Read Online The Purrfect Lie (Klepto Cat Mystery Book 12) by Patricia Fry - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Fry
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them. “A cat on a leash? Crazy! You’re taking a cat for a walk?”
Savannah turned to face a tall, gangly young man of about sixteen.
“Sam,” Margaret said, “this is my niece Savannah, her daughter Lily, and her cat, Rags. Yeah, he is a social cat. Loves to be out and about. But he’s been known to get into trouble, so they don’t let him out by himself,” Margaret explained.
Sam rolled his eyes. “I’ve never seen a cat on a leash before, but it’s gotta be better than being locked in a cage.”
Max heard the comment as he joined the others. “Now Sam, you know why the cats are in cages here—for their protection, remember?” He gestured toward the cathouse. “I want you to clean the pens this morning. Becky will work with you. Then later we’re going to have a lesson on the life of the feral cat and why we do what we do here.” He slapped the boy on the back in a friendly manner. “So get ready for some homework.” Max watched as Sam returned to his duties, then he stepped into the house.
“Where’d he come from?” Savannah asked Margaret.
“Sam’s a new court-ordered volunteer,” she explained.
“Court-ordered?”
“Yeah, we work with a few teens who’ve been in minor trouble with the law and whose sentences require community service. Max particularly likes working with kids who’ve been involved in some sort of animal abuse. Of course, we work closely with them and it’s a case-by-case situation.”
“What was he arrested for?” Savannah whispered.
“He ran off with a neighbor kid’s puppy and wouldn’t tell where he’d hidden it. He claimed that the little boy was poking the puppy with sticks and Sam was trying to rescue the pup. The parents pressed charges. We figure he has a good heart for animals, just needs help in the way he chooses to express it. Max says he needs an attitude adjustment. He hopes to teach Sam new ways to help animals rather than through that gut reaction that got him into trouble.”
Savannah stared at her aunt. “You guys are something else, you know it?”
“Why?” Margaret asked.
“Well, there’s just so much more that you do around here than meets the eye. It’s impressive.”
Margaret shrugged. “Thanks. Come on in. Let’s go see what we captured on film last night. I think Max went in to set up the player.”
“So, what do you think of our new project?” Max asked when he saw Savannah enter their living room.
She looked confused for a moment, then said, “Oh, you mean, Sam? Seems like a…passionate young man.”
Max nodded and reached down to pet Rags as he strolled past. “Can I unsnap his leash?” he asked.
“Yeah, go ahead.” She glanced around. “Where’s Jack?”
Max squinted in several directions, then said, “Here he comes. Hi Jack. Rags is here for another playdate.”
Everyone laughed when they saw Rags trot over to the tuxedo cat and head-butt him. Jack stepped back and stared at the harness Rags wore.
“I don’t think he’s ever seen a cat dressed up like that,” Margaret said. “He’s really checking him out, isn’t he?”
“Did your aunt tell you we had a visitor again last night?” Max asked, as he fiddled with the recorder. “He performed for our new cameras.”
“Oh no. Did any cats escape?” Savannah asked.
Max shook his head.
“So who is it?” she asked.
“Don’t have a clue,” Max said. “Can’t tell from the film.”
“You watched it without us?” Margaret whined.
“Yeah. Here, I’ll play it back. See what you think.”
As the two women watched the video, Savannah squinted at the screen, saying, “Gosh, you can’t see his face at all…or any flesh for that matter.” She looked at Max, then Margaret. “It’s like one of those ghouls that has no face.” She shuddered. “That’s just plain creepy.”
“Tell me about it,” Margaret said. “Has me creeped out.”
“How did he break in…didn’t you lock the pens last night? I heard you were locking them
Savannah turned to face a tall, gangly young man of about sixteen.
“Sam,” Margaret said, “this is my niece Savannah, her daughter Lily, and her cat, Rags. Yeah, he is a social cat. Loves to be out and about. But he’s been known to get into trouble, so they don’t let him out by himself,” Margaret explained.
Sam rolled his eyes. “I’ve never seen a cat on a leash before, but it’s gotta be better than being locked in a cage.”
Max heard the comment as he joined the others. “Now Sam, you know why the cats are in cages here—for their protection, remember?” He gestured toward the cathouse. “I want you to clean the pens this morning. Becky will work with you. Then later we’re going to have a lesson on the life of the feral cat and why we do what we do here.” He slapped the boy on the back in a friendly manner. “So get ready for some homework.” Max watched as Sam returned to his duties, then he stepped into the house.
“Where’d he come from?” Savannah asked Margaret.
“Sam’s a new court-ordered volunteer,” she explained.
“Court-ordered?”
“Yeah, we work with a few teens who’ve been in minor trouble with the law and whose sentences require community service. Max particularly likes working with kids who’ve been involved in some sort of animal abuse. Of course, we work closely with them and it’s a case-by-case situation.”
“What was he arrested for?” Savannah whispered.
“He ran off with a neighbor kid’s puppy and wouldn’t tell where he’d hidden it. He claimed that the little boy was poking the puppy with sticks and Sam was trying to rescue the pup. The parents pressed charges. We figure he has a good heart for animals, just needs help in the way he chooses to express it. Max says he needs an attitude adjustment. He hopes to teach Sam new ways to help animals rather than through that gut reaction that got him into trouble.”
Savannah stared at her aunt. “You guys are something else, you know it?”
“Why?” Margaret asked.
“Well, there’s just so much more that you do around here than meets the eye. It’s impressive.”
Margaret shrugged. “Thanks. Come on in. Let’s go see what we captured on film last night. I think Max went in to set up the player.”
“So, what do you think of our new project?” Max asked when he saw Savannah enter their living room.
She looked confused for a moment, then said, “Oh, you mean, Sam? Seems like a…passionate young man.”
Max nodded and reached down to pet Rags as he strolled past. “Can I unsnap his leash?” he asked.
“Yeah, go ahead.” She glanced around. “Where’s Jack?”
Max squinted in several directions, then said, “Here he comes. Hi Jack. Rags is here for another playdate.”
Everyone laughed when they saw Rags trot over to the tuxedo cat and head-butt him. Jack stepped back and stared at the harness Rags wore.
“I don’t think he’s ever seen a cat dressed up like that,” Margaret said. “He’s really checking him out, isn’t he?”
“Did your aunt tell you we had a visitor again last night?” Max asked, as he fiddled with the recorder. “He performed for our new cameras.”
“Oh no. Did any cats escape?” Savannah asked.
Max shook his head.
“So who is it?” she asked.
“Don’t have a clue,” Max said. “Can’t tell from the film.”
“You watched it without us?” Margaret whined.
“Yeah. Here, I’ll play it back. See what you think.”
As the two women watched the video, Savannah squinted at the screen, saying, “Gosh, you can’t see his face at all…or any flesh for that matter.” She looked at Max, then Margaret. “It’s like one of those ghouls that has no face.” She shuddered. “That’s just plain creepy.”
“Tell me about it,” Margaret said. “Has me creeped out.”
“How did he break in…didn’t you lock the pens last night? I heard you were locking them
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