Read Online A MEOWvelous Witness (Klepto Cat Mystery Book 17) by Patricia Fry - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Fry
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the car or at least walked up to the car.” His voice accelerating, he said, “Yeah, that print with the crutch leads up to the car and stops. Whoever those prints belong to definitely got into the car.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right, Max?” Savannah said. “The other prints seem to go in both directions.
“So what does that tell us?” Colbi asked. “Maggie wasn’t walking with a crutch when we saw her this morning.”
“But maybe whoever ate her food and took her car was,” Max said.
“It could be that someone got hurt up here and Maggie drove them to the emergency room,” Iris suggested.
“Or maybe these aren’t her tire tracks at all,” Savannah said.
Max thought for a moment, then asked, “Hey, did you look around the rest of the campground?”
“We walked down to the river,” Savannah said.
“Maybe when she didn’t see you guys here, she drove farther into the campground and her car broke down there.”
“Yeah, but where are the tire marks? It doesn’t look as if anyone drove back that way today at all.”
“She could have driven over on that blacktopped section,” he reasoned. “The rest of the road is hardpan and you wouldn’t see any fresh tire tracks on it.”
“I guess you could be right,” Savannah said.
Max nodded. “Yeah, get in. Let’s drive back there and see what we can find.”
“Uh, I think someone should stay with the horses.”
Iris stepped forward. “I’ll go with you, Max. Savannah, why don’t you horse-sit in case they act up.”
When the others looked at Colbi, she said, “I’ll stay with Savannah. You two go on.”
“Good luck,” Savannah called as they drove off. She dropped her head in exasperation. “I just don’t believe this. Where could she be?” She pulled out her phone again, saying, “Still no answer.”
It was around two by the time Max and Iris returned. Savannah was first to greet them. “Find anything?”
Max shook his head. He pounded the steering wheel. “Dang it, what could have happened? Savannah, did you try her phone again?”
She nodded. “Several times. It just goes to voicemail.”
He grimaced. “This makes me think she’s lying hurt someplace. You know, she could have driven over a cliff and isn’t able to reach her phone.”
“Then why did we find her dishes up here?” Iris asked.
After thinking about it, he said, “Good question—one I sure wish we had an answer for. Do you think she came here, met up with someone she was afraid of, and drove back down the hill, only to have some sort of accident?”
“I guess it’s possible,” Savannah said.
“So you think the bad people took her food and let her go?” Iris asked.
“Yeah,” Colbi said quietly, “or does that person on crutches have her?”
Without hesitation, Max picked up his phone. “I’m calling the sheriff. Something’s definitely not right. I’m afraid Maggie might be in trouble.” When he saw the look of horror on Savannah’s face, he asked, “Don’t you think so?”
“I guess,” she said, choking up. “But I really didn’t want to face it.” She wiped at her eyes and took a breath. “I expected to see that Jeep of hers pull in here any minute and hear her apologize, saying she stopped to save an injured kitten or dog or bear cub...”
Max grimaced. “That would be nice, wouldn’t it? But if she’s in trouble, I don’t want to let any more time go by.”
“Makes sense. Yes, we should call someone.”
“Will they come up here?” Iris asked. “Hey, I’ll call Craig. He’ll know what to do.”
“Yes, call him, Iris,” Max instructed. “If Craig can help, I’d sure like to talk to him. In the meantime, I’m calling 9-1-1.” A few minutes later, he reported, “They’re sending someone up. I told them we’re afraid she went over the side on one of those hairpin curves, so they’ll keep an eye out on their way.”
“Here, Max,” Iris said, handing him her phone. “My husband wants to talk to
“Yeah, I think you’re right, Max?” Savannah said. “The other prints seem to go in both directions.
“So what does that tell us?” Colbi asked. “Maggie wasn’t walking with a crutch when we saw her this morning.”
“But maybe whoever ate her food and took her car was,” Max said.
“It could be that someone got hurt up here and Maggie drove them to the emergency room,” Iris suggested.
“Or maybe these aren’t her tire tracks at all,” Savannah said.
Max thought for a moment, then asked, “Hey, did you look around the rest of the campground?”
“We walked down to the river,” Savannah said.
“Maybe when she didn’t see you guys here, she drove farther into the campground and her car broke down there.”
“Yeah, but where are the tire marks? It doesn’t look as if anyone drove back that way today at all.”
“She could have driven over on that blacktopped section,” he reasoned. “The rest of the road is hardpan and you wouldn’t see any fresh tire tracks on it.”
“I guess you could be right,” Savannah said.
Max nodded. “Yeah, get in. Let’s drive back there and see what we can find.”
“Uh, I think someone should stay with the horses.”
Iris stepped forward. “I’ll go with you, Max. Savannah, why don’t you horse-sit in case they act up.”
When the others looked at Colbi, she said, “I’ll stay with Savannah. You two go on.”
“Good luck,” Savannah called as they drove off. She dropped her head in exasperation. “I just don’t believe this. Where could she be?” She pulled out her phone again, saying, “Still no answer.”
It was around two by the time Max and Iris returned. Savannah was first to greet them. “Find anything?”
Max shook his head. He pounded the steering wheel. “Dang it, what could have happened? Savannah, did you try her phone again?”
She nodded. “Several times. It just goes to voicemail.”
He grimaced. “This makes me think she’s lying hurt someplace. You know, she could have driven over a cliff and isn’t able to reach her phone.”
“Then why did we find her dishes up here?” Iris asked.
After thinking about it, he said, “Good question—one I sure wish we had an answer for. Do you think she came here, met up with someone she was afraid of, and drove back down the hill, only to have some sort of accident?”
“I guess it’s possible,” Savannah said.
“So you think the bad people took her food and let her go?” Iris asked.
“Yeah,” Colbi said quietly, “or does that person on crutches have her?”
Without hesitation, Max picked up his phone. “I’m calling the sheriff. Something’s definitely not right. I’m afraid Maggie might be in trouble.” When he saw the look of horror on Savannah’s face, he asked, “Don’t you think so?”
“I guess,” she said, choking up. “But I really didn’t want to face it.” She wiped at her eyes and took a breath. “I expected to see that Jeep of hers pull in here any minute and hear her apologize, saying she stopped to save an injured kitten or dog or bear cub...”
Max grimaced. “That would be nice, wouldn’t it? But if she’s in trouble, I don’t want to let any more time go by.”
“Makes sense. Yes, we should call someone.”
“Will they come up here?” Iris asked. “Hey, I’ll call Craig. He’ll know what to do.”
“Yes, call him, Iris,” Max instructed. “If Craig can help, I’d sure like to talk to him. In the meantime, I’m calling 9-1-1.” A few minutes later, he reported, “They’re sending someone up. I told them we’re afraid she went over the side on one of those hairpin curves, so they’ll keep an eye out on their way.”
“Here, Max,” Iris said, handing him her phone. “My husband wants to talk to
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