Cat made it home close to dark. As she walked into the house, Betty asked, “Have a good time?”
“Always have a good time camping and hiking.”
“I don’t understand how sleeping under the stars on the hard, cold ground can be fun. Don’t make any sense when you have a fine bed here in the house.”
“It’s so relaxing and peaceful being out in nature.”
“If you say so. There’s some supper leftover if you’re hungry. I just put it in the fridge. It should still be warm.”
“Thanks, I think I will eat a bite and get ready for bed, have school tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
*****
Cat started helping other families in the area that needed it. She kept them supplied with meat, rabbits, squirrels, and sometimes venison. They would never ask questions, just said, “Thanks.” It wasn’t long until everyone in the county either knew Cat or had heard about her.
Cat found herself in front Judge Bean a few more times. It was usually for having more than the legal limit of either small game or fish. She had a sneaking suspicion that Judge Bean sent the game warden out to catch her when he wanted more work done in the park. It wasn’t long until she was on a first-name basis with the judge and game warden. She never got caught taking a deer. Although one night, she had a funny feeling she was being watched. After that night, she quit poaching deer. There’d be more than community service if she got caught poaching a deer. So she stuck with small game and fish.
Almost everybody liked Cat. Even though she had a knack of getting into trouble, she had a heart of gold. The city park looked the best it had in years.
Whenever anyone would see her working in the park, they would ask, “What did she do this time?”
Someone would reply, “I don’t know.”
Then another would chime in, “I think Judge Bean just likes her work.”
4
Cat had been scouting the woods behind her house. She found an area where the deer had been feeding. Gun season for deer was still a few weeks away, but this would be a good place on opening day. After that the deer would change their routine. She could hardly wait. Her family would love to have some venison. The deer she had poached, she gave away to the needy. The last thing she wanted was for her dad and mom to find out that she had been poaching.
Cat was pretty busy keeping her grades up and helping the people of the county. One day while she was at the diner visiting with her mom, Judge Bean walked up sat down beside her and asked, “How are you today?”
“Pretty good.”
“I was talking to Widow Johnson. She said that you have been a great help.”
“She is a nice woman. Her kids are great.”
“I also heard that you have been pretty busy giving a hand to some of the other families that has fallen on hard times.”
“Yeah, I really enjoy giving a hand to people that need it. They all seem to appreciate it.”
“Oh, they do. Haven’t heard a bad word about you. Except Grumpy Mike he said that you were like a stray dog that won’t stay away.”
“You think I’ll be able to get him to come out of his shell?”
“If anyone can, it’ll be you.”
Betty walked up and said, “Hi, Judge, get you anything?”
“I’ll just take a cup of coffee.”
“My daughter ain’t in trouble again, is she?”
“No, not today.”
“I tell you what. If she had done as much work fixing up our place as she has had to do at the park, there would be a picture of it in Better Homes and Gardens.”
“Aw, Mom.”
“Next time I’ll sentence her to do work at home. The park looks the best it has in a long time.”
Judge Bean drank a cup of coffee, and as he got up to leave, he said, “Cat, you take it easy, and try to stay out of trouble.”
“Always.”
Cat was starting to wonder if she had been spotted killing those deer. One thing she had learned was never to volunteer any information. She finished her coffee.
Betty asked, “More coffee?”
“No, Mom. I want to get back home.”
“You ain’t doing anything to get yourself in trouble, are you?”
“Not me.”
“And you all wonder why I have gray hair.”
*****
Friday after school, Cat went home, grabbed her fishing pole and gear, and headed over to Mike’s. Phase 2 was about to start. She had come up with a plan. Whether it was a good one or not would be seen. Hopefully, Judge Bean was right that Mike’s bark was worse than his bite. Being arrested for trespassing would not make her parents happy.
Cat rode her bike past his house and went right back to the pond. She baited her hook and then cast the line into the water. It wasn’t long until a nice-size catfish took the bait. She took the fish off the hook, put it into her basket, rebaited the hook, and threw the line back in the water. When she put the third fish in her basket, Mike walked up. Cat could practically see the steam coming from his ears.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Cat began thinking maybe this wasn’t such a good plan, but oh well, no sense retreating now. “What, you blind? I’m building a doghouse.”
That only managed to make Mike’s blood pressure raise another twenty points. “No, you ain’t! You are stealing my fish!”
Cat began putting her tackle away. “I ain’t stealing your fish.”
“Yes, you are! I’ll have you arrested for trespassing!”
Cat got on her bike. “Go ahead. I am sure you know the number to the law.”
“You get out of here, and don’t come back, and stop leaving doughnuts on my bench!”
Cat rode up to Mike’s house. She noticed a bucket by a water hydrant. She put some water in the bucket and dumped the fish in it. By the time Mike had walked up to his house, Cat had already found a board and was cleaning the first fish. Mike was out of breath by the time he got to the house.
“I told you to leave or I was going to call the law.”
Cat continued to clean the fish. “Go ahead. I’m sure you know where your phone is.”
Now Mike didn’t know what to do. Cat was the stubbornest female he had ever run into. He could call the law; he had every legal right to do so. Why was this girl trying so hard to be nice to him? Mike went and got his phone and sat on the porch, all the while Cat was cleaning the fish. Cat finished then started to go into Mike’s house to find a bowl to put the fillets in. Mike just looked at her in amazement.
“You want to get arrested for breaking and entering too?”
“You have the phone, forget the number?”
Cat found a bowl to put the fish in. She covered them with water added salt and put them in the refrigerator. Cat noticed he didn’t have much as far as food goes a few potatoes, onions, and some canned goods. Probably just got enough stuff to last him a week.
“I didn’t forget the number.”
Cat walked out of the house. “I put the fish in salt water. Just let them alone, and I will be back tomorrow and fry them up for you.”
“You leave and