Free Cats in Cahoots (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 18) by Patricia Fry Page B

more like who was it?” Brianna said.
    “Someone was out there?” Gladys whispered. “Who? What were they doing?”
    Brianna grimaced. “We’re not sure. Maybe picking carrots. If he planned to take anything else, we may have scared him off before he did.”
    Iris yawned and said to Savannah, “Well, girlfriend, this has been delightful. Thank you for including us.” She turned to Craig. “I have an appointment with a new client in the morning, I should get to bed.” She put her hand on Savannah’s arm. “It’s for the new people who bought that big old house on the other side of the lumber yard. They want to do a complete renovation.” She shivered with excitement. “Sure hope I get that decorating job.”
    “Wouldn’t that be a fun one? Good luck with it.”
    In the meantime, Craig hugged Savannah. “Thanks. I had a great time, except…”
    “Except what?” she asked, lowering her brow.
    “Except you guys all beat me at the trivia game…again.”
    Margaret chuckled. “I guess you’ll have to study harder next time, Craig.”
    Max waved as he and Margaret stepped out through the front door. “Night all.”
    “Night, Max…Auntie,” Savannah called after them. “Thank you for everything. It was super delicious.”
    “Yes, wonderful,” Gladys said.
    “You’re all welcome. See you soon.”
    “That was fun,” Brianna said as Savannah closed the front door. “I really miss evenings like this. My life is so one-dimensional.”
    “Well, move your practice here to Hammond and join in on all the crazy fun we have,” Savannah suggested.
    “I might think about that,” she said as she headed up the stairs.
    “You too, Mom,” Savannah said, hugging her.
    “Oh, I don’t know, Vannie. I kind of like my quiet life down south.”
    As Gladys started to take the stairs, Savannah asked, “Mom, what did Melanie say when you talked to her earlier this evening?”
    Her face brightened. “Oh, they’ll be here tomorrow around noon. I told her we’d have sandwiches and cold drinks ready. Is that okay with you, Vannie?”
    “Sure. It’ll be fun to see them. I’d better get to bed, too. We’ll probably be up late tomorrow catching up with Mel and her family.” She waved to her sister and mother as she headed toward the downstairs hallway. “Sleep tight.”

Chapter 3
    ****
    The Ivey household had been quiet for a couple of hours when Savannah was suddenly awakened by the sound of shattering glass. She sat straight up in bed. Her first thought was of her child. When she didn’t hear anything more, she slipped into her robe and headed toward the nursery. Sleeping like an angel, she thought to herself. She yawned. Rags must have knocked something off a shelf. I’ll check it out tomorrow. However, when she stepped out of the nursery, she saw a flicker of light coming from the living room. Fire! Is something on fire in there? Oh my gosh, did we forget to blow out one of the candles? She rushed down the hall, then stopped abruptly, her heart in her throat. Dear God, the alarm. I forgot to set the alarm. Mustering all the courage she could, she shouted at the figures she saw moving through the near darkness in the room. “Who are you and what do you want?”
    A split-second later, she was blinded by a bright light. A gruff voice demanded, “You know what we want. Now where is it? Hand it over and no one gets hurt.”
    This can’t be happening, Savannah thought to herself. It’s surreal. Am I dreaming? Confused and weak in the knees, she insisted, “You must be at the wrong place. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    “Naw, we followed you here. We know you have it and you must have found it by now. So, give it up, sister. Where is it—in the baby’s room?”
    “No!” she shouted, feeling a surge of anger and panic rush through her body. “Tell me what you want and I’ll get it! I swear, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    “Diamonds,” a woman’s voice said. “It’s