The Cats that Stole a Million (The Cats that . . . Cozy Mystery Book 7) (10 page)

Chapter Fourteen

The driver of the rented black Cadillac skidded on black ice and side-swiped a service pole that supplied electricity to a ramshackle farmhouse.  The electrical line that ran to the nearby utility pole snapped in two.  The light fixture hanging on the pole instantly turned off, enveloping the car in darkness.  Only the headlight beams caught the heavy snow that swirled around them.

“Watch what you’re doing!” Madison warned from the back seat of the car.

The driver slowly backed up.  The passenger side of the vehicle buckled as he pulled away from the pole.  He parked behind a dilapidated farm building, kept the engine running, and toggled on the overhead dome light.  The snow was coming down so hard, he knew he had to find shelter somewhere.  This was as good a place as any.

Madison demanded, “Dimitri, where are you taking me?”

The hitman riding shotgun leaned over his seat, and said menacingly, “Keep your mouth shut.”

Dimitri, the driver and security guard of the jewelry store where Madison had worked, took the good cop role and spoke in a friendly voice.  “No one will hurt you.  Mr. Zhukov wants us to bring you back.”

Madison tried to relax, clutching her fur coat around her.  “If that’s the case, then why are we parked out in the middle of nowhere?”

The two men talked in Russian.  Dimitri pulled out his cell and talked to someone, then ended the call.  He turned in his seat.  “Boss says if you give us the package, we can take you back to — ”

“Yes, I want to go home.  I’m so sorry I made this mistake, but I didn’t know what was in the package,” she said.  “It was addressed to me.  I thought it was something I ordered online.”

“No one is accusing you of anything.  Give it back, and we go.”

The hitman said to Dimitri, “Enough!” He opened the glove box, and removed an automatic pistol.  He pushed in a magazine, and calmly — without any sign of emotion —turned and aimed the gun at Madison’s head.  “Give it to me.”

“But I don’t have it,” she said, afraid for her life.  This time she was telling the truth.

He swung his door open, got out and slammed it shut.  Opening the back door, he slid over next to Madison, then closed the door.  He began frisking her, searching her fur coat’s pockets, patting her down, and then he reached across and snatched her tote bag.  Dumping it unceremoniously on the seat, he began sifting through its contents.

Madison struggled to come up with a different story.  “It’s not in my bag.”

“So where is it?”

“At LaGuardia, I didn’t want to go through the airport’s security X-ray with it, so I checked it in my baggage.”

“Liar!” he stormed. “We didn’t see any luggage.  Where is the luggage now?”

“When Vinny went off to rent the car . . .”  For the first time throughout her ordeal she started to cry.  “Why did you have to kill him?  He had nothing to do with this.”

Dimitri comforted.  “We’re sorry for the misunderstanding.  We thought he was armed.  We were only trying to protect ourselves.”

Through blinding tears, Madison said, “You’re the liar!  Vinny didn’t have a gun.”

“Enough,” the hitman said.  “Focus!  Where is the luggage?”

“I don’t know.”

The man grabbed her by the throat.

“We’re not playing a game here.  Now!” he shouted.

Madison cried more, then said in a weak voice, “At my friend’s house.”

Chapter Fifteen

After Katherine helped Margie load up a few groceries, she returned to the house and walked back to the kitchen.  Salina was finishing her breakfast, and asked to be excused so she could go to her room and check on Wolfy.

“By all means,” Katherine said, taking a seat.  “I know this is a silly question, but did you feed him this morning?”

“He won’t eat.”

“Salina, I have a doctor friend who specializes in cats.  Can I take Wolfy to see him?  If your dad says it’s okay, you can come with me.”  Katherine looked at Stevie, who was now frying a skillet full of potatoes.  Judging from the amount of dishes Stevie had prepared, Katherine wondered if he or his daughter hadn’t eaten in days.  Salina had eaten everything on her plate.

“Yep, Ma’am.  Salina can go.” Stevie turned back to the stove.

Salina toyed with her long braid, smiled shyly, and left the room. 

Katherine lowered her voice.  “Stevie, I think Wolfy is sick.  My vet is very good.”

“I don’t have money to spend on that.”

“How about a loan?”  Katherine knew that many folks in Erie didn’t take kindly to blatant charity. 

Stevie nodded.  “I’ll pay ya back.  Want me to drive you?”

“No, that’s okay.  I can make it in my Subaru.  It’s got four-wheel drive.  As soon as the travel ban is lifted, we’ll go.”

“But first, I made something for you.”

“You’ve got a smorgasbord of breakfast foods on the table. It’s hard to choose.”

“I didn’t know what you liked.”

“I didn’t realize you were quite the gourmand.”

“Somethin’ I did in prison.  I was a cook.”

Katherine’s eyes grew wide.  This was a topic she didn’t want to discuss.  “Okay, then, I’d love some fried potatoes.”

Stevie took the skillet off the fire, and scooped her out a plateful.

“What are those round things in it?”

“Cut up hot dogs.  That’s how my mama made it.”

Katherine dove in.  “Delicious.”

Stevie asked, “Is it okay if I sit with you?”

“Yes, please do.”

Katherine’s cell phone rang.  She didn’t recognize the number that appeared on the top of her screen, but answered it anyway.  “Katherine Cokenberger speaking.”

“Katz, it’s me,” Jake said, relieved and happy to have finally reached her.  “I’ve got so much to tell you.”

“I do, too.  Where are you?  I nearly passed out when I found out you checked out at the hotel in the middle of the night.  Why did you do that?”

“Wayne’s wife is having the baby.  She went into labor, and he needed a ride back to the city.”

“Oh, my gosh.  I’m so happy for them!  Are you in the city?”

“No, I wish.  I’m in Merrillville.  The interstate is closed from here to Crown Point.  In fact, a snow plow driver just whisked Wayne off, but couldn’t take me.”

“Are you checked in a hotel?”

“No, everything is booked solid.  I’m at a convenience store.  I’ll have to wait it out until the road opens.  The driver said I-65 is open south of Crown Point.”

Stevie, not hearing the other end of the conversation, asked, “Does Jake need help?”

Katherine continued, “Stevie Sanders is here with his daughter.  There was an incident at the pink mansion last night.”

“What happened?”

“It’s a long story, and I prefer to tell you in person.”

“Why can’t you tell me now?” Jake demanded.

“Because Stevie’s daughter has a cat and he’s very sick.  I need to take him to the vet ASAP.”

Stevie asked, “Is he stuck somewhere?”

Katherine put down the phone and said, “Yes, north of here.”

“Let me talk to him.”

“Jake, Stevie wants to talk to you.”

“Put him on.”

Katherine passed her phone to Stevie, who took it.  “Jake, I can come and get you.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, I ain’t doin’ anythin’ else today.”

“The road is closed from Crown Point to Merrillville.”

“Maybe it will be open by the time I get there. If it isn’t open, I know how to get around it.”

“Thank you.  I’m on US 30 at the Filler Up convenience store, about a half mile west of I-65.  There’s a restaurant across the street.  I’m headed there now, and will camp there until you come.”

“What’s the restaurant’s name?”

“Waffle Queen.  Hey, thanks, I really appreciate this.  Can you pass the phone back to Katz?”

Stevie obliged.

“Katz, I love you.  Take care.  And, make sure you give Stevie my cell phone number.”

“You must have bought one of those prepaid ones.”

“I did.  Hanging up now.  Kiss our kids.”

“I love you, too,” she said, hitting the end key.  She turned to Stevie.  “This is so kind of you.  Let me check my travel app to see if the ban has been lifted in this area.”  She pulled up the app, read it, and smiled.  “Houston, we are ready for lift off.”

“I’ll go upstairs and tell Salina what’s goin’ on.”

“Oh, Stevie, before you go, do you have family near Merrillville?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I heard you say you knew a way around the closed Interstate.  I’m just curious.”

“Some things are better left unsaid.”

Katherine nearly choked on her coffee.  She realized Stevie must be referring to some criminal activity he had once been involved in that allowed him to find the back roads in the Merrillville area.  “Sorry,” she apologized.

“No problem.”

*     *     *

Leaving Dr. Sonny’s vet clinic, Katherine placed the empty cat carrier on the back seat of her Subaru, while Salina climbed up into the passenger seat.  Taking her seat behind the wheel, Katherine carefully selected the words to explain to Salina that Wolfy was seriously ill.  The poor girl had just lost her mother, then witnessed a violent crime. 
Now her cat is not expected to make it
, she thought sadly.

Putting the SUV in reverse, Katherine said, “One time, a few years ago, one of my cats got very sick.  She ate a poisonous plant.  Dr. Sonny saved her.”

Salina didn’t comment, but asked, “Why did we have to leave him there?  He doesn’t like to be away from me.”

Katherine drove out of the parking lot, and onto the highway.  “Because he has a very bad kitty cold.”

“But, when I catch a cold, I don’t have to stay overnight at the doctor’s office.”

“Wolfy is also dehydrated.  Dr. Sonny is going to give him fluids.”

Salina was silent.

Katherine thought she didn’t know what dehydration meant and explained.  “Wolfy has a temperature, and because of his fever, he’s lost a lot of fluid.  He needs an IV to replace those.”

“I know what dehydration means,” Salina said sadly.  “He hasn’t been eating very much.”

“Cats sometimes don’t eat if they can’t smell their food.  With a cold, Wolfy wouldn’t be able to smell whether or not the food was okay.”

“How long does he have to stay there?” 

“We’ll call later and check on him, okay?”

Salina asked, “Where are we going now?”

“Back to my house.  I’ve got something fun planned.”

“Like what?”

“Like we pick out furniture for your new house.”

“That won’t be fun.”

“Why?”

“Because Wolfy won’t be with me . . . ” Salina’s voice trailed off.

“How do you know that?”

“Because I know he’ll die.”  The distraught girl started to cry.  “Because everything I love dies.”

Katherine slowed down and turned off the highway into the driveway of a ranch house.  Taking the girl’s hand, she said, “I know you’re worried.  I am, too, but we’ve got to think positive, happy thoughts that Wolfy will be all right.” 

Salina gave Katherine a hard look. “I don’t want to pick out furniture because my dad can’t pay for it.”

“He won’t have to, because do you want to hear a little secret?  Promise not to tell anyone?”

“Maybe.”

“I’m buying it as a present.  I want my new neighbors to have a fresh beginning.  What better way than to have new furniture.”

“You must be a millionaire.”

“Well, sort of,” Katherine laughed.  Backing out onto the highway, she said, “Are you hungry?  If the diner is open, want to grab a burger?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”  Salina’s mood brightened at the mention of food.

*     *     *

No sooner had Katherine and Salina gotten back from the diner and inside the front door, the landline rang.  “Salina, go ahead and take your boots off.”  Katherine dashed to answer the phone.

“Katz, this is Dr. Sonny.  I need to ask you this, and I didn’t want to ask in front of Salina, but did any of your cats come into contact with Wolfy?”

Katherine had to think.  “I can’t be one hundred percent sure.  The only cats that were out when Wolfy arrived were Iris and Abby, but they were in a different room.  Since then, Wolfy has been locked up in one of my guest rooms.  Why do you ask?”

“If Wolfy does have an upper respiratory infection, I can treat the secondary infection with antibiotics.  However, keep a close eye on your cats.  Usually, the incubation time for cats to catch the cold is two to ten days.”

“What are the symptoms?  What should I look for?”

“Eye and nasal discharge.  Sneezing.  Some cats cough.  If any of your cats exhibit these symptoms, bring them in as soon as possible. I can prescribe meds for supportive care.”

“Yes, definitely.”

“Katz, bleach the area Wolfy was in:  his bedding, the cat carrier you brought him in, and thoroughly wash any objects he may have touched.  Spray the room with a good disinfectant and make sure your cats don’t go in there for a while.”

“You’re scaring me.  Do you suspect Wolfy has more than a cold?”

“We’re running a blood test right now.  Wolfy may have feline leukemia.”

“Oh, no,” Katherine gasped. 

Salina walked into the room.  “Is that my Dad?”

Katherine shook her head and raised a finger.  “Just a sec,” she said to the girl.

Returning to the phone, Katherine said shakily.  “Yes, Dr. Sonny, please call as soon as you know something.  Thanks.” 

“Salina, that was Dr. Sonny. He’s doing a blood test to see how Wolfy’s doing.  He’ll call us later with the results.”

“You seem upset.”

“No, I’m good,” Katherine said, wanting to present a calm face to the teen.  “Maybe we should check on the cats in their playroom.”

“Can I come too?”

“Yes, of course.”

Heading for the stairs, Katherine asked, “You know about germs, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I need to move you to a different room.  Do you mind?”

“Why?”

“Because Wolfy’s germs could infect my cats.”

“Oh, like how we catch a cold,” Salina said knowingly.

“Yes, exactly.  I need to clean the room.  While I do that, would you like to hang out with the cats in the playroom?”

“Yes, Ma’am.  My teacher said we should always wash our hands after being around someone with a cold.”

“Your teacher knows best.  Let’s do that before we see my kids.”

Salina giggled. “I think it’s funny you call your cats kids.”

“They are my kids — all seven of them.”

“I’m gonna start calling Wolfy my fur kid.”

“I bet he’ll like that.”

*     *     *

After thoroughly cleaning the guest room, where Salina and Wolfy had slept the night before, Katherine sat down on the twin bed and called Colleen.  Her call went directly to voice mail, then Colleen called back several seconds later.

“Hey, Katz, Daryl told me what happened.  I saw it on the morning news.  Who is this guy?”

“A friend of Madison.”

“What?” Colleen said, shocked, on the other end.  “The saints preserve us.  What’s going on?  Tell me true.”

“For starters, when Mum gave Madison my address, who would have thought she’d fly out and visit me in a blizzard?”

“Oh, no she didn’t.  Start from the beginning.”

“That
is
the beginning.  Madison came over last night.  She was acting really obnoxious, and totally out of character . . . well at least from the way I remember her —”

“Which is when we graduated from high school,” Colleen finished. 

“She only stayed for a few minutes. I left the room, and her male friend barged in and told her they had to leave.  He left before she did, and got shot in front of my house.”

“What was the motive?  Daryl said the victim was from Brooklyn.”

“He lived just around the corner from where you did, by the Italian Pub.  I just don’t get it.  Why did Madison come to my house?”

“Surely when she first arrived, she must have said something,” Colleen prompted.