Patricia Fry - Klepto Cat 04 - Undercover Cat Read Free Page B

What’s it doing out here? He looked around the area again. Finding nothing else, he walked boldly up the porch steps, placed the items on an old wooden chair and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, he used the horseshoe knocker, striking it several times. He opened the screen door and knocked again.
    Just then, he spotted something out the corner of his eye. He glanced quickly, just in time to see a cat disappear under the porch. Oh yeah, she feeds a bunch of cats out here. Scraggly beasts! He turned back toward the door and knocked again and again.
    He walked along the porch to a window and attempted to peer in. All he could see was a small slice of the room. No movement. Nothing seemingly out of place.
    “Mew.”
    Damon looked toward the sound. There, just at the edge of the porch, were two round green eyes staring at him. “What do you want me to do? I’m doing my best to find her.” He shook his head. What the hell is the matter with me? I’m talking to a stupid cat. He glanced in the cat’s direction. That’s a small cat—maybe a kitten. And it’s still staring. “I wish you’d stop that,” he said as he turned to walk toward the back of the house.
    It’s strange that she’s not responding, but I guess she could be in an upstairs bedroom and doesn’t hear the knocking. “ Colbi!” he called. Nothing.
    He walked back up the front porch steps and tried the doorknob. Locked. Beginning to feel a bit panicked, Damon took out his cell phone and called her number. It went to voicemail. He left a message. He then walked down the steps to the driveway and called Sterling Boggs. He paced as he spoke. “Hey Boss, I’m out here at Colbi’s house and I can’t find her. Her cars are here—both of them. But I can’t raise her.” Something caught Damon’s eye. He stopped pacing…hesitated and then said into the phone, “Hey wait a minute—keys. There’s a set of keys on the ground…let me see if one works on the front door.” Shortly, he reported, “I’m inside. Hold on and let me see what I can find.”
    “ Colbi!” he called out loudly. When there was no response, he walked through the ground floor calling and then took the stairs two at a time and checked all of the bedrooms and the bathroom. “That’s odd,” he said into the phone. “She’s not here. Her cars are here and I found one shoe outside.”
    “What about her purse—her laptop, are they there?”
    Damon looked around in what he thought was probably her bedroom. He then walked back downstairs, stood in the middle of a small dining room, and glanced in every direction—into the small kitchen and the living room. “I don’t see any of that stuff.” His eyes wandered over to a coat tree and he added, “…or the jacket she wore last night.” Damon felt as if he would explode. His voice quivered a little as he said, “Boss, something’s wrong. I’m sure of it. I’m going to call Craig Sledge.”
    “Okay, whatever you think—you don’t suppose she just went for a walk, do you?”
    He frowned, contemplating the question. “I kinda doubt it—I think something has happened to her. Boss, I’m worried. Let me get Detective Sledge out here and I’ll call you later.”
    Before Damon could end the call, he heard Boggs say, “About your backup story, Jackson…”
    He hesitated before responding. “Yes, I’ll get something to you before noon. You can count on it.”
    Twenty minutes later, Damon greeted the detective—the man who was at least partially responsible for Damon’s successful reentry into society. It wasn’t clear why Craig had chosen to mentor the young man while he was in prison—perhaps because he was sweet on Iris, he saw promise in Damon, or he wanted to make up for losing his own son to drugs, but both mother and son were extremely grateful. “Thanks for coming out, Craig,” Damon said while rubbing one hand over his head.
    “Sure, buddy. Now what do you think is going on?”
    “Man, I