Блейз Клемент - The Cat Sitter's Nine Lives

“Well, thanks. I can’t believe you recognized me.”

He folded his arms over his chest. “How could I forget the woman that made me feel like a complete horse’s ass?”

As innocently as possible, I whispered, “Who, me?”

“Yeah, you. I’m a doctor. After that car accident, I was more worried about my BMW and my next appointment than this poor guy, especially the way he was weaving in and out of traffic. I don’t know what you do for a living, supermodel or something…?”

I smiled. “Ha. I’m a cat sitter.”

“Right, you’re a cat sitter. Of course. The cat sitter jumps out of her car and saves a man’s life. The doctor sits on his ass and checks his voice mail.”

I shook my head. “No, you showed up just at the right time. I don’t think I could have gotten him out of that car if you hadn’t helped me. You did the right thing.”

He smiled. “Thank you for that. I’ll go ahead and pretend I believe you.”

He stepped over to the side of Baldy’s bed. “Mr. Vladim, you have a visitor.”

Baldy opened his eyes and looked around the room. When he saw Dr. Dunlop, he smiled slightly. “Hello, Doc.”

“How’s the pain, buddy? Okay?”

He thought for a moment. “Level three.”

“Alright. I’ll leave you alone, then. Miss Hemingway is here to see you.”

Baldy’s eyes flashed at me, and immediately a look of fear spread across his face. He turned back to the doctor and said firmly, “I talk to her now.”

“Okay, then, I can take a hint. I was just leaving. I’ll be back to check on you later.” Before he closed the door he gave me a look and winked. “Let me know if he gives you any more trouble.”

I wasn’t sure if he meant Baldy or the guard or both. I pulled a chair up next to the bed, and Baldy rolled his head to the side and looked me up and down.

“I know you are not wife.”

I nodded. “No, I’m not. I tried to tell you.”

“Yes. But drugs, they make me dream bad things.”

“That’s okay. You got banged up pretty good, so they have you on a lot of painkillers.”

“You safe me from car, yes?”

“I did, and Dr. Dunlop was in one of the cars behind you. He helped me carry you out. Your car was crushed in on one side and there was a lot of smoke, so we lifted you out and I stayed with you until the ambulance came. You’re in a lot of trouble apparently. If it weren’t for Mr. Dunlop, they wouldn’t have let me in this room.”

He nodded. “Yes, I think so.”

I leaned a little closer. “Mr. Vladim. I have something I need to talk to you about.”

“Yes, I know.”

“It’s about your wife.”

His eyes widened. I could tell he hadn’t been expecting that. He looked around the room and then shook his head, nervously running his fingers over the edge of his blanket. “I don’t know where she go. She leave me. We are not couple now.”

“No … you see, I’m a professional cat sitter. I got a call from—”

He eyed me warily. “Cat sitter? I don’t know this.”

“I look after people’s pets when they’re away on business or vacation. I got a call earlier this week from a woman who wanted me to help her find a friend’s missing cat.”

His eyes narrowed to slits. “You look at cats, for money.”

I nodded.

“Why you tell me this?”

“This woman, the one that called me, her name is Alice Ann Silverthorn.”

His expression didn’t change; he just turned and stared up at the ceiling. In a couple of moments his eyelids fluttered slightly and his eyes welled with tears.

“I don’t know this name. I am tired now.”

“Mr. Vladim, are you sure?”

He pushed himself up on the pillow and glared at me. “I will call nurse. You are not allowed here. I am criminal.”

I said, “Listen, I haven’t told anyone anything, but your wife is very, very upset. I think she has no idea where you are.”

He had reached for the call button, but then he stopped and rested his head back down on the pillow. “No. I don’t know this. My wife is gone from here. We are not couple.”

I took a deep breath. “I think you should know that I lost my child when she was three years old. She was hit by a car and died instantly. There was nothing I could have done to save her, but believe me, Mr. Vladim, if there had been, I would have done it. Anything.”

He didn’t respond, just stared at the ceiling, and we sat there for a while like that, not talking. The IV drip’s timer made quiet clicks and sucking sounds every once in a while, and at one point there was a burst of laughter from the nurses’ station down the hall, but otherwise the room was completely silent except for Mr. Vladim’s slow, steady breathing.

Finally, he said, “We take boy to miracle doctor in Houston. They make promise he will find cure. But we must pay cash. Four thousand dollars every month.”

He paused, and I could tell he was trying to keep his emotions under control.

“If we don’t pay, he don’t help. This doctor. He lied. He was devil.” He turned to me. “Cat looker, you will deliver message?”

I nodded, fighting with all my might not to burst out in tears, because for the first time I realized that their child had not survived. “I’ll do whatever you need.”

“Tell her I am okay. They will take me to jail. I will tell police that I make her do everything.”

“And Mr. and Mrs. Silverthorn … do they know who you are?”

He nodded slowly. “My wife. She is third cousin of Mrs. Silverthorn. They help us, and for this we work for them. At first it was good arrangement, but now we are slaves. But Dixie, you must not tell.”

“I promise I won’t. Your wife will be very relieved to know that you’re okay.”

“Please tell her I have no choice. If I call they trace phone and take her to jail.”

“I’ll tell her. And if there’s anything else you need, let me know.” I stood up and put my chair back in place. “I’ll leave you alone now, Mr. Vladim, and I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

I turned and headed for the door, but he stopped me.

“Dixie. What you do with chocolate?”

I turned back to him. “Huh?”

“Chocolate. What you do with it?”

I said, “I’m confused. What chocolate do you mean?”

He raised one eyebrow, as if he thought I must be the dumbest person in the world. “The chocolate I put in your bag. What you do with it?”

I walked back to the side of his bed. “Mr. Vladim, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

He shook his head as his face flushed red and his voice grew louder. “These women. They don’t listen. I told you don’t eat!”

“Mr. Vladim, I think perhaps you dreamed that. The drugs you’re on are very strong, and they can cause all kinds of—”

Just then the door opened and a nurse poked her head in. I could see the guard standing behind her. It was a different nurse this time, a skinny, older woman with spiky black hair and drooping eyes. Mr. Vladim was visibly shaken. His eyes flashed at the nurse and then at me.

The nurse frowned. “Excuse me, who are you?”

I said, “Um, Dr. Hemingway?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m afraid you can’t be here. There’s no one allowed in this room but medical staff. The guard should have told you that.”

I nodded, “He did, but Dr. Dunlop said it was okay.”

“Ma’am, I don’t know anything about that. All I know is you need to leave right now. If Dr. Dunlop wants you on the visitors list, he would need to talk to me. And the last time I looked, there were exactly zero approved visitors for this room.”

I turned to Mr. Vladim and nodded. “Don’t worry.”

He looked away, as if he didn’t want the nurse to know he had even talked to me at all.