Reigning Cats and Dogs

By Jane McBride

Ann, Kyle and Henry are getting ready for both big days-the wedding and the Grand Opening of Ann's pet store. But a gang of car burglars is throwing a monkey wrench in the works and some of the victims are Ann's friends. To make things more complicated, relatives from far and wide are coming for the wedding and not all of them play well with others. Even peace loving Henry has his paws full getting along with Aunt Gert's horrible little dog Molly, and Kyle has to remember his commitment to his new faith when Ann's life is endangered.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jane McBride
• Release date: Nov 30, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311973719

Jane McBride

Jane McBride was born in Rochester, New York and grew up in a small town called Medina in Western New York in an old farm house. The house, barn and yard allowed for a constant flow and supply of all kinds of different animals who were cherished and loved to the elderly ends of their long lives. She joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1986 and served a mission to Oregon from 1990-1991. She met her husband during that time and they now live in Taylorsville, UT with their two little boys and a whole bunch of animals. She is the author of A Little Hair of the Dog, Reigning Cats and Dogs, The Cats and the Cradle and Cat's Got His Tongue in The Ann and Henry series, as well as Down Ballantyne Road and Asylum song in the Alice and Porkbelly series.

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Praise for Reigning Cats and Dogs

I would highly recommend both books, especially if you enjoy well written characters that will totally worm their way into your heart; a fast paced story that provides a bit of suspense and mystery, along with a splash of romance; and some education in the Mormon faith. On a scale of one to five, I would easily give Reigning Cats and Dogs a six because it's just that good!

-Readers' Favorite

I enjoyed Reigning Cats and Dogs even more than McBride's first and can't wait to see what she has in store for her characters in her next book.

-The IE Mommy

Jane McBride has done it again! It felt like going home to see old friends and family. Ann is as adorable and klutzy as ever and still can’t manage to stay out of trouble. We got an in depth look into Kyle and I enjoyed the realism the author brought to the story. We are not perfect people but we all need love. I highly recommend this book and already have my copy of the third book in the series. Can’t wait!

-Sweet Romance Author Cindy Christiansen

Jane McBride has a way of inserting insight and wisdom into her stories with a very enjoyable easy flowing writing style. Reigning Cats and Dogs is no exception. The author begins each chapter with a quote that is like a little gem of thought provoking wisdom.

-Reviewer

"I absolutely loved this book! It had so many Laugh Out Loud moments for me. The characters in this book are so vibrant, real, and hilarious! It’s pretty rare for me to love ALL the characters in a book, but this author did that for me!

-Reviewer

Titles by Jane McBride

The Ann and Henry Novels

A Little Hair of the Dog

Reigning Cats and Dogs

Cats and the Cradle

Cat's Got His Tongue

The Alice and Porkbelly Novels

Down Ballantyne Road

Asylum Song

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Reigning Cats and Dogs

Jane McBride

Copyright 2012 Jane McBride

Smashwords edition copyright 2014

All rights reserved

ISBN- 9781311973719

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

For William and Sean and Abraham

Acknowledgments:

I would like to extend special thanks and acknowledgments to April Elzinga and Bonnie Findlay for being fabulous beta readers and red pen wielders; and to Margaret Pace for the wonderful line regarding spiders and a wad of toilet paper.

I thank everyone who put up with my endless requests for readings, opinions, and suggestions which were invaluable.

Chapter 1

If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.

~Woodrow Wilson~

Kyle and I were sitting at my kitchen table eating dinner when we heard my front door slam open. Henry, my Great Dane, jumped up and we heard the frantic voice of my best friend, Kell.

Ann, I been robbed!

Apparently she had expected us to be sitting in the living room and had attempted a dramatic entrance. Finding no one there, she came more slowly into the kitchen. Considerably deflated now, she said more quietly, I been robbed.

Kyle stared at her but I came out of my shock induced coma and leaped out of my chair.

MMMwhat? I usually don’t talk with my mouth full, but sometimes exceptions must be made. I took her trembling hands and began looking her over for bumps, bruises, and other signs of personal violation. With some effort, I swallowed my mouthful and tried again, What happened? Henry sat down casually near the table, thinking we might leave our plates unattended. He was hoping I hadn’t noticed, but I had. Oh, go ahead, geez. I dumped the remains of my plate into his dish and he smiled happily up at me before diving in.

Kyle was up now too, and some long buried genetic male memory on the topic of chivalry had apparently come to the fore. He had been my knight in shining armor more than once and would look mighty fine on a big white stallion, but remembering to hold the door open for me on normal occasions was usually beyond him. He came up beside her and actually put his arm around her waist. She really did look kinda bad. I got on the other side of her and we guided her to the living room couch.

Did you get mugged or somethin’? Kyle had that fiery look in his eyes that meant he was going to pound into pulp whoever had done this. I thought he was wonderful.

Well, no. She covered her face and started to cry. Oh, man, I am so mad.

What happened?? I asked again.

My car, my car, she wailed.

They steal your car? Kyle asked. Oh boy. That car was her baby, second only to her cat, Baby Kitty. She had a really admittedly cute little black Volkswagen Beetle. She called it Baby, too.

She shook her head and tried to get herself together. I was coming home from work. Mom had called me and asked me to bring home a jug of milk and reminded me to get cat food. I parked, you know, way in the end a the parking lot at the Bestway, you know, like I always do. Yes, indeed I did know. She was one of that rare breed who protected her precious car by parking it as far away as possible from all of the other naughty little cars in the lot, and always parked across two spaces to boot. On cumulative trips accompanying her to grocery stores and malls, I had walked a couple of marathons at least. I knew I was just getting those two things, so I just took a twenty outta my wallet and stuck it in my pocket. I left my purse on the seat. I wasn’t in there that long! They’d broke out my passenger side window. They took my purse, and ripped out the radio and CD player. I didn’t have anything else in there but a library book, and they even took that. She looked over at me, all confused indignation. Now what they want with a library book?

I shook my head. Maybe they like to read?

And my purse! My wallet with everything in it was in there. Baby Kitty’s first baby collar was in there, the royal blue one with the little rhinestones? Oh, I’ll never get that back! My checkbook, and my phone too! I haven’t even gone home yet. I stopped here because your house is closer and I have to call the banks and credit cards and everything. I had to go back in the store to call the police and wait for them and fill out a report and all that. I need to use your phone and your phone book and everything! I knew she could just as easily have gone home. She was here because she wanted comfort.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and handed it to her. You’ll have to call information or something, or maybe use the internet to contact the credit cards. They won’t be in the phone book. But you should be able to call the bank for your checkbook and the debit card. I’ll get the phone book.

Oh, I just can’t believe this. They broke the window and there was glass everywhere, all over the seats and the floor! I will never feel safe letting my baby ride in that car, how will I be sure I got all the glass?

Baby Kitty was a car cat for sure. He went everywhere with her except work. He was Henry’s best animal friend and they had spent many hours together at my house and hers.

And how did they do it so fast? she wondered.

Here’s the number to the bank. There should be some option there to report a lost or stolen card.

She called and after battling her way through the automated system, was finally speaking to a person. What?? she exclaimed. Are you kidding me? She looked at us and said, She says someone just used my debit card at the Wal-Mart in Collins! Like a few minutes ago! She is cancelling the card now, but if they doing that, they gonna be using those credit cards too. Probably writing checks all over town. Back to the operator, she said, Yes ma’am. You got the checking account too? All right, I will. Thank you very much.

She hung up the phone and sat with her hands over her eyes. Well, she says I gotta take the police report over to the bank tomorrow, to make a report there, to make sure I get all the money back. I gotta use your computer to contact my two credit cards. Glad I only got two. I’m gonna call the police again too and tell them where they used my card. Maybe they can look at the security cameras or something and catch those guys.

Hey, I think grocery stores usually have surveillance cameras in the parking lots, too! Maybe they can get a shot of them breaking into your car.

She looked thoughtful. You know, why didn’t they think of that when they were there at the store with me? They just took all my information, gave me a copy of the report and left.

Kyle spoke for the first time. Probably because they ain’t gonna to do nothin’ else, that’s why. The reason the crooks did it so fast is they’re pros. They have all the right tools with them to pop the radio out and just take whatever else might be of value that’s in sight. The cops know the insurance company’ll pay for the window and the radio, the banks will cover losses on your cards. The only way they’ll ever catch these guys is red-handed.

We went out into the cold and looked at her poor violated car. She had picked glass off the driver’s seat, but it was everywhere else. I used my camera phone to take pictures of all angles, inside and out, in case the insurance company wanted them. Then she called them, too. She wasn’t very happy when she got off the phone with them.

Well, I have a deductible, of course! So I am essentially paying for the window, radio, phone and even the dumb library book myself. Oh, the phone! I gotta call my phone company and tell them the phone is stolen, too. I keep thinking of new problems! This ain’t never gonna end.

Kyle got a small tarp out of his truck and, opening the door, wrapped the tarp around it and shut the door on it to hold it.

That should help until you get the window replaced.

As we walked back inside, I suggested, Maybe the phone company can tell you where your phone is? And you better call your parents too and let them know what happened and where you are.

Hey yeah! I wonder if it’s as easy as they make it look on CSI? You know, someone says, ‘give me that cell number,’ and all they do is type it in and suddenly a map appears on their computer screen with a little blip on it, and she says, ‘The phone is at 1234 Someplace Lane,’ and then the cop cars all meet up there and save the kidnapped girl.

I know, I always wonder the same thing. They always get their DNA results in like 5 minutes, too. Somehow I don’t think any of it is that easy. They only have an hour to solve the crime and save the girl, so they have to speed things up.

Well, I’m still gonna try. I’m not just gonna let someone get away with this without trying to stop them. This is gonna cost me a lot.

She needed real comforting.

I said, Hey, why don’t you stay, and watch Easter Parade? Easter Parade always cheered both of us up.

Oh man, Kyle lamented. I’m not watchin’ that again, once was enough. I’m gonna head out. I got Young Men‘s tonight anyways. I’ll run home so I can change my clothes and get there early.

Soon after his baptism, just a few months before, the Bishop had been inspired to throw Kyle in at the deep end and he had been made Young Men’s President for our ward. In our Church, as, I believe is true in many others, we are divided up into age groups, and sometimes by gender. The Young Men’s and Young Women’s organizations were two of the many auxiliary organizations of the Church. They were for the age groups of 12-18. When Kyle had accepted this calling, he had essentially accepted responsibility for all of the Young Men in our ward. On Sundays, they had lessons, and on Wednesday nights, they could be found at the Church for some activity.

It may sound simple, but the leadership responsibilities actually reach out farther than that. If a boy needed someone to talk to, Kyle or one of his counselors would be there. If he needed a ride to Church, or if he had somehow been stranded at school, Kyle would be there. He was a natural at this calling. The Young Men looked up to him, respected him and I think, dreamed of being like him. I think that his total obliviousness to their attitudes toward him went a long way in encouraging their outlook. They wanted to give him their best. They wanted his respect and admiration, and he let them know they had it.

A funny side effect of this involved the Young Women in our ward. Their activity night was the same as the boy’s, and a lot of their activities were combined. Since the advent of Kyle Mendez, many girls who had previously been inactive had suddenly started to come every week, to Church and to the weeknight activity. This was another fact to which he was oblivious, but many people had noticed and were grateful. I had decided not to enlighten him on this particular point. He fulfilled their expectations better when he was unaware.

I’ll see you tomorrow. He kissed me and grabbing his coat, went out. We were getting married in a month. Several months ago, I’d been assaulted and accidentally gotten mixed up with some drug dealers. During that terrifying time, he had stayed with me and we had slept in the same room. But it was sleeping only. Some people might think that was strange in this day and age, but I am LDS. That’s the way I had been taught and raised, and I believed in it. I live it. After I met him, I had introduced him to the Church, and he had joined. He had proposed the same day. He had decided I was worth the wait and didn’t ever pressure me about it.

Kell was already on the floor in front of my TV cabinet, rooting through the DVDs and I ran after Kyle and caught him at the front door.

I flung my arms around his neck and started nuzzling there. I love you, I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?

He took the opportunity of my dark hallway to give me such a good-bye as to make me wish he wasn’t leaving, and I said, Oh, come on, Fred Astaire? I was trying to appeal in his interest in dancing. He himself was an expert. Easter Parade isn’t that bad, is it? …

He pretended to think hard and said, Okay, I admit, Fred Astaire… But, uh, yes, it is that bad. I love you too.

Chapter 2

Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful. ~Ann Landers~

Normally, being LDS, we would have preferred to be married in the Temple. One of the requirements for going to the Temple is that a person must have been a member for at least a year. Kyle had several months to go before he would be eligible. We had decided not to wait. We wanted to be married, and would be able to go the Temple later.

We actually would have been married already if hadn’t been for various complications. Last October, he had been baptized, and then that night at a Church dance, he had proposed to me. Now I might have said yes if he had asked me the first moment I had laid eyes on him. He was tall, dark and handsome in the flesh. But, before he met me, he had kept himself to himself for a very long while, and it had taken some time to coax him out of his shell. Then, in November, I had been kidnapped and almost murdered. He had rescued me. Now, it was almost the end of January, and I was tired of waiting.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t him I was waiting on. I could’ve done something about that. Distant and tenuous tendrils of both our families were insisting that it was only proper that we should have the wedding at a time that was convenient for them and wanted us to wait for them. My Aunt Gertrude, my father’s older sister, was back at her home in Oregon and she and her relief driver, Penelope Hogwaller, would come whenever we wanted them. The problem on my side of the family was my mother’s Aunt, my Great Aunt Leona. She was in her late eighties and lived near Syracuse in Central New York. I offered to go and get her and said she could stay with me for the wedding. She absolutely refuses to travel, however, in winter. I can hardly blame her for that, but I hadn’t seen her myself since my mother’s funeral 13 years ago, and I thought maybe she would just send a toaster and her regrets. But no. She’s just this side of imperious and had demanded that we wait until the weather got better.

Neither Kyle nor I are the kind to put up with such things, but it was his Great Uncle Juan in Puerto Rico that had gotten to both of us. Uncle Juan had apparently been around quite a bit when Kyle was little, and was a favorite uncle. He had done things like tell funny stories, take Kyle for ice cream and give him piggyback

rides. Kyle hadn’t had a happy childhood and had needed all of the loving relatives he could get. That alone had given the guy a soft spot in my heart. He wanted to come when he could afford the trip, and would not allow us to pay his way. I couldn’t understand that at all.

Kyle had explained that maybe it was because the guy was perpetually down on his luck and had wanted to show that he could do it himself. He may have been a favorite uncle, but he was also the bum uncle. He had always lived with some family member, done odd jobs and been a general lay-about. A loveable lay-about, but a lay-about just the same.

"Well, if he’s like that, I