A Picture-Purrfect Christmas (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 13) (19 page)

Margaret thought for a moment, then asked, “Got wine?”

“Sure do.”

She slipped out of her purple jacket. “Then yeah; let’s start wrapping.”

****

It was six the next evening when Savannah pulled up in front of the Ivey home with Marissa.

“Oh, it’s so pretty,” Marissa said, staring toward the house. “I love all the lights.”

“Michael put those up this afternoon. He thought it would be a welcoming sight for you.”

She smiled. “How nice of him. It’s so pretty.”

After standing outside the car admiring the lights for a few moments, the pair saw the front door open. “Well, come in out of the cold, you two,” Michael said. “There are more lights inside.” He motioned with one arm. “Come on.”

“It’s kinda dark in there,” Marissa said as they approached the door. Once inside, however, she put her hands up to her face. “It’s beautiful,” she said, spotting the wondrous sight. “Just beautiful.” She stood staring, her brown eyes fixed on the lighted Christmas tree and the overflow of colorful packages around it.

Just then, Marissa noticed something else. “Errie!” she shouted when she saw the teen slip out from behind the tree.

“Surprise!” Erin exclaimed, rushing to Marissa and falling into an embrace. “I’m so glad to see you, Rissy.” Erin pulled back. “Are you okay?”

Marissa nodded while wiping tears from her eyes. Then she realized someone else had joined them. “Hi Rags,” she said. She laughed. “You’re going to knock me down.” When he did knock her off balance, Savannah caught her and eased her to the floor, where she sat hugging the cat, petting him, and repeating, “I love you, Rags. I just love you to pieces.” She held him tightly and looked up at Savannah. “I love you guys, too. You’ve all been so nice to me. I couldn’t ask for a better Christmas.”

Michael and Savannah glanced at one another and smiled. He then asked, “Are you hungry, Marissa…Erin? We’ve prepared a meat and potatoes kind of meal.”

“It sounds good,” Marissa said. She turned to Erin. “Ms. Savannah is a good cook and she preserves things!”

“Preserves things?” Erin asked.

“You know, fruit in jars, and it’s really good.”

Michael chuckled. “Well, come on, you two. Let’s see if we can fatten you up.”

“Yeah, gotta get your energy back,” Savannah added.

Erin helped Marissa up off the floor and they walked together toward the kitchen. “Thanks for getting these clothes for me, Errie. Savannah brought them to the hospital.” As if in confidence, she said, “I threw away my other clothes.”

“Well, they were awfully dirty,” Savannah said. “Diane told me she took them home and tried to clean them, but they were still a mess—nothing Marissa would want to keep.”

“Hi Lily,” Marissa said as she stepped into the kitchen. She hurried to see the baby, who sat in her high chair. “How are you, you cutie patootie?”

Lily kicked her feet and smiled brightly upon seeing the girl, then put her hands out toward Marissa.

“Awww, she wants me to pick her up,” Marissa said.

“You just eat your supper, little one,” Savannah said to the baby. “Let Marissa eat. You two can play later.”

“You’re such a sweet baby,” Marissa murmured, kissing Lily’s little fingers. Then slipping into a chair next to the baby, she said, “Mmm, this looks good.”

Erin chuckled. “You always say that.”

“Is there something wrong with being thankful for your food?” Marissa asked. She made a face. “It was hard to be thankful for that hospital food, though. Ick!”

Everyone laughed.

The conversation around the table that night was rather low-key and before long Marissa set her fork down and announced, “I’m really tired.”

“I imagine you are,” Savannah said. “You’ve been through a lot and it’s hard to sleep in a hospital.”

The child nodded. She was quiet for a moment before asking, “Did Detective Craig catch that…awful man?”

“Well, he’s on his trail. I talked to the detective this afternoon and the information you gave him led to the man named Scaif.” She put her hand on the child’s arm. “Hon, do you know who he is?”

Marissa shook her head. “No. He always wore a bandana over his face, but he was familiar. I think he’s someone my father knows.” She looked up at Savannah. “Did they put my…father…in jail again?”

“I’m not sure. But I believe that’s exactly where he’s going, and for a very long time. The man named Scaif is also going jail as soon as they find him.” She moved closer to the girl. “Honey, he
is
someone you know. We all know him. His name is Scaif Essinger. We know him as…”

“Esse!” Marissa said, suddenly realizing the truth.

Savannah nodded.

When the child began to cry, Savannah scooted her chair closer, wrapped her arms around her, and held her. After a few moments, Marissa said, “I want to go to sleep now. They gave me a gown at the hospital. I can sleep on the sofa.”

Savannah smiled down at the girl just as Erin stood and said, “We got your jammies from the house. Come on, I’ll get them for you.” She then said, “I also brought your journal and a few other things I thought you’d want.”

“You did?” Marissa said wide-eyed. “Boy, do I have a lot to write in my journal.”

“I guess you do,” Michael said, smiling.

“Can she sleep with me?” Erin asked Savannah and Michael. She then turned to Marissa. “Rissy, I have the most beautiful room upstairs. It has a big bed—much bigger than the one we had at the other house. Want to sleep in it with me?” She grabbed Marissa’s arm. “Come on, I’ll show it to you.”

The girls had been gone for a short while when Savannah walked up the stairs. She knocked lightly on the partially open door and heard Erin say, “Come in.”

When Savannah entered the room, she saw that Marissa was sound asleep in the bed and Erin was sitting up next to her reading under a small lamp. Walter lay next to her on the quilt and Rags was curled up on Marissa’s pillow. “Do you need anything?” Savannah asked quietly.

“No,” Erin said. She glanced at Marissa and the cats. “I can’t think of anything more we could possibly need.”

Savannah smiled, then walked over and gently kissed Marissa’s cheek. Moving to the other side of the bed, she embraced Erin in a warm hug, kissing her on top of her head. “Night-night, then. We’ll see you two on Christmas morning.”

“Oh yeah, Christmas,” Erin said. She shook her head. “I still can’t believe we’re going to get to watch a family have a real Christmas.”

“Watch us?” Savannah said, scornfully. “Watch us? Oh no, honey, you’re going to celebrate
with
us. This Christmas is for you and for Marissa.” She walked to the door, leaving Erin with a puzzled look on her face.
She doesn’t have any idea what’s in store for her and Marissa tomorrow,
Savannah thought. She felt giddy just thinking about it.

****

It was late Christmas Eve and all was quiet in the Ivey household, when Savannah’s dream of sugarplum fairies was abruptly interrupted. She awoke to the sound of a low growl.

“What is it, Lexie?” she whispered, rising from the bed and following the dog to the window. She pulled back the drapes just in time to glimpse a figure in the muted moonlight. “Michael,” she hissed. “Michael, someone’s out there.”

“What?” he asked, sleepily, rolling out of bed and moving toward her.

“Someone’s out there. It looks like he’s coming to the front door.” She took a quick breath. “Did we remember to set the alarm?”

He nodded then reached for his phone. “Nine-one-one, we have a prowler. He could be after some children we’re protecting in our home at 33 Cranberry Way. Please hurry.” He then made another call. “Craig, sorry to wake you, but I think your perp is at our front door. I’ve called the sheriff.”

“Oh God! Okay, Michael. Be right there.”

“What should we do, Michael?” Savannah asked.

Just then, the couple became aware that the nightlight in the bathroom had gone out. Michael flipped the switch on the wall. “Damn, he cut the power. That’s not good,” he said, running his hand through his hair. After a few seconds of rummaging in the dark, he handed Savannah a flashlight. “Go get Lily and take her up to the girls’ room. Wait there. Don’t wake them if you can help it.” He then added, “Take Lexie with you.”

“But Michael,” she objected.

“There’s another flashlight in the office, I’ll get it. Now go!” he hissed.

Aware of her heart pounding in her chest, Savannah slipped into her robe and headed toward the baby’s room. Once she’d lifted Lily from her crib, she motioned for the dog to follow her through the living room, into the dining room, and up the stairs.
I’m so glad Lexie got more mutt genes than Afghan-hound genes,
she thought.
Afghans aren’t supposed to be all that sharp.
“Good girl,” she said petting Lexie once they’d reached the staircase landing.

Before she could enter the girls’ bedroom, she heard the front doorknob rattle and she stopped abruptly, looking in the direction of the commotion.
Gosh, Michael has a baseball bat.

When he saw her, he motioned to her, hissing, “Go! Go!”

Reluctantly, she opened the bedroom door. As she did, Rags raced past her, down the stairs, and straight for the front door, where he stopped and stood, head down, growling.

Savannah’s heart was in her throat. When she heard the door rattle again, she rushed into the bedroom, gently laid Lily between the two sleeping girls, and slipped back out into the hallway. There was an eerie silence and then an abrupt crash and the sound of tinkling glass. Savannah’s eyes widened.
Oh my gosh, he smashed the stained-glass panel next to the door.
In the dim moonlight, she could see the intruder’s arm reach through the broken window toward the inside door locks just before Michael brought the bat down with force.

“Owww! Dammit! You broke my arm, you…”

In the meantime, Rags dove through the broken window toward the stranger, whose screeching became more intense. Michael quickly opened the front door and found himself facing a man dressed in black, a ski mask over his face. He pulled the bat back in a menacing manner as the man struggled to get loose of the cat’s grip. “Rags, that’s enough,” Michael commanded.

In the meantime, the stranger continued to hop around, trying to shake the cat off his arm. Within a few seconds, Rags dropped to the porch with a thud and the man turned to run.

“Stop!” Michael shouted. “Stop or I’ll shoot!” he threatened, wondering if he could convince the intruder that he had a gun.

Before the man was out of sight, Michael noticed a vehicle with dimmed headlights moving slowly into their circular driveway. When he realized it was a patrol car, he yelled, pointing, “He went that way! Toward the tack room!”

“Stop!” Deputy Ben shouted as he bounded out of the car. But the stranger ran into the darkness, two sheriff’s deputies on his tail. A third officer in a second car made a call for backup.

Several agonizing minutes passed before Michael turned and noticed Savannah standing in the doorway. “I told you to stay upstairs,” he scolded. Before she could defend herself, he asked, “Where’s Lily?”

“She’s with the girls. She’s fine. Here they come!” she said excitedly, when she saw the officers walking someone toward their squad car. “They got him!”

“Wait!” Michael called out. “That’s not him! You have the wrong guy!”

“Are you sure?” Ben asked, looking puzzled.

“Absolutely,” Michael said. “The jerk who broke through the door was taller, and thin. He wore a dark-colored ski mask and dark clothes. That’s not him. You’ve got the wrong man,” Michael insisted.

“Oh no!” Savannah said, covering her mouth with her hands.

“What?” Michael asked. “What’s wrong?”

“I think I know that guy, but I thought he was in jail. Ben, it’s one of the creeps involved with Marissa’s kidnapping.”

“Yeah,” Deputy Jim said, “those dudes made bail.” He looked at the scruffy man and said to him, “It appears you’re going back there.”

The prisoner protested, “Why? I didn’t do nothin’. You heard the dude; I’m not the one who broke in.”

“Is that…” Savannah started, squinting toward the corral. “…I think I heard my mare whinny.”

“I didn’t even know she was back here,” Michael said. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, Bonnie brought her back this afternoon on her way to pick up feed.” She tilted her head. “There, did you hear that? Something has her upset.”

“Better go check it out,” Ben said, handing the cuffed man over to another officer. He motioned toward Michael and Savannah. “You folks stay here.”

The pair of officers had been gone for only a few minutes when Michael and Savannah heard someone shout. “Got him!” When they returned with the tall man in black, Jim asked, “Is this him?”

“That’s him,” Michael said, scornfully.

Jim chuckled. “The horse and the cat had him cornered…corralled, you might say.”

“What?” Michael asked, glancing at his wife.

When the officers moved closer, Ben said, “Yeah, we found him hiding in a tree behind the tack room. Evidently, the cat had climbed the tree behind him. When he saw the cat, he started to back down and the horse leaned over the fence and took a bite out of his ass.” Ben glanced at Savannah. “Sorry ma’am,” he said trying to contain his laughter.

Just then the captured man began to shout, “Arrest these people!” he demanded. “I was just walkin’ by and they attacked me for no reason…them and their wild animal.”

“Wild animal?” Ben questioned.

The man’s eyes grew large. “Yeah, they have some sort of wild jungle cat. Look,” he screeched, “I’m bleeding to death here and my arm’s broken, man.” He tried to squirm out of the deputy’s grip. “I didn’t do nothin’. I’m innocent, I tell ya. Hey, you gotta take these cuffs off. My arm’s broken.”

Ben shook his head, then led the man to the squad car. “Now get in,” he instructed. “We’ll take you to the hospital.”

Before he could climb into the car, they heard a small voice. “That’s Sam.”

“Marissa, Erin,” Savannah said, when she turned and saw them standing behind her.

“I thought you girls were sleeping,” Michael said, gently taking the baby from Erin.

“What’s Sam doing here?” Erin asked.