Cat-Eye Witness (A Klepto Cat Mystery) (2 page)

Savannah felt herself blush. She changed the subject. “So glad someone donated those canopies so folks can get out of the sun.”

“Yes, and they make the place look festive. The decorations committee outdid themselves.”

Just then, two women strolled in through the open kitchen door and stopped to see what Iris and Savannah were looking at. Savannah put her arm across the shoulders of the one standing closest. “And if it wasn’t for these wonderful women, we wouldn’t have attracted so many people, nor would we have all those goodies to offer them. Dora,” she said, giving her a little squeeze, “your brownies are decadent. Everyone wants the recipe.”

The petite, white-haired woman dug her hands into the pockets of her red gingham apron and lowered her head. “Well, I’m glad they’re a hit.” She peered up at Savannah over her granny glasses. “As I told you that day we met, I’m out of practice when it comes to baking.”

“You would never know it,” the other woman said. “Your Bundt cakes are delicious.”

Savannah acknowledged the second woman, who held two aluminum trays in her arms. “Edie, this wouldn’t be such a success without yours and Charles’s expertise with publicity. You two are amazing.” She raised her arm in a sweeping motion. “Just look at all those people out there, and they’re all smiling.”

“Well, we’re enjoying ourselves, too,” Edie said, hooking a strand of her blunt-cut, salt-and-pepper hair behind one ear. She took her companion’s arm and urged, “Come Dora, let’s cut more goodies and get them on these serving trays.” Before walking away, she leaned into Savannah. “Love your pigtails.”

“Thanks. Love your calico print skirt.” Savannah giggled. “Isn’t it fun to play dress-up? And Western is my favorite.” She confided, “I think I’m a cowgirl at heart.”

Edie winked. “A darling cowgirl.”

Iris pointed off to the left. “Hey look, even my boys are having fun over there in the arcade. What a great job for them.”

Savannah, who wasn’t at all accustomed to viewing such a hustle-bustle of activity where she lived, smiled. “Very cool. And we couldn’t have asked for better weather.” Suddenly, something outside caught her attention. “Oh, here comes my fiancé. He probably wonders where the lemonade is. Will you excuse me?”

“Sure,” Iris said.

Savannah started to move away, then stopped. “Wardrobe malfunction,” she said pointing a finger at the front of Iris’s fitted, blue bandana-print blouse.

Iris looked down. “Oh, I wish I’d fixed that darned stretched-out buttonhole. My boobs keep coming out for fresh air.”

Savannah laughed before asking, “Want a safety pin?”

Iris thought about it for a moment, shrugged and said, “Naw, I’ll live dangerously.” Suddenly, she noticed Edie and Dora struggling to pick up some large dessert platters. She rushed toward them. “Here, let me help.” She chuckled. “I’m what you might call an expert at carrying trays.”

Dora looked up at her. “Oh that’s right. You’re a waitress.” She shook her head. “Now that’s one strenuous job. I did it when I was younger—wasn’t for me.”

Iris smiled down at Dora. “I rather like it. After all these years as a server, I guess it’s in my blood. I can’t imagine doing anything else.” She winked. “And the tips are good.” She picked up one of the dessert trays, and rolled her eyes for effect before saying, “Love my tips.” She leaned toward Dora as if sharing a secret. “That’s how I can afford all my crazy costume jewelry and snazzy shoes,” she said while displaying a wrist full of blue and gold bangles.

Iris moved toward the open kitchen door, now holding the tray with both hands, just as Michael was about to enter. With a tip of his hat and a nod, he backed out of the doorway allowing the three women to exit. They smiled and continued on their way.

“Hello there,” Michael said as he entered the kitchen and enveloped Savannah in a bear hug. “I’ve missed you.” He then pulled away. “Gosh, you’re cute with pigtails. You look like Annie Oakley or Calamity Jane or...”

Make up your mind, cowboy.” She reached up and tweaked the brim of his Stetson and said, “I think this is the first time I’ve seen you in Western garb.” She cocked her head. “Didn’t even know you owned a pair of cowboy boots.”

“Well good!”

“Good?” She blinked her eyes; appeared confused. “What do you mean, good?”

“Isn’t a guy supposed to leave something unrevealed? Isn’t there supposed to be mystery and surprises in a relationship?”

“Oh, is that so?” An impish smile crossed her lips and she began wriggling her fingers in a tickling motion against his ribs.

“Stop that!” he said, attempting to twist away from her. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to torture you until you reveal all of your secrets.”

“Oh no you don’t,” he said between chortles. His tone became more urgent. “Hey stop—someone’s coming.”

The couple quickly pulled away from each other just as Edie walked through the open door. They greeted her, but she didn’t seem to notice. She was on a mission.

“Need more napkins,” she said almost breathlessly.

“Here they are.” Savannah reached across the counter for an unopened package and handed it to her.

Edie smiled, turned on her heels, and left.

“I’d better get this lemonade made,” Savannah said, turning toward the counter. “Michael, will you wash out that punch bowl, please?” As she assembled the ingredients for the lemonade, including a smidge of fresh lavender, she mulled over what Michael had said about secrets.
I never tire of learning new things about my man, that’s for sure. But there probably isn’t much more to know. I mean, since I decided to move back to Hammond into Aunt Marg’s empty house and put my DVM degree to use as a vet at Michael’s clinic, we spend every waking moment together.
She smiled to herself.
And that’s just the way I like it.
She glanced over at Michael and asked, “How’s the mare? Any sign that she’s ready to foal, yet?”

“No. Bud’s on duty this weekend, checking on her every few hours. It could be real-touch-and-go with her as weak as she is.” He pursed his lips and stared into space for a moment. “I hope we can stave off labor for another few weeks, at least…give her a chance to build up her strength.” He picked up a dishtowel from the countertop and began drying the bowl. “But Mother Nature’s the gal in charge.”

Michael placed the bowl near Savannah, then leaned his six-foot frame against the counter and watched his fiancée pour lemon juice and water into it.

“Oops, darn it,” Savannah said.

“What?”

“I splashed lemonade on my skirt.”
Just glad I didn’t rent the suede cowgirl costume
, she thought while dabbing at the spot with a clean cloth. She stood and adjusted the off-shoulder neckline on the white peasant blouse before walking into the pantry in search of sugar. “There are a lot of people pulling for that little mare and her foal—and the other, what is it, eight horses?” she asked.

“Yes, nine in all.”

“Nine beautiful horse souls,” Margaret’s husband Max said as he sauntered into the kitchen with another empty bowl. “Need more of the happy juice.” He chuckled. He then turned serious as he addressed Michael. “By the way, any word on the pregnant mare?”

Michael shook his head slowly. “Still pregnant. It could be any time, but we sure hope not.” He looked over at Max, who now stood next to Savannah. “There’s someone who may be interested in adopting her and the foal. I talked to her earlier out near the horseshoe pit. Bobbi, from animal control, will check her out.”

“Cool,” Max said with a broad smile. “Great turnout, isn’t it? And the publicity is bound to bring in more requests for some of the horses.”

Savannah knew that Max was right, which is why most members of the Hammond Cat Alliance voted in favor of using some of their resources toward the horses’ rehabilitation. The rescue that had taken place several months earlier at the Bray place was, after all, a dual operation involving both cats and horses. Most of the stolen cats and horses had been returned to their homes. But there were still nine horses that had not been spoken for because no one knew where they came from. The authorities believed they were on the property when Bray bought it three years earlier.

***

“Thank you for supporting the horses,” Savannah said to a family as they left later that afternoon. She turned to face Max, smiling. “Well, we almost have the place back to ourselves.”

He stretched to his six-foot-one height and twisted his back. Savannah heard a couple of pops coming from the area of his spine. “Ouch,” she said with a grimace.

He laughed, his friendly dark eyes twinkling under heavy brows. “Ahhh, feels good!” He straightened toward Savannah. “By the way, this was a great event. It was nice of you and Maggie to open your home to the community like this.”

Savannah glanced around at the few people who were still enjoying the ambiance and the sunset. “Where is Auntie?” she asked.

“She went to get something from her room.” He chuckled. “I wonder sometimes if she’ll ever get moved into my place. We’ve been married now for what, two and a half months, and she’s still coming over here for one thing or another.”

“And I love her visits. I miss having her here.”

Max ran his hand through his thick head of curly salt and pepper hair. “I love having her with me.” He smiled. “I’m one lucky guy.” Suddenly, he lost his smile. He looked over Savannah’s shoulder to make sure no one was listening. “Now, tell me about the trouble we had here earlier. Is it true that someone took the money we collected?”

“I’m afraid so,” Savannah said, crinkling her brow.

“From whom? Where was the money?”

“Come on, I’ll show you. I think Michael and Iris are up there with Deputy Jim now.”

Savannah and Max stepped quietly onto the landing at the top of the staircase. Suddenly, as they approached the room where the crime had taken place, the silence was shattered by a bone-chilling scream coming from the room across the hall. Savannah froze in place. “Auntie Marg,” she whispered.

“Oh my God,” Max murmured as he hurried toward the sound. He stepped through the master bedroom door, Savannah right behind him. They were immediately joined by a concerned Michael and then Iris and Deputy Jim.

“What is it, Maggie?” Max asked, rushing to where she stood with her hands cupped over her mouth.

“There!” She pointed toward the bed.

“What?” he asked, looking puzzled.

“A dead man!” Margaret shouted. “There’s a dead man in my room!”

“Where?” Jim asked.

“There. Behind the bed!” Margaret screeched. She turned, buried her face in Max’s chest and repeated, “Oh, God. Oh, God.”

Max wrapped his arms around her and looked toward where Jim and Michael stood, staring in disbelief at a body on the floor between the wall and the king-size bed.

“Well, I’ll be…” Jim muttered.

“Daddy? What’s wrong? I heard screaming.”

Everyone turned. There, peering into the room was a ten-year-old girl in overalls and a pink shirt. Jim rushed toward the child just as his wife appeared at the door. He said to her, “Eve, take Jilly downstairs, will you?”

Eve attempted to look beyond him into the room for a moment. She then bent down and whispered something to the child, her blond hair falling across her daughter’s face. When the mother ushered the child away from the door, Jim quickly closed it.

“Who is it?” Margaret asked, her voice an octave higher than normal.

“I don’t know,” Jim said. “Michael?”

“Doesn’t look familiar to me.”

“Is he…?” Margaret started.

“Dead?” Jim finished the question. “Oh yes.” He turned toward the small group and said apologetically, “I hate to do this, but can any of you identify the body?”

Max spoke quietly into his wife’s dark-brown bobbed hair, “Maggie, can you…?”

Margaret fired back, her brown eyes flashing with fear, “I saw it. I don’t know who it is.”

“Savannah, Ms. Clampton…er, Iris, would you ladies take a look?” Jim asked.

The two women glanced at each other and then at Jim. “Okay, I guess. Come on Iris.” Savannah looped her arm through her friend’s. They edged over to the spot next to the bed where they could see the body; neither of them in any hurry to get there. Jim stepped back and Savannah and Iris took his place next to the victim’s feet.

“Ewwww!” Iris said as she removed her arm from Savannah’s and momentarily covered her eyes with her hands.

“Take your time, ladies. Do you know him? Did you see him here today? Maybe he delivered food or tables. Or he was a guest,” Jim suggested.

“Doesn’t look familiar to me,” Savannah said somberly. “What do you think happened to him?”

Jim rubbed his chin. “It’s hard to tell until they move the body. But it looks like he was struck on the head by some object.”

“Ewwww!” Iris continued to stare into the victim’s face. “He was murdered?”

Savannah sucked in a quick breath. “In my home?” She turned and walked slowly to the other side of the room and stood next to Michael.

All eyes were on Iris. “Do you recognize him?” Jim asked. He waited for a response. “Ms. Clampton?”

“Oh!” Iris turned as if startled. “No, I don’t know him.” She walked away, head down, silent.

Jim squinted in her direction. He pulled a cell phone from his pocket and punched in a number. “Deputy Green, we’re going to need a detective out here at…” he looked over at Margaret, who was sniffling into a tissue.

“33 Cranberry Way,” Savannah recited quickly.

“33 Cranberry Way,” Jim repeated. “And let the coroner know we have one for him.” He slipped the phone back into his pocket, and turned to the group. “Michael, tell the guests they’ll have to stay for questioning, would you? I know a lot of people have already left. We’ll need a list of everyone who was here. Can you provide that?” he asked, not knowing who to direct the question to.

“Oh noooo,” Iris moaned.

“What?” Savannah asked.

“Whoever took the money also took the list.”

“Why would they do that?”

“It was all together in an envelope,” she wailed.

The deputy grimaced. “Well, everyone put your thinking caps on and see if you can come up with a list. Unless the investigators find some excellent clues, which is highly unlikely, we’ll need to talk to everyone who was here today.”