Free A Picture-Purrfect Christmas (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 13) by Patricia Fry

picture of her drooling.”
    “Clever.” Savannah looked at the camera screen. “That’s a pretty good shot, actually—look how clear the drool is on her chin.”
    When Savannah opened the door for the children, Rags, watching Marissa step out, tried to make a dash to follow her. “No you don’t, Rags,” Savannah said, grabbing him. She held him back while letting the others exit, closing the door before he could escape. As she walked down the porch steps, she glanced up at the window and shook her head when she saw him sitting on the windowsill kitty perch Michael had installed, meowing rather loudly.
    Half an hour later, the children started filing back into the warm kitchen, chattering about their experiences photographing Peaches.
    “I got a picture of her eyeball,” Brad said, laughing.
    “I got one of her teeth,” Chuckie announced. “I took it while she was eating that carrot Ms. Savannah gave her.”
    “She sure has big feet,” Marcus said, wide-eyed.
    Once Marissa stepped into the house with Shelly’s help, Rags jumped off the perch and raced to her, rubbing against her crooked legs.
    “Hi Rags,” she said. “You are so friendly.”
    “But only to you,” Savannah pointed out. “He really likes you.”
    She smiled. “Well, I like him, too. I’d love to have a cat like him someday.”
    “Okay, let’s see what we got today, shall we?” Shelly said. “We have two laptops, so we can download two cameras at once. Those of you with film cameras will have to wait until Wednesday to see your pictures. Gather around, students. Let’s see what Brad got. Savannah, can you download the camera Charm and Selene have been sharing?”
    “Who’s that?” Charm asked when she noticed a truck pulling up in the driveway. “Is that someone’s dad?”
    Savannah strained to look out through the front window. “Oh, that’s my husband, home early. Hi, hon,” she said when he walked through the door.
    “Whoa,” he responded with a smile. “What’s going on?”
    “We’re taking pictures, that’s what,” Brad said.
    “Are you Lily’s father?” Selene asked. When he nodded, she said, “She’s cute. We took pictures of her.”
    “Cool,” Michael said. He glanced around. When he spotted Shelly, he nodded a greeting. He then noticed Esse and walked over to him with his hand out. “I’m Michael Ivey,” he said cordially.
    “Esse.”
    “Esse?” Michael repeated.
    The man nodded.
    “We got a picture of your big mean cat jumping,” Charm said to Michael.
    He looked confused. “Mean cat?”
    “Yeah,” Selene said, her eyes wide, “he attacked Mr. Esse.”
    “He did?” Michael looked at Esse who smirked and nodded.
    ****
    Thirty minutes later, all of the students had been picked up from the recreation center and Shelly and Savannah sat talking about the progress of the course.
    “I’d like to give the boys a job,” Shelly announced.
    “A job?” Savannah questioned.
    “I don’t think photography’s their thing. But what I did see from Chuckie and Brad today is their ability to design. Did you notice them creating backgrounds and backdrops for the pictures?”
    “Yes, they were busy rearranging my house, weren’t they?” she said cringing a little. “What do you have in mind?”
    “I’d like to help them produce a book of the students’ photos for each child to take home at the end of the sessions. I may be able to get some funding from Roy Shively, the camera shop owner.”
    “Sounds good to me.” Just then Savannah’s phone tweeted. “A text,” she said. “I’d better check; it’s from Michael.” She read aloud, “Rags has been carrying on something fierce since you left. Do you know what’s wrong with him?”
    Shelly tilted her head. “Well, that’s odd. Does he usually have separation anxiety?”
    “No,” she said. “And I’ve never seen him take such a quick liking to someone as he did Marissa today. I wonder if he’s pining for her. We have another little