Claws for a Cause (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 15) (21 page)

He walked over to the trash bag and pulled the suitcase out of it. “I want you to take a look at something. Does this look like cat claw marks to you?”

Both Michael and Savannah walked closer to the bag. “Gosh, it sure does,” he said. “Looks like the cat was pretty darned determined, too.”

“Wait a minute,” Savannah said, handing the baby to Michael and stepping behind the sofa. She gave the sofa a shove and got down on her knees. “Oh, my gosh, look at this,” she said, holding her fingers out to Craig and Michael. “Whoever was clawing at it did it right here—there are still a few strings of the fabric under the sofa.” She looked at Michael. “Rags.” Putting her hands up to her mouth, she said, “Do you think he…oh, my gosh, could he have pulled that open before we set it out for trash pickup?”

Michael sat down with the infant. “You know, Rags is attracted to glue. We have to wrestle packages away from him when we get something from UPS with tape on it or a glued flap. It’s like catnip to him. So he might have been trying to get at the glued area there.”

“And maybe the envelope slipped out once it was in the garbage truck or when it got to the dump,” Craig said.

“Or…” Savannah said, raising her eyebrows. “Rags!” she called, heading toward the stairway where she’d seen him last. “I see you up on the landing, Rags. Where’s that paper you had a while ago?”

“Oh, my gosh,” Leah said. “Do you think the cat took the note and the key?” She glanced at the baby in Michael’s arms and rushed after Savannah. “Has it been in the house all this time?”

She and Savannah disappeared into the room where Rags typically hid his treasures. When they returned, Savannah said, “We can’t find it anywhere, darn him.”

“Well, it’s pretty important that you do, Savannah. Think about where he usually hides things,” the detective instructed.

“Craig, that’s what we’ve been doing,” she said impatiently. “Give us some time and we’ll do a more thorough search. Knowing him, it could be just about anywhere.”

Suddenly, Savannah stiffened. “Wait, Charlotte brought me an envelope she found in his stash last week when she was here. I didn’t recognize it, so I just dropped it in the trash basket in the office. Let me see if it’s still there.”

“Yes, that’s the envelope,” Leah said when Savannah returned with it. “Oh, my gosh, it’s here somewhere!” She pointed. “Look, the envelope is torn like the paper Rags had, don’t you think so?” She shouted, “The key! The key must be here, too! Is it in the envelope?”

Once the women determined the envelope was empty, Michael shook his head, saying in disbelief, “So the key that Harrison got assaulted over and his friend died over was here all the time?”

“Looks that way, Michael,” Craig said. Under his breath, he added, “Which means the danger probably isn’t over.” He peered at Leah.

“You have Pono and Ano in jail, don’t you?” she asked.

He nodded. “But we haven’t found this Lani that you mentioned. Word on the street is that she could be on her way here.”

“Oh no,” Savannah said, clutching her hands to her chest.

Leah slumped, tears edging from under her eyelids. She walked over and took Charlie from Michael and held him close.

“What do you suggest we do, Craig?” Michael asked.

“Find what was in that envelope,” he demanded. He rubbed his chin in contemplation. “I’ll put it out on the street that there’s an exchange taking place with a key from Honolulu and hope that Lani and her people get the memo.”

“Then what?” Savannah asked.

“It’s a sting,” Craig explained. “We want to lure them into a trap.”

“What if they don’t get the memo?” Savannah asked.

He looked at her, then Michael. “They’ll probably come here or go to Colbi’s looking for it.”

“So you think they know where Leah and Harrison are?”

“I’m absolutely sure of it. These people are privy to a pipeline that you wouldn’t believe. That’s why I’m going to suggest you all go over to your aunt’s this evening. Do you think they’d let you have a sleepover?”

Savannah nodded. “What about Colbi, Damon…”

“And Harrison,” Leah added, her voice higher-pitched than normal.

“They’ll be at my house with Iris and a couple of deputies.” He grinned. “We have you covered. Now let’s see if we can find that key and the document, then I want you to skedaddle. Got it?”

Savannah and Leah nodded rather mechanically while Michael walked around checking all the doors and windows and setting the alarm. “I’ll call Maggie and Max,” he said.

In the meantime, Leah laid the baby down on the sofa and she, Savannah, and Craig began searching through the house, scouring the kitchen and service porch, including the litter-boxes, searching item-by-item in Rags’s stash, poring through trash baskets and under furniture, until Leah shouted, “I found something! I think this is part of it!”

“Where?” Craig said.

“In Lily’s toy box—it had slipped down along one side of it. It’s just a scrap. But it looks like part of the address.”

Craig took the slip of paper and examined it, then called, “Find anything in his closet, Savannah?”

Her voice was muffled. “No. I’m checking the rest of the room.”

“Don’t forget to look under the blankets!” Michael shouted.

“Oh yeah,” she said.

“Under the blankets?” Craig asked.

“Yes, he used to hide things in our bed, if you can imagine, and in our shoes, too.”

“Shoes,” Leah said. “Okay if I check your closet?” she asked.

“Go for it, hon,” Michael said. “Good idea.”

“Bingo!” they heard Savannah shout after a few minutes.

“Did you find it?”

“Well, I think I found another piece of it,” she said, rushing toward Craig.

He took both pieces and laid them side by side on the dining room table. “Yup. Another piece to the puzzle.”

“Buffy’s bed!” Savannah said, heading for the pink canopy bed. “Excuse me, queen bee,” she said, lifting the fluffy cat. After feeling inside the bed, picking it up and shaking it, she decided there was no foreign matter there. Next she walked toward Walter as he lay partially hidden under a maroon throw on a chair in the living room. “Sorry, Walter,” she said, nudging him from his perch and examining the chair and the blanket. “Nothing.” She moved toward the dog’s bed in the kitchen. “You’re next, Lexie.” As she stepped closer, Lexie leaped from her bed and Savannah picked it up. When she did so, a piece of paper floated from it, landing at her feet. “Here’s another piece,” she said, taking it to Craig.

“It looks like there’s one section missing,” he said. “We have only part of what appears to be contact information for Lani.” He glanced around at everyone. “The key. We need to find that key.”

Just then Savannah’s eyes widened. She rushed into the living room and gave the sofa a shove. Dropping to her knees, she lifted the edge of the large area rug and shouted, “Here it is! I found the key!” Standing, she said, “Rags likes to push things under the rugs, then dig them out and play with them. It looks like he found the key, played with it for a while, and left it under there.”

“Wow!” Leah said. “So I can go get my money now?”

Craig grimaced. “No, Leah, you cannot. The money wasn’t Kale’s to give away. The key will go into evidence and the money will be returned to its rightful owner, once we determine who that is.” When Leah started to protest, Craig said more sternly, “Listen, little girl, you go to Frisco and try to use that key and you and your little baby there will be blown to kingdom come.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Whoever has that money—if it’s even still there—are crooks. Some of them are killers. They’re not going to let a little girl from Idaho slip away with thousands of dollars. Your friends, Ano and Pono, committed murder over what you hid in that suitcase. Those bad guys in Frisco wouldn’t think twice about snuffing you out if it meant getting their hands on that money. You were being used, that’s all.”

When Leah eased into the overstuffed chair with Charlie in her arms, Savannah sat on the ottoman and patted her hand.

Michael began to pace. “So, why would anyone want to get their hands on it, if it’s a death wish?”

Craig gazed in his direction. “It’s part of the criminal mentality. They think they can outsmart everyone, including the law. It’s a big thrill for them, you see.” Craig glanced around at everyone. “Okay, get your things together and get out of here, will you?”

“Should we take the animals?” Savannah asked.

“That’s up to you. I’ll have people outside here and at Colbi’s. You just go now and relax. I’ll call you when it’s over.”

“Well, what an entourage,” Margaret said when she opened the door for her overnight guests. “Come in, come in,” she invited.

“Hi all,” Max greeted. “Just drop your things in the den or the spare room and cozy up to the fire with us. I’ve made some hot cider—anyone interested?”

Just then little Charlie began to fuss. “Oh, let me,” Margaret said when she saw Leah head toward his car seat to release him. “Go have a mug of cider. I’ll hold him for a while.”

“Thank you,” Leah said. “But he might need changing.”

“Not a problem, just show me where the diapers are.”

“So what’s going on over at your place?” Max asked, glancing from Michael to Savannah.

“Well, Rags…” Savannah started.

“Of course,” Margaret said laughing loudly. “Okay, what did he do now?”

Michael explained, “He found a very important item that a lot of people have evidently been searching for and he kept it hidden, causing serious injury to Harrison, but perhaps saving Leah’s life and the baby’s.”

He gazed at the young woman, who grimaced and seemed to be fighting back tears.

“Yeah,” Savannah said, “Craig thinks the woman Leah was supposed to meet in Frisco is coming here looking for her. The bad guys believe Leah has something and they want it.” Margaret looked at Leah. “Do you?”

“I guess we had it all the time. We just didn’t know it,” Leah explained.

Margaret shook her head. “Sounds like high drama to me—suspense beyond my comprehension.” While holding the baby on her lap, she raised her mug and said, “Here’s to a successful surveillance…or whatever’s going on over at your place…”

“And a worry-free, safe life for Leah and baby Charlie forever and ever,” Savannah added.

“Thank you,” Leah said. She then grabbed her phone. “Oh, it’s Harrison.” She glanced at Charlie, who was sleeping soundly on Margaret’s lap.

“Go on, he’s fine,” Margaret said.

When Leah returned, Savannah quickly asked, “What is it, Leah?”

“Oh, I’m just so worried about Harrison.” She laughed. “And he’s worried about me. I wish we could be together tonight, but Detective Craig said we’re safer if we stay put. He’s probably right. It’s about time I listened and did the right thing, don’t you think?” she said, her voice cracking. Savannah stood and wrapped her arms around the girl for a few seconds.

“You’ve all been so nice,” Leah said, the tears flowing freely now. “Darn, I’m sorry I’m so weepy.” She chuckled a little through her tears. “I guess it’s those old hormones, like Savannah says.”

Savannah hugged her again.

Suddenly, they heard a series of loud shots.

“Down, everyone; get down!” Michael shouted. “That sounds close.”

“Maybe it’s old Mr. Parsons shooting at dogs again,” Savannah said, as she hunkered down next to a sofa. She looked up and saw Michael lying over the top of Lily, who was fussing and wriggling to get free. Leah crawled as fast as she could toward Margaret and retrieved her baby, then scooted between the sofa and a small table where she held Charlie tightly against her.

“Let’s make a dash for the hallway,” Max suggested. “Come on Maggie,” he urged.

“Do you think they’re outside our house?” Margaret asked, her voice quivering.

“I can’t tell,” Michael whispered. “Those shots sounded close.” He moved with Lily toward Savannah. “Take her into the hallway,” he said. He crawled to a window and peered out just as another round of gunshots rang out. “It looks like they’re at our house,” he said, panic apparent in his voice, as he quickly made his way to where the others huddled.

The group sat in the hallway for several minutes, wondering what was going on and what they should do, then Max cocked his head, obviously trying to hear something. “What is that?” he asked. When everyone remained quiet, he said, “Sounds like a doggone horse!”

Michael frowned. “What?”

At the same time, Savannah said, “A horse?”

Having not heard anymore gunfire, Michael decided to crawl into the living room and peer out the window again. Suddenly he stopped and called back to Savannah, “Did you hear that?”

“Yes,” she said, furrowing her brow. “That
is
a horse and it sounds close.”

“Good Lord, it’s your mare,” he said as he looked out between the drape panels. “How in the world…?”

“Is she okay?” Savannah asked, her voice shrill. “Maybe she got hit and she jumped the fence.”

“Or someone let her out,” Michael said. “Why would they do that?” Grimacing, he said, “I’d better see if she’s been shot.”

“Michael, no,” Savannah pleaded.

“We can’t let her run around out there,” he reasoned. “What if she goes out on the highway and causes an accident? Max, do you have a piece of rope?”

“Yeah,” he said, crawling through the living room, kitchen, and into the service porch. Pulling himself up, he reached into a cabinet and grabbed a length of light rope. “Will this do?” he asked, showing it to Michael, who nodded, took the rope in his hands, and headed for the door.

“Let’s lead her into the cathouse,” Max suggested, following behind Michael. “She might feel safe in there if we stay with her.”

“Good idea,” Michael said, as the two of them eased out through the side door.

“Be careful,” Savannah said from the hallway. “Please be careful, Michael,” she pleaded, her voice cracking. She then jumped a little. “My phone. Gads, who could that be?”

Margaret chuckled nervously. “Yeah, in the middle of a gun fight at the O.K. Corral.”

“It’s Craig,” she announced, putting the phone up to her ear. “Hi Craig.”

“Everyone okay?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said, “you?”

“Yup.”

“What happened, Craig?” she asked.

He paused, then said, “Well, we got Lani and her accomplice, but not alone.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, we had some help.”

“Who, the SWAT team?” she asked.

“No, actually, it was teamwork like I’ve never seen before.”

“What happened, Craig?” she asked, rather impatiently.

“How about if I come over and tell you all about it. Our investigators still have work to do over here at your place.”

“Okay,” she said, flashing a puzzled look in Margaret and Leah’s direction. Once she’d ended the call, she said, “He’s coming over to tell us what happened.”

“It’s over?” Leah asked, her eyes filling with tears.

“I think so,” Savannah said. She stood and ushered Lily into the living room. “Come on, let’s finish our cider, shall we?” She then jumped. “Oh, I want to go check on my horse.”

She started to pick up Lily, when Margaret said, “Don’t take her out there. She’s fine. I’ll watch her.”

“So how is she?” Savannah asked, stepping out the side door and into the greenhouse-turned-cathouse. She walked swiftly to her mare and began petting her and checking her over.

“She’s fine,” Michael said. “She was pretty agitated when she got here, but she’s settled down now. I don’t see any marks on her. Doesn’t appear that she got hit by a stray bullet or anything.” He rubbed his hand through his hair. “But how did she get out?”

“Maybe Craig let her out,” she said. “By the way, he’s on his way over here. Says he wants to tell us what happened over at our house.” When she heard the cathouse door creak open, she turned. “Oh, hi Craig.” After gazing in his direction for a moment, she said, “You look rather pleased with yourself.”

He grinned and patted the mare. “Well, your horse should be pretty pleased with herself, too.”

“What? What happened?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Michael said, “how’d she get out, anyway? She’s never done that before.”

“Where there’s a will, Michael,” Craig said smugly, “where there’s a will.”

“So what happened?” Savannah asked again. “Wait, Auntie and Leah may want to hear the story, too.”

Once all of the residents and guests were assembled in the cathouse with the runaway horse, Craig cleared his throat and spoke: “Well, what happened is, the woman named Lani and her boyfriend Buzz came sneaking onto your property. When we made our presence known, they began discharging their automatic rifles.” He glanced at Michael. “You might find a few bullet holes around your place—but most of them went into the orchard, where we were waiting for them.”

“Did you return their fire?” Max asked.

He nodded, then coughed and smirked playfully. “Yeah, and I guess all the commotion freaked out your horse and her overnight guest.”

“Her overnight guest?” Savannah questioned, frowning.

“Yeah,” he chortled, “she gives the gate one swift kick, it flies open, and off she goes at full-speed heading right toward Lani and Buzz. They didn’t know which way to go. I’m sure they thought they were about to die in the stampede.” In a more serious tone, he said, “But the horse didn’t scare them as much as her friend did.”

“What friend, Craig? What are you talking about?” Savannah asked.

“The wolf.”

“Wolf?” Michael repeated.

“There was a wolf in Peaches’s corral?” Savannah asked, her eyes wide.

“Well, it looked like a damn wolf to me,” Craig said. He chuckled, “…and to the bad guys. That thing rose out of the hay bed and jumped right into Buzz’s face. The dude dropped his gun and fell to the ground, the wolf on top of him, snarling and growling to beat the band. With this distraction, it was easy as pie for our deputies to surround and disarm the gal.”

“Wow!” Margaret said. She frowned. “A wolf, Craig?”

He laughed. “Well, that’s what they thought it was and frankly, so did we, at first. Once we had the couple in custody, the animal came up to me friendly-like and I could see she was wearing a collar and tags. Her name’s Lucy. Do you know her?”

Savannah smiled. “Yes, but I didn’t know she was having sleepovers with Peaches.” Craig reached out and patted the mare on the rump, saying, “Man, you two have some odd animals.”

“Odd?” Savannah said. “Oh, no, they’re just ordinary animals with a few unique characteristics.”

“And incredible timing,” Craig muttered. “I believe it’s because of the horse and the wolf-dog that our team suffered no casualties.” He peered at Leah, who cradled baby Charlie in her arms. “You’re safe, young lady. Now go have yourself a beautiful life, will you?”

She started to respond when the door to the cathouse creaked open. “Harrison,” she muttered rather breathlessly.

“Oh yeah,” Craig said, “I forgot to tell you Colbi’s bringing him over here”

But his words were lost in the emotion of the moment as Leah rushed to Harrison, wrapping one arm around him as he leaned on his crutches and kissed her and then the baby again and again. In the meantime, Colbi and Damon squeezed past the couple and stood stunned to see them gathered around the mare.

When Savannah saw the look on Colbi’s face, she said, “You guys aren’t going to believe it.”

“But it sure makes a great story,” Margaret quipped.

After a few moments, Harrison looked around. “Everyone over here okay?” he asked.

“Sure are,” Michael said.

Max and Margaret nodded.

“How about you guys?” Savannah asked, squeezing Colbi to her.

She nodded, as did Damon. Harrison fought back a rush of emotion as he glanced at Colbi, then looked down at Leah and Charlie, saying, “I’m better than I’ve been in my entire life.”