Cats in Cahoots (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 18) (20 page)

Savannah nodded. “Yeah. Nice, huh?”

“Makes me want to be a cat,” Luke quipped.

“Maybe in your next life.”

He looked at Savannah in an attempt to determine whether she was serious or not. “Thank you again for letting me clean up at your house,” he said before getting out of the car. “And for the new clothes. I wouldn’t want to show up at a place like this all grungy.”

“Hello,” came a cheery voice from behind them as they strolled up the walkway.

Savannah turned. “Oh, Nola, hi. How are you?” she said, hugging her.

“Good. And you guys?”

“Super. Nola, you remember Michael.”

“Oh yes, I’m a regular at the clinic with the new feral cats that come in. Good to see you, Dr. Mike.”

Michael nodded. “You, too, Nola.”

“Nola, I’d like you to meet Luke. He’s come to check out the facility. He has some cats he’s concerned about.”

“Wonderful. Welcome, Luke. Come in,” she invited.

“June, the Iveys are here,” Nola announced as they stepped into the cat room. “And this is Luke. He has some cats he’d like to talk to us about.”

Luke reached out to shake June’s hand. She took it and looked into his eyes. “So you like cats, do you?”

“Oh yes, ma’am. I sure do.” He gazed to his left, where he could see a few cats resting on an array of cat trees and lounging in hammocks. “Gosh, look at this room. It’s great.”

“It’s the cat room. Isn’t it nice?”

“Yes. And your cats are so…so amazing.”

June nodded. She pointed. “That’s Mazie Mae there in the tunnel and Tabitha Tabby over there. Oh, there’s Marmalade Jam up on top of that thing.”

“Wow! I’ve never seen a place like this. And look, they can go outside without actually being outside.”

“And vulnerable,” June added.

“Yes, vulnerable.” He turned to her, “I lost a couple of my cats already. I heard an owl out there one night when I stayed with them. And I saw a coyote a few times.”

“That’s sad,” June said.

“Yes, I’m worried about the kittens that are coming. Two of my cats are going to have kittens, I’m pretty sure; I don’t think they’re getting fat on the food I’m feeding, because it’s hard to find food for them.”

“I understand,” June said. “It sounds like you’re doing the very best you can with the cats. God bless you.”

He looked at the Iveys and back at June, saying quietly, “I think He has.” When June looked confused, he explained, “God has already blessed me.”

She reached out and took one of his hands. Smiling, she said, “Yes, I’m sure He has.” She gestured with one arm. “Shall we have our lunch?” Winking in Luke’s direction, she added, “I asked the cooks to bake an array of cookies for our special guest. I know how growing boys…um, young men…like cookies.”

“You bet,” Luke said, his eyes wide.

As the hungry group stepped into the dining room, they found a table set for six. “June!” Savannah exclaimed. “You have a high chair.”

“Yes, for my grandnephew and his baby sister, who should be joining the family in a few months.”

“Oops. Sorry,” Luke said when he ran into the back of Nola. He laughed a little nervously. “I…I was…uh…gawking, as my grandmother would say.” He glanced around the area. “This room is awesome. And look at all that food!”

“Yes, there should be plenty,” June said, allowing Nola to help her ease into a chair at the head of the table. She patted the chair next to her. “Luke, please sit here, would you?”

“Uh, sure…yeah,” he muttered, slipping into the chair she indicated. After taking several bites of his sandwich, he said, “This is really good.” He looked around and asked, “Who made it?”

June chuckled. “The cooks.”

When Michael saw the confused look on Luke’s face, he said, “Mrs. Balcomb has servants who help her out around here so she can concentrate on taking care of the cats.”

“Oh,” Luke said, taking another bite of his sandwich and gulping from his glass of soda.

Michael leaned over and said quietly, “Slow down, man. You’ll make yourself sick.”

Luke looked at him and nodded. Lowering his sandwich, he glanced around the table, then said quietly to Michael, “Sorry. Guess I just got too hungry.” He picked up the sandwich again and repeated, “It sure is good.”

June smiled. “And there’s plenty. No one leaves this table hungry.” She placed her tea cup in the saucer. “Luke, I hear your cat is in the Ivey Veterinary Hospital. How’s she getting along?”

The young man looked at Michael before saying, “We think she’s going to be okay. She’s doing much better.”

“That’s good news,” she said with sincerity.

“Yes,” Nola agreed. “We were so sorry to hear about her accident.”

June smiled at Lily, then said to Luke, “I hear you’re responsible for saving our cherub.”

“Huh?” he said after swallowing.

“Lily. You pushed her to safety when that car ran amok. What a brave thing you did.”

Luke looked down, then took a sip of his soda.

“We’ll be forever grateful to him,” Michael said, choking up.

Obviously embarrassed, Luke mumbled, “Anyone would have done the same.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Savannah challenged. “That was some mighty quick thinking on your part. I’m just so thankful you saw what was about to happen.”

“God put you in the right place at the right time,” June said.

Luke smiled at Lily, who was babbling in baby talk, then continued eating his meal.

After devouring several cookies and drinking a large glass of milk, he sat back in his chair and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Suddenly noticing that all eyes were on him, he squirmed a little and said, “Oh, is everyone waiting for me?”

“Yeah,” Michael joked, “I thought you were going to eat the flower arrangement there.”

Luke looked confused. “Huh?” He then grinned. “Oh, it’s a joke. I get it.” He pointed. “I didn’t eat that much, Dr. Mike. Look, there are cookies left. I didn’t eat them all.”

“Why not? Aren’t you hungry?” Michael teased.

“Not anymore,” the boy said, grinning widely.

Nola rose from her chair. “Well, how about we take that tour, then?”

“There’s more?” Luke asked.

“Yes, we have a colony of cats outside. We want to show you the unique enclosure we’ve designed for them.”

When June noticed Luke’s expression, she added, “Enclosures to keep them safe while still giving them a great deal of freedom.” She addressed Savannah and Michael. “Come take a look. You’re not going to recognize the ravine cats. They’ve blossomed tremendously since we established Ragsdale’s Cat Ranch.”

“Not only will they have a chance at a longer life than when they were living in the ravine,” Nola said, “but they’ll be healthier and less stressed.”

As they walked through the outdoor facility, Luke pointed. “Those are wild cats?”

“Feral, yes,” Nola said, walking alongside June, who was operating her motorized scooter.

Luke shook his head in disbelief. “Gosh, this is really something. They don’t look like they’ve had a hard life.” He turned to Michael. “Do you think my cats could look this good if they lived in a safe place like this?” He turned to Nola and June. “Do you have room for more cats?” Before anyone could answer, he asked, a worried look on his face, “What if they don’t get along with each other?”

June smiled. “There seems to be enough room here for everyone. If a couple of them have a grievance, they can simply avoid each other.” She explained, “To answer your first question, yes, we take in other feral cats and we rescue colonies when it’s in the cats’ best interest. Nola, show Luke the holding area, would you?” She added, “Savannah, you might find it interesting, too. Dr. Mike has seen it a time or two during his house calls.”

“Come this way,” Nola invited. She stopped in front of a large pen separate from the outdoor enclosure. “All new cats stay here, isolated from one another, until they’ve been checked over by Dr. Mike and his staff, given the necessary inoculations, and spayed or neutered. It also gives us the opportunity to evaluate them for socialization. We have volunteers who work with those who are good candidates for adoption.”

“Like Sunbeam,” Luke said.

“Yes,” June said, joining the others, “and Fluffy. Savannah, do you remember Fluffy? She used to come to the back door for food.”

“Yes,” Savannah said. “She was that raggedy grey cat.”

June pointed and grinned. “Not anymore.”

“Oh my gosh,” Savannah said, watching as a striking cat with beautiful shiny fur walked up to her. She kneeled. “This is Fluffy? My gosh, she’s gorgeous.” She shaded her eyes and looked up at June and Nola. “You’re doing wonders here—creating miracles.”

June chuckled. “Oh, I don’t know about that…”

“It’s an awesome place,” Luke said. “How many cats do you have?”

June turned to her assistant. “What’s the count, Nola? You keep track of the figures.”

“Eight inside and fifteen outside…and counting,” she said. “We’ve placed five, so far, in forever homes. They were early-season kittens who decided they wanted to be friendly.”

“This is awesome,” Luke said. “I’d sure like to see my cats living here. Do you have room for nine more?”

June nodded. “I think so. Nola and I would love to meet your nine cats.”

Savannah took his arm. “Nine, plus however many kittens those two produce.”

“Oh that’s right. We’re expecting kittens.”

“Yes, they’re welcome too, and the first thing we’ll do, young man, is to have the cats neutered and spayed,” June said sternly.

“Why?” he challenged.

June looked the young man in the eye. “Do you wish for more cats to come into the world that nobody wants to care for?”

“But you’ll care for them,” he said.

June smiled. “Luke, do you have any idea how many cats are out there already, waiting for us to find them? Many of them starving, dying, having more kittens? The humane thing to do is to help those who are here and do our best to keep them from bringing more into their plight. All cats should be in a loving home, don’t you think so? Already, there are not enough homes to go around. Why, the latest statistics show that there are seventy million stray cats in the United States. Even though there are anywhere from five thousand to over ten thousand animal shelters nationwide—depending on the source—still more than a million adoptable cats are euthanized each year because there are simply more cats than there are homes or space for.” June repeated for emphasis, “Over a million adoptable cats. Now that’s just not acceptable, do you think? And we sure don’t want to contribute to that number and to any cats’ suffering.”

Luke stood, silent. He stared down at the ground and spoke quietly, “I didn’t know there were so many homeless and unwanted cats. So that’s why it’s so important to spay and neuter cats. Now I get it.” He glanced at Michael. “Dr. Mike and Savannah tell me I need to think ahead more. You really get a different picture when you do that.”

June glanced at the Iveys, then focused on the boy. “Yes, that’s part of becoming an adult, Luke. A very important step.”

“Okay, how do we get the cats here?” he asked.

“We have a crew who are trained in trapping ferals. We’ll have them bring the cats here for evaluation and treatment. They’ll be in quarantine until we’re sure they’re not carrying a communicable disease and we’ll isolate the pregnant females from the rest until they’ve given birth and while they’re nursing.”

“I can help with all that,” Luke offered. “The cats know me. Strangers might frighten them.”

“Certainly,” June said. She looked at Nola. “Do you think he would be a good fit for…?”

Before she could finish, Nola said, “Yes. I know what you’re thinking.” She turned to Luke. “Young man, how would you like a job here?”

“Boy, would I?” he said enthusiastically. “I’ll do anything you want—clean litter boxes, whatever. Yes, I’d like that.”

Savannah glanced at Luke, then June and Nola. “He has some unfinished business he must tend to first, don’t you, Luke?”

“What?” he asked, frowning.

“You need to contact your family,” Michael said quietly. “And there’s the question of your education. I’m pretty sure your grandmother will want you to finish school and that’s what Savannah and I would advise, as well.”

“Most certainly,” June said sternly. “That will be a stipulation. How old are you, anyway?”

“Sixteen and a half,” he said, staring down at his feet.

“I’ll need permission from your parents to employ you,” June explained.

“They’re dead. I live with…I mean, I used to live with my grandparents.”

“Okay, then your guardian. And I want a promise that you’ll finish your schooling. Why, you can go to school right here in Hammond,” she suggested.

When Michael saw Luke stiffen and glance to his left, then his right, he put one hand firmly on the boy’s shoulder. “No more running, Luke. If you want to make it in this world and be free to do the things you want to do—important things to help the cats—you’ll have to man up. Now just relax and let’s talk about this.”

Savannah addressed June. “I’d like to suggest an alternative to a traditional school.”

“What?” Luke asked, suspiciously.

“Well, I’m not sure yet what your options are, but I have a friend who’s a teacher. I can check with her about maybe tutoring you. An education and a diploma
are
important, Luke, to your future.”

When the boy seemed uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going, Michael said to him, “I have a few questions for you.”

“What?” Luke asked suspiciously.

“What do you see yourself doing in, say, five years, when you’re twenty-one and ten years, when you’re in your thirties?”

“Um, I never thought about it.” After a moment, he said, “I like music. I can play the piano pretty good and a couple of other instruments. My dad was a musician. Maybe I could be a musician or I can teach music like my grandmother does.”

“Then you would probably need additional schooling once you finish high school,” Michael suggested.

“Or, you could find a mentor who can work with you and prepare you for a career as a music teacher,” Savannah said.

June nodded. “Yes, in a private school, perhaps. But whatever you want to experience and enjoy in life, Luke, the Iveys are right, an education is key. You may not have to go to a four-year college. Some young people find other ways to live their dreams. There are trade schools, and as Savannah suggested, mentors, and good old on-the-job experience.”