“She’s right, Ed,” John agreed. When Ed balked, he added, “It’s okay. Anyways, since we had nothin’ to do with this, we have no reason to keep that money. She’s right. She and the kid found it, they should give it back if that’s what they want to do.”

  “Savannah, what’s going on?” Michael asked, suddenly joining her. He studied the two men suspiciously.

  “Where are the kids?” she asked. “You left them alone?”

  “Sitting right there behind you,” he said, motioning toward the window. “Adam’s with them.”

  She glanced at the children, then picked up Rags, who had begun pulling against the leash. “He evidently found a secret that looks like it’s been hidden for a while.”

  “Yeah, a whole bunch of money,” John said, wide-eyed.

  “Oh no,” Michael complained. When he realized a police car had pulled up and he saw Ed start to dart away, he grabbed the man’s arm and held fast, saying, “Hey, I don’t know what this is about, but I think you’d better stick around.” Michael let Ed go when the officers approached.

  “Someone called about finding some money?” the male officer asked. He addressed Michael. “Your name, sir?”

  “Michael Ivey. This is my wife, Savannah. We’re just traveling through with our children.”

  The officer nodded, then asked the other two men to identify themselves, before saying, “I’m Deputy Dave Lerner and this is Officer Linda Scarborough. Now, you found some money?”

  “Well, it was my cat,” Savannah said, trying to reach into her tote bag.

  “Your cat, ma’am?” the deputy repeated, scrutinizing Rags.

  When Michael saw Savannah struggling with the cat in her arms, he took Rags, lowered him to the ground, and held fast to the leash.

  Meanwhile, Savannah handed the officer the two pouches and a handful of cash. “He found this under that shrub over there, or maybe behind it. It looks like it’s been buried for a while.”

  Deputy Lerner stared down at Rags, then motioned to the female officer, who took the items from Savannah and locked them in the trunk of their cruiser. When she returned, Officer Scarborough removed a flashlight from her belt and began shining it around behind and under the shrubbery. She reached in with her utility tool, dug in the dirt, and poked it into the branches of the shrubs, finally reporting, “I think I see something else in here.”

  “If there’s more, the cat’ll git it,” John said. “Just send the cat in there. He’ll come out with somethin’.”

  “Ixnay, John,” Ed grumbled under his breath.

  The deputy glanced at Ed, then seemed to be contemplating what John had said. He asked the Iveys, “Is it true? If there’s something else in there, he’ll bring it out?”

  “Most likely,” Michael said.

  “If it interests him,” Savannah added.

  “Well, let’s see,” Deputy Lerner suggested, motioning for Michael to walk the cat over to the shrubs.

  Everyone watched as Rags simply sat down and stared back at them.

  “What does that mean?” the deputy asked.

  “Either there’s nothing else in there or,” Savannah said, “he’s just not interested.”

  Michael didn’t seem to be interested either when he said, “Hey, our children are waiting for us inside. Can we go have our lunch?”

  “Sure, go ahead,” the deputy said. “We’ll let you know if we have further questions.” He pulled out a pad and pencil. “How about giving me your contact information.”

  Savannah lowered her voice while reciting their address and her phone number. She nodded toward John and Ed. “I think they know something about this.”

  “Probably,” Deputy Lerner muttered. He closed his note pad and slipped it into his pocket, then asked the men, “Okay, what do you two know about the money?”

  “Nothin’,” John insisted.

  The deputy studied him for a moment, then explained, “It’ll be a lot easier for everyone involved if you just tell us what you know.” When the men weren’t forthcoming, he complained, “You folks always want protection, but you won’t cooperate.”

  “And git our throat slit?” John spat.

  The officer pointed at him. “That’s what I mean. You know something, but you’re too afraid to talk about it.”

  When everyone became quiet, Michael took the opportunity to say, “Well, we’re going to put the cat in the car and join our children for lunch. I’m sure you’ll let us know if you need anything further from us.”

  By then, Officer Scarborough had backed out from behind the shrubbery. Both officers nodded at the Iveys, then returned their attention to the two men.

  “What happened?” Adam asked when Michael took his seat at the booth with the kids. “Where’s Savannah?”

  “Washing her hands,” Michael said.

  “Are those guys in trouble?” Adam asked, keeping an eye on what was going on outside.

  “I don’t know,” Michael said. “Maybe.”

  “Is everything okay here?” Savannah asked, scooting into the booth next to Adam.

  “Yeah, I got crackers for Lily and these strawberries. I gave Teddy some of those melting crackers you give him and little bites of strawberry.”

  “Good job, buddy,” Michael said. “I can see that everyone’s happy.”

  “You did great,” Savannah praised. She pulled Adam to her in a hug. “Thank you.”

  The boy shrugged. “Hey, they’re easier to take care of than Rags is. I’m just glad I didn’t have to take care of him.” He strained to see out the window. “Where is he anyway?”

  “In his pen in the car,” Michael said.

  Adam thinned his lips and looked scornfully at Michael. “You don’t leave animals in hot cars, Dad.”

  “I know that, Son. I ran the air conditioner for a bit, then lowered the back windows a little. The car’s still in the shade.” He pointed. “We can see the car from here in case someone tries to break in. Help me keep an eye on it, will you? Oh, and I turned that little battery-operated fan on for him.” He play-punched Adam. “That was a great idea. I’m glad you found it.”

  “Heck, I wanted it for me,” he confessed. “I didn’t know Rags was going to use it.”

  ****

  By the time the Iveys had finished lunch, the officers had placed John and Ed in the back of their police cruiser and were loading John’s wheelchair into the trunk.

  “Look, Savannah,” Adam said, “they arrested your friends.”

  “Oh,” she cried, “maybe, they’re just taking them out to lunch or giving them a ride home.”

  “You don’t think they’re guilty of something?” Michael asked, opening the back of their SUV and taking a look at Rags.

  Adam moved closer. “Is he hot?”

  “He looks pretty comfortable to me,” Michael said. “Climb in there and see what you think.”

  Adam leaned into the car to look at Rags. He picked up the fan and turned it on himself. “Yeah, this works pretty good.” He looked out the windows. “It’s nice and shady right here.” He spoke to the cat. “You’re okay, aren’t you, Rags? You’re nice and cool.”

  “He probably needs a blanket by now,” Michael quipped.

  Adam laughed. “It’s not that cold in here.” He turned his attention to the police activity and asked Savannah, “So, why do you think they’re arresting your friends?”

  After thinking about it, she suggested, “I guess they could have done something wrong or maybe they squealed on someone else and they’re being taken into protective custody.”

  Just then something caught Adam’s attention. He pointed. “Hey, that guy has a saw. I think he’s going to cut down that big bush. Is that okay, Dad?”

  Michael shrugged. “I guess they must have permission.”

  “Can we stay and watch?” Adam asked.

  “I want to watch,” Lily said, jumping up and down.

  Savannah shifted the baby’s weight in her arms. “Yeah, I’d like to see what they come up with.”

  Michael took Teddy from her and let out a sigh. “Don’t you want to make it up to Big Sur while it’s still light? Why take the scenic route if we’ll be traveling in the dark?”

  Savannah grinned at her husband. “We’re only, what, an hour away? It’ll be light until almost eight.” When he stalled, she said, “It won’t take long. Come on.”

  “Can I get Rags out?” Adam asked.

  “Yes. Put his leash on him,” Savannah cautioned. “And hold him close. I don’t want him getting near that saw.”

  “That’s what you’re worried about” Michael asked, “that he’ll get close to a noisy, buzzing saw?”

  “Timber!” Adam said, when he joined the others with Rags.

  “What?” Lily asked.

  “Timber,” he told her. “That’s what you say when a tree falls down.”

  Lily looked at the fallen bush, then at Adam, and jumped up and down. “Timber. Timber.” She threw herself on the ground. “Timber!” she shouted. “See Daddy, I’m a tree. Timber!”

  “Yes, I see that. Come on, let’s stand up now and be a big girl, okay?”

  Savannah smiled at their daughter.

  “I want to help them dig,” Adam said.

  “You like that kind of work?” Michael asked.

  The boy nodded. “Yeah, if you’re digging for something interesting—you know, like it’s a mystery or something.”

  Michael grinned at him and glanced at Savannah. “You sound like your stepmother.”

  “What’s wrong with that?” Savannah challenged.

  “Nothing. Nothing at all. Curiosity can be a good thing. I read an article just the other day about the value of curiosity in the business world. That’s where most of our greatest and not-so-great inventions come from—a curious mind.” Michael winced. “But sometimes being curious can backfire on you.” He gazed at Rags. “Look at the cat—cats are curious. What’s that line about curiosity killing the cat?”

  Savannah smirked playfully at her husband, quoting, “But satisfaction brought him back.” She added, “Well, I happen to think that curiosity is a great virtue.”

  “Yeah, for inventors, scientists, and researchers, maybe,” Michael agreed. He chuckled. “But in some cases it can be a curse.” When Savannah and Adam looked at him, he explained, “Sometimes you discover something you really don’t want to know about. There are times when it’s best to leave sleeping dogs alone...or something like that.”

  Savannah laughed, then focused on Adam. “I didn’t know you had such an interest in mysteries, buddy.”

  “Heck yeah, I do. I love reading mysteries.” He looked down at Rags. “I read the book you wrote about Rags.”

  “You did?” she asked. “Did you enjoy it?”

  “Yeah. I’ve never read a book about a cat I know before or a person I know.” His grin widened when he added, “...or that I’m in. It was rad to see my name in the book.”

  Michael smiled at the boy, then asked, “You read Rags’s children’s books, didn’t you?”

  “Yeah, but that was pretend, wasn’t it—you know, for kids?”

  “Only partly. Rags really did most of the stuff in those books,” Savannah said, watching Lily as the child examined a butterfly that had landed on a geranium flower.

  Adam looked surprised. “No kidding. Now I want to read them again.” He focused on the work the officers were doing and noticed that a small crowd had gathered. “What’s that?” he asked. “Looks like they dug up something.”

  Savannah took Lily’s hand and gazed at the excavation project, then suddenly said, “Oh, my gosh, Michael. Hey, kids, I think we’d better go.” She picked up Lily and motioned to Adam. “Come on, now.”

  “But I want to see what it is,” he complained.

  She nudged him along in front of her. “We can read about it in the newspaper.”

  Adam kept watching the activity as they walked toward the car. “Dang, they’re putting a tent around it. I guess they don’t want anyone to see it. I wonder what it is, anyway.” He looked up at Savannah. “All I saw was what looked like material—you know, like old clothes. Someone must have hidden their dirty laundry back there so they wouldn’t have to wash it.” He made a face. “I’ll bet that stinks. Old clothes can really smell. Actually, I could smell something when we were standing closer. How far down do you think they buried those old clothes? Doesn’t seem like it was very deep.”

  “Come on, let’s get in the car,” Michael urged. “We’ll talk about it on our way to Big Sur, okay?” He asked Savannah, “Did you tell the officers where we’ll be these next few weeks?”

  She nodded. “Yes, but I doubt they’ll have reason to talk to me again, unless...”

  “Unless what?” he asked, closing the back passenger door after he’d buckled Teddy into his car seat. He stepped into the car.

  She joined him in the front seat. “Unless what they dug up there was...you know...”

  “Who are those guys you were talking to?” Michael asked.

  “Yeah, are they homeless?” Adam asked.

  “Could be,” Savannah said. “I didn’t ask them for an address. I think John said he lives in a home for veterans, or he used to.”

  “I wonder which one of them buried their dirty laundry,” Adam said, straining to look out the back window as they drove off.

  Chapter 3

  The following morning the family left their rustic cabin near Big Sur, where they’d spent the night, and continued the drive toward their destination.

  “I know a fun little place to eat down the road,” Michael said. “Is anyone hungry?”

  “Me, Daddy,” Lily cried.

  “Adam,” Michael said, “you’re kind of quiet this morning. Something on your mind?”

  “Yeah, I’m wondering when we’ll get to meet the big sir?”

  “What?” Michael asked.

  “You know, the big sir? How big is he, anyway?”

  Michael chuckled. “It’s not a person, it’s the name of this place and it’s spelled s-u-r, not s-i-r.”

  “Oh,” Adam said. “So what’s so special about it, then?”

  Savannah turned to face Adam. “It’s just a great place to be. Don’t you think this is a beautiful drive?”

  “Yeah, if you like ocean and trees.”

  “And who doesn’t like ocean and trees?” she quizzed.

  “Um...maybe Teddy,” Adam said. “He slept on the way here yesterday, so he missed it all.”

  Forty-five minutes later, Michael pulled off the road into a small parking lot in front of a rustic café.

  “I see cats,” Adam said. “Look, there’s one on that wall and another one on the ground there.”

  “I see a kitty,” Lily chirped. “A black one.”

  Adam pointed. “Hey, I see one inside. Dad, they allow cats in there. Can Rags come in and eat with us?”

  “I don’t think so, Son. He had his breakfast; he’ll be just fine waiting here in the car. Come on now.”

  “You say the animals are part of our family,” Adam muttered, as he edged out of the car, “then you don’t let them sit at the breakfast table with us.”

  Savannah and Michael grinned at one another.

  “Hello,” the waitress greeted when the Iveys entered the café. She tilted her head quizzically. “You’ve been here before.” She thought for a moment. “Hey, you brought a dirty little kitten in and we gave him a bath, right? Or do I have you mixed up with someone else?”

  “That was us,” Michael said, smiling.

  “So how’s the scrawny little thing doing?” she asked. “Did he make it?”

  “He sure did,” Savannah said. “Friends of ours adopted Tommy and he’s healthy and robust. A happy fellow.”

  The waitress smiled. “Glad to hear it.” She made a sweeping motion with one arm. “Sit wherever you’d like. You’re the first customers of the day, so you get your pick of tables. By the way, I’m Bernice, in case you don’t remember.” She grinned sheepishly. “I don’t recollect your names exactly.” She tilted her head toward Savannah. “But it seems like you have an interesting name—like the name of a city or a state or something. Is it Florida? I met a gal here once named Florida. Oh...wait,” she stalled, “Georgia?”

  “Close,” she said, laughing. “It’s Savannah. This is Michael.” She nodded toward the children, “Adam, Lily, and the little guy is Teddy.”

  “Beautiful family. Just beautiful,” Bernice said. She put a hand on Adam’s shoulder, saying, “And handsome.”

  “Can we sit next to the window by that cat?” Adam asked. “Then we can look at the outside cats and keep an eye on Rags.”

  “Rags?” the woman inquired.

  “That’s our cat,” Adam explained. “He’s in the car out there.”

  “No kidding. Well, bring him in,” she invited. “He’s probably dying to get out of there and become acquainted with some of my cats.”

  “Okay,” Adam said, standing.

  “I’m not sure,” Michael said hesitantly.

  “Come on, Dad. I’ll watch him.”

  When Savannah didn’t join in the discussion, Michael said, “Well, okay, I guess. But if he causes any trouble...”

  “He won’t cause any trouble,” Bernice said. “Hey, before you leave, young man, what would you like to drink?”

  “Strawberry milkshake,” Adam said, straight-faced.

  “You wish,” Michael said. “He’ll have orange juice and milk.”

  Adam grinned. “Yeah, that’s what I meant.”

  The family had almost finished eating when Bernice approached with a coffee carafe. She looked at a cat that sat next to Adam, on a chair he’d pulled close. Bernice chuckled. “I see you’ve made friends with Pauline. Isn’t she a beauty?”

  “Yes,” Savannah said, “with that plush cream-colored coat, interesting chocolate markings, and those beautiful blue eyes. She must be part ragdoll and maybe part British shorthair. She has the markings of a ragdoll and the short thick fur of a British shorthair.” She petted Rags’s velvety grey fur as he stood with his front paws on Pauline’s chair. “Believe it or not, this guy’s half ragdoll.”