Catnapped (A Klepto Cat Mystery) (6 page)

“Yeth, Mith Lipton. I thaw her outthide. Hello, Mith. Forthter,” she said as she walked over to her and held out her hand.

Margaret extended a hand for a weak handshake. “So you help Ms. Lipton with the cats?”

“I love the cath and Mith Lipton leth me help and payth me,” she said.

Margaret observed the hint of Down’s in the girl’s face and structure. “That’s nice, Charlotte. I love cats, too.”

Dora put her arm around the girl and squeezed her shoulders. “She’s a wonderful help. And she has learned to ride the bus here by herself…”

Before she could finish, Charlotte chimed in, “Buth number five. Get off at Oak and walk two blockth.”

Dora smiled at the girl. “And she doesn’t miss a thing when it comes to caring for the cats. She knows exactly who’s who, their favorite toys, where they prefer sleeping, what they like to eat, who needs to get up in the sink for a fresh-water drink. And boy can she clean.”

“How old are you, Charlotte?” Margaret asked.

“Almoth fifteen,” she announced proudly, while pushing back a wispy red curl from her face.

“Savannah, this is Charlotte,” Dora said after Savannah had put the second bag of food in the pantry and walked up to the others.

“Oh, hello Charlotte,” she said while shaking hands with the girl. “So you help take care of the cats?”

“Yeth,” Charlotte said quietly. “Thith ith my job.”

“Cool.” Savannah smiled.

“Where do you live that you have to take the bus here?” Margaret asked.

“Eatht Heighth Mobile Park, Thpathe 42,” she said, looking over at Dora for confirmation.

Dora nodded.

“Oh, that’s near where I live,” Margaret said. “…on the other side of East Heights on Cranberry. I walk up there a lot—when I’m not on crutches.”

“I like to walk. And I like cath. Do you have cath?”

“I sure do. Maybe you could come over and meet my cat sometime.” Margaret smiled.

“Okay!” Charlotte said, looking to Dora for validation.

Margaret nodded. “Very nice meeting you both. We really need to be going. I hope to see you again. Hugs to all of the kitties,” she said, as she turned toward the door.

“Oh, watch it,” Dora said with a chuckle. “Charlotte takes everything quite literally, I’m sure she will be doing a lot of hugging today.”

Charlotte’s smile broadened at the thought.

***

“Well, what a nice lady,” Savannah said while starting the car and swiveling in her seat to see if she was clear to back out of the driveway.

“Yes she is,” Margaret agreed. “Turn left here, would you?”

“Left? But we came in from that direction,” she said nodding toward the right.

“I know, Vannie, but I want to check something out. Left!”

After using Dora’s map to direct Savannah, Margaret said, “That’s gotta be it! Stop here. She scrutinized the nondescript stucco house which was badly in need of paint and situated in the middle of a dry weed patch.

“What is this place?” Savannah asked, turning up her nose at the sight.

“It’s where the cat hoarder lives,” Margaret explained. “I think this is where Jim sent us and we happened upon Dora by mistake.”

Savannah smiled. “It was a pleasant mistake, don’t you think?”

“Sure was. Now let’s go check these people out.”

“Helllloooo,” Margaret called, knocking hard on the front door. “Is anyone here?” She could see a couple of cats in the window through shredded sheers and thrashed mini-blinds.

“What?” a thin, balding man asked rather abruptly upon opening the door a crack.

“Hello,” Margaret said. “I’m with the Hammond Cat Alliance and just wanted to stop by and see if you need anything for your cats.”

“Like what?” he asked brusquely, while using one foot to hold back an array of curious cats.

“Oh, help with the cats—food, litter…we just want to make sure the cats are getting everything they need.”

“Why wouldn’t they? And what business is it of yours, anyway?”

“Who is it, George?” a female voice screeched from inside.

When he turned to address her, Margaret could see an obese woman sitting in an oversized recliner drinking what appeared to be a giant-sized soda from a convenience store. There were cats of all colors, sizes, and shapes in the room; several lounging on the many pieces of furniture.

“Some women want to know if we need anything for the cats,” he reported.

“Hell no. We don’t need nothing from no busybody women. Our cats are jus’ fine.”

“You heard her,” he said as he pushed the door to close it.

“Wait!” Margaret shouted. She lifted one crutch and set the tip of it between the door and the door frame. “That cat behind you is sneezing. Its eyes are runny. Is it seeing a vet?”

“Yeah, we’re gonna take him next week when our money comes in. What’s it to you?” He pushed the door against Margaret’s crutch.

“You’re going to have a whole lot of sick cats if you don’t isolate him,” Margaret blurted. “My niece here is a vet,” she said. “Isn’t that so, Vannie?”

“Well…yes,” Savannah said hesitantly, “if what the cat has is contagious.”

“It could be deadly,” Margaret insisted. “The cat needs to be seen now and he needs to be separated from the other cats.”

“What’s going on? Who are you people?” the woman demanded as she waddled over to the door and pulled it open wide. “Shoo! Shoo!” she said, waving a sheet of newspaper in the direction of several cats that had followed her. “You git out again and I’m gonna leave you out there!” she screeched.

As the cats skittered back into the room, the woman turned to Margaret and Savannah and said, “Now listen up. We take care of the cats when the money comes in. When there’s no money, there’s no extras for anyone—us or the cats.”

“So how do you get the money?” Margaret insisted.

The woman looked Margaret up and down, smirked a little, and said, “The Internet. We operate on donations through the Internet and we do jus’ fine, thank you very much.” She glared at the two women who were standing on her porch for a few seconds and then said, “Now George is calling the police. Either you keep harassing us and git arrested or you git the hell outta here now and mind your own business.”

Holy cow, we’re going to be arrested,
Savannah thought. She tugged on the back of her aunt’s blouse and said, “Come on Auntie, there’s nothing we can do here. Let’s go.”

“Yeah, good idea,” the woman said before slamming the door hard. As Margaret and Savannah turned and started to walk away, they heard the woman screech, “Get the fuck outta the way, you mangy flea bag!”

“Oh my gosh,” Savannah whispered loudly. “Those people are scary. I’m afraid for those cats. Something is way wrong here. Did you smell that stench and see all the trash in that room?”

Once in the car, Margaret spoke up, “Vannie, there sure is something wrong here. I believe this is a case of Internet fraud at the expense of innocent cats.”

“What do you mean?” Savannah asked as she drove the car away from the curb.

“Well, I’m pretty sure they have a website where they exploit the cats by showing their photos and telling sad stories about how they are ill or have no food to eat. People donate money to help the kitties without knowing that it’s actually a scam. There are cats in need and there are certainly legitimate organizations using the Internet to help cats, but I’ll bet my bottom dollar the money these people are collecting isn’t going toward the cats’ care. Did you see that giant TV in that room?”

“And the classy new car in the driveway,” Savannah added. “Oh my gosh, what a terrible situation. We have to report them, Auntie.”

“From what Dora says, the authorities know about them and are planning to close them down,” Margaret said. “I just hope it’s sooner rather than later. Just to be sure they follow through, I’m going to make a few calls when we get home.”

The two rode quietly for a few minutes when Margaret spoke up. “Where do you suppose they got all those cats? Do you think hoarders go out and steal cats? I guess they might if they’re running a scam and they’re not taking proper care of the cats,” she reasoned.

Savannah thought for a moment before saying, “Yeah, if they run out of cats, they would certainly need more to photograph.” She shook her head. “Gosh, that’s just sick!”

Suddenly, Margaret lurched forward in her seat. “What time is it? Uh-oh, it’s after two,” she said, looking at the clock embedded in the dashboard. “We need to get over to the vet’s office.”

“Okay,” Savannah said. “How are you doing with that foot? You haven’t been keeping it up much today.”

“Haven’t had a chance. But I rest it on my purse as we drive. Actually, it’s pretty good. I don’t feel so vulnerable since I got the cast.”

“But you don’t want that foot to swell inside the cast, lady!”

Margaret waved her hand in the air. “Oh, you sound just like some kind of nagging doctor.”

“If you didn’t want a nagging doctor here this week, you should have invited my mother or how about Uncle Ray?”

“Okay, you got me. I’ll take the nagging doctor any day,” Margaret acquiesced.

***

“Turn right at the next stop sign,” Margaret instructed. “It’s that building on the left.” And then she faced Savannah and said, “Now, when you see this vet, I don’t want your eyes popping out of your head.”

“What? What’s wrong with him?” Savannah wanted to know.

“Oh, you’ll see,” she responded in a teasing tone.

Savannah parked the car, glanced over at her aunt and let out a shallow sigh.
Now what?
she wondered.
Indeed, hanging out with Aunt Marg is already proving to be anything but an ordinary vacation.

She had gladly taken time off when she heard that her aunt needed help. She felt as though she had dug herself into a rut.
Ruts are for retired people
, she thought. So she wasn’t exactly thrilled with the way her life was going. She was working too much, spending too much time volunteering at the shelter. And, although she hadn’t admitted it out loud, the residue from her breakup with Travis a few months earlier was still affecting her. She needed a distraction—but now she wondered if she was swimming against the tide.

Margaret’s voice brought Savannah back to the here and now. “Would you get that little carrier out of the back, Vannie? Thanks.”

“Hello, Scarlett.”

The freckle-faced brunette of twenty-five looked up and then rushed from behind the counter in the veterinarian’s office. “What happened to you, Ms. Forster?” She put her hand on Margaret’s back and walked her toward the closest chair. “Here, sit down.” She then moved a small table over for her to rest her casted foot on. “Are you all right?”

“Sure—just broke a bone in my foot. My niece is here to help me out for a while. Vannie, this is Scarlett. Scarlett, Savannah. We came to pick up the neuters you did for Max Sheridan.”

“Right on, Ms. Forster. Dr. Ivey will be with you in a moment.”

“Thank you,” Margaret said while motioning for Savannah to sit down beside her. As Savannah lowered herself into one of the molded chairs, she set a small plastic and wire pet carrier on the floor at her feet. They were the only ones in the waiting room.

“Hi Maggie.” It was a man’s voice. Savannah looked up. Her face began to burn and she was sure her heart skipped a beat. Walking toward her was one of the most gorgeous men she’d seen in quite a long time. Frighteningly gorgeous—run-away-now-or-get-your-heart-broken gorgeous.
As if he isn’t already a 10.5 on the appealing man scale, he’s holding two adorable black-and-white kittens in his hands,
Savannah thought, as she took in the yummy scene before her.

The veterinarian’s eyes were on his tiny patients as he approached the two women. “They’re ready to go,” he said. “They both did just fine. Have you met them, yet? This is Tommy.” He rubbed the larger kitten’s cheek with his thumb. He looked up at Margaret while saying, “And this little guy is Tonka.” But something else caught his eye. “Oh, hello,” he said, nodding toward Savannah. “I’m Michael Ivey.” He stared at her for a moment and then offered an apology: “I’d shake your hand, but…” He smiled down at the two rather docile kittens, still groggy from the anesthesia.

When Savannah didn’t speak right away, Margaret interjected, “Dr. Mike, this is my niece, Savannah. She and her family lived in Hammond for many years—in fact, their home still stands just a few blocks from here.”

“Oh? Here on a little vacation? How long do you plan to stay?”

“Hi,” Savannah managed as she diverted her gaze from his piercing stare. She rested her eyes on his shoulders—a safe zone. Or maybe not.
Even
through his lab coat, I can tell he’s buff…and look at that tan.
Holy cow, is he an Olympic swimmer?
she wondered?
Certainly not a gymnast—too dang masculine.
“For as long as my aunt needs me,” she finally managed.

“Cool,” he said, his light-blue eyes intently studying her face.

I wish I’d worn makeup today. Who would have thought I’d meet such a steaming hot man in my travels with Aunt Marg? Of course, that’s part of Auntie’s charm. You never know what’s going to happen next or who you’re going to meet.
She took a chance and glanced up at Michael Ivey’s face again.

Noticing the obvious sparks between the two and her niece’s sudden lack of total consciousness, Margaret smiled and said, “Savannah is a veterinarian, too.”

“Oh really?” He eyed her with even more interest. “Where do you practice?”

Embarrassing…
Savannah thought.
I wish Auntie would stop telling people that.
“I’m working as a vet tech right now in a large hospital just outside Los Angeles,” she said, trying not to sound like a failure. She didn’t actually consider herself a failure. After the situation with Travis, she had to take a time-out. Opening a practice when she was still so emotionally whacked, would be a mistake. Or was this a cop-out? She hoped to work out the logistics of it while she was away from LA and Travis.

“Do you want me to carry these kittens to your car?” Michael Ivey was saying.

“Oh, I’m sorry. We have a carrier. Here it is.” Savannah picked it up, set it on a nearby table strewn with magazines, and opened the little wire door.