Анна Керн - A Paw-sible Theory

“Thank you, Maggie, you’ve done more than enough already.”

Alyx followed her outside and sat in the wicker chair on the porch. “Just last week, my life revolved around the store. This morning when I passed Antiques & Designs on the way to the beach, I didn’t stop, didn’t even glance in that direction. I’ve always believed that possessions don’t bring lasting happiness, and I’d give it all up in a minute to have my son free.”

“Alyx, don’t think like that; it’s not over for Ethan and if even if it does end badly, the decision can be appealed, new evidence might be found.”

“I don’t think I can cope with this.”

“You’ll cope with this the same as you’ve done before with other things you thought you couldn’t handle.”

Maggie glanced at her watch, “I hate to leave. Do you want me to stay and keep you company for a while longer?”

“No, I’ll be fine. I know we still have a business to run and I want you to keep your appointment with our client.”

“Okay. I’ll call you later about dinner.”

“I’m all set for dinner. Susan called; she’s worried I’m not taking care of myself and is dropping something off later.”

“I’ve only spoken to her twice but she seems like a nice person.”

“She is. There’s only a five-year difference in our ages and we were close friends at one time. Sadly, as time went on, Tom became the focus of her life and her identity. The Susan I knew disappeared; I don’t know who she is anymore. At fifty years old, Susan has become the invisible middle-aged woman.”

“The reason cats climb is so that they can look down on almost every other animal...it’s also the reason they hate birds.”

–– K. C. Buffington

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: Loss Of Resolve

Alyx watched Maggie get in her car, waving as she backed out of the drive. Although the sun was shining and the temperature was in the high seventies, Alyx shivered again. She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and called her brother who had only recently given her his cell phone number to call in case she needed him.

“Hi, Tom; are you busy?”

She strolled to the end of the driveway, turned around, and looked at the house as if she was seeing it for the first time.

The renovated cottage-style bungalow clad in cedar shingles and clean white trim sat back from the road, the old brick walkway leading to the front porch lined with a variety of annuals and perennials. The blooming azalea bushes across the front of the house reflected the season, and the white wrought-iron settee under the old magnolia tree completed the Southern picture. She waited for Tom on the covered front porch that was just big enough for a white wicker chair and a huge clay pot filled with pink geraniums.

When Tom arrived and asked, “What’s wrong? Has something happened?” she burst into tears. He put his arm around her shoulders and helped her inside.

Once in the living room, she wiped her tears with her T-shirt, and, in control again, sat on the couch. Tom sat next to her.

“I used to love this house. Now I’m scared to be in it.”

She took a deep breath and told him about the run-in with Ramsey. “Maggie thinks he was just trying to scare me, but it upset me anyway. I’m afraid, Tom. I’m afraid for me because someone tried to kill me, but mostly, I’m afraid for Ethan. Things don’t look good for him. What if his lawyer can’t convince the jury of his innocence? How can I live my life with my son locked up for something, I know, he didn’t do?”

“I’ve heard really good things about his lawyer. Don’t you think he’s doing a good job so far?”

“Yes, I do. I trust him, and so does Ethan. I know he’ll do the best he can.”

“Well, then, give him the chance to do that before you decide it’s a lost cause.”

“I know you’re right, and it does help to hear it from someone else.”

“Call the lawyer and tell him about your conversation with Dan Ramsey.” He got up to leave and gave her a hug. “I have to keep this appointment. I couldn’t postpone it for more than an hour.”

He added as an afterthought, “If you’re uncomfortable here, why don’t you come and stay with us for a while?”

“Thanks for asking, and don’t think I don’t appreciate it, but I should stay here. I have the cats, and I’ve imposed on Maggie too much already. Besides, I have to face this too; this is my home and I’m not leaving.”

“Okay, take care and call me if you need me. We’re family and I love you, even though we don’t see much of each other.”

She almost started to cry again as she waved good-bye.

“A cat is a lion in a jungle of small bushes.”

–– Indian Proverb

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: In Their Own Language

I had convinced the felines––actually, I threatened them with bodily harm––not to do anything foolish when I showed Alyx what happened. Their concern was justified. Alyx would undoubtedly think I was the guilty party but they understood there was no other way. Neither did I have a guarantee that Alyx would understand my message. What I was about to do might just land me in a lot of trouble.

As expected, my loud, guttural yowling propelled Alyx and my housemates to the kitchen to see what was wrong. I gave one big roar, and leaped on the counter, then straight up in the air, just catching the edge of the upper cabinet with my front paws, digging up the side with my back claws. In a perfect replay of what Pooky had said happened, I struggled to hang on and knocked down a basket in the process

Alyx rushed to help, but I pulled myself up, purposefully knocked down another basket, and paused to look at her.

“What’s gotten into you, Murfy? Get down from there!” she admonished.

Maggie had told Alyx about my odd behavior with the lawyer and she had probably attributed it to the changes in the household. Now, watching me deliberately knock down another basket, she didn’t know what to make of it.

“What is going on here? You get down from there before someone gets hurt.”

While she was coaxing me to come down, Misty leaped on the counter on the other side of the sink, onto the refrigerator and lithely up to the top. She gently pushed off a bunch of dried flowers, and before Alyx could do anything, Pooky joined Misty and me. Alyx stepped back, hands on hips, astonished as we continued to push items off, stopping to look at her as the things fell to the counter or to the floor, with a so what are you going to do about it attitude.

She dropped into the nearest chair, flabbergasted at our behavior. The others jumped down––one by one; I defiantly stayed where I was, my eyes boring into hers.

Finally, she got it. She immediately called the number David Hunter had given her, and then sat on the floor.

“This goes way beyond imagination. If I hadn’t known better, I would have to say you did that on purpose.”

Ethan’s lawyer arrived an hour later and Alyx ushered him to the kitchen. If David Hunter thought it strange when he saw all the items on the floor, he didn’t say so.

“You sounded sure when you said you knew what happened. What did you remember?”

“Actually, my cats told me what happened.”

He looked at her askew. “Your cats talk to you?”

“Yes, cats do talk when humans are willing to listen. True, their native tongue is body language, but house cats have developed a wide variety of meows intended to alert humans to their needs and intentions. Sometimes I get the feeling that Murfy can read my mind, and lets me know what he wants me to know is going on in his. I think it’s just a lucky guess when I get it right, but who knows?”

“So what did they tell you?”