Chapter 5
Amelia
I marched back home and headed to the room I intended to use as my home office but was currently the home to all my unpacked boxes. I still had some work to do to make it usable, but that was for another day. Where did I put that camera?
After rummaging through a few boxes, I finally found it—but it was dead! After replacing the batteries, I ventured into the frigid air once more with my motion-activated camera, ready to catch the garden thief. The weather in Vermont was shockingly cold for someone who grew up in the desert. Note to self, buy a new wardrobe before winter hits.
I propped the smart security camera against a sturdy branch facing the rows of vegetables. I wished I had found more than one, but I must have put them in separate boxes. I shrugged it off. I checked the view on the app on my phone. Once satisfied, I stalked back to my place.
Let’s see who’s laughing tomorrow. I was right. I felt it in my gut. I just had to prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt for that skeptic to believe me. He was so difficult to get along with until he let his guard down. Then, he was at least tolerable. Those blue eyes were like oceans and had depth. I could swim in them for hours—if only he’d keep his mouth shut.
After morning came, I eagerly reviewed the footage on the camera app from my phone, barely containing my excitement. The moment of truth. Around one in the morning, the camera had detected the motion of the culprit. Hopping through Teddy's garden was a mischievous little rabbit, nibbling away at his vegetables. The little guy seemed completely unphased by the camera. In fact, he kept bringing food to eat in front of the camera like he was the star of a bunny reality show.
“Ha!” I cried triumphantly, feeling vindicated. I couldn't wait to rub this in Teddy's face. Evidence in hand, I marched over to Teddy's house, my heart pounding with anticipation. But his car was already gone. Fine. I’m going to take this a step further and catch the little guy before I show Teddy.
Phoenix was a big city of over a million people, and grocery stores were in practically every neighborhood. Starfall Creek, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. All of Moonridge County had a full-time population of approximately 5,000 people. Starfall Creek didn’t even have its own grocery store. I had to drive 15 minutes just to get to the closest one.
I stood in the aisle of Moonridge proper's small grocery store, contemplating which snacks would be most appealing to a rabbit. I needed him to stick around if I wanted Teddy to see him with his own eyes. He was so stubborn. If he didn’t see the rabbit in person, he’d probably argue that the footage was fake. A wave of frustration washed over me. That man sure angered me without even being near me.
“Carrots, obviously,” I muttered to myself, grabbing a bunch from the display. “And maybe some lettuce? Oh, and apples!” Luckily the produce section was well stocked considering the next grocery store was twenty miles away.
“Are you starting a new vegan diet?” a voice called from behind me. I turned to see Sydney.
“Something like that,” I replied with a grin. “I'll fill you in later. For now, I need to catch a certain garden bandit in the act.”
“Good luck!” she called after me as I made my way to the checkout.
“Did you find everything ok?” the young girl ringing up my groceries asked.
“Pretty much. Do you know where I might find a trap for a rabbit?”
She bit her bottom lip as she thought. “You know, you might try the animal rescue center just outside of Moonridge. The vet, Zach, might be able to help you.”
“That’s a good idea. My niece volunteers over there on weekends, I should have thought of that,” I said. “Thank you.” People were certainly more helpful here than in the big city. In Phoenix, the clerk probably would’ve said something like “you have google on your phone, don’t you?” or something else snarky.
Gravel crunched beneath my car tires as I pulled into the parking lot of the animal rescue. A large barn stood tall to the left of the property with various pastures and ponds scattered between. Ducks waddled through the grass and geese honked in the distance. My heart picked up it’s pace. I’d had a run in with a goose when I was a child, and I was in no hurry to repeat the encounter.
To the right, pigmy goats climbed on a large rock structure. A couple of donkeys even grazed lazily nearby. A blonde young girl was leading a big white animal out of the barn. Was that a llama?
“Aunt Amy?” Leah waved, pulling the llama over with her. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey, I’m glad you’re here today.” I pulled her into a big hug as soon as I’d walked close enough. “I need some help trapping a rabbit.”
The llama grunted then spit at my feet. It almost got on my designer shoes.
“Thistle!” Leah chastised the animal. “Sorry, Auntie, we just got her in a few weeks ago. She doesn’t like strangers. Follow me. I think the doc might be able to help us.”
A handsome young boy about fifteen or so walked by. Leah blushed profusely when he waved at her.
“Who’s that?”
The pink of her cheeks deepened to a magenta. “That’s Kyle. He’s the sophomore quarterback for the high school.”
“He seems nice.”
“He’s alright,” she said like it was no big deal. I knew better though. We entered the barn where even more animals wandered. It didn’t get anymore peaceful or idyllic than this. We stopped outside an office door and Leah knocked.
A handsome man in his early forties waved us in. “Is everything ok with Thistle?” he asked setting down his pen and paperwork.
“Yes, this is my Aunt Amelia. I thought you might be able to help her,” Leah said. She sounded so much older than her thirteen-year-old self from the other night.
He stood up and shook my hand. “Sure. I’m Zach. It’s nice to meet you.”
“I’ll get back to walking Thistle. See you later, Auntie.” Leah strolled off in the direction Kyle went with Thistle close on her heels.
“What can I help you with?” Zach asked, drawing my attention back to him.
“Oh yes, I have a rabbit problem at my house. He’s eating my neighbors vegetable garden, and I keep getting blamed. I was hoping to catch him and release him elsewhere, but I don’t want him hurt.”
Zach studied my face for a moment. “Hmm. I don’t have any live rabbit traps, but I do have a feral cat cage. Give me a minute.” He disappeared behind a door the opposite direction of the one I entered. He returned in a few minutes with a large metal cage. He gave me a quick rundown on how to set it.
“Now, try to make sure it’s not a female, otherwise I wouldn’t recommend relocating it. You might accidentally separate it from its kits. If you can’t tell, feel free to bring it by. I’d be happy to give it a once over.”
“Thank you so much.” I waved bye and headed back to my car. I looked for Leah and Thistle, but they were out of sight.
Armed with my rabbit-friendly bounty, I returned home and began strategically placing the treats around Teddy's garden, hoping to lure the bunny into a crate I’d borrowed. As I crouched down to arrange an enticing pile of baby carrots and spinach leaves, I imagined Teddy swallowing his words and offering me an apology.
“Having fun, Amelia?” Teddy's gruff voice interrupted my daydream. I practically leaped out of my own skin at the sudden sound.
“Teddy! What are you doing home so early?” I stammered, trying to hide my stash of rabbit goodies behind my back. It was Monday and a court day, according to my late-night research. He shouldn’t be home this early.
“Watching you…redecorate my garden?” he raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by my actions.
“I figured out who your garden thief is,” I said, accidentally dropping the rest of the vegetables behind me. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and showed him the footage from last night.
He smiled. “Yeah, look at that, but how do I know you didn’t photoshop that? You are a marketing professional after all.”
“I knew you would say something like that.” I stamped my foot like a petulant toddler. My temper had gotten the best of me again. How did he always know what buttons to push? “See this is why I was trying to catch him to prove it to you.”
“Whoa, truce,” he said with a laugh. “I suppose you were right about the rabbit. I’m sorry I accused you.”
Yeah! Wait, he caved quicker than I expected. “Apology accepted,” I said, trying not to gloat too much. “Now, let's work together to keep Hopper out of your garden, shall we?”
“Hopper?” He raised his right eyebrow.
“Yeah, I named him. His little bunny hops are adorable.”
“Fine, let’s try to catch Hopper,” Teddy agreed, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. “But only if you promise not to turn my garden into a rabbit buffet again. If we don’t catch him soon, he’s going to think he can bring all his friends too.”
“Deal,” I laughed. Maybe, just maybe, we could put our differences aside and find common ground—even if it took a mischievous rabbit to get us there.