“Cookie,” Lily said, pointing at the packages.

  “You want a cookie?” Savannah asked. “Auntie, I think there are some of her teething biscuits in the pantry.” She then said to the dog, “Okay, Lexie, let’s go exploring.”

  “Do you see anything out of order?” Colbi asked as the two women and the dog moved through the house, in and out of rooms, up and down the staircase.

  “No. Everything looks normal.” Savannah peered at Colbi and said, hesitantly, “Well, let’s go check the messages, shall we?” She took one look at the phone and gasped. “Gads, eleven messages. All from him, do you suppose?” She asked her aunt, then Colbi, “Do I want to hear these?”

  “It’s up to you,” Margaret said, following Lily as she toddled into the living room.

  “Guess I should know what I’m up against. Maybe he left a clue that will help us catch him.” She raised her finger and rather dramatically pushed the “play” button.

  After listening to the messages—six from the stalker, three telemarketers, and two hang-ups—Savannah let out a sigh. “Well, he’s relentless.”

  “He’s obsessed,” Colbi said.

  Margaret laughed. “Oh, Vannie, you sure can attract them, can’t you?”

  “Not on purpose,” she said defiantly.

  “Well, it sounds like you were awfully nice to this guy somewhere along the line—nice enough that he can’t get you out of his mind.”

  “He sounds young,” Colbi said, “and kinda immature, if you ask me.”

  “Well, he’s in luuuv,” Margaret exaggerated. “Hey, what did he say about wanting to treat you like the real woman that you are?”

  “Oh stop it,” Savannah said, sternly. “Gives me the creeps. Who does he think he is?”

  “Casanova? Romeo?” Colbi suggested.

  “How does he know me? I can’t even imagine. His voice isn’t one bit familiar.”

  “But he sure seems to know you,” Margaret said. “Think about some of the men you’ve met in passing recently.”

  Colbi jumped in, “Yeah, but you might not know him at all—he might have just seen you someplace.”

  “That’s right; where have you been lately?” Margaret asked.

  “The mall, June’s estate, the clinic, the grocery store…”

  Colbi challenged, “Hey, what stores in the mall?”

  “Oh you know, the usual: camera shop, bookstore, baby shop…”

  “Smoothie stand,” Margaret added. She looked at Colbi. “We like to get a smoothie after our mall walk.”

  “Can you think of anyone who acted a little too friendly at any of those places?” Colbi asked.

  Savannah shook her head, her mind reeling. She then said, “When I saw Travis the other night, I thought for sure it was him. But the voice is different. Anyway, he seemed happy with the girl he was with.”

  Just then the phone rang. The women stood looking at it and then at each other. Savannah thought about it and finally decided to answer it. “Hello?”

  There was a long silence. “Hello?” she said again.

  “Who is this?” the voice asked.

  “Savannah Ivey, who’s this?”

  “I think you know who it is,” he said. “I’ve been calling; why don’t you return my calls? You blocked my calls on your cell. That wasn’t nice. I just want to talk to you.”

  “About what?” she asked, glancing at Colbi and Margaret.

  “Uh…about us, that’s what.”

  “Listen, there is no us,” she said sternly.

  He paused, then said, “That’s what you think. Uh…there’s something you should know about me. I always get what I want and I want you.”

  “That’s crazy,” she said. She paused before adding, “Do I know you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do I know your name?”

  After some hesitation, the voice said, “Probably not.”

  “Where do I know you from? Can you tell me that?” When he didn’t respond, she said, “The bar down on Second Street?”

  She heard him laugh. “No.”

  “The mall?”

  “Uh…maybe.”

  “Look, if we’re going to get together, you’ll have to tell me who you are.”

  “Yeah, I guess that’s right.” There was a pause, then he said almost breathlessly, “Okay, meet me in the parking lot at Mason’s Mini-Mart in forty-five minutes. Park on the far edge of the lot under that row of trees. I’ll be there waiting for you.”

  “All right. I’ll see you then.”

  “Savannah?” he said.

  “Yes?”

  “I really am crazy about you.”

  The line went dead.

  “You’re going to meet him?” Colbi asked disbelieving.

  “Well, maybe,” she said. “But I’m hoping Craig will meet him. I’m calling him now. She took the tape out of the answering machine and put it in her purse, then made the call to Craig using her cell phone. “Hello Craig—oh darn…” She turned toward Margaret and Colbi. “It’s his answering service.” Into the phone, she said, “Hello, Craig, this is Savannah. I’m meeting the creep who’s been stalking me in…” She looked at the clock on the wall. “…in forty minutes in the parking lot at Mason’s Mini-Mart. Can you be there? He wants me to meet him on the east side where the trees are.” She thought for a moment, then said, “Unless I hear from you, Colbi, my aunt, and I are going to see who in the heck it is, once and for all.”

  Thirty-five minutes later, Margaret pulled into the street directly behind the mini-mart parking lot with Savannah, Colbi, and baby Lily in her Jeep Liberty.

  “Good idea, using your car, Auntie,” Savannah said. “Maybe we can find out who it is without being seen.”

  “Yeah, but if he parks on the other side of those trees,” Colbi said, “we might not be able to see him.”

  “Dang, you’re right. Our view’s obstructed.” She looked at her phone. “I wish Craig would call and tell us what to do.”

  “Or what not to do,” Margaret said, cringing a little.

  Savannah thought for a moment. “Okay, I’m turning off my ringer and going over to that stand of trees.” She glanced at the other two women. “Colbi, why don’t you come with me?”

  “Me? Why me?” she complained.

  “Come on,” she urged, “we just want to get a look at him, then we’re outta here, okay?”

  Colbi thinned her lips. “Okay, I guess.”

  “I’ll stay with Lily,” Margaret said.

  “Come on, it’s almost time,” Savannah urged. “We should be able to see him from those bushes right over there.” Once they’d reached the spot Savannah indicated, she said, “Now crouch down out of sight.”

  “I feel silly,” Colbi whispered, giggling. “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve felt this silly?”

  Savannah smirked playfully. “You mean you haven’t hidden in the bushes and spied on anyone, lately?” She laughed quietly. “You live a dull life.” Several minutes later, Savannah whispered, “Where is he?”

  “I think you’ve been stood up, girlfriend,” Colbi said, chuckling.

  “Well, if that isn’t insulting.”

  Colbi snickered. “Maybe he saw us pull up and didn’t want to be confronted by a whole herd of women.”

  “Could be, I guess. Let’s get back to the estate, shall we?”

  “So he was a no-show, huh?” Margaret said, grinning, once the other two women returned to the car.

  “Yes,” Colbi said, “and Savannah’s insulted.”

  “No, I’m not,” she said defending herself.

  “You said you were.”

  “I wasn’t serious. Oh Craig’s calling back. Hi Craig,” she said into her phone.

  “So did you meet your stalker?” he asked, chuckling.

  “No.” She paused. “I can’t believe you’re not angry with me for coming over here.”

  “Well, Savannah, I don’t think you’re in any danger.”

  “Really? Why do you say that?”

  “Well, I know who your admirer is and I just don’t think he’s a threat.”

  “What?” she said, her voice accelerated. “He stalks, steals cars, and you don’t think he’s a threat?”

  “No. The car he stole was his folks’. They didn’t know he took it and when they found out it was him, they didn’t press charges.”

  “His parents?”

  “Yes, and you might know who his parents are, actually. They take their pets to your clinic and we believe he wrote the note on a piece of paper his mother brought home from the clinic after her last visit. Your receptionist had given her the name of a dog groomer.”

  “Oh? So how old is my stalker, anyway?” she asked rather hesitantly.

  Craig chuckled. “Seventeen last week.”

  “What?” she said. “Seventeen? Oh my gosh, then we did see him. Craig, is he a tall, skinny blond? Does he work at the mini-mart?”

  “Sounds like him,” he said. “So you saw him?”

  “Yes, he came out the back door of the place and stared in our direction for several seconds before disappearing back into the store. In fact, he waits on me sometimes when I stop in for a loaf of bread or something. Oh gawd, Craig—a teenager? That’s sick.”

  “Yeah, his mother said his cell phone’s full of pictures of you he’s taken while you’re pumping gas and looking around in the store. She was as upset as you are about all this. Of course, she deleted the pictures in his phone.”

  “What about the flowers? How could he afford them?” she asked.

  “There was a death in the family,” he explained. “He took some of the flowers from the funeral and scattered them over your property.”

  “So can you make him stop?” she demanded. “Or should I go over to the store and have a little talk with him?”

  “Yeah, maybe you could give him a spanking,” Craig said, laughing.

  “Not funny, Craig. Kids can be scary and dangerous.”

  “Yeah, I know. But I think his parents are on top of the situation. I doubt you’ll hear from him again. If you do,” he chuckled, “…just call his mother.”

  “He’s seventeen?” Margaret said doubling over laughing.

  “So he’s the kid who came out and was looking around while we waited for your prince charming, huh?” Colbi said, also laughing.

  Savannah sighed. “Yeah, that was him.” She faced the others. “I don’t really see why you think this is so darned funny.”

  “You don’t?” Margaret asked. “Well, you don’t have much of a sense of humor, do you?”

  Colbi joined her in laughter.

  “Okay you two, just wait. I’ll get back at you one way or another. And believe me, paybacks can be…”

  “What?” Margaret asked.

  “Sweet,” Savannah said, trying not to smile. “For me, anyway.”

  Margaret giggled. “Wait ‘til Michael finds out who his competition is.”

  “Will you just stop!” Savannah said, her lips starting to curl into a slight smile.

  Once Margaret had dropped the others off at the Ivey home, Savannah rushed in and grabbed the things she’d set out to take with her. Before stepping out the door, she said, “Actually, we were staying with June because of those darned phone calls. I guess there’s no reason to stay there any longer.”

  “But it’s more fun when you’re there,” Colbi protested. “Ms. June seems to like having you to rely on. I vote you stay.”

  “Well, I’ll see what Michael says,” she giggled, “after I tell him who had the nerve to call him a weasel.”

  ****

  “Nola will be here around three,” June announced the following afternoon when Savannah joined her in the cat room. “I want you to be here.”

  “Sure, I’d like to meet her,” Savannah said. She checked her watch. “It’s nearly three now. Is there anything you need in the meantime?”

  “Nothing I can think of. I had a wonderful lunch, then took a nap with sweet Mazie Mae, Tabitha Tabby, and I think Tondra Sue joined us for a while.” She leaned forward. “Oh, while you and Lily were out strolling around the grounds, Detective Sledge stopped in. He said the fish someone left for the cats was poisoned and there are no fingerprints or any other identifying marks left around here. Neither could they get a description of the person who bought the fish because it was pre-packaged, so there are no suspects at this time.” She took a breath. “He said they did find some very small footprints out in the yard. But they could be sweet Colbi’s—what’s she, a size four or five shoe? Anyway, he’s going to talk to the suspicious three. Who else could it be, but Petra, Jody, or Megan? As he says, there’s no one else who believes they would benefit from the cats’ demise. Sad as it is, I have to agree.”

  Savannah grimaced. “I’m so sorry. It must be awful to think that someone you care for might be willing to hurt you in this way.”

  “Yes, it is awful.”

  Within seconds, the doorbell chimed and Savannah stepped out of the room. By the time she had ushered Nola Katherine Hope into the cat room, June was standing with a smile on her face and her hands out in greeting. “So nice of you to come,” she said, taking the young woman’s hands in hers.

  “Thank you,” Nola said, smiling.

  “Please sit down,” June invited. “Can we get you a refreshment?”

  Before responding, Nola spun around the room, taking it all in through bright hazel eyes. “This is a gorgeous house.” When she spotted a cat walking toward her, she knelt and reached out to Tinker saying, “Oh, what a pretty kitty.” She looked up at June, her wispy, chin-length hair floating into place. “And he’s so healthy. Oh, there’s another one.” When she walked toward the wall where several large cat trees stood, she looked around, spotting cat after cat. “Each one is yummier than the last,” she said excitedly. “And look at this guy. Isn’t he majestic?”

  June chuckled. “That’s Ragsdale. He’s a special guest here this week.” In an almost reverent tone, she explained, “He’s the one who saved my Mazie Mae, you know.” When Nola peered questioningly at June, she added, “Oh yes, when she escaped—or was catnapped—he discovered her and kept her warm all night until someone found them and rescued her.”

  “Wow!” the young woman said, petting Rags. “You are special, aren’t you? And which one is Mazie Mae?” she asked, glancing around.

  Savannah pointed. “The Himalayan in the hammock to your right.”

  “Awww, what a beauty. Do you groom them often?” she asked. “Her fur is perfect.” She then said, “…purrrfect.”

  “Yes, we have a staff of groomers who keep them all in tip-top condition. Please sit down, will you, Nola?”

  “Thank you,” she said, sitting on the daybed next to the sleeping Shadow and Homer. “He’s old, isn’t he?” she asked, petting Homer gently.

  “Yes, seventeen.” June coughed a little, then said, “Nola?”

  “Yes?” the young woman responded as she continued to pet Homer.

  “Can you tell me a little about yourself? Your goals in life and all?”

  “Oh, um, well, as you know, I just spent some jail time for all of the wrong reasons. I took kittens out of harm’s way.” She shook her head. “I do love cats—in fact all animals—maybe too much, sometimes,” she said, grinning. “I’d love to get a job working with animals—especially cats.” She smiled. “Silly me; that’s a dream most kids have, don’t you think? And I’ve had the dream since I was a kid. But I’m an adult now—I’m twenty-five—and I just can’t get enough of cats. I’m so passionate about them that I help out at three different facilities; I work for a breeder and volunteer at a couple of shelters.”

  “So how do you support yourself, I mean with pay from just one part-time job?”

  “Well, I live with my mom, so that helps.”

  “Do you have your own cat?” June asked.

  “Yes, Mom and I have a pair of matching bookends. They’re black-and-white sisters. Their markings are almost identical.” Pulling out her phone, she said, “Here’s a picture of Fiona and Phoebe. They look alike, but they sure have different personalities.”

  “Lovely,” June said—and one’s fluffy and one’s not.” She gazed at the young woman for a few moments. “I have a proposition for you—a job, if you want it. What do you know about grooming cats?”

  “A little, actually. My employer breeds Persians and boy, do they need constant grooming. I’ve also taken a few veterinary courses. A shelter I heard of down South offered a sort of first-aid workshop for pets. I jumped on that one. Not only do I want to know more, I figured it would look good on my resume.” She reached for her large purse and began to chuckle. “Well, hello there,” she said, noticing Tondra Sue and Rags investigating the bag. “Aren’t you two curious creatures?”

  When Rags reached into the purse and pulled something out, everyone but Savannah began to laugh. “Oh no you don’t,” she said, rushing toward the cat. “Rags, come back here with that.”

  “It’s okay,” Nola said laughing out loud. “It’s just a little coin purse. I doubt there’s more than a dollar in there.” She watched as Rags disappeared into a tunnel, then climbed to the top of a cat tree. Obviously amused at his antics, she said, “So he’s a klepto, is he?”

  “He sure is,” Savannah said. “And he’s been on his good behavior since we’ve been here. This is his first heist, isn’t it June?”

  Still trying to contain her laughter, June nodded. “Yes, as far as I know. I’ll send a bill if I discover anything missing from around here, Savannah.”

  “Oh, that was priceless,” Nola said, still chuckling. She then pulled a file folder out of her purse. “Here’s my resume. There are names and numbers for my references.”

  June took a quick look at the resume, then said, “Yes, it certainly does look good.” She asked, “Would you be satisfied having only a handful of cats to care for or would you need to step beyond the parameters and continue to volunteer?”