Frankencat (Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery Book 13) Read online

  “Why did she hire him?”

  “To find the daughter she gave birth to in 1999. It took him months to track her down because no formal adoption ever occurred, but after weeks of diligent searching he found the answers he was looking for.”

  Suddenly, everything was falling into place. “She died, didn’t she?”

  “Worse. She was murdered.”

  I took a deep breath and put my hand over my mouth. Poor Paula. She must have received the news while alone in the office.

  Finn continued when I didn’t speak. “According to Mr. Smith, Paula became pregnant while living on the streets. She had no idea who the baby’s father was and she suffered from mental health issues and drug addiction. She could barely take care of herself, little alone a baby.”

  “So she gave her up for adoption,” I realized.

  “She sold her.”

  “What?” I screeched.

  “She needed a fix and she didn’t have any money, so some guy she knew who dealt in all sorts of illegal activity offered to buy Amber, who was three by this time, for five thousand dollars. Paula was desperate and agreed to the sale and never saw Amber again. She did wonder what had become of her, though. Then she saw Amber from the store by the marina, and not only was she the right age, but she had similar coloring to her Amber and a locket that looked exactly like one she’d given to her daughter the last time she was with her. She was certain the Amber from the store was her daughter even though she said she wasn’t adopted. Paula realized she needed proof, so she hired Smith to prove this Amber was her daughter. She thought it was fate intervening to give her a second chance.”

  “But it wasn’t her?”

  “No, it wasn’t. Smith eventually picked up the trail of Paula’s Amber. She wound up with a couple in a black-market transaction, so the adoption papers were forged, though they looked authentic enough that no one ever questioned them. Amber’s new father was physically abusive, so she ran away when she was only fourteen. A year later, on November 6, 2014, her body was found under an overpass near Atlanta, Georgia. The cause of death was strangulation.”

  “Oh God.” I felt like I was going to throw up.

  Cody must have noticed that I’d gone totally white because he set down the journal and gathered me into his arms, then took the phone from my hands, which were shaking.

  “It’s Cody. Cait’s pretty shaken up.”

  He listened to what Finn had to say and eventually said, “Okay. Thanks, Finn.

  “He’s going to have the medical examiner look at Paula’s body again to see if the suicide idea fits. He thinks it will. I’m so sorry, Cait.” Cody gathered me into his arms as I sobbed for both Amber and Paula and all the lives that had been so needlessly wasted.

  Chapter 14

  Saturday, October 28

  Siobhan showed up at my cabin the next morning just as I was getting ready to head over to the haunted house. Cody had spent the night with me but had left early to spend some time with Mr. Parsons before he needed to show up in town for the Halloween festivities.

  “Are you okay?” Siobhan asked after entering my side door and hugging me in an offer of comfort.

  “Yeah. What happened to Paula’s daughter was tragic, and I can’t imagine how Paula must have felt when she found out, but I think I have some perspective now. If nothing else, I guess I understand Paula’s depression and even her paranoia. It must have been hard to live your whole life knowing you’d sold your daughter for a fix, never knowing how her life turned out.”

  “I can’t imagine.”

  I squeezed Siobhan’s hand. “Cody and I had a long talk last night and he made me see that, while I can mourn the senseless loss of two lives, the burden of their deaths isn’t mine to bear. I feel like I have a new outlook this morning and am pretty much determined to embrace the day. Are you going to the haunted house?”

  She shook her head. “Finn and I have other plans. I did want to share some news with you before you head out for the day, though.”

  My smile faded. “I hope it’s not bad news.”

  “Not unless you consider being an aunt for the first time bad news.”

  “You’re having a baby?”

  “I’m having a baby,” Siobhan confirmed as I hugged her a bit more tightly than one should probably hug a pregnant woman.

  “When?” I asked as I placed my hand on Siobhan’s flat stomach.

  “My due date is June fifth.”

  “Do you know if it’s going to be a boy or a girl?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Oh my God, Siobhan.” I hugged her again. “You must be so happy.”

  “I am. And Finn is too.”

  “Does Mom know?”

  “Not yet. I’m going to tell her, Cassie, Aiden, Danny, and Maggie today. Finn told me about Paula and her baby and I figured you could use some good news to brighten your day, so I headed here first.”

  “Thank you.” I hugged Siobhan a final time. “You really have put some sunshine in my day.”

  We chatted for a while longer and then I headed over to the haunted house. I was looking forward to volunteering today. Having a fun community event to focus on would help me forget the tragedy I very much wanted to relegate to the back of my mind. As promised, the haunted house was spookier than it had been in years, which suited my mood perfectly. Cody showed up about twenty minutes after I did dressed as a zombie I couldn’t resist wanting to kiss.

  “You’ll get makeup all over your face.” Cody laughed when I kissed him over and over again.

  “I don’t care. I missed you.”

  “I’ve only been gone for two hours.”

  “Which, if you ask me, is two hours too long. Did you have a nice visit with Mr. Parsons?”

  “I did. I think it meant a lot to him that I took the time to sit with him for a while before coming into town. It seems Francine, Summer, and Banjo did a good job of ensuring he wasn’t alone much when I was away.”

  “Someone was there every time I stopped by,” I verified. “Tara and Parker invited us to join them for a late dinner tonight. Are you up for that?”

  “Sounds good.” Cody used his thumb to wipe away some of the makeup that had smeared from his face to mine. “I’m glad to see your sunny smile is back.”

  “It’s hard to be depressed when you find out you’re about to be an aunt for the first time.”

  “Finn and Siobhan?”

  I nodded. “Isn’t that exciting? I can’t wait!”

  “That is exciting and you’re going to make a wonderful aunt.” Cody looked toward the door to the back room, where the staging was taking place. “I need to go, but I think we’re done about the same time, so wait for me by the front door and I’ll meet you as soon as I change and wipe this goo off my face.”

  “Okay. I kind of like the zombie look, but I don’t suppose it would be appropriate to wear to dinner.”

  Cody chuckled. “I don’t suppose so, but maybe we can arrange a private showing at some point.”

  I just grinned as he kissed my nose and walked away.

  My job this year was to sell tickets at the booth, so that was where I headed. It would have been fun to dress up and be part of the cast, but it was also nice to have the opportunity to chat with friends and neighbors as they arrived. I work in a business that provides me with the chance to visit with other islanders on a regular basis, but there were still those who didn’t read or drink coffee I rarely came into contact with.

  “Tara, Sister Mary,” I greeted the mother-daughter pair. “Are you here to put some fright in your Halloween?”

  “We are.” Tara nodded. “Sister Mary and I are going to the kiddie carnival with Parker and Amy as soon as he gets off work, but in the meantime, we thought we’d see what all the hoopla is about.”

  “I haven’t been through yet, but those who have say it’s pretty awesome.” I couldn’t help but notice that not only were both women grinning but they were holding hands. Seeing Tara so happy after eve
rything she’d been through did my heart good. “Are we still on for dinner tonight?”

  “If we can meet at around eight. Sister Mary is going to sit with Amy for a couple of hours after we finish up at the carnival and the church festivities.”

  “Eight is good. Antonio’s?”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  The line grew long after Tara and Sister Mary left, so I didn’t have the opportunity to say much more than hi to those who showed up during peak time. I was at the point where I needed a bathroom break when Amber from the marina general store stepped up at the window.

  “Amber, hi,” I greeted her. “Are you here to check out the haunted house?”

  “I was walking by and saw you standing here. Can we talk for a minute?”

  “Sure. Just let me get someone to cover for me.”

  It took a few minutes, but eventually, I found another volunteer to watch the window while I took a break. “What can I do for you?” I asked.

  “I lied the other day when you were by. I’m not sure why, but I’ve been thinking about it, and when I saw you standing here I knew I needed to say something about it.”

  “Okay. Let’s sit down over here.” I led her to a small seating area. “What do you want to tell me?”

  “When Paula came in and started asking questions she seemed sort of desperate. It kind of freaked me out, so when she asked about the necklace I said my mom had given it to me, but that wasn’t true. I met a girl, also named Amber, who was my same age and lived on the street when I was visiting my aunt in Atlanta four years ago. She needed money and I gave her what I had, which was a couple hundred dollars I’d been saving up for my trip. I knew she might be scamming me, but she was so young. It scared me that she seemed to be in a position where she was taking care of herself, and she said her name was Amber like mine. I guess I just wanted to help. She started to cry when I gave her everything I had. She said it was too much, but I insisted. She said she wanted to give me something in return, so she gave me the necklace. When Paula asked about it I wanted to tell her the truth, but I was scared.”

  “That’s totally understandable. Paula was out of line to pursue you so aggressively,” I said. Then I added, “It turned out the girl who gave you the necklace was her daughter and she’d been looking for her.”

  “Oh no. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. Did she find her?”

  I shook my head. “It was a long time ago. Even if you had told Paula the truth about the necklace it wouldn’t have made a difference.” I decided not to mention that Amber was dead. Why burden the poor girl with the knowledge?

  “I’m sorry I didn’t agree to spend more time with Paula after that first dinner. I feel bad she died without finding her daughter. It’s just been so hard for me since my parents died and I moved here. I don’t really know anyone, and sometimes I feel vulnerable and alone. I know it just takes time to get settled, but it’s so hard to go home to an empty apartment every day. I hear all these sounds and I’m afraid my mind makes more out of them than it should. I’ve been having nightmares and I feel myself being suspicious of everyone and everything. Maybe I should get a dog.”

  I was about to respond when Frank trotted in and headed right for us. “What about a cat?” I said as Frank jumped up onto her lap.

  “Oh my. Who are you?” Amber said with a smile on her face.

  “His name is Frank and he’s a totally awesome cat. I think with him by your side all your nightmares will disappear.”

  I’d learned not to wonder how the cats got out of my cabin and made their way around the island, but I’d realized as soon as he set eyes on Amber that she’d found someone to help her through this difficult time.

  ******

  “This is nice,” I said to Cody much later that evening. We’d had an awesome day and a wonderful dinner with Parker and Tara and had just spent the last hour making up for all the nights we’d missed in each other’s arms.

  “It is nice.” Cody ran a finger up my bare arm as I cuddled next to him with my head on his bare chest. “This last trip was a hard one. I always miss you, but this one was the worst.”

  “I guess I’ll have to come with you next time. I know you’re busy during the day, but at least we can be together at night. I hate not seeing you for weeks at a time. I know you’re doing a really important thing and I’m proud that you’re helping to save lives, but I’ll be glad when you’re done.”

  Cody kissed the top of my head. “Yeah. Me too. At least I’ll be home through the holidays.”

  “Which I’m very happy about.”

  “When I was talking to Mr. Parsons today he asked me about doing a Christmas Eve dinner again this year. I told him I’d talk to you about it. I know it’s turned into something that requires a lot of work on both our parts, so I didn’t want to tell him we’d do it without discussing it with you.”

  “I’d love to do it again,” I replied. “Granted, our original idea of a small meal with a few friends has turned into a huge social event requiring weeks of planning, but I can see how much it means to Mr. Parsons to have people in the house again. We should start making a list right away so we don’t accidentally leave anyone out. I’d like to invite Amber. I had a chat with her today. She told me she’s been feeling lonely since moving to the island, so I called Cassie earlier and she’s going to go by the general store to introduce herself. They’re close enough in age that I’m hoping they’ll hit it off.”

  “It’s nice of Cassie to make the effort.”

  “She seems to have turned into an adult while I wasn’t looking. She told me the other day she’s planning to go to college and was worried about Mom being alone. I told her I’d make sure she was okay when she was away. I know Mom has Gabe and I think she’ll be fine, but I hate to think of anyone being lonely.”

  Cody flipped me over onto my back, then looked deeply into my eyes as he ran a finger down my cheek and across my jaw. “You know I love you.”

  My heart began to pound as our souls connected. “I love you too.”

  “You’re such a caring, giving person. You amaze me every day with your open heart and your generosity toward all creatures great and small. I’m so grateful to have you in my life and I can’t imagine spending even one day without you by my side. I want to grow old with you, have a family with you, and experience all that life has to offer with you. Caitlin Hart, will you marry me?”

  I put my open hand up to Cody’s cheek. I wanted to say something touching and memorable, but all I could do was nod as tears streamed down my face. I wrapped my arms around Cody’s neck and he lowered his head and gently brushed his lips to mine.

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  Sample Chapter for Finding Justice

  There are people in the world who insist that life is what you make of it. They’ll tell you that if you work hard enough and persevere long enough, everything you’ve ever desired will one day be yours. But as I sat in the fifth dingy office I’d visited in as many months and listened as the fifth pencil pusher in a dark suit and sensible shoes looked at me with apologetic eyes, I finally understood that not every dream was realized and not every wish granted.

  “Ms. Carson, do you understand what I’m saying?”

  I nodded, trying to fight back the tears I absolutely would not shed. “You’re saying that you can’t consider my grant application unless I’ve secured a facility.”

  The man let out a long breath that sounded like a wheeze, which I was sure was more of a sigh of relief. “Exactly. I do love your proposal to build an animal shelter in your hometown, but our grant is designed to be used for ongoing operations. I’m afraid without a physical presence we really must move on.”

  I leaned over to pick up my eight-year-old backpack. “Yes. I understand. Thank you so much for your time.”

  “Perhaps next year?” the man encouraged with a lopsided grin.

  I smiled in return. Granted, it was a weak little smile tha
t did nothing to conceal my feelings of defeat. “Thank you. I’m certain we’ll be able to meet your criteria by the next application cycle.”

  “We begin a new cycle on June 1. If you can secure a facility by that time please feel free to reapply,” the man said.

  I thanked the bureaucrat and left his office. I tried to ignore the feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach and instead focused on the clickety-clack that sounded as the tile floor came into contact with the two-inch heels I’d bought for this occasion. Had I really been working on this project for more than two years? Maybe it was time to throw in the towel and accept defeat. The idea of building an animal shelter in Rescue Alaska was a noble one, but the mountain of fund-raising and paperwork that needed to be scaled to make this particular dream come true seemed insurmountable at best.

  I dug into my backpack for my cell phone, which rang just as I stepped out of the warm building into the bracing cold of the frigid Alaskan winter. I pulled the hood of my heavy parka over my dark hair before wrapping its bulk tightly around my small frame.

  “So, how did it go?” My best friend, Chloe Rivers, asked the minute I answered her call.

  “It went.”

  “What happened?” Chloe groaned.

  I looked up toward the sky, allowing the snow to land on my face and mask my tears. “The grant is designated for operations, so it seems we aren’t eligible until we have a facility. The problem is, we have no money to build a facility and no one will give us a loan for one unless we have capital for operations already lined up. It’s an endless cycle I’m afraid we can’t conquer.”

  “We can’t give up. You know what you have to do.”

  “No,” I said firmly. “We’ll find another way.” I knew I sounded harsh, but I had to make Chloe understand.

  “Another way?” Chloe screeched. I listened as she took a deep breath before continuing in a softer tone. “Come on, Harmony, you know we’ve tried everything. There is no other way.”