Claws for a Cause (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 15) (3 page)

“Uh, nothing. Probably just a weird coincidence. I knew a guy named Harrison once, but his last name wasn’t Stanton.”

Looking puzzled, Colbi said, “Actually, Harrison doesn’t go by Stanton. He told me he changed his name. I don’t know if he did it legally or not, but now he’s known as Harrison Lee.” She chuckled. “At one point he was interested in a film career and he thought Lee sounded better with his name than Stanton. He is rather handsome and, believe it or not, he’s tall. From our mother’s side, no doubt. He’s a good-looking guy.”

“Yes. Yes he is,” Savannah said as if to herself.

Colbi looked confused. “What?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said, turning to unlock her car door.

Before she could step in, Colbi asked, “Savannah, do you know my brother?”

Savannah turned to face her. “Um…as a matter of fact, I think I might.”

Her dark-blue eyes wide, Colbi asked, “Really? How could that be?” She then remembered something. “Oh, that’s right, you lived in Los Angeles. But…I mean…how…?”

Savannah grimaced, hesitated, then said, “I think most women have a bad boy in their past. Well, I had my bad-boy experience with a handsome younger man named Harrison Lee.”

Colbi looked at Savannah for a moment. “Oh, that’s absurd. What are the chances? Besides, Harrison is what—five years younger than you are?”

Savannah nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid that’s right.” She winced. “So he’s in Hammond, is he?”

“What’s the plan?” Michael asked his wife that evening over dinner. “Will Gladys fly out of Los Angeles and meet us in Hawaii?”

“I think Mom wants to take the train up here and we’ll fly out of Frisco together. There will be a group of around twenty going on the photography trip. They’ve booked rooms for all of us at the same hotel. I arranged for a two-room suite for the four of us, since we’ll be paying for our stay.”

Michael dished up another spoonful of Brussels sprouts and a small piece of salmon. “So will it be like one of those touring trips? Are we required to eat together and all?”

“I believe that’s optional. We don’t have to take meals with everyone, but I think it would be a nice thing to do at least part of the time. I don’t want to seem anti-social.” Savannah added, “I’m eager to go on the organized photo shoots. They’ll have one just about every day. We’ll travel to interesting sites by bus or on foot and learn different photography techniques. I’m excited for the educational aspect of the shoots. Rebecca’s the leader. She told me there should be room on the bus if you and Mom want to go on some of the photo excursions. Or we can rent a car and then go off touring on our own afterward.”

“It all sounds like a lot of fun.”

“Yes. I’m so looking forward to the warm climate. This has been one cold winter. I can’t wait to climb into my summer clothes.” She thought for a moment before saying, “It’ll be strange to dig my shorts, tank tops, and sandals out of storage so early this year.” She looked at Michael. “And Lily’s things—oh my gosh, I’m sure she’s outgrown all of her summer clothes. Where will I shop for baby beach wear in the dead of winter?”

“Hawaii,” Michael said, standing and starting to clear his dishes from the table. “I’m sure they sell summer clothes all year round there.”

“Brilliant!” Savannah said, standing, grabbing him around the neck, and kissing him on the cheek. She wiped Lily’s face and hands with a washcloth, then lifted the baby from the highchair. “Yes, Daddy’s brilliant, isn’t he?”

“Da-da,” Lily said, pointing. When the baby saw Michael hide behind Savannah, then peek out at her, she laughed and began playing her own game of peekaboo with her little hands over her eyes.

“Ah yes,” Michael said, “it’ll be great getting away, swimming in the warm waters, drinking those tropical drinks, learning how to do the hula…” He took Lily from Savannah and spun around with her. “…and enjoying it all with my favorite people in the whole world.”

****

Two days later as he prepared to leave for work, Michael said, “I forgot to tell you—that meeting about the wolves is this afternoon. Still want to go?”

“Today?” she said. “I’d planned to go through our summer clothes.” She thought for a moment. “But yeah, I would like to hear what they have to say. We should know something about our new neighbors.”

“New neighbors?”

“The wolves, of course,” she said, smiling. “What time?”

“Two. I’ll be home for lunch around one. We have the vaccination clinic today, so it will be a long Saturday morning.”

“Yeah, that’ll work. I’ll put Lily down for her nap early so she’ll be cheerful.”

Michael laughed. “She’s always cheerful.” He turned to leave. “See you in a little while, then.”

By one forty-five that afternoon, the Ivey family had arrived at the meeting hall. “Gosh, look at the crowd,” Savannah said. “I hope we can find seats.”

“It’s a hot topic for ranchers these days, and as you know, we have a lot of livestock in this area. They expect to draw ranchers from miles around, not to mention people like us with a few backyard critters—horses, goats, chickens, rabbits...”

Savannah pointed. “There’s Auntie and Max. I wonder why they’re here…curiosity?” She turned to Michael. “They aren’t afraid wolves will bother the cats inside their shelter, are they?”

Michael shook his head. “I doubt it. As you said, they’re probably curious and maybe want to be supportive.”

“Of the ranchers or the wolves?” Savannah asked.

In a serious tone, he said, “Let’s hope there isn’t an ‘us and them’ attitude here today. The point is to live in harmony with the wildlife in the area.”

“Including the scary wolves?” Savannah asked.

He gave her a sideways glance, then said, “Come on, family, let’s see if we can find seats in there.”

As the couple made their way into the large auditorium, Lily in Michael’s arms, they saw a hand wave. “It’s Bud and Brianna,” Savannah said. “Look, there are two chairs next to them. Come on.”

“Hi, Sis,” Savannah said, embracing Brianna. She then gave Bud a quick hug around the neck.

“Are you here to learn how to protect your livestock, Cowboy Bud?” Michael asked as Brianna reached out for Lily.

“Something like that,” he said. “My folks are concerned about the animals on our spread and I think it’s a good idea to learn what our options are.”

Bud looked at Michael, cocking his head. “You don’t have livestock—well, except for the horse.”

“Right,” Michael said. “But as you know, we have a lot of clients with livestock. I’ve patched up a few just this week—you went out on a call or two, didn’t you?”

Bud nodded. “Yeah, one was a gunshot wound.”

“What?” Savannah and Michael said in unison.

“Yeah, the rancher went after something he saw in the dark and ended up shooting his own steer. It was superficial, but hey, we can’t have that sort of nonsense going on.”

Before Michael could comment, a middle-aged woman with short-cropped hair took the stage. As the woman urged everyone to find a seat, Savannah glanced around the room. She made eye contact with her aunt and her husband and waved. She poked Michael, saying, “There are the Gilberts and the Petersons.”

Michael nodded at a couple of people he knew.

Soon all the seats were taken and several people stood along the walls. The audience seemed to be listening carefully to the speakers and watching the film intently—each with his or her thoughts on what was being presented. But not everyone was assimilating the information in the same way. Before the last speaker could be introduced, a man shouted out from the back of the room, “Yeah, but you can’t guarantee me the wolves will leave my sheep be. My only guarantee is a bullet!”

Another man bellowed, “I agree. I have the right as a property owner to protect my livestock from any and all predators, whether you slap a protected label on ‘em or not!”

Savannah leaned toward Michael. “Hey, isn’t that Jack Parsons from the place just north of us?”

He nodded, saying under his breath, “Showing his ignorance.”

The commentator attempted to quiet the rumble in the crowd when a burly man sitting near the front hollered, “That’s right! And you ain’t showed me nothin’ here that’ll change my mind, neither! If them wolves or any other animal threatens my livelihood, I’ll handle it like I always have—with a bullet!”

At that, several people rose and headed for the door, while the majority remained in their seats, stunned at the outbursts.

Once the rabble-rousers had left and the room became quiet again, the speaker addressed the group. “Thank you for remaining seated. We have one additional presenter we’d like to welcome. It’s unfortunate that we scheduled him last. With the others gone, I believe he’ll be speaking to the choir,” she said, chuckling a little. “Please welcome John Berry. He’d like to share with you a few success stories from our files, showing what can happen when we use more eco-friendly tactics to protect our livestock from wild predators.”

The meeting ended at three forty-five and everyone slowly moved out through the double doors and toward their cars.

“What did you think?” Savannah asked Bud. “Will your parents be willing to use some of the tactics they talked about here today?”

“I’m pretty sure they will. In fact, we already do, but that was a good refresher course. What they shared today will help Dr. Mike and me better inform our clients, too.” He looked despondent. “But how are we going to educate those with closed minds?”

“Good question,” Michael said, shaking his head. “I mean, we’re talking about what—one family of wolves in the whole state? What are the chances they’d even come anywhere near civilization? What we’ve got going on here is a near panic situation based on insane rumors.”

“Auntie, Auntie,” Lily chirped.

“Hi, sweet pea,” Margaret said, walking up and reaching for Lily, who was in Michael’s arms.

“What are you doing here?” Savannah asked.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Margaret responded.

“We have livestock,” Savannah said rather smugly.

“Pshaw, Vannie—one horse. You call that livestock?”

“Yes. But you only have cats…in pens.”

Max interjected, “Yeah, but living out like we do, we felt it was wise to become educated in ways to help with the ecosystem. We should all take responsibility.”

“Amen,” Michael said.

Bud nodded.

“Those baby wolves they showed in the film were so cute,” Brianna said.

“And the grown wolves are so dog-like,” Savannah added.

“Which is why domestic dogs could be in danger,” Bud said.

Brianna and Savannah looked at him inquisitively. “They are?”

“Yeah—dogs, steers, sheep—anything that moves. Just the mention of wolves makes some ranchers paranoid,” he explained, “…and trigger-happy.”

“Hey, what are you guys doing this afternoon?” Savannah asked.

Bud and Brianna looked at each other and shrugged.

Margaret said, “Nothing. The volunteers are feeding and administering meds.” She glanced at Max. “We’re free.”

“I made a pot of stew this morning. How about you guys come over and we’ll share it. I picked lettuce from the greenhouse. I can make a salad.”

“Sounds fun,” Brianna said.

Bud nodded and so did Max.

“Yes,” Margaret said, smiling. “I’d love some playtime with my favorite grandniece.”

****

Later that evening, after dinner, the three couples sat around the kitchen table sipping coffee and playing a rowdy game of Monopoly, when Rags rushed into the room, leaped up on the windowsill kitty perch, and began turning in place and meowing.

“What’s wrong with him?” Margaret asked.

“Wow, I don’t know,” Savannah said. “He’s upset about something, isn’t he?”

“He seems excited about something out there,” Brianna observed.

Michael looked at her, then at the cat. “Well, when he’s upset or excited about something, there’s usually a reason.”

Grinning, Savannah quipped, “Finally, he believes me.”

Michael smirked playfully at his wife, then headed for the kitchen door and flipped on the outside light. When he opened the door, they heard Savannah’s mare whinny.

“Oh no, Peaches seems worried about something, too.” Savannah said, rushing to the door. “What is it, Michael?” she asked in a strained voice.

Returning to grab a flashlight off the counter, he said, “I don’t know. You stay here.”

What happened next seemed surreal. A shot rang out in the night, followed by a yelp. Then someone shouted, “Got ‘im!” Before Savannah could react, Rags scooted out through the open door like a flash.

“Rags!” she screeched.

“Hey,” Michael called out, shining the flashlight in the direction of the male voice he’d heard. “Who’s out there?”

Just then, another shot was fired.

“Good lord,” Michael said, under his breath. He shouted, “Stop! Stop shooting!”

By then, Max and Bud had joined Michael and Savannah at the door and the three men stepped out onto the porch. “Who’s shooting?” Bud asked quietly.

“Hell if I know. Some idiot,” Michael said through clenched teeth.

“Peaches,” Savannah whispered. “Is she…?”

Michael shined the light in the mare’s direction. When he saw the glow of the horse’s eyes reflecting back, he said, “She looks okay.” He called again, “Who’s out there?”

That’s when they heard something else—a whimper.

“Lexie!” Michael shouted. “Savannah, where’s Lexie?”

She gasped. “Oh no! I put her in the dog run a while ago. She’s still out there.”

“You stay put,” Michael commanded. He then called, “Lexie!” as he headed toward the run behind the house. After several moments, he shouted back to Savannah, “She’s okay. Here she comes.”

“Come on, girl,” Savannah coaxed, watching as the afghan-mix dog dashed up the porch steps and into the house. She tried to cower behind Savannah, who had dropped to her knees and began petting the little dog, checking her for injuries.

“Who’s out there?” Michael called again.

“Jack Parsons,” came the answer. “I just killed me a wolf.”

“Jack,” Michael said, angrily walking toward him. “What are you doing shooting toward our house, for cripe’s sake? You could have hit one of us or our horse or our dog!”

“It was a wolf—one of those damn wolves just ran through my ranch in this direction. I’ve been stalking him—followed him right over here.”

Michael turned when he heard the whimpering sound again. At the same time, Jack tightened his grip on the rifle.

“It’s a dog in trouble,” Bud said. “Let me see that flashlight, Michael.” Taking it, he quickly headed in the direction of the sound.

“Don’t be a fool,” their neighbor said. “It’s a damn wolf. You don’t want to tangle with that thing.”

Michael grimaced, then joined Bud in the search. “I don’t hear it anymore.” Before he could figure out which way to move, he became aware of another presence. “Rags, what are you doing out here?” Michael asked. He reached down and picked up the cat when he noticed something. “Blood,” he said. “Rags has blood on one of his paws.” After quickly checking the cat over, he reported, “He seems okay. I think he wants us to follow him.” He pointed. “He’s concerned about something in that direction.”

At the same time, the mare let out a whinny.

Bud peered at Michael and shook his head. “Are you saying?”

Michael nodded. “Yeah, I think he’s found our wounded animal.” He placed the cat on the ground. “Show us, Rags.” Within a few moments, Michael shouted so Jack Parsons could hear him, “Good lord, man, you’ve shot a poodle!”

“What?” Mr. Parsons said. He began backing up. “No, I shot a wolf. You’re mistaken, there, Michael. That weren’t no poodle.”