Songbird Season Page 21

  “One cat at a time,” she reminded herself as she turned off on Second and drove to the back entrance of City Hall. “We just need to help one cat at a time.”

  A pickup with three carriers in the back was already parked next to the metal shed that housed Prosper’s two emergency vehicles. Another woman was reaching into the backseat of her car for a crate holding two cats. Melinda exhaled when she saw Karen pop out City Hall’s back door, a clipboard in her hand. “Oh, we made it. The hard part’s over, I hope.”

  A farmer in a dusty, older car pulled into the alley just as Melinda and Karen moved the last of Gertrude’s cats inside. “Got them last night with the tuna, just like you suggested,” he said to Karen. “I don’t care what some of the guys down at the co-op say. This is the right thing to do.”

  “It certainly is!” Melinda turned to Jerry, who had just arrived. “Would you like to escort these patients inside? Just don’t get your fingers too close, OK? They aren’t very happy.”

  “Thanks for the warning,” Jerry called over his shoulder as he started for the door, a crate handle in each hand.

  Melinda was impressed by the vet technicians’ composure and efficiency, especially once the line of carriers stretched down the side of the council chambers. One by one, the cats went into the bathroom anxious and yowling, pawing at the walls of their cages, and came out drowsy and docile with paper identification collars taped around their necks.

  The council chamber’s long metal tables had been sanitized and covered with rolls of plastic. One was the observation station, where technicians performed quick exams and administered vaccinations. The next table served as the on-deck area. Up front were two fully-equipped surgical stations, their perimeters buffeted with boxes of supplies.

  Melinda was crouched on the floor, trying to soothe the nerves of one especially frantic barn cat, when she heard footsteps behind her.

  “You must be Melinda.”

  She glanced up to see a man about her age, in faded jeans and work boots. He was wearing an ISU tee shirt and a blue cap. His hands were empty.

  “I am. Are your cats still outside? Do you need help bringing them in?”

  He grinned and stuck out a hand. “I’m Dr. Vogel, from over in Swanton. Josh Vogel, actually. Is Karen …”

  Melinda got to her feet and searched the buzzing room, trying to get her bearings. All Karen had told her about Dr. Vogel was that he specialized in small-animal care and didn’t make livestock calls. Had she thought he’d be much younger? Or at least, dressed to perform twenty surgeries in nine hours?

  “Oh, there she is. Over by the restroom.” Melinda pointed to the far corner, where Karen was consulting with a cluster of technicians. “I’m sorry, Dr. Vogel, Karen asked me to watch for you and …”

  “Josh. Just Josh, thanks.” His brown eyes twinkled with laughter. “I know, I’m not exactly in uniform. My scrubs are still in the truck.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Thought I’d see if you needed help wrangling anyone before we get started.”

  “I think the sooner this guy gets his sleepy-time shot, the better.” Melinda gestured at the agitated tomcat, who howled and paced in his cage. There was an odd bend in the end of his tail, and several faded scars on his head and chest.

  “He’s a scrapper.” Josh shook his head with a mix of admiration and sympathy. “Or at least, he was until today. Hey, buddy, calm down, huh?” He reached for the crate’s handle. “I think you’re right, he’s terribly stressed. No reason he can’t bump up in the line.”

  Nancy soon came through the door leading into the front of the building, a carrier in her hand.

  “Melinda, can you pick up the other one?” She motioned behind her. “My neighbor just came by with the two ferals she’s been feeding. The back parking lot is full, I guess, so she stopped out front.” She looked around the crowded space and gave a nod of admiration.

  “Look at all the good that’s happening here today. All these volunteers! Karen said she’s hoping to do another clinic in a few months, or make it a regular event, even, there’s been so much interest.” Nancy frowned when her gaze stopped on the corner where the cats would rest after surgery. “Wait. Where’s Auggie?”

  “I don’t know.” Melinda had checked her phone several times. No messages. “I told him to be here by eight. Karen wants to get started right away, so it won’t be long before the first patients need to be held.”

  George and Jerry, along with two other volunteers, were already settled in the post-surgery area’s folding chairs. Stacks of worn-but-clean towels waited on a small table nearby.

  “Where Auggie this morning?” George asked Melinda around his mouthful of blueberry muffin. “He should have been here by now. I think my old limbs can only cuddle one cat at a time.”

  “I was wondering if you’d heard from him, but I guess not.” She sighed irritably. “He’d better not back out! He promised to help.”

  Melinda kept busy ferrying supplies from one station to the next, and making sure the coffeepot stayed full and the treat trays were stocked with cookies and muffins. Some of the vet technicians had brought dishes for the potluck lunch, and Melinda went into the kitchen to check there was enough food to round out the sandwiches her mom would drop off just before noon.

  George and Jerry’s group soon had their first round of recovering patients, and there was still no sign of Auggie. The cats were gently swaddled in blankets to keep their temperatures steady as they woke up from surgery. Once they were alert, they would go back to their crates for observation and to wait for their rides home.

  The second wave of cats started to arrive. Karen had wisely staggered the drop-off and pick-up times, and Melinda was soon busy checking in those patients at the back door. Just as she was registering the last one, she noticed Auggie sneaking in from the entrance to the city’s offices. He stood against the wall, his hands in his pockets, unsure of what to do or where to go.

  Melinda hurried over as soon as she could. “Where have you been? I thought you were never going to show! Jerry and George are over there in the corner.”

  “I got delayed.” He was so on edge that Melinda felt a pang of guilt.

  “Is everything OK? Did something happen?”

  “You bet it did! There’s someone wandering around in that building that’s for sale.” His brown eyes glittered with excitement. “There’s a fancy car with out-of-county plates down the street, but I’m not sure if that’s them. Or maybe it’s the Realtor. I’ve been on imaginary errands, driving by, then walking by. They’re still in there!”

  His face fell with frustration. “But the sun’s so bright this morning, I couldn’t see inside very well. I would have had to go up to the windows and …”

  Melinda rolled her eyes. “Auggie, please! You thought someone was in there the other evening, too. The place is for sale. What do you expect to happen?”

  “Don’t you want to know what’s going on?” He leaned in. “Come on, I know you do. The future of Prosper Hardware lies in the balance. It’s a fateful change for the entire town. I wonder who …”

  His gaze landed a gray cat waiting for surgery. The sedated kitty lounged on his back, his white paws resting above his shoulders.

  “What the hell? Is that one dead, or what?”

  “No, he’s fine. He’s just under anesthesia, is all.”

  She gave Auggie a gentle shove in the direction of the post-surgery area, where Jerry and George chatted as they rocked toweled bundles in their arms. “You’re needed in the nursery. See? The other guys are enjoying themselves.”

  Melinda saw Karen take a quick step back from her exam table. Josh, who was between patients, was soon at her side and they began an animated discussion. A technician brought the next cat to Josh’s station, and he patted Karen on the shoulder before starting another surgery. Melinda hurried over to her friend as soon as Karen was free.

  “What happened? Is that one going to be OK?”

  “She will be now.” K
aren sighed, her face still troubled. “Her uterus was infected, possibly a complication from a past pregnancy. We had no idea until I made the incision. That poor girl.”

  “I’m so sorry. Most of these kitties have never received medical care before. I know you were worried about what you might find.”

  “Yes.” Karen nodded, and crossed her arms as if to comfort herself. “Yes, I was.” She pointed to the line of carriers holding cats waiting for surgery. “What else will we face today?”

  A technician came up to Karen. “It’s never too late to help an animal in need. That last girl? She’ll never have to go through any of that again. I’ve started her on fluids and extra meds. Can you keep her overnight, maybe?”

  Karen thought for a moment. “She seems healthy otherwise, but we may not want her in our main building with the regular patients, just to be safe. I can kennel her in our shed.”

  “Look at it this way,” the technician said. “We haven’t lost anyone yet. Everyone’s waking up like they should.”

  Melinda’s eyes widened.

  “If one of them has a heart defect,” Karen told her, “or some other underlying issue, there’s always that risk. It’s not common, but possible.”

  Another volunteer approached with a sedated orange cat in her arms. Karen squared her shoulders. “Back to work. That huge guy, the one missing part of his ear? He’s stepping up to the plate.”

  The rest of the day went smoothly. Once the most-feral cats were back in their cages, they were moved into the front of the building where only the gentle tapping from Nancy’s keyboard broke the comforting silence. There was only one escapee, a barn kitty that took advantage of a cage door that wasn’t tightly latched. She made a frantic tour of the city offices before Nancy and Melinda cornered her with a blanket.

  The only damage was to Jerry’s desk, which looked like it had been hit by tornado.

  “Well, it could have been worse,” Nancy said as she dumped the loose papers in a cardboard box. “Thank goodness she was up here, not in the back where all the action is going on. And maybe this will push Jerry to get better organized.”

  “You never know.” Melinda handed her a stack of file folders. “I’m just glad we closed the door to Frank’s archive area before we started bringing the kitties up here.”

  She was relieved when Karen, tired but triumphant, informed her that every cat woke up after surgery. In just under an hour, volunteers had the council chambers scrubbed and disinfected, the metal tables and chairs arranged as they were before.

  “We did it!” Karen gave Melinda a high-five as they loaded Gertrude’s kitties into Lizzie’s flatbed. “Never before have I done twenty surgeries in one day. Dr. Vogel had twenty-three. I couldn’t have done it without him. And did you see Auggie?”

  She started laughing, and Melinda joined in.

  “He’s never going to admit it, but I know he had fun.” Melinda opened City Hall’s back door to retrieve the last two carriers. She couldn’t wait to drop the cats off and head home for a hot shower. “Once time, when I walked by, he was singing to the cat in his arms. He saw me and stopped, but it was too late. He was busted.”

  CHAPTER 21

  Mother’s Day arrived, and Melinda took her mom and Miriam to lunch in Charles City. Then they spent an enjoyable afternoon strolling through several area greenhouses. The sky was clear, the breeze was warm, and the countless options for both annuals and perennials had Melinda’s eager to fill a cart.

  Most of the flower beds at the farm were filled with hardy, old-fashioned varieties that came back year after year. But there were still a few places where she could add more color. A ring of marigolds would look lovely around the mailbox. There was a bare spot on the south side of the house, just beyond the peonies, that could host some dahlias.

  She couldn’t pass up two brown resin planters with a wicker-like texture. One would look perfect on the back porch steps, and the other would go by the front door. Now, if she could only decide what to plant in them. Maybe geraniums, and some coleus for contrast. The front steps got more shade, so maybe petunias would be better there …

  “Coming through!” A flat-bed cart eased down the narrow aisle, with Miriam at the helm. “Melinda, there you are! I’ve come to a decision about the hanging baskets along Main Street. What about impatiens again this year, but we add some coral in there with the purple and white?”

  “That would provide a nice contrast. As long as you keep some purple and white, I don’t think Jerry will care what else you do.”

  As a former principal, Mayor Jerry insisted the flower baskets reflect the colors of the local high school’s sports teams. Three years ago, Miriam had tried to shake things up by lobbying for two shades of fuchsia. Jerry had been so upset that “Flowergate,” as Miriam called it, was never attempted again.

  “Well, I’m just grateful for Doc’s donation to the city’s ‘beautification fund.’” Miriam supplied the air quotes with her fingers. Little Prosper didn’t actually have such an account, so Nancy earmarked the money under the maintenance budget.

  “Not only did it grease the skids for Karen’s spay clinic, but it means I won’t have to shell out my own cash this year to fill the flower baskets.”

  Diane came around the corner with a smaller cart filled with plants. “I need to get out of here, and fast. Everything is so pretty, I can’t stop.”

  “Oh, we’re just getting started,” Miriam told her sister as they slowly worked their way through the crowds to reach the racks of shade plants. “We’ve got twenty hanging baskets to fill. Melinda, how many purple impatiens are on that shelf? I hate to clean them out. Let’s grab half, and some of those white ones, and then move on to a few more greenhouses before we start for home.”

  Bill had retrieved the baskets out of the city’s shed on Friday, rinsed them with a hose in the store’s parking lot, and left them out to dry. The planting party was Monday afternoon in front of Prosper Hardware, and several volunteers filled the containers with soil and starter plants and gave them a good soaking. Doc, Bill and Glenn manned the ladders, and soon the town’s two-block business district was awash in bright blooms.

  “I tell you, spring and summer are fighting it out this week,” Auggie said Thursday morning. “Cold, hot, rain, wind, we’ve had it all. And today, we just might see our first real severe weather of the year.” He craned his neck to study the sky through Prosper Hardware’s plate-glass windows. There was worry on his face, but Melinda could sense he was secretly thrilled.

  George snorted at Auggie’s dramatic announcement.

  “You’re not as old as I am, but you must have already forgotten that rainstorm we had last week. I swear at one point, the thunder was so loud the whole house shook.”

  Melinda remembered it, too. She had rushed outside to shut in the chickens and the sheep, then spent a tense half hour watching the heavy clouds roll in from the safety of the back porch.

  Auggie shooed George’s comments away. “No, no, I’m talking about the chance of high winds and hail, not just a little thunder-boomer. I checked my weather logs this morning; it’s pretty early in the year for it to be this warm and humid. At least everyone’s got their planting done. Another good downpour will really make everything grow.”

  George reached for one of Melinda’s strawberry muffins. Her patch wasn’t producing yet, but she’d been craving the treats all the same. A few more weeks, and her reliance on store-bought berries would be over.

  “Well, Auggie, we all know your, uh, accuracy levels when it comes to the forecast.” George chewed for a moment, letting his words sink in. “So I’m not worried.”

  Auggie sat up straighter, ready to defend his record. Melinda tried to cut him off before he could get rolling.

  “So, George, how are the Memorial Day plans coming along? Do you have enough volunteers to clean up the cemetery tomorrow evening?”

  As an Army veteran, George was active in Swanton’s military service organization. He also se
rved on Prosper’s cemetery board, helping care for the plot on the north edge of town.

  “We’ve got just enough lined up to get some real work done. But if we get all this rain,” he shot Auggie a look, “it might be early next week before it dries out enough so we can mow.” George turned to the window, and his smile returned. “Well, here comes Jerry and Frank.”

  Melinda wasn’t sure what was said or when, but the two longtime friends had apparently mended fences. Their truce was helped along by the surprising amount of revenue coming in from the expanded selection of Prosper Hardware apparel, dollars Miriam was setting aside for the lot-line expenses. The canvas caps were still their best-sellers, but the new tee shirts were a close second. And Frank had agreed that a line of sweatshirts should be added in late summer.

  “Good morning, everyone.” Jerry adjusted his cap. “It’s so warm out there, I’m not craving a cup of hot coffee as much as I usually do.”

  “Great, that makes more for me.” Frank chuckled as he reached for a clean mug.

  “Not so fast!” Jerry pretended to elbow him out of the way. “I’m just saying, it feels like summer out there.”

  “Auggie says we’re getting a storm.” George jumped in before Auggie could steal the spotlight. “But I think he’s wrong.”

  Frank settled in his folding chair, a muffin in hand. “Well, Melinda, I think I can give you a break this morning. How about I take over the register for an hour or two, since Bill’s off today? It’d give you a chance to check inventory. And for me to take another spin in that fancy chair you ordered.”

  “That’s a great idea.” Melinda enjoyed the grin that spread across her uncle’s face as much as the offer of help. It was good to see Frank regaining some of his old habits as well as his pride.

  Although it was only seven-thirty, Prosper Hardware’s oak door was already propped open. The screen soon let in more than the warm breeze, as the roar of a truck’s engine threatened to drown out the conversation.