“Where are you going?” Adam asked when Savannah turned the car around.

  She smiled at him. “You want to make sure the baby’s okay, don’t you?”

  “Yes!” Cassie shouted.

  “Sure do,” Adam said.

  Savannah drove just a short distance and stopped the car closer to where Rags had found the squirrel. “Look, we can see the mama squirrel in the tree. She’s still chattering, but she seems to be a little calmer.”

  “There she goes,” Adam said quietly.

  “Yeah, she’s climbing down the tree,” Cassie whispered.

  The three of them watched as the squirrel made her way to the ground. They held their breath watching her dart around the area where the young one lay. Once she seemed to feel secure with the situation, she picked up the kit in her mouth and scurried up the tree.

  “I see where her nest is,” Cassie said. “She took the baby right into that hole in the tree. Her nest is in there, isn’t it, Aunt Savannah?”

  “Sure looks like it is.”

  Adam put his arm around the cat, who stood next to the boy peering out the window. “Did you see that, Rags?” he asked. “The baby’s safe now. The mama put him back to bed.”

  Savannah smiled at the children as she drove off.

  ****

  “So how’d it go?” Keith asked, hugging Cassie when the threesome and the cat returned to the beach house.

  “Good,” the child said. “Rags took a baby squirrel from its mama and wouldn’t give him back.”

  “What?” Holly squealed, sitting up on her lounge chair eager to hear the details.

  “A squirrel?” Michael repeated.

  “Yeah,” Adam said, “And boy, was that big squirrel mad.”

  “How’d you get him to give it back?” Keith asked, obviously amused.

  “Aunt Savannah picked Rags up and Rob took it from his paws.”

  “Yeah, then Rags was really mad,” Adam said.

  Savannah observed, “I think he’s still angry. Look at him; he’s pouting.”

  “And Pauline’s trying to comfort him,” Gladys said.

  Michael laughed. “I think she smells the squirrel scent on him and wonders what in the heck he’s been doing. Look at her face. She’s saying, ‘Ewww. Rags, you smell like a wild animal.’”

  “Was Janet at the signing?” Gladys asked.

  Savannah nodded. “Yes, she bought a couple of books and got a kick out of watching Rags sign them.”

  “Paw-tograph them,” Cassie said.

  Savannah smiled down at the child, then asked, the others, “So how did things go here in paradise this afternoon while we were working and saving wildlife?”

  Michael said, “Well, before he left, Craig called and talked to that detective that’s been bugging you.”

  “Oh?” Savannah said. “What did he find out?”

  “I’ll let him tell you the details, but he seems to be concerned about you being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “Gads, does he think I’ll be arrested or charged with something?”

  Michael thinned his lips. “He’s sure going to do his best to keep that from happening. He says he thinks those cops are idiots and they’re grasping at straws—maybe trying to cover up something or protect the actual perp for some reason.”

  “They’re looking for a scapegoat? Do I look like a scapegoat?” she asked.

  “You don’t look anything like a goat,” Michael said, pulling her down and kissing her. He held her for a moment. “Craig said he wants you to enjoy your vacation. He says he has your back.” He spoke more softly, “I sure hope he does.”

  ****

  That evening Gladys, Savannah, and Holly walked the block and a half to Janet’s home. They’d been discussing their strategy for twenty minutes when Janet said, “Okay, sisters in crime-solving, shall we take our places?”

  As Savannah moved across the room toward her assigned post, a framed photo caught her eye. “Awww, is this the ragdoll you told me about?” she asked, running her hand gently over a picture of a beautiful cat.”

  “Yes, that’s my beloved girl. I miss her so much.” Janet smiled. “She had one huge personality, like your Rags. I got such a kick out of her antics. Oh, she looks demure in that picture, but I’m telling you, she had a mind of her own. She ruled the roost around here.” Janet picked up a small picture album. “Here are some candid shots of Daphne that we took over the years.” She pointed. “Here she is sneaking a piece of steak from Henry’s plate when he wasn’t looking. In this shot she had unrolled a half roll of toilet paper just before guests arrived for a book club meeting.”

  “What a creative kitty,” Holly said. “Cute.”

  “This is her guilty look,” Janet said, displaying another picture. “See the chunk she’d chewed out of my orchid blossom there? I’d never known a cat to eat an orchid before. Well, actually she didn’t eat it; she just shredded it for the fun of it.” She laughed. “And here she is sneaking out the bathroom window. I went outside and caught this shot of her pushing the screen off and trying to squirm out.”

  “Oh, she was a stinker,” Savannah said. “Very creative.”

  “Yes, she had a big personality, that’s for sure.” Janet closed the album, placed it back on the shelf and patted it affectionately, muttering, “Sweet baby.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, are we ready?” She motioned for the others to join her at the sliding glass door and pointed. “There’s our bait out there on the deck.” She dimmed the indoor lights. “Take your places.”

  Gladys giggled. “My friends will never believe this.”

  “Neither will my grandchildren,” Janet said. She shivered with delight. “I can’t wait to tell them about Nana’s stakeout.” She handed Gladys her cell phone. “Here, take a picture of me.”

  Savannah grinned from her position at the sliding glass door. “You need a hoodie, Janet.”

  “Yeah,” Holly agreed. “Zip up your sweatshirt, and look like you mean business.”

  “Like this?” Janet asked, slipping on a pair of dark glasses and pulling her sweatshirt hood up over her graying hair.

  “All you need is a cigar and a weapon,” Holly joked.

  Gladys looked incredulous. “Do you think we should have a weapon? Like a rolling pin, or maybe an umbrella...?”

  “No,” Janet insisted. She held up her phone. “All we need is Officer Perot on speed-dial.”

  “The front door’s locked, isn’t it?” Holly asked.

  “Yes. We’ve checked it ten times,” Savannah exaggerated.

  “Eleven,” Janet added.

  Gladys looked sheepish. “Twelve.” She then said, “Shouldn’t we be quiet? On TV they’re always quiet during a stakeout.”

  Janet Huffed. “This isn’t TV.” Then she whined, “Is it too late to call it off and go home?”

  Savannah chuckled. “You are home.”

  “Oh yes, I guess I am.” Janet peered out through a slit in the drapes. “And there’s our bait, my favorite diamond-and-ruby brooch.”

  Gladys scrutinized the woman. “It’s not real, is it?”

  “No, but hopefully he’ll think it is.”

  “He doesn’t seem to care about the value of the things he takes,” Savannah reminded her.

  Holly agreed. “No, he certainly isn’t discerning. Maybe he just grabs what he sees and evaluates it later.”

  Gladys frowned. “I’m still trying to figure out why he’d take my skein of embroidery thread.”

  “Oh, Mom,” Savannah said, “I still think it just blew away when you weren’t looking.”

  “Blew all the way up to the Conklins’ beach house?” Gladys challenged. She shook her head. “No, I think he grabbed it, along with Lily’s little tiara, and dropped it during his getaway. Remember, they found the tiara on the beach not too far from the Conklins.”

  “What do you think he wants with things like that, anyway?” Holly asked. “I can see why he’d pick up nice jewelry and cash, for heaven’s sake, but why this piddly stuff?”

  “For his yard sales,” Janet suggested matter-of-factly. “Hey, maybe that’s it! He’s into yard sales.” She gazed intently at the others. “He steals it to sell at his own yard sales. That’s how he makes his miserable living.”

  “Hmmm,” Savannah muttered. She looked out through the large window from another angle. “Okay, let’s be quiet. He could show up at any time. Everyone take your places. Got your phone ready to take a picture? We want hard evidence.”

  “Pshaw!” Janet said. “We thought we had fingerprint evidence on that package of Top Ramen noodles we found on my neighbor’s front porch, but that didn’t pan out. I guess he wears gloves.”

  Savannah chuckled softly. “Mom, did you hear what our cousin said?”

  “Yes,” Gladys responded. “I’m not deaf. Why?”

  “Don’t you think she sounded like Auntie Maggie just then?”

  Gladys thought for a moment, then said, “Oh, the pshaw? Yes, Janet, my sister uses that phrase sometimes.”

  Janet laughed. “I guess that proves we are cousins.”

  “Shhh,” Gladys whispered. “I see something.”

  “Oh, my God!” Janet hissed. “Who is it? Can you see who it is?”

  “Get your phone ready to take a picture, Mom,” Savannah instructed quietly.

  “Oh no,” Gladys complained. “I can’t make it work. It won’t work.”

  “Let me do it,” Janet whispered, joining Gladys at the kitchen window. “There,” she said. “I got it.” She jumped up and down, squealing quietly, “I got his picture!”

  “Who is it?” Savannah whispered, joining the others.

  Janet handed the phone to Savannah. “I don’t know. The picture’s too dark and I can’t fix it. See, my hands are shaking.” She turned her head. “Anyway, I’m not sure I want to know who it is.” She watched as Savannah ran her finger over the phone screen to enlarge the photo. “Who is it?”

  Gladys chuckled quietly. “Do you want to know or not?”

  “I don’t know,” Janet wailed.

  Savannah suddenly began to laugh.

  “Who is it?” Gladys asked hesitantly.

  Janet barked, “Holly, call Officer Perot. Let’s get him over here to arrest the man.”

  “It’s not a man,” Savannah announced.

  “A woman?” Janet screeched. “A woman has been robbing us?”

  “It’s not a woman.” Savannah hurried toward the kitchen door and opened it. “Hi, Adam. Did you come to join the party?”

  The boy held up her cell phone. “Not really. Dad said you forgot this and he thought you’d want it.”

  “What?” Savannah retrieved a phone from her pocket and quickly realized her mistake. “I picked up your dad’s phone, didn’t I?” She shook her head. “Well, that’s odd.” She exchanged phones with Adam. “Thanks. Hey, want to be part of our surveillance team?”

  The boy looked around and shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  Suddenly Janet shouted, “It’s gone! My brooch is gone!”

  “What?” Gladys shrieked.

  Savannah joined the other women at the window. “Adam, did you see anyone out there when you came up the walkway?”

  “No. What’s gone?” he asked. “Do you mean the burglar came and you didn’t see him?”

  Savannah looked askance. “I guess that’s exactly what happened. How could that be?”

  Janet shrank back and said, her voice a mere squeak, “Is he still out there? Holly, did you call the police?”

  She shook her head. “Should I? I wasn’t sure if I should or not.”

  Savannah thought about it before saying, “Yeah. We should let the officers know that he was here. They might find him in the neighborhood somewhere with Janet’s pin. I still don’t know how we missed him.”

  “Or her,” Holly added. When the others looked at her she explained, “She’s stealthy, she’s clever, she’s operating under the radar, and she must be small and agile. Yeah, I think it’s a woman.”

  Savannah studied her sister-in-law for a moment. “Well, he or she certainly seems to be clever.” She spoke more softly when saying, “...and invisible.”

  “I called him,” Janet announced. “He’s coming over. He’s going to have a few officers canvass the area to see who they can find out and about.”

  “On a Saturday night at the beach?” Savannah said. When the others looked at her she explained, “As I recall, it can get kind of busy down here on weekend nights. Whoever it is would sort of blend in with the partiers, artisans, vagrants, and whoever else is wandering around out there.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right,” Janet agreed. She shook her head. “Darn. It makes me so mad that he snuck in right under our noses and we didn’t see a thing. How could that happen?” Before she could finish her rant, Janet’s phone chimed. “Hello? What? Yes. That’s mine. Where did you find it? Oh for goodness sake. No kidding? Yeah, I’m home; send him on over.”

  “Did they catch him?” Gladys asked.

  “No,” Janet said. “That was a neighbor, she said she just went out to bring in the beach towels her grandchildren had used today and found my brooch.”

  “You mean the one...?”

  “Yes, the diamond-and-ruby one.” Janet looked at Gladys and corrected herself, “The fake diamond-and-ruby one.”

  “Where was it?” Holly asked.

  “In her dog’s water bowl. She saw her dog pawing at his water. She said that crabs will sometimes climb into his bowl, so she went to investigate.”

  “How odd,” Savannah said. “Either this guy...” she glanced at Holly, “...or gal is really clumsy, or he has a screw loose. Why would they take something, then leave it someplace for someone else to find?”

  “Robin Hood,” Janet said. “Is there such a thing as a Robin Hood syndrome?”

  Holly nodded. “I think there is, but I doubt it relates to a beach burglar like this guy or gal.”

  When the women heard a rap at the door, they froze.

  “Who’s that?” Holly asked.

  “The cop you called?” Adam suggested calmly.

  “Oh, yeah, right,” Janet said, patting the boy on the shoulder on her way to answer the door. “Come in, come in,” she said. “The crime is solved—well, sort of.” When Officer Perot looked confused, she said, “A neighbor found my brooch in her dog’s water bowl out on her deck. She just called to tell me. I showed it to her a couple of days ago and told her I was going to use it as bait to catch this guy.”

  The officer ran his hand over his head. “So you ladies didn’t see anyone or anything out of the ordinary this evening?”

  Each of them shook their head.

  “And you, young man? Were you watching for the culprit?” the officer asked.

  “No.” He nodded toward Savannah. “I came over here to bring her phone.”

  “And you didn’t see anyone outside there at all?”

  “Not really.” When the officer seemed to be waiting for more, Adam said, “A guy rode past me on a skateboard going the other way. A girl about ten got out of a car in front of the house next door and ran inside. A police car drove by real slow. That’s all I remember.”

  “The guy on the skateboard, did he look suspicious to you?”

  “Not really,” Adam said. “He just looked like an ordinary guy going someplace on his skateboard.”

  “I think that’s our problem right there,” Savannah said. “He or she blends in. It’s one of us...I mean someone dressed like the rest of us here at the beach. He doesn’t stand out.”

  “And he’s clumsy,” Holly said. When the officer looked at her, she explained, “He keeps dropping the things he takes. Maybe a seagull or a raven actually is swooping down and picking up shiny baubles. When they latch onto something that’s too heavy, they ditch it and fly on home.”

  “Could be,” Savannah said, “but why all of a sudden?” When the others looked at her, she quipped, “Did a mobster seagull just fly in from Detroit this week and start recruiting local gulls to terrorize the neighborhood?”

  “I don’t know about that,” Officer Perot said, chuckling. He turned to leave. “Well, thanks for the update. Hang in there ladies, and do let us know if you see anything suspicious, will you?”

  ****

  “How’re things in paradise?” Craig asked when he called Sunday afternoon.

  “Nice,” Savannah said. “Rob and Cheryl came out today and brought some fabulous deli sandwiches. You and Iris missed quite a nice lunch.”

  “Just our luck,” Craig lamented. “Glad you all had a good time, though.” He changed the subject. “Hey, how’d the stakeout go?”

  She chuckled. “It was fun, but we didn’t catch anyone. The theory now is that it’s a bird.”

  “A bird?” Craig repeated. “Why would you blame this on a bird, for cripes sake?”

  “Oh—opportunity, ability, the fact that the thief has not been detected and evidently doesn’t leave behind any fingerprints. Plus,” she said, “he keeps dropping some of the stuff he takes, like maybe he can’t fly very far carrying it. At least that’s Holly’s theory.”

  “Hmmm. Hey, the reason I’m calling is I want you to know that that idiot detective is still trying to lay that burglary on you. I wondered if there’s anything—anything at all—that you can tell me about those two knuckleheads you met when you found the money. Did they say anything that might be important to the case? What did you observe about them?”

  “I don’t know, Craig. I can’t think of anything I didn’t already tell you.”

  “Well, I want you to think real hard about it, will you?” When she seemed resistant, he said, “You want to get this rather awkward accusation behind you, right?”

  “Absolutely. I still can’t believe they think I had something to do with that. Where do you suppose that came from? I mean people every day find things and call the police to report it, and they aren’t sucked into a full-on investigation. How is this different?”

  “I’m not sure, Savannah. I hope to get to the bottom of it when I meet with him.”

  “You’re meeting with Detective Shively? When?”

  “We’re still trying to work out the details.” Craig sensed that Savannah was brooding, and he said, “Listen, you haven’t done anything wrong.” He was quiet for a moment. “Do you think your new friend...what’s his name?”