Free The Great Cat Caper by Lauraine Snelling

whiskers flat against its head.
    Creepy
, thought Vee.
    “Wow,” Sunny said, sliding down the door. “Something that small can make a scary sound.”
    Esther looked at Frank. “What did I do wrong?”
    “Nothing, Esther. It could be a stray, but if it was born in the wild, we can consider it
feral
, or wild.”
    Even though she nodded and returned to her seat, Esther’s face looked like she was ready to cry. Vee knew that feeling. Esther was smart, and being smart meant you wanted to be smart in everything. Even cat taming.
    Aneta’s round face was pink with excitement as she approached her trap. But before Sunny could lift the door, the horrific growling and grunting began. Aneta stood with her mitted arms up, her lower lip quivering.
    Momma Cat was at the front of her trap, tail wrapped around her, squinting and eyeing the group.
    Frank’s voice broke the people silence and interrupted the cat noise. “Sunny? You ready to try your Momma Cat?”
    Hermann strolled through the door. “You kits should just give up.” The Cat Woman glided in behind him and told him to be quiet. They must have some sort of cat radar, Vee decided.
    Sunny donned her mitts. Nadine slowly raised the end of the trap. Momma Cat sat still, watching everything.
    “Remember, slowly, Sunny,” Nadine said. “If she begins to struggle, put her down, okay?”
    Sunny nodded. “Help me help Momma Cat, Lord,” she whispered and ever so slowly put her mitts in the cage. Momma Cat’s whiskers shot forward, and her ears came up. Sunny reached the cat and carefully held her between the mitts, drawing her toward the open end of the cage.
    “Um, God, it’s Vee. Let Momma Cat know Sunny’s okay.” The words were out of Vee’s mouth before she thought about it. The girls told her God created everything, so she figured He must know Momma Cat.
    In another moment, Momma Cat was out of the cage and against Sunny’s chest. The cat didn’t exactly look happy, but not unhappy either.
    Hermann creaked to his feet. “One kot. You vill never get dem all into pets.” Shaking his head and muttering about crazy children, he left.
    “Now what?” Sunny whispered. “I want to spin, but I don’t want to scare her. I’m so excited!”
    For a moment, nobody said a word. Momma Cat began to purr. Then a quiet whisper floated through the air: “Thank You, Lord.” It was Sunny, her face shining.
    It’s Vee, again. Thanks, God. That was pretty cool.
Vee looked at the curious kitten. Yep. It was watching her.
Next time, it’s our turn.
    A light tap sounded on the door, and Aneta’s grandmother entered. “Hey, girls. Is this a good time for The Sweet Shop?”
    Is it ever.

Chapter 16

But, Dad!
    H ey, Veelie.” Dad called after supper while she and Bill were cleaning up from Mexican takeout. No baked potatoes. Yayness, as Sunny would say.
    “Hey, Dad, the coolest thing happened today. With our project. Sunny’s cat purred when she took it out of the trap. So tomorrow—my cat! I just know it.”
    “That’s great, honey.”
    He didn’t sound like he was paying attention.
    “I’ve got a big favor to ask of you, honey,” her dad said. “I need you to come this weekend—now—for our weekend instead of next weekend.”
    A rumble of angry words sounded in her head. “Why?”
    “The boys won a soccer award, and our family needs to be together when they receive it.”
    Our family. That wasn’t
our
family. That was
his
family.
    “I can’t, Dad. I just said that tomorrow is the day I’m sure the curious kitten will let me hold it. This is my school project.”
    She heard an impatient sound on the other end of the line. “Vee, your project is cats. Dumpster cats. I think your little brothers are more important.”
    “But, Dad, it’s movie night here.” Even though it would be just her and Bill tonight. Mom had already headed for bed after dinner. “Our family thing.”
    “Vee, how often do I ask you to do something for me?”
    If she thought about