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TEDDY BUSTLED TO READY his RV for the road. They’d stopped by the hotel for Tee to check out and collect September’s stuff, which Teddy would store.
“Help me get the cats situated. With two of them I will need to get more food and maybe another litter box, too.” He turned around. “How long can a cat cross its legs? I think they’ve been locked up for too long. Should I let ‘em out? I’ve only had dogs before.”
Tee looked up from the phone. “I have no idea. Karma’s my first dog, and I’ve never had cats, either.” She gestured with the phone. “The call came to September’s cell phone.”
He stopped fussing. “Wait, what? Was that September? Is she okay?”
“No. Her mother called looking for her.”
He made a face. “Rose January.” She’d never struck him as the motherly type. September had a strained relationship with her.
“September’s sister April is in the hospital.” Tee rubbed her eyes. “Did they really name all their kids after their birth months?”
Teddy grunted as he moved one of the carriers across the RV. “A little help here? These cats ain’t lightweights, ya know.” He’d only met two of September’s siblings. “She has a brother named Mark. Only the girls got those kitschy names. You can ask Rose why, the next time you talk.” He grinned as she caught up the other cat carrier and set it beside the first.
“I doubt we’ll be chatting. The woman sounded...odd, a little off, you know?” Tee sat on the tiny bed. She rubbed and flexed her leg.
He noticed. She’d done that a lot on the car ride. “Does it hurt?”
Tee shook her head. “Feels asleep. Needles and pins. I think it’s the cold weather. It started a week ago. At least my headache’s gone.”
“Hope you get a doctor to check that out.” Teddy checked his refrigerator. Empty. He limped to the front, and noted the gas tank also needed freshening.
Tee watched curiously. “What are you doing?”
He met her eyes. Maybe she’d help him out. He knew better than to ask his son. Theo would shut him down. “Time for me to go back to Texas. I gotta return these cats to September. You up for a drive? We can drop off your rental, and you and Karma can join my rolling ark.”
“I can’t. My boss called me back to Chicago, Teddy, I told you that. Besides, we don’t know for sure September went home. She could be—” She bit her lip when his scowl silenced her.
“Don’t you dare say it.” Teddy refused to consider that September could be dead.
She bit her lip. “My boss gave me one job: to collect the records from Sissie Turpin.” She hesitated, then pressed on. “You sent the electronic files on—”
“—but Steele may not be forthcoming.” He nodded. “I know jurisdiction can get tangled, and delays won’t help your cause. And you still want to make points with Redford. I get it.” He’d seen that before, and didn’t want Tee’s efforts penalized for something out of her control. “I can send another copy to your Detective Redford, how’s that? Get me a contact email, and how I should explain the message. I don’t want to step on toes. Or get you cross-ways with your superiors.”
She smiled with gratitude. September’s phone buzzed again, startling them both. Tee showed the caller ID to Teddy. He limped toward her, holding out his hand to answer the call.
“This is Teddy Williams, answering September’s phone for her. How’re ya doing, Detective Combs?” He raised a hand, shushing Tee when she would have interjected. He switched it to speaker, and put a finger to his lips.
“Teddy? Are you back in Heartland? Good to hear from you.”
Tee could hear loud festival sounds in the background, and raised her eyebrows. Teddy shrugged. “Hard to hear you, Detective. You on a stakeout at a carnival?”
Combs laughed. “Didn’t September tell you? I’m at the Magic Kingdom with the kids. She insisted we make it just the three of us.” He paused. “Is September around? I got some news she’ll want to hear.”
“About her sister, April?” He hesitated. “September’s away for the moment.”
“April? No, what’s up with her sister?” It sounded like he tried to block the phone with his hand to yell, “Willie, you do what your sister says. I’m not telling you again.” Then he came back to the conversation. “Sorry. He’s wired, wants to do the rides again but it’s Melinda’s turn to choose. Look, I’ve got to run. But tell September I got a call from the department. The news hasn’t hit the networks yet, but they’ll probably come to her for comments, and I don’t want her blindsided.” He didn’t hide the satisfaction in his voice. “They found Victor Grant dead, hung in his cell. Just saved the taxpayers the cost of a trial. I’ll call September later.” The call disconnected.
Teddy felt his face drain of color. He sat down hard, and winced with the sore leg.
“His name’s on the cat sale list. He got the cat for September. Right?”
“Macy.” Teddy whispered the name, and the coffee-colored cat meowed back. “Victor Grant was a family friend. He did terrible things to September, and later tried to kill her.” He pulled off his glasses, polishing them on the hem of his sweater, as he stared back at Tee. “How many does that make, Tee? A lot of people on that pricey cat list have died. Seems like someone’s washing the slate clean.”
Her face looked as pale as his felt. “September’s on the list. If she’s still alive—” Teddy scowled but she kept on, “—and I really want to believe that, then maybe she’s keeping her head down. Could be she left the phone so nobody could track her.” She stared pointedly at his computer set up. “If you can work magic with technology, she knows others can find her, too.”
Teddy put his glasses back on. “She’s changed. Not the same scared girl I first met. Before, she’d run and hide, but not anymore.”
Tee zipped up her coat. “Redford expects me back in Chicago. Nice to meet you, Teddy, but I’ve got to go. Karma’s waiting in the car, still upset I wouldn’t let her in here with the cats.” She paused, worried about him. “You shouldn’t be driving anyway, especially not by yourself. Not with a bullet hole in you. Does your son even know you checked yourself out of the hospital?”
He shook his head. “And don’t you tell him, either.” He stuck out his hand. “Wish we’d met under different circumstances, Officer Teves. But a friend of September is a friend of mine. Call me with any updates, and I’ll do the same.”
Smiling, she shook his hand. “Email me the computer files so I can share them with Redford as soon as I get to Chicago. And don’t try to drive to Texas by yourself!”
“You got it. You and September already have me coloring outside the lines.” Teddy waited until Tee’s car disappeared down the road before he quickly typed on his computer keyboard and sent her the bookkeeper’s files. He checked that the cats were comfortable, then carefully backed up the motor home, and drove away from his son’s house.
A quick stop at a neighborhood grocery provided cat food, and more sand to put in the litter box. Next he drove to his favorite taco place and ordered a to-go box with a dozen burritos and tacos. Finally, he topped off the tank at a gas station, and purchased energy drinks and candy bars. “Brain food,” he told himself, just like when he pulled all-nighters back in his hacker days. From there, he tooled Nellie-Nova back to the hospital, and hobbled inside, wincing with each step.
The girl at the gift shop counter recognized him. “Did your granddaughter like her sweats outfit?”
He grinned back. “Guess I’ll find out. I’m here to pick her up. While I’m waiting, could you give me a bottle of aspirin or something? Oh, and this is nice.” He picked up a cane with an eye-buster metallic 3D design. He paid for his purchases, and took a seat in the lobby area, and made a quick call to the ward. “Ready if you are.” He hung up.
Charlie emerged from the bank of elevators, hoodie covering her purple hair and most of her face. She didn’t speak, and kept looking over her shoulder.
Teddy took her good arm, while testing his new cane with the other hand. They made their way back to his rolling home. She climbed inside, and exclaimed with happiness at the sight of Sherlock. He let her cuddle the white cat for only a couple of minutes before interrupting the reunion.
“Charlie, ever handled one of these RVs?”
She shrugged. “How hard could it be? Lots better than my junker.” Charlie tipped her head to one side. It reminded him of Shadow puzzling out something new. “Road trip?” She kept the hoodie up, still hiding most of her expression. “Far away, I hope. Anywhere but here.” She shivered, and hugged Sherlock.
“Right now, that’s not important. But we made a deal. I got you out of the hospital, and even paid your bill.” He hoped she hadn’t blown smoke just to get his help.
She gasped. “You did that? For a stranger?” Charlie’s tone changed to suspicion. She squeezed the cat so hard, Sherlock hissed. “What do you want from me?”
“Relax. Nothing bad. But I’ve got a friend in trouble. She’s the one rescued your white cat.” He nodded at the Maine Coon. “Tell me true. Did you lie just to get my help? About things you didn’t share with the police?”
She crossed her arms, and hunched her shoulders as the cat snuggled in her lap. “I’ve got plenty to say. I just don’t want to end up dead for talking to some old man.”
He smiled, and put the RV into gear. “Buckle up, Charlie girl, we’ve a long drive ahead. Two days by myself, but only fifteen hours if we take turns and drive straight through. Plenty of time to tell your tale.” He waited until she’d buckled her seat belt in the passenger side, pulled out of the parking lot, and eased into traffic. “How about you start with your real name? And what you really were up to at Sissie Turpin’s house.”
