Janet reached out and petted her, saying, “Well, I would take her off your hands in a heartbeat.”

  Michael looked at her. “Are you serious about that, Janet?”

  “Absolutely,” she said.

  “But, Dad,” Adam complained, “she’s mine. You gave her to me.”

  “Adam,” Michael said soberly, “I want you to think about this.” When he could see that the boy was about to cry, he held both of Adam’s arms and tried to look into his eyes. “Listen, Son,” he said more gently, “I know you really like Pauline. We’ve all enjoyed having her in our life. She’s a wonderful cat...” He cleared his throat and added, “...except for one kind of major problem.”

  Michael was pretty sure that he wasn’t getting through to his son, so he changed his tactic. “Think about what happens when we get home. If your mom doesn’t want to take on another cat, and I doubt she will since she’s working now and you already have Tiger, who’s going to take care of her? Savannah has her hands full with the little ones and all of our pets.” He said more gently, “Son, Janet wants Pauline. She’ll give her a wonderful home. Can you see that this may be what’s best for Pauline? We have to think about her, too—not just ourselves, right?”

  Adam sat down next to Pauline and petted her. She nudged him with her face and purred.

  “But I love her,” he said.

  “Sometimes, Adam,” Gladys said, “Love means saying good bye. We have to love enough sometimes to let go.”

  Adam buried his face in Pauline’s fur for several moments, then looked up. “Yeah, I guess you guys are right. I have sports at home and school and friends who don’t even like cats. I guess it would be best for Pauline.”

  “That’s mature of you, Son,” Michael said, taking his arm and pulling him into a hug.

  “But it still makes me sad, Dad,” he muttered, hugging Michael around the neck.

  “Sure it does,” Savannah said, rubbing the boy’s back. “We’ve all grown to love Pauline. She’s a wonderful cat. But I agree with your dad; Cousin Janet wants her very much and she’ll love her and care for her. You don’t doubt that, do you?”

  Adam pulled back and looked at Janet. He shook his head. “I know she’ll be good to Pauline. I’m not worried about that.” He choked up when saying, “I’m just thinking about myself, I guess.”

  “And there’s nothing wrong with that,” Janet said. “I’m sure thinking about myself when I say I would love to have Pauline. Oh, I’m definitely thinking about Pauline, of course, but also myself.”

  Adam looked at her. He stood, picked up Pauline, and handed her to Janet. “Okay. You can take her. I know she’ll be happy.”

  Janet dabbed at one eye. “I’m touched.” She reached her arms out to Adam and he moved forward into her hug, being careful not to squish Pauline between them. “Thank you, Adam. I will cherish her.”

  “I know,” he said, wiping his own tears. He hugged Pauline one more time, then ran down the hall to his bedroom.

  “My heart’s breaking for him,” Savannah said.

  Within seconds, Adam returned with a lavender harness and leash and a couple of cat toys. “These are hers,” he said. “But good luck getting her to wear the harness. She’s...”what do you call her, Uncle Keith?”

  “Houdini.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure I’ll have my hands full with her shenanigans,” Janet said. “But boy, are we going to have a good time together!”

  Chapter 7

  “Ready to go?” Michael asked the kids early Saturday morning as the Iveys and the Pettits prepared to leave the beach house,

  “No,” Cassie said, pouting. “I want to stay here.” She grabbed Savannah’s hand and begged, “Please, please. Can’t we stay for another week?”

  “Don’t you want to come to our house?” Savannah asked. More enticingly she said, “We have horses.”

  The child’s face lit up. “Oh! I almost forgot that. Okay then, maybe I am ready to go.” She grimaced. “I don’t know. This has just been so much fun.” She looked up at Savannah. “We don’t have an ocean in Colorado.”

  Michael chuckled and jostled the child’s shoulder. “No, you sure don’t. And we don’t have the Rocky Mountains.”

  “So we’re stopping in Monterey?” Keith asked. “What shall I put in my GPS?”

  “The police station.” Michael recited the address. “Hopefully there will be a place near there where we can get out and stretch our legs and maybe eat somewhere while Craig and Savannah do their thing.” He thought for a moment and added, “It’s around a seven-hour drive. We should probably get a room there and drive the rest of the way home tomorrow.”

  “Sounds good, bro,” Keith said. “What time does Savannah meet with Craig?”

  “Four or there abouts,” Michael responded. “We’re leaving early enough, we should be able to stop, maybe somewhere above Santa Barbara and let everyone take a break.”

  “Sure, four hours in the car is about our girls’ limit. What about your kids?”

  “Yeah, that’s pushing it. But we have the snacks the girls put together, and travel games. Our little ones will sleep part of the way. Just so we’re in Monterey around four, we’ll be okay.”

  “Savannah, why do you have to go back there, anyway?” Adam asked.

  “I guess they want to ask more questions about that money Rags found,” she explained. “It shouldn’t take long.”

  “But remember,” Adam said, “I found that one pouch of money.”

  She put her hand on his shoulder. “I know, buddy, but I don’t think we want you involved in this if we can help it. Let’s just pretend it was Rags, okay?”

  “I guess,” he said. “I sure don’t want to answer a bunch of questions.”

  “Does Rags have to answer questions?” Bethany asked.

  “I hope not,” Savannah said. “I doubt the officers would understand his answers.” When Bethany seemed confused, she said, “Do you think the police people speak cat?”

  “Meow,” Cassie said. “I can talk cat: meow.”

  “Meow,” Bethany imitated, laughing. “Meow, meow.”

  Soon Lily chimed in. “Meow, meow, meow.”

  “Okay, okay, girls,” Michael said. “Enough with the meowing.”

  “It’s cat-talk, Uncle Michael,” Bethany explained.

  “And this is little girl talk,” Keith said, tickling her and saying, “Giggle, giggle, giggle.”

  Michael laughed at his younger niece, then said, “Okay, let’s load up. Who’s riding where?”

  After listening to the children loudly negotiate who they would ride with and in which car, Michael held up his hand. “Okay, enough!” When everyone stopped talking and looked at him, he said, “Beth-Beth, do you want to ride with Lily?”

  The four-year-old nodded.

  “Lily,” he said, “do you want to ride with Bethany?”

  The child nodded enthusiastically.

  Michael put one hand on Adam’s shoulder and one on Cassie’s. “Keith, can you handle those two chatterboxes in your backseat?”

  Keith looked sideways at the children as if thinking about it for a moment, then said, “I guess I can, if they can stand my classical music.”

  When Cassie and Adam groaned, Holly said, “He’s kidding. Come on, let’s load ’em up and head ’em out.”

  “Hey,” Michael complained, “that’s my line.”

  Savannah smirked playfully at her husband and gave him a shove. “Come on. Just get in the car, will you?” Once settled in the car, she closed her eyes, counted silently down from five to zero, and imagined a protective white light around herself, then each of the others in their car and the Pettits’ car. She opened her eyes and smiled.

  ****

  The Ivey and Pettit families pulled into the parking lot at the police station in Monterey late Saturday afternoon. Savannah had texted Craig with their estimated time of arrival and he was there waiting for them. When he saw them park, he approached and surveyed the two automobiles and the trailer behind Michael’s car. He chuckled. “That’s quite a caravan.” He then said, “Hey, there are a couple of places to eat on the next street over; you can leave your rigs here and walk, if you want to. I saw a small park over there, too. I want you to stay close, because I might need you to bring Adam over here for questioning.”

  “Me?” Adam blurted.

  “Yeah, you were there when Rags found that loot, right?”

  “Well, I came out right after that.” His eyes wide, he added, “And I found one bag of money,” He looked at Savannah, “but I wasn’t supposed to tell that.”

  “That’s right, Craig,” Savannah said, leading Rags on his leash to a small planted area. “Rags found the money, and when I showed it to Adam, he went behind the bush and saw a piece of string buried in the dirt. He pulled on it and out came the second pouch full of cash. I don’t think it’s necessary for him to be interrogated, do you?”

  “Hey, I’ve been thinking about it,” Adam said. “I don’t mind. I think it would be cool.”

  Craig studied the boy for a moment before saying, “Well, let’s see what happens in there this afternoon. I’ll call your dad if we need you back over here.”

  “Okay,” Michael said. He asked Savannah, “Hon, do you want us to get you something to eat?”

  “No. I’m too nervous to eat right now. I have my water bottle. Anyway, I ate some trail mix a while ago.” When she saw him looking at her, she kissed him and said, “I’ll be okay. Go on now. You all have fun. I’ll catch up with you shortly.”

  Savannah started to follow Craig into the police station with Rags when Craig stopped. He looked down at the cat. “He’s going with us?” he asked.

  She nodded. “He’s been cooped up for quite a while, and there’s no shade for him out here.”

  Craig glanced back at the Iveys’ car. “What about the other cat?”

  “Janet took her.” Savannah faced Craig. “Oh, maybe I didn’t tell you—she was the beach burglar.”

  “What?” he shouted. “Your cousin?”

  “No,” Savannah insisted, laughing, “Pauline—the cat.”

  When she approached the door, he rushed to open it, obviously still in shock over the unexpected news.

  “Right this way,” an officer motioned, stepping out from behind a desk. He started to lead the pair out of the reception area when he noticed Rags. He hesitated, then directed them down the hallway into an empty room. “Have a seat in here. The detective will be with you in a moment.”

  Savannah pulled a small cushy pad from her tote, placed it on the floor under the table at her feet, and sprinkled a couple of treats on it for Rags. She watched him eat the treats. When he realized he was on a short leash and didn’t have the freedom to explore, he dutifully lay down on the pad. Savannah petted him and murmured, “Good boy.”

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Ivey,” Detective Shively said, walking into the room. He nodded at Craig, then sat down across from the two of them. The detective stared at Savannah for a moment before saying, “Okay, here’s the deal: we’re still searching for the rest of the money that was taken six months ago. Where is it, do you know? Maybe it’s been spent, but I doubt it. None of the suspects’ lifestyles has changed to any degree that we can determine.” He shifted in his chair. “It would certainly simplify things for everyone if you would just tell us what we want to know. And, Mrs. Ivey, this would make life easier for you. I’m pretty sure that we could arrange for a lighter sentence if the money is returned—I mean all of it, not just the token amount that you decided to hand over last week, for whatever reason.” He looked into her eyes. “So, do you have anything you want to tell me?”

  “Absolutely not. I don’t know anything about that money, other than the fact that my cat found it two weeks ago behind that bush at the restaurant.”

  After hesitating, the detective asked, “Have you been in touch with John Droust or Ed Slattery?”

  “Do you mean the man in the wheelchair and his friend?” Savannah shook her head. “No. Not at all.”

  “Do you still have them in custody?” Craig asked.

  The detective looked at Craig, then Savannah and said, “Maybe we should have a little reunion.” He turned to the officer who stood in the room near the door. “Bring in Slattery and Droust, will you?”

  Shortly the door opened and Ed Slattery strolled into the room followed by John Droust in his wheelchair and the officer.

  “Well, hello there,” John said to Savannah. “So they dragged you back in here, did they? Have you told them what they want to know? Where did you hide the rest of that loot, anyway?”

  “That’s enough,” Detective Shively snapped. “Just sit there quietly and listen. You might learn something. Or...” he squinted at John and Ed, “you might feel inclined to spill what you know.”

  The questioning went in circles, each of the suspects in denial about the found money and about having the remainder of the money. Meanwhile, Rags was becoming restless. Savannah felt him tugging against his leash. When she gave him a little slack, he wrapped himself and the leash around her ankles, causing her to appear as if she were fidgeting. Finally, Detective Shively asked, “Is there something wrong, Mrs. Ivey? What in the world is going on under the table there?” He glanced suspiciously at the two prisoners. “Are you sending them some sort of signal?”

  Craig chuckled.

  “What’s funny, Sledge?” he asked, obviously not amused.

  “It’s the cat,” Savannah blurted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to leave him in the car. I thought he’d just lie still at my feet.” She grinned painfully. “He has a lot of energy.”

  “Is that the cat that supposedly found the money?” Detective Shively asked.

  She nodded.

  “Well, this room’s secure; go ahead and turn him loose if you want. Your fidgeting is distracting me.” He looked at his watch and leaned forward. “We’re running out of time here. Mrs. Ivey, you don’t want to run out of time; you may find yourself joining your friends behind bars this evening.”

  Savannah looked frantically at Craig. He stood and helped her unfasten Rags from the leash, then he put his hand on her arm to calm her. “Just relax,” he murmured.

  Everyone except Detective Shively watched as Rags appeared from under the table and began exploring his surroundings. The detective, instead, stared across the table at Savannah, studying her demeanor. When he resumed his questioning, the others seemed to forget about the cat, but for Craig, who continued watching Rags.

  What’s he doing? he wondered. That’s curious. He seems interested in the man’s wheelchair. He smiled to himself. I guess Rags has never seen anything like that. He’s one inquisitive cat—in fact, nosey. Suddenly, Craig stood up.

  “Something wrong, Sledge?” Detective Shively asked impatiently.

  Ignoring him, Craig crouched next to Rags.

  “What are you doing?” the detective asked. “Please, I only have a few more questions, then we’ll likely book Mrs. Ivey.” When Craig still didn’t respond, he demanded, “Sit down or I’ll have you removed from the room!”

  “Excuse me, Detective,” Craig said, “but I believe the cat is trying to show us something.”

  Savannah watched in horror, certain that Craig’s disrespectful actions would cause her to be arrested. “Craig,” she pleaded, “let me just put him back in the car.” When she started to stand up, he gave her a stern look and motioned for her to stay put.

  Craig observed Rags for another moment, then stood and asked, “Mr. Droust, you’ve met this cat before, haven’t you?”

  John flashed a look at Ed and nodded. “Yeah, I seen him before. Why?” The prisoners watched as Craig leaned down again to the cat’s level. “What are you doing back there?” John spouted. “Get away from there.” He looked at Detective Shively. “He can’t do that, can he? Tell him to leave me alone.”

  “Sledge!” Detective Shively insisted.

  Ignoring him, Craig asked, “Mr. Droust, why would you be nervous just because the cat and I are looking your chair over? I’m interested in how this thing’s put together. In fact, this deal back here is rather peculiar. Did it come stock on this chair?” He shook his head slowly. “I rather think not. I believe this chair has been altered. See this, Detective?” Craig invited. “Doesn’t it look like someone added this—what—compartment, maybe? Yeah, I think this is some sort of compartment. See there, if you remove those two screws, I’m pretty sure this thing opens up.” Craig patted John’s shoulder. “Great idea, guy. It looks like a really good place to hide your valuables.”

  “The heck,” John blurted. “I don’t know nothin’ about no compartment. I found this chair. Yeah, that’s it, I needed one and I found it down by the beach. I think some other guy just walked away from it. I didn’t ever notice no compartment. I don’t know what yer talking about.” He addressed Detective Shively. “Hey, I don’t have all day. What do you want to ask me, anyway? I already told you everything I know.” He pointed at Savannah. “Come on, just arrest her and let us go, will you?”

  “Arrest her?” Craig exclaimed. “For what? On what grounds?”

  “Well, she knew where that money was,” John said. “She must have been the one to take it in the first place.”

  “But what about the money that’s still missing?” Craig asked. “That’s a pretty large sum of money, isn’t it?”

  “Uh, how would I know?” John asked, avoiding eye contact.

  Detective Shively shifted in his chair. “Come on, Sledge, what are you trying to accomplish there with your dog-and-pony act?”

  Craig stood up and leaned against a wall. “Look at the cat. I have to tell you, he has a nose for money.” He grinned at Detective Shively. “He works for us in my department and I know he has an uncanny nose for money and other things hidden from view.”