As a follow up on our previous story on the mysterious disappearance of Kelly and Melissa Jones, our staff writers have uncovered the following older news.
Kelly and Melissa Jones of Odin had big hearts and were loved by all. As an example of their community involvement, the following:
According to newspaper archives, one morning last summer, while driving through Odin, Kelly and Melissa saw a yellow and black striped kitten trapped in a shipment of iron bars on a railcar. Unable to get authorities to respond or find a phone number for what appeared to be a private train, they knew they had to act fast!
Animal activists and active Peta members, they sprung into action, saving the kitten from its precarious position.
“We knew the kitten was in peril,” Melissa was quoted as saying, “as we could hear growling and snarling from adjacent compartments. It was clear there were dangerous animals, possibly even predators nearby.”
Once in the Jones home, the kitten flourished, growing quickly both in size and appetite.
Kelly was quoted as saying, ” we were amazed at how this kitten thrived despite the fact it’s growing up in a very dangerous neighborhood. We noticed even though our kitten was growing rapidly, all of the neighbors within 5 blocks have lost not only their cats, but small dogs, three ducks and numerous other small animals has also disappeared. We consider ourselves fortunate because even our own full grown cats all disappeared within days of finding this kitten. We used to let him play in the yard around the time school got out because all of the school children love to play tag or hide and seek with him. I can’t begin to count all the times I saw the children running, screaming and laughing….. and screaming some more, playing with our kitten. But I guess those families have moved away because we rarely see any children around here anymore.”
The now 240 lb kitten, named “Shere Khan” after a lovable Rudyard Kipling character, is known by all in the small village of Odin and has become a town mascot. Odin chief of police Joe Nix says, “Khan, as we call him, is incredibly popular around here. Every time the kitten is out, people call the police department all excited. I guess they are all concerned for its welfare since the life expectancy of any animal in this town is very short. In fact, I don’t even recall the last time I ever saw another cat or dog in town. I actually I heard just the other day that a dairy farmer just north of town has started losing calves. We are lucky the Jones’s kitten has survived as long as it has.”
Sadly, the Joneses mysteriously disappeared a few weeks ago. ” they just up and vanished”, said patrolman Kerry Henken. “The last contact with them was by a neighbor who said he heard what sounded like a heated argument over who had to clean out the litter box. We are unsure how they left because all of their vehicles are still here.”
“And now, none of the neighbors will answer their doors so we can’t get a lot of follow-up done.”
Animal Control was called to take charge of Khan but evidently decided no intervention was necessary. Its a good thing too because evidently the Animal control officer has abandoned his job, leaving his vehicle in the road with the door open and the engine running. “There is no way we would want somebody so unpredictable to be responsible for such a fine animal.” said Chief Nix.
Again, anyone with any information or ideas as to the reason or manner of disappearance of the Joneses please contact Chief Nix.