Patricia Fry - Klepto Cat 04 - Undercover Cat (5 page)

Brianna took another look around the room. “One thing I like about it, it’s not too feminine.”

“Yes, we actually consulted Michael in decorating this room. We wanted it suitable for both men and women.”

“You kids did a good job,” Gladys said. “And I imagine the nursery is suited to a boy or a girl.”

“Yes,” Michael said. “Come on, I’ll show you. I’m not quite finished, but almost. Savannah and Iris have done some cool things in there with curtains, decals, and stuff.”

As the foursome descended the stairs, Gladys said, “Let me get the bear. I want to bring my grandchild’s first toy to his or her room.”

Savannah and Michael glanced at one another. She cleared her throat, wincing slightly. “Well, the cute talking teddy won’t be the first toy, I’m afraid.”

Gladys stopped. Her shoulders slumped slightly.

“But it is a most welcome gift, nonetheless,” Michael said. He jaunted down the remaining steps to retrieve the bear, which he recalled seeing on the sofa when he had come in with the luggage. “Not there,” he said running his fingers through his hair.

“What’s that?” Gladys almost shouted.

Everyone turned to look at her. “What?”

She put her hands up to her mouth, a frown on her face. “Well, I thought I saw that bear disappear around the staircase there.”

“What? A walking bear?” Brianna exclaimed. “Mother, are you seeing things?”

“I guess so,” she said shaking her head. “That was just plain weird.”

Michael smiled and took long strides in the direction Gladys had pointed. In a few moments they heard him say, “Found your walking-talking bear!”

“Huh?” Brianna said.

“What do you mean?” Gladys asked timidly.

“Come look,” he
invited, a wide grin on his face.

As the three women turned the corner around the large newel post at the bottom of the staircase, they saw it. There was the bear scooting along the floor on its back, Rags pulling it along by one ear.

“Oh Rags,” Savannah said. “How are we ever going to keep you away from the baby’s things?”

Gladys sighed. “Yes, I see that could be a problem.”

“Poor kid,” Brianna said. “His only sibling is a thieving feline.”

Everyone laughed as Michael attempted to retrieve the bear from the cat.

Savannah looked at her sister, tilting her head. “The baby has a brother, Brianna.”

“Oh, of course, Adam,” she said. “What does he think about having a brother or sister?”

Savannah’s face lit up. “He’s pretty excited. Says he wants a brother. You know he does love his little sister, but says he wants a brother this time so they can play boy games.”

Michael, bear in hand, looked up and laughed. “Yeah, I think he believes the baby will come out his size and they can ride bikes together the day we bring him or her home.”

“What a cutie,” Brianna said with a chuckle. “Hope we get to see him this visit.”

“Not this weekend,” Michael lamented. He smiled. “He’ll be here next week.”

“Bummer,” Brianna said.

“He is a sweet boy,” Gladys said.
“So full of enthusiasm for everything around him. I loved watching him interact with my great-nieces and -nephews here last Easter.”

“Yeah, he had a ball, didn’t he?” Michael said.

Savannah smiled. “All the children did.”

“
Soooo, let’s go see the nursery,” Brianna said. “Then I want to chill with a glass of wine.”

Michael pointed. “Right this way.” He held up the bear and said, “Let’s go put you away—up high where Rags can’t molest you.”

“Rocking horses,” Gladys said. “Why am I not surprised? This is delightful. I love the soft blues and yellows. Cheerful, yet mellow.”

“This really is pretty,” Brianna said. “Gosh, what a transformation from the last time I saw this room—that was right after you found that gypsy curse letter in the wall.”

Savannah rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure glad we solved that crazy mystery. Those were some dismal days.”

“I remember how down in the dumps you were. That really freaked you out.”

“But look at her now,” Gladys said. “Happy, happy!”

***

Later that evening, as Savannah and Michael dined with their overnight guests and her aunt and uncle, Gladys said, “Maggie, I don’t recall eating in this dining room since you and Tom lived here.”

“We used the dining room when you were here over Easter,” Savannah reminded her. “But yeah, it doesn’t get used much, I’m afraid, except as a catch-all room. We don’t often have enough guests at one time to warrant serving in here.”

“Well, I like eating in the kitchen. It’s more casual,” Brianna said.

“I’m with you,
Bri,” Margaret agreed. “This room can be stuffy.”

“Only when the company’s stuffy,” Max observed. “But then I don’t think Savannah and Michael know any stuffy people.”

“No stuffy people here today,” Michael said with a smile.

“Does anyone want a piece of Max’s rum Bundt cake?” Savannah asked.

There were nods all around the table.

“I’ll help you,” Brianna said, rising and following Savannah into the kitchen. She moved over toward her sister and asked, “Is there something wrong,
Vannie? You seem a little distracted this evening. Are you feeling all right?”

Savannah swung around toward Brianna and spat, “I am so sick and tired of everyone asking me how I feel.” When she saw the hurt look in her sister’s eyes, she turned back toward the counter, her head down, her eyes closed. She faced Brianna again and said, “I’m sorry, Sis. I’m so touchy at times. Sometimes I’m just really not very good company.” She wept quietly.

Brianna wrapped her arms around Savannah. “It’s okay. I’ve known some preggo ladies in my time and they sure can be hormonal. It comes with the territory, I guess.” She pulled back. “You’re not usually a moody person. It must be hard…”

“Yeah, especially when there’s something terrible happening outside of your control.
Everything seems to be magnified.” She glanced toward the doorway to the dining room and lowered her voice a little. “I cry so easily.”

“Has something terrible happened?”

“Well yes—only we hope not. One of our friends is missing.” Savannah choked up.

“Need help?” Gladys called from the doorway. When she saw Savannah’s face, she rushed to her. “What’s wrong,
Vannie?” She looked anxiously from one daughter to the other.

“One of their friends is missing, Mom,” Brianna said gently.

Gladys creased her brow. “Oh yes, Michael was just talking about that. You all must be so worried.”

Savannah took a deep breath. “Yes, and there’s absolutely nothing we can do but pray for her.” She reached out and grasped their hands. “Will you both go to church with us tomorrow and pray for her?”

Gladys and Brianna looked at each other and then at Savannah. “Of course we will,” Gladys said.

“Sure,” Brianna said.

“Thanks Mom…Sis. It means a lot.” She pulled a paper towel from the roll, ran some warm water over it, and blotted at her face. She then said, “Okay, let’s serve the cake, shall we?”

***

Sunday morning came on the heels of a busy Saturday.

“Good morning, Michael. Where’s your wife?”

“Huh?” Michael said as he looked up from Saturday evening’s newspaper.

“You know, that pumpkin-tummy woman you’re married to?” Brianna said with a yawn.

“Taking a shower. She’ll be out in a minute. Coffee’s hot, if you want a cup,” he offered. “And there’s some of Savannah’s homemade applesauce. Make some toast if you want. We thought we’d eat light this morning and stop in at the diner for brunch after church.”

“Will Max and Auntie join us?”

“I think that’s the plan.”

“Goodie.” Brianna glanced toward the staircase.
“Oh hi, Mom. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes—that is a comfy bed—nice room.”

“Good morning everyone,” Savannah said upon entering the room.

“Hi sweetheart,” Gladys said, walking over and hugging her daughter. She stepped back and looked at her. “You are radiant.”

“That’s ’cause I’m happy, Mom.” She flashed a big smile and said, “I’m going to have a baby!”

“I don’t think I’d be happy if I got fat like that,” Brianna said.

“Fat?” Savannah pouted. She looked down at her sister, who stood about the same height as their mother and Aunt Margaret, and had inherited a similar ample, curvy figure.

Gladys came to her oldest daughter’s rescue. “That’s not nice,
Bri, and it’s not true. Your sister is as slim and trim as ever—she just has a baby bump.”

“Hey, it’s probably the only time I’ll be able to call my stilt-legged, string-bean sister ‘fat’ and I’m
gonna take advantage.” She leaned in toward Savannah and said, “Fat, fat, fat.”

“At least I’m going to lose my extra weight in a quick few minutes, unlike most people who get fat,” Savannah said, hands on hips.

Michael, who had been watching the female sparring match, stood up and headed for the kitchen, saying, “Coffee’s ready. Come on, hon, I’ll make you a cup of that tea you like.”

“What time’s church?” Brianna asked as she followed along after the trio.

“We’ll leave here at nine thirty,” Savannah said over her shoulder.

Upon entering the kitchen, Brianna looked out the large west-facing window and said, “Hey Sis, where’s your horse?”

“The horse is gone?” Michael asked, a look of surprise on his face.

“What?” Brianna covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes filled with apprehension. “You didn’t know she was gone? Oh
my gosh.”

“No, Brianna. She was there when we went to bed last night, wasn’t she?” Michael asked in all seriousness. He rushed to the window and looked out. “Did we have a big wind or something?”

Brianna glanced over at Savannah, fear in her eyes, and was puzzled to see her sister grinning at Michael.

“Oh Michael, stop it.” Savannah turned toward Brianna. “We’re boarding her with Bonnie—you remember Bonnie. She’ll exercise her and feed her until I can ride again.”

Brianna gave Michael a disgusted look; slapped at him.

He laughed. “Gotcha, Sis.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, you just wait, Mister.” She ignored his laughter and turned toward Savannah. “Oh yes, I remember Bonnie. Sweet gal. Loved that old Mr. Wilson horse she let me ride. She was right; he was harmless and he brought me back home in one piece.”

Savannah joined Brianna at the window, a hint of melancholy in her voice. “I miss my mare—I miss seeing her out there in her corral every morning when I get up.” She took a breath and continued, “But it isn’t fair to keep her cooped up when I can’t ride for so long. And I know she’s in good hands with Bonnie.”

Brianna walked over to the counter and dished up some applesauce for herself, then offered her mother a bowl. “Savannah made this out of apples from their orchard,” she said.

Gladys looked over at her older daughter. “Oh
Vannie, you are such a Dolly Domestic these days.” She paused and then said, “Maybe the modern term would be Martha Stewart. Who would have guessed?”

Brianna took a few bites of applesauce. She looked from Savannah to Michael and said, “Hey, do you guys ever see or hear strange things out here at night?”

“What do you mean, ‘strange?’” Michael asked with a crooked grin. “Snoring? That would be me.”

“No, outside.
I think I heard some sort of wolves.”

“Oh, probably our coyotes,” Savannah said, sitting down at the table, stirring her hot tea.

“You have coyotes?” Gladys asked.

“Well, there are coyotes living in the foothills and they’ve been coming down closer lately. We don’t know why. Did you hear them too, Mom?” Savannah asked.

“No, I didn’t hear a thing. I was dead to the world.”

“Did you say you saw something,
Bri?” Savannah asked, her curiosity piqued.

“I don’t really know. I got a text in the night. I was still awake and thought it might be important, so I looked at it. It was from Bud—we texted back and forth a little and then I
was wide awake. I came down to the kitchen to get a drink of water and started hearing the wolves…or coyotes…or whatever. It was kind of spooky, so I turned off the light and looked out the window. That’s when I saw something.”

“Wolves?”
Michael asked.

“No. At least I don’t think so.
Something sort of without shape. Something swishy and whitish. I saw it or them moving around and then disappearing. I could see real faint lights—sort of fuzzy lights. Oh, I don’t actually know what I was looking at…sort of a glow and it was kind of ethereal.” She set her spoon in her bowl and looked from Michael to Savannah. “It was, you know, eerie.”

Savannah glanced sharply at Michael. He raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement and said, “Well, you’re the second person to have mentioned this…sighting, Brianna.”