Cats in Cahoots (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 18) (19 page)

“Juice it is,” Savannah said, “…and grapes and Cheerios. Then we’ll get you a bath and put on your new outfit Grammy bought you.” Just as Savannah had strapped Lily into the high chair, her cell phone rang.

“Hi, hon. How’s Sunbeam?” she asked breathlessly, having rushed to get to her cell phone.

After hesitating, Michael said, his voice sounding strained, “Well, I don’t know.”

“What? Why?”

“Savannah, they’re gone.”

“What?”

“Yeah, Rick said the cat woke up in the night. Her vitals were good, but she was still weak. He monitored her for a while. When she seemed more stable, he dozed off and when he awoke again, Luke and Sunbeam were gone. He took one of the carriers we keep here.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake. That stupid kid. What’s he thinking?”

“I don’t know, but we’d better find him. Can you get someone to watch Lily? I’ll come by and pick you up in a few minutes.”

“Yes, meet me at my aunt’s. I’m pretty sure I can leave her there for a while.”

****

Twenty minutes later, the Iveys drove slowly along Maple Street until Savannah pointed. “There’s the old building. I can see the trailer he mentioned behind it. But where is the hole in the fence?”

Michael let out a sigh. “If there even is a hole.” When Savannah looked confused, he said, “I’m not sure he told us the truth about where he’s been staying. I mean, it seems that he
is
on the run. He may have made that up to throw us off his trail.”

Wincing, she said, “Could be, darn it.”

“Let’s take a look, anyway,” he suggested, as he parked the car and climbed out. After walking along the fence and peering in at the small trailer for a few minutes, Michael called, “Luke! Luke, are you in there?”

There was no response.

In the meantime, Savannah set out to walk the perimeter of the fence, looking for the opening Luke had described.

“Find anything?” Michael asked when he saw her stop.

“Not yet,” she said, stepping over shrubs and weed patches. She had examined one length of the fence and had rounded the corner, when she saw something. “Over here, Michael,” she called. As he approached, she pulled a bush back and revealed where someone had cut the fencing.

Michael grimaced. “That’s a small hole.”

“Yeah, a tight squeeze,” she agreed. “I think I can make it, through, though.”

He reached out. “Here, let me hold that flap open for you.” Once she managed to wriggle through the opening, she approached the trailer. “Luke!” she called. “Luke, it’s Savannah and Dr. Mike.” By then, Michael had slipped through the hole in the fence. When Savannah noticed him rubbing his leg, she asked, “What happened?”

“Caught my jeans on the dang fence,” he complained. He limped up to the trailer and rapped on the door. “Luke, are you in there?”

When they heard nothing, Savannah walked around the trailer, looking in all directions. In the meantime, Michael tried the door. “It’s open,” he said, stepping inside. “Yup, looks like someone’s been living here, all right.”

She quickly joined him. She glanced around the small space and chuckled. “There’s one of those funky harnesses he made for the cats, and some of his flutes.” Stepping back out, she looked around the area. “Hmmm, where would he take Sunbeam, if not here?” She quickly turned to Michael. “The cats. Do you suppose he’s with the feral cats?”

“Let’s go,” he said, leading the way to the car.

“We could walk,” Savannah suggested. “It’s not far.”

Michael thought about it, then said, “Let’s drive.”

“There he is. Oh no, Luke, don’t run,” she said under her breath when she saw the look of panic on the boy’s face. “Please don’t run.”

As soon as Michael eased the car to a stop, Savannah jumped out. “Luke, wait!” she called. By then, Luke had slipped on his backpack and picked up the carrier. “Stop!” she shouted.

“Luke!” Michael called. “We’re here to help you.”

But, like a scared rabbit, he darted off into a stand of trees.

“Luke, you’re going to kill her if you don’t stop!” Michael shouted angrily. When he didn’t hear anything, he continued, using a more gentle tone, “She’s not out of the woods. She needs care, Luke.” He continued talking as the couple walked in the direction Luke had gone. “Son, she may have seemed fine earlier, but you’ve probably noticed she’s getting weaker. She needs rest, Luke. That jostling could cause her to hemorrhage.”

Still, there was no response.

“Luke, we only want to help you,” Savannah said with as much compassion as she could muster. She hesitated before saying, “The people at the cat ranch are ready to take care of your feral cats.”

Suddenly, they heard his voice. “I don’t want to go to school. I don’t fit in. You just don’t understand. It’s torture for me.”

Savannah looked wide-eyed at Michael. She then went out on a limb, saying, “We do understand, Luke. Maybe traditional school isn’t for you. I get that. But if you’re going to be on your own, you need to find a way to make some kind of life for yourself. You can’t hide and rely on what you can pilfer from neighbors forever.”

When there was no response, Michael said, “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do, kid. You need to face life head-on or…” he hesitated, “or you’ll become a victim.”

Savannah gave her husband a sideways glance before saying, “Let us help you, Luke. Please.”

“And Sunbeam,” Michael added.

The couple stood silently waiting, watching, and listening. After an agonizing several minutes, they heard the crunching of leaves. The sound came closer and closer, then Luke appeared from behind the trees walking slowly and clutching the carrier to his chest.

Savannah stifled her urge to rush to him. Instead, she stood still as he approached and stopped in front of them, hanging his head.

“Let me take a look at her,” Michael said, easing the carrier out of Luke’s arms. He placed it on the ground, opened it, and reached in. “We’d better get her back to the clinic,” he said quietly.

“Is she…?” Luke started. “She seemed better last night… I thought she…”

“I know, son.” He shook his head and spoke compassionately, “But moving her…it was too soon, Luke.”

“God,” he said, dropping to his knees next to Sunbeam. “What have I done?” He started to sob. “All I wanted was to find a safe place for us.”

Savannah put her hand on the boy’s shoulder. “And then what?” she asked. “Have you thought ahead to what a life of hiding out would be like?”

He shook his head. “No. I just thought…I thought things would change.”

“Things change, Luke, when we do something to cause a change,” Michael said. “You’re in charge. Your life is in your hands—you have control. But you have to choose wisely in order to create the changes you want.” He smiled at the young man. “Come on. Let’s go back to the clinic. While she’s healing, we’ll talk about your future.”

“Yes,” Luke said. “I guess I can use some help. I never thought about all those things you talked about just now.”

Savannah and Michael smiled at the boy as he stood and picked up the carrier.

****

“Good morning, June,” Savannah said into the phone the following day. “I have someone I’d like you to meet. When would be a good time for us to bring him over?”

“Oh, the young man you told me about? I expected to hear from you yesterday.”

“Yeah, we had a bit of a setback with him and his cat. But things are back on track now and I’d like him to see your ranch and meet you and Nola.”

“Certainly. Can you come for lunch? Then we’ll arrange for a tour of the place. Now what does the lad like to eat?”

“Gosh, I don’t know. He’s been on the streets for a while. He’s probably not fussy.”

“I think the cooks are fixing Philly cheese steak sandwiches today and potato salad.”

“Well, if Luke doesn’t like that, we can feed him peanut butter and I’ll eat his sandwich.” Savannah heard June chuckle, she then said, “Sounds wonderful. Shall we come around noon?”

“Yes, and bring the cherub, will you? I haven’t seen her in much too long.”

“Sure will. Thank you.” When Savannah ended the call, she said, “Michael, it’s all set. Lunch today at the cat ranch. Can you join us?”

“I wouldn’t miss it.” He kissed her. “See you later.” He then picked up Lily and snuggled with her for a moment. He pointed to the toy she held. “Is that your piggy? Can you say, piggy?” he prompted.

“Pig,” she said. “Pig.”

He kissed her cheek. “Very good.”

“She’s invited to lunch, too,” Savannah said. “June wants to see her.”

“Nice,” he said, tickling the toddler and making her laugh. He placed her on the floor with her toys and started to leave, then turned. He cleared his throat and ran his hand through his straight dark-brown hair. “Um, okay if I bring Luke here to clean up? I…kinda think he could use a shower and some clean clothes.”

Without hesitating, she said, “Sure. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. Do you have something he could wear?”

“Maybe. My clothes might fit length-wise, but they’d probably be baggy on him.”

She laughed. “Isn’t that the style for teens these days?”

“I guess so.” He thought for a moment. “We could wash his clothes.”

She nodded, then looked at the clock. “How about if I pick him up around ten and take him shopping for some new duds?”

Michael’s face brightened. “Good idea, hon…if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. I’ll check with him in a while and see if he’s up for that. I guess it depends on how Sunbeam’s doing.”

****

“It’s been a long time since I shopped in a store like this,” Luke said as he followed Savannah and the baby into a department store later that morning.

“Do you know what size you wear?” she asked, leading him into the young men’s clothing section.

He examined a couple pair of jeans. “I’d better try them on. My old clothes are kinda big on me now.”

“Okay, choose something you like and you can take a couple of different sizes into the dressing room.”

After a few minutes, Luke appeared smiling and holding up a pair of trousers. “These fit.”

“Did you find a shirt you like?” she asked.

“Yeah, it’s between this red and green one and the blue one. I like them both.”

She nodded. “Then we’ll get them both. Now grab a couple of packages of shorts and one of socks.” She looked at his feet and shook her head. “Luke, you could really use some new shoes. Let me see the bottoms of those.” When he lifted one foot, she frowned. “You’ve worn holes in them. How long have you been on the streets, anyway?”

“A couple of months, I guess. I walk everywhere, you know.” He looked sheepish. “Until I borrowed that skateboard for a few days.”

“Well, bring that stuff and let’s go to the shoe department, shall we?”

“Oh, I don’t know…this is going to cost a lot of money. I can’t ask you to…”

“You’re not asking me. I’m offering. Besides, everything you picked out is on sale and I have a coupon right here. Come on, let’s go find some shoes, then we’d better get home so you can clean up.”

Forty minutes later, Luke stepped out of the bathroom at the Ivey home, showered and wearing his new clothes. His hair was wet and slicked back.

“You look great, Luke. I wouldn’t recognize you if I saw you on the street.”

He smiled. “Yeah, big difference, huh? Gosh, that shower felt good.” He glanced around the room. “It feels good to be in a regular house. It’s so big.”

“Yeah, compared to your tiny trailer.”

He laughed. “I bumped my head every time I got out of bed.” He looked up at the high ceilings and laughed. “That wouldn’t happen here.” His gaze stopped in the doorway to the dining room. “Hi, Smokey,” he said.

“That’s Rags,” Savannah corrected.

“Yeah, sorry. Hi, Rags.” He kneeled down and petted the cat. “I named him Smokey when he came to visit me. He’s really a nice cat.”

“Except when he disobeys me and runs off,” she joked.

“Who’s this?” he asked, when he noticed a pair of bright-blue eyes peering out from the pink canopy cat bed.

“Ki-ki,” Lily chirped.

He smiled at her. “It sure is a kitty.”

“Her name’s Buffy,” Savannah said.

“She’s awesome. Can I pet her?”

“Sure. She loves attention.”

While scratching Buffy under her chin, Luke looked around. “Where’s your dog?” he asked.

Savannah frowned at the boy. “That’s right, you probably saw Lexie in the yard when you came here to…”

He winced. “Uh, yeah, I guess I did.”

“She’s out in the dog run. Want to bring her in? She’ll probably be glad to see you.”

He smiled. “Probably,” he said, before heading out the door.

“Luke, close the door behind you,” Savannah called. “The cats aren’t allowed outside.”

He stopped and glanced down at Rags. “Yeah, I forgot. Sorry.”

Luke had been playing with Lexie for a few minutes in the kitchen when Savannah said, “Oh, Michael’s home. Hi, hon,” she greeted when he came through the front door.

“Hi,” he said, picking Lily up and raising her high in the air before placing her back on the floor where she’d been playing with one of her dolls. He kissed Savannah, then peered toward the dining room, feigning a puzzled look. “Who’s this dapper young man?”

“Hi, Dr. Mike. It’s me, Luke.”

“Well, I almost didn’t recognize you, there. Good job,” he said grinning. “I like your new duds.”

“Dr. Mike,” Luke said hesitantly, “how’s Sunbeam?”

“Still doing well. She’s alert and seems to be resting comfortably. I’d like to keep her under observation for another day or two, but I see no signs of internal injuries.”

“That’s great,” he said, visibly relaxing.

“Is everyone ready to go?” Michael asked. He rubbed his hands together. “I hear we’re having Philly cheese steak sandwiches. My favorite.”

“What’s that?” Luke asked, frowning.

“If done right, probably the most delicious steak sandwich you’ll ever eat.”

Luke’s eyes lit up. “A shower, new clothes, and a steak sandwich…life can’t get much better than that.”

Michael and Savannah laughed as they began to prepare Lily for their outing.

****

“Wow! This is some place,” Luke said as Michael pulled into the grounds of the Balcomb estate. “It’s a cat ranch?”