The Christmas Cat Read Online Free PDF Page B

and litter and vet bills and such.”
    She gave him a puzzled look. “What’re you talking about, boy?”
    “Gram made some provisions for her cats’ new homes.”
    “What do you mean provisions ?” she asked again.
    He made a mischievous grin. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
    “You got that right, young man. You tell Ruby something like that and then leave her hanging?”
    He held up his purple-gloved hands. “I’m sorry, Ruby. But that’s all I can say right now. Okay?”
    “Hmm . . . I guess so.” Her mouth twisted to one side. “Now, you better take care of yourself and your little cat phobia, young man. I set my cat things out on the back porch. I’d like to get Viola home now. And I’ll be sure to let you know how she likes living at my place.”
    “Thanks,” he told her as they went into the kitchen.
    “You let me know if you need anything.” She sounded like her old cheerful self again. “Or if these cats start a-worrying you, just give old Ruby a call. I’ll come to your rescue.”
    “Thanks. Appreciate it.”
    “Or if you get hungry, you come on over. In fact, I’ve a mind to just whip up some chicken pot pie tonight.” She gave him a sly look as she wrapped part of her coat over Viola. “Maybe I’ll see if I can bribe you with food . . . get you to talk.”
    He chuckled. “Ruby, Ruby.”
    “Or maybe you don’t like my pot pie like you used to?”
    “I haven’t had a good pot pie in years,” he said eagerly.
    “Alrighty then. My stomach don’t like eating too late at night. Come five thirty, you get yourself over to Ruby’s kitchen and don’t you be late.”
    “Will do.” He saluted her.
    “And I assume you’ll take over feeding the cats now.”
    “Yes, of course.”
    She pointed to the refrigerator where a laminated page was attached by a cat-shaped magnet. “That’s Lilly’s detailed instructions. She always kept it there for me. Sometimes if she had to be gone for a spell—never more’n a day at most—I’d see to the cats.”
    He glanced at the note. “Good to know.” He opened thedoor for her and seeing her box of cat goods, scooped them up and followed her over to her house.
    “Thank you, son.” She rewarded him with a wide smile.
    “Thank you for taking Viola.” He set the box on a chair inside her back door.
    “See you at five thirty.”
    “You bet.” He grinned to himself as he closed her door. One cat gone, five to go. Maybe this wasn’t going to be so hard after all. And it warmed his heart to imagine Ruby’s expression when he handed her a check for ten thousand dollars next month. By his calculations that should be a little before Christmas. Nice!
    He retrieved the duffle bag he’d stashed in the Pontiac and carried it, along with the envelope from Mr. Miller, into the house. He wanted to read through the papers from Gram’s attorney, but as soon as he got back into the kitchen, the cats began converging and meowing . . . as if they expected something from him. What? A glance at Gram’s directions on the fridge revealed these cats were used to eating their dinner between four and five. And it was just a little past four.
    Still wearing the particle mask and gloves, he removed Gram’s instructions from the fridge and continued reading. He quickly realized this was more complicated than just filling a big bowl with Cat Chow. Each cat was listed individually. Even with Viola adopted by Ruby, there were still five different feline diets to contend with. Garrison had to read through it several times, condensing it down to this: Oreo had to be fed by himself in the laundry room with just a special low-fat dry food because he was overweight and would devour the other cats’ foods if he got the chance; meanwhile, Spooky needed special drops in her canned food to prevent hairballs; Rustyhad a special mix of both dry and canned food; and Muzzy needed to be fed a special gluten-free food. It seemed that the only cat without special