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Chapter 2

Tabitha entered the office mid morning. She had consumed two breakfasts, as per usual but with Skittles being missing, she could not fully enjoy the second meal.

“So, what happened last night?” Rocky asked as he scrolled through his social media feed.

“I’m going to warn you now, Rocky . . . Bella may be on the warpath for us to cancel the Tibbs case and get right on finding Skittles.” Tabitha pronounced.

“Sounds reasonable to me. After all, Skittles is a company feline. Surely, it’s more important for us to put our business associates first.” Rocky knew who kept him in treats. He was always game to suck up to the boss.

“Listen, I can understand the position Bella is in . . .” Tabitha began.

“But . . . ?” Rocky knew there was a ‘but’ coming.

“But Skittles knows the risk involved in this game. She signed up to be a detective. It can be dangerous at times!” Tabitha remained unsympathetic which seemed suspicious.

“Have you pieced together what took place last night?” Rocky wanted the details.

“The job was simple enough. Skittles was to tail Patches and the hoodlum bunny, Reggie. That’s all she was meant to do. But if I know anything about Skittles, it’s her weakness for a glib member of the opposite sex. She is easily distracted and just gullible enough to believe a tall tail, from a male with the gift of the gab. My thoughts are, she was hoodwinked into following this Reginald wherever he wanted her to go.” Tabitha offered her opinion freely.

“Any ideas on her whereabouts?” Rocky kept the questions coming.

“I was out late last night trying to find out.” Tabitha admitted.

“Did you find Skittles? Or, at least, get a lead?” Rocky asked.

“Neither. Bella showed up at my apartment. Any leads I had went cold after that.” Tabitha did not hide her displeasure at the interruption.

“What about Reggie? Or Tibbs, for that matter? Can either of them help?” Rocky wanted Skittles back safely.

“I’m off to see Tibbs now. Hopefully, I can get him to spill the beans.” Tabitha donned her trench coat and headed for the door. “Keep the office ticking over, will you?” She meowed as she left the office.

********

Tabitha made her way to the Catchpole Hotel where Tibbs had claimed to be staying. She managed to enter his room only to find it empty. After a quick but thorough search, she exited and stopped to have a meow with the hotel detective. She was told that Tibbs had checked out that morning, leaving no forwarding address.

The hotel detective, in his haste to impress a #DDDDC operative, mentioned that the only creature he had ever seen Tibbs with was a long-haired, grey rabbit. Tabitha knew this had to be Reginald. She left the Hotel.

*******

Upon entering the office, once again, Tabitha found Rocky taking long, slow sniffs of his nip supply.

“What gives?” She implored.

“Bella has been here all afternoon, ranting and raving about us finding Skittles. She was not happy that you went looking for Tibbs. Meowing of which, he was here too.” Rocky continued to inhale deeply in an attempt to remain calm.

“Who was?” Tabitha’s ears perked up.

“Tibbs.” Rocky preened.

Tabitha was surprised by this news.

“He left his address.” Rocky handed her a piece of paper on which he had scrawled Tibbs’ address.

Tabitha snatched it out of his paw and ran out of the office.

********

Tabitha reached the apartment and knocked on the door.

Tibbs opened the door slowly and peeked out cautiously. His fur was all disheveled. He invited her in and had her sit on the comfortable chair.

“You look rough.” Tabitha meowed but secretly found his demeanour very attractive.

Tibbs licked his paw and rubbed it across his ears.

“You going to tell me what really happened last night?” Tabitha insisted.

“Okay. I may have exaggerated the truth a bit. I wasn’t really looking for my sisfur.” He admitted.

“That was obvious.” She returned.

“You mean . . . you knew?” Tibbs could not believe that he hadn’t hoodwinked her.

“The only thing I believed were the treats you paid us. Everything else you meowed was suspect.” Tabitha was good at this detecting malarkey.

“I’ve been feeling a little guilty that I’m to blame for your partner being missing. Tell me it wasn’t because of me.” Tibbs gave Tabitha a worried, soulful look.

“Not unless you’re hiding Skittles here.” Tabitha replied.

Tibbs could not be more uncomfortable. He began to pace around the room. “No, of course, not. I have no idea what happened to your partner.” He denied.

“My boss, Bella, may want to question you, anyway. She gets really angry when her detectives go missing. Makes her look bad. And it’s not good for the agency’s reputation.” Tabitha explained.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ve led a hard life. One that your Boss wouldn’t understand.” Tibbs lamented.

“Bella is a Bassett Hound, she’s very good at sussing out the truth.” Tabitha had led a charmed life except for having Rocky as a brofur.

“A dog?!” Tibbs accused. “I don’t think a D. O. G. would be very sympathetic to my plight. You’re a cat . . . you can trust me.” Tibbs picked up Tabitha’s paw and pressed his lips to her fur. “I may not deserve to be trusted by a dog but please give me another chance to show what us cats are capable of. A pretty kitty, such as yourself, must see the good in me?”

Tabitha pulled her paw back and meowed, “You’re good . . . You’re VERY good. I almost believe you.”

Tibbs is shocked. “You mean, you aren’t going to help me?” This had never happened before. He had always been able to charm the felines.

“Tell me what really happened last night and I may take pity on you.” Tabitha reasoned.

Tibbs narrowed his eyes and allowed his ears to flicker back and forth. Then he explained, “Reginald and I went out for a walk at around 9pm.”

“So Patches isn’t involved?” Tabitha realized.

“She-😈 is a nip fiend. She wouldn’t notice Reginald unless he was made of nip.” Tibbs remarked, then continued with his story, “The rabbit and I had supper in the alley and then went to a Bunny Hop. I didn’t stay long. I left Reginald there. He was looking for a date.”

“Why go, at all? You’re a married Tom.” Tabitha asked a crucial question.

“I wanted to make sure Skittles was tailing the right rabbit.” He answered.

“Was she?” Tabitha wondered.

“Yes. I waited around outside the dance hall and watched Reginald leave with Skittles on his tail. That was the last I saw of either one of them.” Tibbs confessed.

“Hmmmm . . .” Tabitha murmured.

“You don’t believe me?” Tibbs seemed hurt.

“What’s Reggie to you?” Tabitha asked next.

“He’s a furriend. That’s all. We met on Twitter and had a tweet-up. Reginald took advantage of my kind heart and betrayed me.” Tibbs admitted.

“How did he do that?” Tabitha enquired.

Tibbs did not answer.

“Why did you want him shadowed, last night? To get your revenge?” Tabatha pressed the black cat for some answers.

“No! I simply wanted to learn what he was doing, whom he was meeting and if he had any girlfriends.” Tibbs answered.

“Did he catnap Skittles?” Tabitha asked straight out.

“Most definitely.” Tibbs came back very quickly. Then he continued “He’s the sort to cause all kinds of destruction.”

“Was it really Reggie? Or someone else after you?” Tabitha threw out.

Tibbs raised his head in curiosity and meowed, “ I don’t know what you mean?” He did his best to look innocent.

Tabitha arched her back in frustration.

“You’re so brave, Tabs . . . You’re the only one that can help me. Here’s some more treats.” And with that he gave her a whole bunch of Dreamies.

Stay tuned and see what happens next week!

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