Cats in Cahoots (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 18) (21 page)
Read Cats in Cahoots (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 18) Online
Authors: Patricia Fry
Nola chimed in, saying, “And online schools. As a matter of fact, I know people who simply entered the industry they were interested in on the bottom rung, you might say, and worked their way up to the position they wanted. But close your mind to education, Luke, and you’re making a huge mistake. There are many ways to get an education and to live your dreams, but you have to be open to learning and to the opportunities that come your way.” She took a deep breath before saying, “My opportunity came while I was in jail.”
“What?” Luke said, his eyes wide.
She chuckled. “Well, I was arrested when I tried to help a cat and her kittens. Dr. Mike and I saved the cat and most of the kittens, so it was worth it. And while I was in jail, June came to me with an offer to work for her.” She spun around, her arms out. “And look at where I am now—in my absolute dream job.” She kneeled down and petted a large brown-and-white cat, saying, “I get to mingle with the likes of you, huh, Dodger?”
“Gosh, I guess I should be more—what did you say—open-minded?” Luke said. “I really wasn’t thinking about anything except my fear of facing a classroom full of bullies. Yeah, maybe there is another way to get an education and to find work I would like to do.”
Michael chuckled. “Uh-huh. You can’t borrow things from the neighbors forever.”
Luke grinned sheepishly.
“Okay, first things first,” June said. “Let’s start the trapping immediately. Luke, Nola will introduce you to our trapping team and you can go with them to set the traps. Then I want you to contact your family. Let me talk to your grandmother. Bring her here or have her call me—either way.”
He smiled. “I’ll bet she’d love to come out here; she has a houseful of cats.”
“Really?” June said smiling. “Is she from around here?”
“Mason.”
“What’s her name, Luke?” June asked.
“Carmen. Carmen Fletcher.”
June’s face brightened into a wide smile. She leaned back and looked into Luke’s face. “You’re Carmen’s grandson? Well, how about that?”
Obviously surprised, Luke said, “You know my grandmother?”
I sure do. She’s a wonderful woman.” She frowned. “Good lord, boy, she must be worried sick about you. Shame on you for putting that beautiful person in such pain,” she scolded.
“How…?” Luke asked weakly.
“How do I know her? She’s one of our donors. As soon as she learned about what we’re doing here, she came forward and donated from her heart. I met her when she was part of a tour of the facility. Your handsome brothers were with her.” She peered up at him. “Now I know why you look familiar to me. You certainly resemble those strapping boys.” She grimaced. “Once we get some meat on you, you’ll be just as strapping.” She looked into his eyes. “How could you leave that family, Luke?”
When he didn’t respond, Savannah said, “He marches to a different drummer, June.”
The elderly woman addressed Luke again. “Well, you call Carmen today, you hear? Right after you set those traps.” She thought for a moment, then said, “Better yet, get yourself over there and see her in person. The first thing she’s gonna want from you is a hug. Then come back here and you can start work as soon as you get her permission.”
“Thank you,” Luke said, tears in his eyes. He started to walk away, then turned, leaned over, and hugged June. “Thank you.”
“Oh, never mind with that,” June said. “Just take care of business, will you? And hurry back. We have cats that need tending.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he shouted as he raced to catch up with Nola.
“Have them drop you off at our house after you set the traps, Luke,” Michael called. “We’ll give you a ride over to Mason.”
The boy nodded before sprinting off behind Nola.
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Other books in the Klepto Cat Mystery series
Catnapped
(Book 1)
When Savannah Jordan agrees to help her aunt while she recovers from a broken foot, she doesn’t expect to walk into a mystery, become part of a not-quite-legal surveillance team, be kidnapped by a deranged stranger and meet a steaming hot veterinarian.
Beloved neighborhood cats are missing—the community can only guess at their fate—and Aunt Margaret’s life is being threatened. Is it because she has a clue to the missing cats or is it something more sinister? Of course, as in all of the Klepto Cat Mysteries, Rags, an ordinary cat with a most unusual habit, has a paw in saving the day.
If you like light mysteries with only a little terror, if you’re infatuated by interesting cats and if you love a love story, you must read this book.
Cat-Eye Witness
(Book 2)
Savannah and Aunt Margaret open the old Forster home to the Hammond Cat Alliance for a fundraiser to help rehabilitate the abused horses rescued months earlier from the catnappers.
Before the afternoon is over, the collected funds go missing and someone is murdered in an upstairs bedroom.
Suspicion surrounds Iris, a local waitress and Savannah’s new best friend. The only witness to the murder is Rags, Savannah’s cat. With the assistance of a cat psychic and Rags’s good friend, Charlotte (the young girl with Downs), the cat helps to “paw” the killer… but not before an attempt is made on Rags’s life. The case is solved only after Rags comes face-to-face with the killer for the second time.
Detective Craig Sledge is new to this book, as is Damon, Iris’s errant son. Sledge finds this to be one of the muddiest cases he has ever worked, with inconsistent clues and no apparent motive. He’s constantly surprised, perplexed and impressed by the cat’s uncanny ability to come up with clues he has missed. His fascination with the attractive Iris Clampton also mystifies the detective.
In this story, one of the rescued horses goes into labor and there’s a night of high drama at the ole corral as veterinarians Savannah and Michael work to save the foal. This experience renews Savannah’s deep interest in horses and riding, which ultimately serves to help her bond with a very important surprise character who finds his way into her life and Michael’s just as they prepare to say their wedding vows.
While Rags is the animal star, he isn’t the only animal featured in this story. Layla is back in all of her tangerine feline beauty. And Rags makes friends with Buffy, a perky almost Himalayan cat and the inseparable duo, Walter, an all black cat and his sidekick, Lexie, a charming Afghan mix dog. Savannah’s new ride, Peaches, also debuts in this story. An incident with this mare adds another dimension to Savannah’s and Michael’s relationship. Can he hold her with open arms?
Some say this is a love story with a mystery in the background. And it’s a story of family and friendship as newlyweds Margaret and Max continue to be a meaningful part of Savannah’s and Michael’s world.
Sleight of Paw
(Book 3)
In this story, Michael Ivey, the local veterinarian (Savannah’s new husband) is attacked by an enraged client and then later accused of this man’s murder. The evidence quickly stacks up against Michael, until Rags, Savannah’s kleptomaniac cat, starts digging up clues implicating the unlikely suspect.
Coinciding with the details of this challenge is the discovery that the old house, which the couple purchased from Savannah’s aunt, is cursed. Is this why the couple has not been blessed with a child?
Savannah’s sister Brianna comes for a visit. She teams up with the Iveys’ vet tech, Bud, to discover how to break the gypsy spell and they fall hard for each other. Will their courtship be strengthened or weakened by a frightening carjacking incident?
Detective Craig Sledge is prominent in this story as the lead investigator in the murder case. As usual, he engages in some creative tactics to get the information and the confessions he’s after. He has also become embedded in Savannah’s friend, Iris’s family. He’s dating Iris and helping with her son, Damon’s rehabilitation in prison. If you read the 2
nd
in the series, you know that Rags (the cat) helped to put Damon in jail.
Undercover Cat
(Book 4)
A popular local journalist goes missing just before she has the opportunity to turn in her story exposing unscrupulous cat hoarders. Not only is Colbi a friend of Savannah’s and Michael’s, Damon (now out of prison and employed by the local newspaper) has a strong personal interest in her. In fact, Damon breaks some rules and some trusts in his search for Colbi.
Is this a love connection? It’s doubtful because Colbi is a strong advocate for the feral cat population and Damon hates cats—or so he believes.
Colbi’s rescue is almost too late. She needs time to heal both physically and emotionally. So the Iveys invite her to recuperate in their home. Just when Colbi begins to feel safe, a body is discovered in the Iveys’ orchard and Rags (their kleptomaniac cat) goes missing. Can someone in a nearby homeless camp shed some light on the evolving mystery?
The Colony Cat Caper
(Book 5)
Savannah Ivey, a veterinarian out on maternity leave; her aunt Margaret, the founder of the Hammond Cat Alliance; and Colbi Stanton, a reporter for the local newspaper take on a cat colony at an old, abandoned building. Odd activity around the place makes them wonder if it actually is vacant; some believe it’s occupied by something other-worldly.
When a stranger comes to town and suggests the Alliance open the old building to a fund-raiser, everyone gets involved, including Rags, Savannah’s kleptomaniac cat. He finds something that day that stirs a lot of people—both law-abiding and crooks—into action. Are the feral cats and their caretakers in serious danger? What (or who) lurks inside the old building? What secrets does it hide? And who has the key that unlocks the mystery?
The Celebrity Cat Caper
(Book 6)
Rags, the kleptomaniac cat, opens up a whole new bag of tricks, when he becomes a therapy cat in a children's reading program. A documentary film crew arrives to capture the cat in action and they get more than they bargained for. Find out how Rags handles his sudden celebrity status.
In this story, Savannah and Michael Ivey invite strangers into their home during a torrential rainstorm and learn that one of them has a sinister past. Someone is murdered, Savannah is stalked, Michael's life is threatened, and Rags helps to uncover an old mystery that, until now, has everyone baffled.
The Iveys' baby Lily is three-and-a-half-months old and, along with nine-year-old Adam, provides some sweet and warm moments throughout this fast-moving story with many twists and turns.
The Corral Cat Caper
(Book 7)
The Corral Cat Caper features a lot of horse energy. It's rich in adventure of the feline as well as equine sort. In one scene, Rags attempt to save their sweet kitty, Buffy, from a catnapper and Savannah helplessly watches this drama unfold via a surveillance camera app on her phone.
This story is full of sweet and evil surprises, unexpected twists and turns, and plenty of action and adventure.
The Gallery Cat Caper
(Book 8)
An old friend of Michael’s, who has become a successful artist, invites the entire Ivey family to his beach house. But their vacation is not all fun-and-games. It appears that someone is out to get the artist; and the Iveys and their friends keep stumbling upon clues to the tangled mystery.
Rags is up to his old klepto tricks, and it’s a good thing because, not only do his uncat-like antics prove to be amusing, he manages to save two lives.
Join the hilarity and suspense as this mystery unfolds. Enjoy some of your favorite human and animal characters as well as a few new ones, all of them giving this story a light and rich quality.
Mansion of Meows
(Book 9)
Rags's documentary is scheduled to debut. The showing will take place at the investor's San Francisco mansion, where the Ivey family and film crew will stay. Of course, the mansion holds secrets and Rags is instrumental in letting the cats out of the bag.
Savannah and Aunt Margaret share another daring adventure and, of course, find themselves in deeper than they expected.
This mystery may be the most eerie in the Klepto Cat Mystery series.
PAWtners in Crime
(Book 10)
When Michael and Savannah invite young burn victim and heir Arthur Spence into their home, they don’t expect danger to follow. The sensationalism around his family’s dark secrets have the paparazzi in a photo-snapping frenzy and the young man isn’t yet equipped to deal with their shenanigans. Are they issuing the unnerving threats to Arthur’s life, or is it a beloved family member? Rags, the kleptomaniac cat, has a new PAWtner in fighting crime and what a team they make. They delight in sticking their noses and digging their claws into the facts of the frightening matter. Hold onto your seats—there are some harrowing moments in this story, and some startling surprises.
PAWSitively Sinister
(Book 11)
The Ivey family travel to San Francisco to help Arthur and his long-time friend, Suzette, clean out the mansion. News of the massive estate sale lures a variety of people, including former residents and long-ago visitors, each carrying stories of bizarre activities occurring there in the past.
When the klepto cat, Rags and his pawtner Koko make some ghastly and ghostly discoveries, everyone goes into research mode and they’re stunned by what they uncover - evidence of people gone missing, a treasure-trove of loot, and spirits unable to rest. This is by far the most PAWSitively Sinister story in the series.