Black Cat and the Accidental Angel (Black Cat Mysteries Book 3) (33 page)

Amanda walked carefully across the room with Rambo, as though she carried a fragile glass egg.

“Now, watch the kittens,” John called. “Don’t go off and leave them outside alone.”

Cindy nodded and closed the front door behind her.

John’s hands fidgeted in his lap. “I don’t exactly know where to start. It’s all so embarrassing.”

“If you’d rather not discuss it, it’s okay. We understand.” Brett leaned toward the sofa.

“It’s alright. I need to tell you what happened. She’s your cat.” He took a deep breath. “We’ve been having some trouble here on the ranch for several months and—”

“What kind of trouble?”

Leave it to Brett to zero in on the word ‘trouble’.

“Well…” John coughed and cleared his throat. “How can I put this?” He peeked out the window. Probably checking to make sure Cindy couldn’t overhear him. “You see, I have full custody of Cindy and my wife…
er
…ex-wife came a couple of days ago and tried to…
um
… take Cindy by force. To make a long story short, Cindy struggled with her and…
um
… well, Angel bit her.”

“Angel bit Cindy?” Brett raised an eyebrow. He glanced toward Kimberlee. She stroked Angel’s back.

“No. Angel bit my ex-wife.” John put his hand over his eyes and rubbed his temples. “Then my ex-wife hit Angel with the fireplace poker.” His words were almost a whisper. John put both hands over his eyes and rubbed his fingers into the bridge of his nose.

Kimberlee gasped. “I can’t believe…” She glanced from Brett to Jack, then down at Angel. Chance stood, circled around Jack’s legs and lay back down on the floor.

Thumper’s fur rumpled up.
Grrr.
Just hearing again how Carolyn attacked Angel made his blood boil.
Why did I let John stop me? I should have given her something to remember me by. The old battleax!

“I know…I know. I couldn’t believe it myself.” John wrung his hands. “The vet says she’ll be okay in time. The stitches should come out in about a week. She’ll need follow-up vet care though, if you take her home today.”

“I don’t know what to say, Mr. Goldstein.” Kimberlee blushed. “We really didn’t mean to pry into your personal business. We had no idea…” She turned to Brett. “Brett, get your checkbook. We should pay Mr. Goldstein for the vet expenses—”

“Please call me John.” He lifted his head and smiled. “And I wouldn’t hear of you paying for the vet. I feel bad enough about it. My ex-wife—”

“How about we split the bill?” Brett stood and pulled his checkbook from his back pocket.

“I suppose that would be okay. The vet bill’s there on the buffet.”

Brett stood and walked to the buffet. He picked up the vet bill, then wrote a check and tore it from his checkbook.

John picked up another cookie. “Would you folks like to walk out and see the Emus? We have a couple baby chicks, just over a week old.”

“Sure, sounds like fun.” Brett stood and took Kimberlee’s hand. The three followed John out the door, leaving it ajar. “Put the kittens back, girls, we’re going to look at the birds.”

Thumper and Angel ambled across the room to the front door, watching the folks step off the porch.

Cindy hurried back into the house with the kittens and then ran after Amanda.

I’ll stay with Angel and see if I can find out what’s troubling her.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Y
ark, yark!
The Emus rushed to the wire, curious to see their visitors.

John led the way toward the Emu enclosure, glancing back over his shoulder toward his guests.
So this is Black Cat’s folks.
Brett and Kimberlee seemed nice. He was glad Black Cat…no, what did they call him? Thumper? He’d gotten so attached to Thumper and Angel after only a few months. Felt as though they’d always been part of the family. He was sure going to miss them. Cindy was happy that Rambo and Faith were staying. Guess he’d made the right decision that time. It wasn’t a hard decision. It’s not as if he didn’t love those little rascals too, almost as much as Thumper and Angel.

“Watch your step there by that garden hose.” He turned to smile at Kimberlee as he stepped closer to the Emu gate. “Here we go. Just give me a minute.”
He unlocked the door and walked inside.

Kimberlee and her family stopped outside the gate.

Amanda clung to Kimberlee’s skirt, peeking around her mother’s legs, her wide eyes focused on the huge birds.

Cindy took Amanda’s hand and tugged her out from behind Kimberlee. “It’s okay. They can’t get out. Aren’t they funny looking?” She pulled her closer to the fence.

“Can we pet them?” Amanda reached toward the wire where one of the baby Emus peered through. It scuttled off, just out of reach.

“Maybe later, honey, if John wants to take you into the enclosure.” Kimberlee took her hand and guided her away from the fence. “Right now, I think we should have Daddy Brett get our cooler out of the van. What do you say? Shall we have some lunch?”

Amanda nodded and walked back toward the house with Cindy and Kimberlee. She looked back over her shoulder. “I like the babies. Can we take one home?”

“No sweetheart. We’re going to take Thumper and…
um
…Angel home. We wouldn’t have room for one of the baby birds.”

John grinned and pointed toward the picnic table under the trees. He called after Kimberlee. “Go ahead and set up your things over there. Cindy, you and Amanda run in and bring the sodas from the fridge and some ice. Do you need anything else, Kimberlee?”

“Maybe some glasses since you’ve got ice. I just have paper cups. Otherwise, I’ve brought everything. Brett, if you and Jack will get the things out of the van, I’ll set up the table.”

The girls hurried inside. Amanda returned lugging two bottles of coke. Cindy carried a tray with glasses and a bowl of ice.

Brett and Jack came back, hauling the ice cooler between them, with the picnic baskets balanced on top.

With the tablecloth spread across the table, Kimberlee took cold chicken, corn on the cob, French bread and potato salad from the cooler.

“Grab those paper napkins, girls, and we’ll be ready.” Kimberlee motioned for the men to sit and eat.

Lunch proceeded amongst much laughter and conversation about kids, cats and Emus.
Thank goodness we never got to religion or politics. Doubt I could hold my own with these folks.
“I’m glad the cats are going to such nice people. We’re mighty pleased you’ve found us.” John took the last bite of French bread and reached for a chocolate chip cookie.

Kimberlee nodded. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. We’re so happy to get the cats back and to make new friends in the process. Would you care for anything else?” She picked up the bowl of potato salad.

“Couldn’t hold another bite, but thanks.” John waved away the bowl.
What a pleasant afternoon
.
Things couldn’t get any better.
He leaned back and patted his full tummy. “
Ahh.
Good food and good company. This was great. Thanks, Kimberlee.”

“Can we be excused, Daddy?” Cindy took Amanda by the hand. “We want to go and look at the baby Emus again.”

“Sure. Go ahead, but don’t open the gate.”

“We won’t.” She grinned and they ran, hand in hand, toward the enclosure.

John stared after the girls. Did she just wink at Amanda? What are they up to? Maybe I should—

“John, I just thought of something.” Kimberlee grabbed his arm. “Our annual Harvest Day Festival is in mid-October. Fern Lake puts on a real nice parade and entertainment at the park. Jack’s motel is sponsoring a sailboat race. It’s a pretty big event. Why don’t you and Cindy come for the weekend? Jack, can you reserve a room for them? What do you think?”

“Sounds fine to me. Just give me a call.” Jack stuffed the last cookie in his mouth.

John’s heart swelled.
What a great idea
. “Cindy would love that. She’ll be begging me to come and visit Amanda and the cats, anyway. Let’s make it a date.”

Brett poked John’s shoulder. “In fact, I’ll bet you’d like to meet Kimberlee’s cousin, Dorian. She’s a police detective. Pretty, blonde, always on the lookout for a single guy.”

“Brett! Stop trying to be a matchmaker. That’s my job. Dorian’s a very nice—”

Eeekke!

Cindy?
John’s head jerked toward the enclosure.
What’s happened? She didn’t open the
…
John leaped up from the table, headed for the enclosure. It’s one of Gilbert’s babies!”

Chance barreled out from under the table and raced past John, her tongue lolling and hair flying. She bolted after the Emu chick that had just run through the open gate and headed across the yard.

Cindy stood with her hand on the enclosure latch.

How many times have I told her
…
?
John made a grab for the chick as it ran past his legs. He missed.

A raucous screech came from the chick. He ran like the devil was after him.

Chance dogged the chick like a trailing shadow.

The chick’s little wings flapped as if the extinct thought of flight had just entered his tiny brain.

John rushed after the chick, his hands outstretched. Oh, God, don’t let that dog catch it. She’ll kill it for sure.

Jack shot up from the table. “Chance, come back here this minute. Bad girl!”

“Brett. Do something!” Kimberlee jumped to her feet and rushed after the fleeing bird.

Amanda ran back toward the picnic table with Cindy close behind. Tears streamed down Cindy’s face. “Daddy! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

The chick approached the end of the driveway. At the edge of the road, a car roared past and the chick turned back toward his screaming pursuers.

Chance closed the gap, each stride bringing her closer to her quarry. Gilbert’s baby changed direction as each obstacle appeared in his path. He turned right at the lawnmower, left at the woodpile and veered toward the vineyard; his potential human captors close behind.

Chance zigged with each zig and zagged with each zag, keeping pace with the chick. She stumbled, regained her feet, and then thundered behind the frenzied fleeing fowl.

“Catch that blasted dog before she kills my chick!”

Jack raced behind the retriever with Brett not far behind. Jack stopped and doubled over, panting.

John cut across the lawn. The pursuers twisted and turned across the yard.
We must look like a gol-darned train, all of us running like this.

The bird turned at the front porch and tore toward the table where Cindy and Amanda now stood, transfixed, staring at the pandemonium. Cindy put up her arms and hollered. “No! Shoo. Go away.”

Gilbert’s baby was not to be discouraged. With a final bound, he flapped his miniature wings and landed in the middle of the picnic table, knocked over the soda bottles and stomped into the potato salad.

John screeched to a stop and bumped into Brett, knocking him off his feet and down on the lawn. Brett rolled in the grass and burst into laughter. The others froze.

A fowl in the potato salad was the last thing anyone expected on the menu.

Chance skidded to a stop, crouched down and looked around for Jack.

Jack rushed up and grabbed her by the collar. Chance hung her head. Was she truly ashamed of her performance or only sorry she’d gotten caught?

John looked from one guest to another. His face warmed. What would these people think of him now? Bad enough his ex-wife had tried to murder Angel. Now, they couldn’t even get through lunch without a disaster. He gulped, put his hand over his eyes, and swallowed.
So much for a weekend holiday at the lake. Who could blame them if they never speak to us again?
Perspiration trickled down his neck. He lowered his hand and opened his eyes.

The baby Emu pecked with wild abandon at first one delicacy and then another. Corn on the cob, French bread with garlic butter, green olives. His yellow feet squished as he stepped one foot and then the other into the potato salad. Mayonnaise smeared along the speckled feathers on his neck. A green olive stuck to his beak.

John dashed to the table. Quicker than Gilbert’s baby could think
holy barbecue sauce
, John plucked him from the salad and hurried back to the enclosure, tossed him inside and slammed the door. He turned to face his guests. What could he possibly say? How humiliating!
Those girls!

Kimberlee and the girls cheered and applauded.

Thank goodness. They’re not mad?
John bowed and swept out his arm like a toreador with a red cape. “Cindy? Amanda? Come here! What have you got to say for yourselves?” John balled his fists on his hips and scrunched his eyebrows together.
Now, to try and keep a straight face.
It was all he could do to keep from bursting into laughter. The corners of his mouth twitched.