Read Online A MEOWvelous Witness (Klepto Cat Mystery Book 17) by Patricia Fry - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Patricia Fry
Ads: Link
you.”
“Hello, Detective.”
“So what happened?” Craig asked, concern in his voice.
Max ran his hand through his thick salt-and-pepper hair while pacing back and forth in front of the women. “I wish I knew. Maggie seems to have vanished. We’re up here at the picnic grounds where the girls were supposed to meet and there isn’t a sign of her, except I guess the gals found what they think are some of her dishes. She was driving up to bring lunch to the horseback riders.”
“Yes, Iris told me,” he said quietly. “Are you going to be there for a while?”
“Yes, the sheriff is sending someone up and I want to be here when they arrive.”
Craig hesitated, then said, “I’ll be there in thirty minutes or so. If the gals are going to ride those horses back this afternoon, they’d better get started, don’t you think?”
Max glanced at the women. “Yeah, I guess so. I’ll let them know.” Once he’d ended the call, he said, “Savannah, Craig thinks you should head back so you don’t get caught in the dark.”
She nodded. “Yeah, we probably should.” However, when she gazed at Colbi and Iris, she noticed, “You two don’t look very enthused.”
Colbi stared down at her boots. “It’s a long way back.”
Iris added, “Yeah, and it’s going to get cold soon. Can’t someone come and get them in one of those horse trucks? Beulah and Delilah would probably appreciate a ride home.”
“I’m afraid not,” Savannah said apologetically. “Bonnie and Barney have gone to a show down south. So even if there was someone to bring us a trailer, there’s no trailer. They’re using it.”
“Oh no,” Colbi said, resting her head in her hands.
Iris let out a sigh. “Well, let’s get a move on, then—round ‘em up and move ‘em out, as they say.”
Savannah laughed briefly. “That’s what they say on a cattle drive.” Then she announced a little more loudly, “Hey! I have an idea. I know someone with a spread just over the knoll there—down toward the highway. What’s their name? Bowman—Heddy and Bob.” She scrolled through her phone contacts. “There it is,” she said, placing a call. “Hello, is this Heddy? This is Savannah Ivey. I met you when Michael and I came out to vaccinate your goat herd last summer.”
“Yes, Savannah, I remember. How are you?”
“In a pickle at the moment, and I was hoping you could help us.”
“Sure. What’s going on?”
“Well, I’m on horseback not too far from your place with friends. We’ve run into a problem here at Coyote Camp and I don’t think we have time to ride back before dark. Could we…?”
“Of course, you can. We have extra stalls. How many horses do you have?”
“Three.”
“Bring ’em on down and we’ll take them off your hands. Do you need a ride home?”
“I think my uncle can pick us up. But first, I’d better call Bonnie and clear this with her.”
“Oh, you’re on the Teagues’ horses? I’m sure she and Barney will be fine with it. They’re friends of ours—we run in the same circles, you know.”
“Okay. I’ll make the call out of courtesy, and we’ll see you in a little while. Thank you so much.”
“Glad to help.”
After clearing their new plan with the Teague Ranch manager, Savannah reported, “Okay, girls, we’re taking a short ride instead of the long one.” She looked at her watch. “Sheesh, Max, I hope they get here before too long. I sure don’t want to be riding over that area in the dark. I don’t know how rugged it might be between here and there.”
“How long do you think it’ll take you to get to the Bowman place?” he asked.
“Oh, about fifteen minutes, maybe.”
“Well, why don’t you hang out here until, say, four thirty or five. We should know something by then. I’m pretty sure authorities will want to question all of us.”
“Darn,” Savannah said, kicking a rock with the toe of her boot.
“What?” Max asked frowning.
“I’d better call Mr.
“Hello, Detective.”
“So what happened?” Craig asked, concern in his voice.
Max ran his hand through his thick salt-and-pepper hair while pacing back and forth in front of the women. “I wish I knew. Maggie seems to have vanished. We’re up here at the picnic grounds where the girls were supposed to meet and there isn’t a sign of her, except I guess the gals found what they think are some of her dishes. She was driving up to bring lunch to the horseback riders.”
“Yes, Iris told me,” he said quietly. “Are you going to be there for a while?”
“Yes, the sheriff is sending someone up and I want to be here when they arrive.”
Craig hesitated, then said, “I’ll be there in thirty minutes or so. If the gals are going to ride those horses back this afternoon, they’d better get started, don’t you think?”
Max glanced at the women. “Yeah, I guess so. I’ll let them know.” Once he’d ended the call, he said, “Savannah, Craig thinks you should head back so you don’t get caught in the dark.”
She nodded. “Yeah, we probably should.” However, when she gazed at Colbi and Iris, she noticed, “You two don’t look very enthused.”
Colbi stared down at her boots. “It’s a long way back.”
Iris added, “Yeah, and it’s going to get cold soon. Can’t someone come and get them in one of those horse trucks? Beulah and Delilah would probably appreciate a ride home.”
“I’m afraid not,” Savannah said apologetically. “Bonnie and Barney have gone to a show down south. So even if there was someone to bring us a trailer, there’s no trailer. They’re using it.”
“Oh no,” Colbi said, resting her head in her hands.
Iris let out a sigh. “Well, let’s get a move on, then—round ‘em up and move ‘em out, as they say.”
Savannah laughed briefly. “That’s what they say on a cattle drive.” Then she announced a little more loudly, “Hey! I have an idea. I know someone with a spread just over the knoll there—down toward the highway. What’s their name? Bowman—Heddy and Bob.” She scrolled through her phone contacts. “There it is,” she said, placing a call. “Hello, is this Heddy? This is Savannah Ivey. I met you when Michael and I came out to vaccinate your goat herd last summer.”
“Yes, Savannah, I remember. How are you?”
“In a pickle at the moment, and I was hoping you could help us.”
“Sure. What’s going on?”
“Well, I’m on horseback not too far from your place with friends. We’ve run into a problem here at Coyote Camp and I don’t think we have time to ride back before dark. Could we…?”
“Of course, you can. We have extra stalls. How many horses do you have?”
“Three.”
“Bring ’em on down and we’ll take them off your hands. Do you need a ride home?”
“I think my uncle can pick us up. But first, I’d better call Bonnie and clear this with her.”
“Oh, you’re on the Teagues’ horses? I’m sure she and Barney will be fine with it. They’re friends of ours—we run in the same circles, you know.”
“Okay. I’ll make the call out of courtesy, and we’ll see you in a little while. Thank you so much.”
“Glad to help.”
After clearing their new plan with the Teague Ranch manager, Savannah reported, “Okay, girls, we’re taking a short ride instead of the long one.” She looked at her watch. “Sheesh, Max, I hope they get here before too long. I sure don’t want to be riding over that area in the dark. I don’t know how rugged it might be between here and there.”
“How long do you think it’ll take you to get to the Bowman place?” he asked.
“Oh, about fifteen minutes, maybe.”
“Well, why don’t you hang out here until, say, four thirty or five. We should know something by then. I’m pretty sure authorities will want to question all of us.”
“Darn,” Savannah said, kicking a rock with the toe of her boot.
“What?” Max asked frowning.
“I’d better call Mr.
Similar Books
