“Yes, indeed!” Benny said loudly. “Yes, indeed.”

CHAPTER 9

Moving Day

“S
hh. Quiet, Watch,” Jessie whispered when she heard Watch growling. “It's too early to get up.”

Watch did not agree with Jessie and growled long and low. When Jessie's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw Watch looking out the bedroom window over the driveway. Jessie was wide awake now and went to the window, too.

She stroked Watch's alert ears. “What is it, boy?”

Jessie didn't really need Watch's answer. Under the streetlamp, she could see the outlines of a pickup truck parked on the street. Whoever was in the car was smoking and flicking ashes out the window every few minutes.

“I don't know if that's the truck, but I'm not taking any chances,” Jessie told Watch.

She tiptoed down the hall to the phone table and dialed the Greenfield Police Department. “Hello, hello, this is Jessie Alden,” she whispered into the phone. “I'm calling to report a suspicious … oh, hello, Officer Lawler. Yes, I know it's early, but that's why I'm calling. There's a truck parked in front of my grandfather's house, and I think there might be some men in it who've been bothering Miss Newcombe on Fox Den Road and my family, too. Could a policeman drive by our house just in case they're going to make trouble? Yes, thank you.”

“Whew,” Jessie said when she put down the phone.

“What are you whewing about?” Henry said, making Jessie practically jump out of her robe. “It's five o'clock in the morning.”

“I know. That's why I just called Officer Lawler at the police station to check on that suspicious truck out there. See,” she whispered. “Careful, don't get in front of the window. They might see you.”

Henry pulled aside the curtain carefully and stood off to the side. “Hey, they're getting out and walking toward Grandfather's car. I'm going out there.”

When Henry put his hand on the light-switch, Jessie stopped him. “Don't do that. Maybe this time we can catch them doing something while they think we're asleep. Officer Lawler said he was leaving right away.”

Henry rubbed his eyes. “You're right.”

Jessie and Henry tiptoed downstairs. The kitchen window was open a few inches to let in the night air. Henry and Jessie crouched down near the sink where they couldn't be seen but right where they could hear the men whispering to each other.

“Four bum tires ought to do the trick,” one voice said. “Sam, where's that knife you always carry?”

Jessie grabbed Henry's arm. “Oh, no, I think they're going to slash the tires so we can't use Grandfather's car today!”

Jessie and Henry were listening so hard to make out what the men were saying, they didn't hear Officer Lawler's cruiser pull up.

“Hands behind your back!” a deep voice shouted.

Henry and Jessie heard the men's knife clatter to the driveway. That's when the kitchen lights went on.

“Heavens, me, why are you both huddled by the sink?” Mrs. McGregor asked.

Benny came in next, carrying his blanket, followed by Violet, who was blinking hard and trying to figure out what the commotion was all about.

“My goodness,” Mr. Alden said when he came into the kitchen to find five people all up at this very early hour. “I'm not leaving for the capital for hours. I hope you'll all quietly go back to bed before we wake up Miss Newcombe.”

“But Grandfather—” Jessie began.

“You see, the police are—”

“My word, there's the doorbell!” Mrs. McGregor said. “I must be dreaming. That's the only explanation for why I'm down in this chilly kitchen with everyone instead of in my nice warm bed.”

Mr. Alden led the way to the front hall and opened the door. “Why, Officer Lawler, you're the last person I expected to see on my porch at this hour.”

“That may be, Mr. Alden,” the policeman said, “but one of your quick-thinking grandchildren helped me catch three vandals who were trying to slash your tires. I'm afraid they did some damage to one of them, but the other tires are fine.”

Mr. Alden put his arm around Jessie. “I'll bet this is our detective. She's the only one who looks wide awake enough to find the phone, let alone dial the right number for the police station.”

Jessie shivered, but she felt warm inside. “Are those men from the Wolf Demolition Company, Officer Lawler?”

The policeman checked his notepad. “That's a good name for what they are— wolves who hunt in the night. But I've got them caged, all right. They're locked up in the backseat of my cruiser. So if you'll file a complaint later today, we can register the arrest.” Officer Lawler tipped his cap. “Good-night, or maybe I should say good-morning.”

“I'd better get some coffee perking,” Mrs. McGregor said. “I know you've all got a busy day ahead.”

An hour later, everyone, including Miss Newcombe, was wide awake, dressed, and ready to get on with that busy day.

“Benny and I changed the bad tire, Grandfather,” Henry said. “I started the engine for a minute, and the gas gauge needle is on full.”

Mr. Alden said, “I'm sorry not to have my backseat drivers on this trip, but I know you'll want to get the animal shelter business straightened out now that Miss Newcombe is back. And, Clara, I imagine you'll want to phone Dr. Scott.”

Miss Newcombe took Mr. Alden's hand into hers. “Thank you, James. I feel like a new person today after the first restful sleep I've had in two weeks. Knowing I can go back to my own home, well, it means everything to me.”

“You can thank my grandchildren for that, Clara,” Mr. Alden said. He patted his suit pocket. “Well, the deed is in here, and I'll pick up the will from your lawyer on the way out of town. So we're all set.”

After everyone waved off Mr. Alden, they went out to the boxcar to check on the animals.

Miss Newcombe's step was young and lively this morning. “I can hardly wait to see my dear cats curled on their favorite chairs. And I know it will cheer me to see Lad and Lady running in the meadows and through the woods. Not that they haven't loved your boxcar,” the elderly lady told the Aldens when they peeked into the boxcar. “All of you did a wonderful job making a home for them.”

Violet's thank-you could hardly be heard. She was blinking back tears.

Miss Newcombe handed her a white hanky. “I know just how you feel, dear. It will be hard to part from your new friends. That's why I want you to come visit me whenever you want. I think I'll start getting newspaper delivery again to keep up with the news— news of the Aldens!”

This made even Violet laugh, and everyone was still laughing when Dr. Scott drove up in her station wagon to pick up Miss Newcombe and her pets.

She gave Miss Newcombe a huge hug. “Why, Clara Newcombe! Imagine keeping a secret from me all these years. I must be better at figuring out animals than people not to guess that you were the founder of the Greenfield Animal Shelter.”

Miss Newcombe's cheeks got pinker than ever. “That's all right, Mary. There were reasons I was so secretive, but now, thanks to all of you, I don't have to be.”

“Is it time?” Henry asked in a quieter voice than usual.

Miss Newcombe smiled. “You can get the leashes and cages for the ride home.”

Henry called Miss Newcombe's two dogs. “Here, Lad. Come here, Lady.”

The dogs stood nice and still while Henry fastened on their leashes. He opened the back of Dr. Scott's station wagon and let the dogs in. Up front, he cleared some space for two cat carriers. “We should be able to fit Patches and Midnight up here, and the gray cat in a cage in back.”