Claws for a Cause (A Klepto Cat Mystery Book 15) by Patricia Fry Page A

Savannah lowered her eyes, turned, and glanced at Michael and the others. “Well, thank you again. I need to get back to my family.”
    Still holding tightly to her hand, Mikala said, “Savannah, stay close to your people.”
    “Uh-huh,” she said, pulling free of his gentle grip and heading back to her place at the table.
    “Who’s your friend?” Michael asked rather off-handedly when Savannah returned.
    She glanced in Mikala’s direction and saw that he was gone. “Oh…a...he kind of rescued me. His name’s Mikala.”
    “Better eat, Vannie,” Gladys suggested. “We leave for the beach walk in fifteen minutes. This is good—you must try the fish wrapped in banana leaves.”
    “Yeah, sure,” she said, glancing out over the beach, hoping not to see the island man again, and wondering where Mikala had gone—as a matter of fact, where he came from in the first place and what he knows about the man who had threatened her. She replayed his words in her head: “ Don’t walk on the beach at night?” Now that’s something I was looking forward to—a walk on Waikiki Beach at night with Michael. Surely Mikala had exaggerated.
    ****
    “Ready for an adventure?” Michael asked Savannah as they began to gather for their first photo workshop.
    “Michael, I want to go up and change my clothes.”
    “What? Why? Did you spill something on yourself?” he asked, looking at her colorful cotton dress.
    “No, it’s just that…” before she could explain, tears filled her eyes.
    “What’s wrong, hon?” he asked, leading her away from the group.
    “I’m scared.”
    “Of what, for Pete’s sake?” When he could see the fear in her face, he turned to the others. “Gladys, Savannah and I’ll catch up with you—why don’t you and Lily go on with the group.”
    “Is everything okay?” she asked, glancing at Savannah.
    “Yes. We just need to go upstairs for a minute,” Michael said. “We’ll be back shortly. You and Lily go have fun.” Once the couple reached their room, he asked, “Savannah what’s wrong? What happened this morning?”
    She plopped down on the edge of their bed and tried to explain. “Michael, I was taking a picture of that flower, when a man jumped up from behind it and he…he threatened me.”
    “Threatened you?” he asked, scowling. “In what way?”
    Her voice was pinched as she spoke. “He said he was going to kill me.”
    “What?” Michael ran his hand through his hair, then knelt next to her. “Who is this guy?” His voice took on a threatening tone when he asked, “Is he the one you were talking to at breakfast?”
    She shook her head. “No. Mikala rescued me.”
    “Rescued you?”
    “Yes, he said not to pay the island man any mind, but he said…Michael…he said we should not walk at night on the beach.”
    “Why?”
    “He seemed to think it’s unsafe.” She grabbed his arm. “Michael, you should have seen that man’s face. He looked so hateful and he glared into my eyes, like…well, it was awful. I was terrified.”
    Michael stood and paced for a moment, then stopped and sat next to Savannah, holding her. “We need to report this to hotel security and have that man arrested.”
    “For what?”
    “For threatening you, that’s what! I’m sure hotel management doesn’t want their guests scared away. Did you get a picture of him?”
    “I don’t think so.”
    He picked up the camera. “Let’s take a look, shall we?”
    “Oh my gosh, Michael. That’s him. There he is. I did get his picture. I didn’t mean to—it’s blurry, because I was focusing on the flower. I didn’t even see him, until he started yelling at me.”
    “Well, come on, wash your face, and let’s join the others. We’ll report him after the photo tour, okay?”
    “Okay, but I want to change my clothes.”
    “Why, for heaven’s sake?”
    “Michael, do you see what I’m wearing? It’s like a huge red flag. This purple and yellow flower print dress will be easy to spot and