She thought for a moment before saying, "Gosh, it's already the fourteenth."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Close enough. Let's have birthday cake...and a party."

She looked at him for a moment before saying, "Yeah, we could do that."

"I mean just you, me, and Adam-nothing big. A small celebration."

"Sure-then I'd better go fix the gift he worked so hard on so he can wrap it for you when he gets here."

Sat.u.r.day morning came on the heels of a busy Friday. "Good morning, Adam. How'd you sleep, buddy?" Michael asked, ruffling the boy's stick-straight dark-brown hair as he walked past him.

"Good. I like my new room, Dad. It's rad."

"I'm glad you like it. What's that you're drinking?"

"Orange juice and lemonade."

Michael looked over at Savannah. "Orange juice and lemonade?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "That's what he wanted."

Michael chuckled. "And what are you having for breakfast?"

Adam smiled up at Michael. "Scramble' eggs and horse toast."

"Oh good. My favorite." Michael poured a cup of coffee and sat down across from his son. He glanced up at Savannah, who was standing at the counter beating two eggs in a bowl. "Scramble' eggs and horse toast for me, too."

"Savannah has a horse cutter," Adam said.

Michael looked askance. "A horse cutter?"

"A cookie cutter shaped like a horse," Savannah explained. She then said, "It's such a gorgeous morning, I thought maybe Rags would like to go out for a while. What do you guys think?"

"Yeah," Adam said, excitement in his voice. "Can I put his harness on him?"

"Sure."

"And hold his strap?"

"The leash? Sure can."

"Rad," the boy said before picking up his horse-shaped toast and spreading it with apple b.u.t.ter. "Hey, horses like apples, so I'm putting apple b.u.t.ter on my horse toast."

Michael laughed. "Good idea. Me, too."

After helping Savannah put the dishes in the dishwasher, Adam went in search of Rags. Michael and Savannah heard him calling throughout the house, "Rags, time to go outside. Here Rags." As he walked, he shook the cat harness, making the fasteners jingle. Soon he returned to the kitchen, a downtrodden look on his face. "I can't find him. Where is he?"

A knowing smile pa.s.sed between Michael and Savannah. "Well, buddy," Michael said, squatting down so he was at eye level with his son. "Rags doesn't really like his harness all that much. He'll wear it, but he would rather go outside without it. So I think he knows you have the harness there and he's probably hiding from you."

Adam looked down at the harness." Oh," he said, "then I'll leave it here and go look for him again."

"Good idea."

Adam walked out of the room calling, "Rags, I don't have the harness anymore. Come here, Rags. Wanna go outside? See, I don't have your harness." Within a few seconds, they heard Adam exclaim, "There you are, Rags! Come on, boy."

"I found him," he announced as he walked into the kitchen struggling to hold the cat in his arms. Savannah couldn't help but notice that Rags's feet were almost dragging on the floor. "Whew," Adam said, upon releasing the cat, "he's heavy!"

"Yes, he is." Savannah laughed.

"Now, can I put the harness on him?" Adam asked with enthusiasm.

"Let me hold him for you," Michael offered. He picked up the cat and placed him on his lap. "Okay, now, buddy. Let's get him dressed."

"Get him dressed..." Adam repeated with a chuckle. "That's funny, Dad."

Once outside, the threesome watched as Rags explored through the tall gra.s.s and random bushes, jumped in the air after gra.s.shoppers and batted at b.u.t.terflies. Suddenly, Rags stopped. He seemed to be looking at something in front of him. He crouched into a typical cat's stalking pose and stared ahead. With Adam right behind him holding onto the long tether, he took a few steps forward, carefully, slowly.

"What does he see?" Savannah asked.

Adam looked over at the clump of gra.s.s in front of the cat. "I don't know-maybe something's hiding in the weeds."

Suddenly, the cat leaped high into the air and landed on a clump. He began pawing at the gra.s.s and rolling around in it.

"What is that he has?" Michael asked.

Adam walked over closer to the cat, looked down. "It's just a piece of paper. That's all." He reached over and took it from Rags. "See?" He held it up to show Savannah and Michael, who both laughed upon seeing Rags stretching and pawing in an attempt to take his "catch" away from Adam.

"Wait!" Michael shouted.

Adam turned quickly, a somber look on his face. "What?" he asked as if he'd been caught doing something wrong.

"It's okay, son. I just want to get a look at Rags's treasure. Savannah," he said after studying the slip of paper briefly. "This looks like it was torn from that piece of paper with the note on it. Take a look at it." He held it up for her to see.

"Gamble Pet Supply," she read out loud. "Well, I'll be. And you think this could be the missing piece from that note?"

"Yes. Call Craig, will you? And then we'd better get going to work." Michael looked over where Adam sat on the gra.s.s, Rags right next to him, both staring back at him-as if waiting to get the treasure back.

"Adam, do you want to go to work with us or help over at Aunt Maggie's and Max's place this morning?"

"Can Lexie go with us to work?"

"Sure."

"Then I want to go with you guys."

"Cool."

Chapter Four.

"It's a perfect match," Craig announced that evening when he called. "So you found it in the backyard?" he asked Savannah.

"Yes. Well, the cat found it."

Craig chuckled. "Oh yes, the cat." He then asked, "How do you suppose it ended up back there? Weren't your cars parked in front of the house?"

"Yes. But remember, we had that big wind."

"Yeah, right."

"So what happens now, Craig? Can you arrest him? Is it enough evidence?"

"Well, I'd like to have a match on that car you saw the day they tried to take your dog. There's nothin' registered to Gamble matching that description. We can certainly bring him in for questioning about the vandalism and see if we can put him at the scene of the crime." He paused for a moment and then said, "We'll keep you posted, guys."

"Sure. Thanks, Craig."

Savannah rejoined Michael and Adam, who were going over one of Adam's school lessons. She smiled when she saw Buffy curled up next to the boy. He had a pencil in one hand and was gently petting the little Himalayan-mix cat with the other. "I still can't believe they give so much homework in third grade," she said.

"Yes, times have changed, haven't they?" Michael looked up at Savannah. "Everything cool with Craig?"

"Yes, it was a match and there will be some questioning," she said trying to relay the message to Michael without alerting Adam to any potential problems. "How much more homework do you two have?"

"After this page, no more!" Adam announced.

"Then after this page, how about we have a birthday party for your dad?"

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you..."

"Open my present. Open my present," Adam begged jumping up and down.

"Okay," Michael said with a wink in Savannah's direction. He then looked over at Adam. "Who wrapped this present, anyway?"

"I did!" the boy said excitedly. He glanced at Savannah, and added, "Well, I did most of it."

Savannah reached out and smoothed his hair. "You sure did, Adam. And you did a great job."

"I'll say," Michael agreed. "I never saw such a creative wrapping. Just look at all this tape." He smiled over at Adam. "Good job, buddy." He started to rip into the package and then looked up again. "Gonna need some help here."

"Okay, I can help," Adam said as he began tearing into the wrapping.

"What is this?" Michael asked enthusiastically.

"It's a beanbag game. I...er...Savannah and I made it for you."

"You made this?" Michael asked.

"Yes, I colored on the beanbags and filled them with beans." He looked at Savannah. "Savannah helped me sew them."

"This is great. I really like it." Michael looked up at Adam. "So the point of the game is to toss the beanbags, is that right?"

Adam reached over and pulled a folded piece of cloth from the wrapping that still lay across Michael's lap. "Yes," he said. He unfolded the cloth and pointed to the circles, squares and triangles with numbers inside. "You throw the beanbags and get points!"

"Cool. This is super, Adam. I'm going to enjoy playing this game...a lot." He grinned over at his son. "Wanna play now?"

"Sure."

Savannah stood. "Why don't you boys go play in the living room while I dish up some cake and ice cream."

"Okaayyyy," Adam said, racing off toward the living room.

What a great kid, Savannah thought as she watched him scamper off with his father. And to think that we've only known him for six months. I'm so glad his mother decided to tell Michael he had a son. And for her to bring him to our wedding; it just made our day that much more special. It's obvious that he was hungry to meet his real dad and Michael has been thrilled to get to know the boy. I love that Adam and I get along so well, too. We have great fun together. And the relationship is so easy between us.

She cut three pieces of cake and began scooping the rainbow sherbet onto the plates. I can't wait to give Michael my birthday gift. Michael is going to be so pleased. If only this awful problem with Pete Gamble would blow over and we can go on with our wonderful life together.

"Who wants cake and ice cream?" Savannah asked as she entered the living room.

Adam jumped up from his spot on the floor next to Lexie. "I do! I do!" And then he said, "Hey, Savannah, I beat Dad. I had 175 points and he only had 70. That makes me the winner, huh, Dad?"

"It sure does, son. You're the best, my man." Michael's smile widened as he offered knuckles to his son.

After a few minutes, Adam asked, "Are you finished with your cake, Dad?"

"Almost, why?"

He leaned across Michael's knee. "Wanna play my beanbag game again?"

"Your beanbag game?"

Adam blushed. "I mean your beanbag game. Want to, Dad, huh?"

"Sure do," Michael said taking his last bite.

"I'll get it ready." In a few seconds, Adam asked, "Hey Dad, where's the other beanbag?"

"Well, it should be around here somewhere. Have you looked under the furniture? You chucked one under the sofa a while ago."

"I got it out. I found just one beanbag. We're missing one."