Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chapter 5

Tabitha got the zoomies and ran around the room working off some excess stress.

Tibbs watched her prance and pounce with a wide smile on his face.

When Tabitha finally lay down to catch her breath, Tibbs suggested, “You should have pulled Bella’s tail. She can’t go around treating you like that!”

Tabitha’s ears airplaned. “If I’d done that, Bella would have suspended me and that ridiculous story we came up with would be on my permanent record. I don’t want that. I love this job.”

“So, that’s why you let your Boss get away with such dog-like behaviour?” Tibbs observed knowingly.

Tabitha let the insult slide and asked a question of her own, “What are you and Magic up to?”

“We aren’t up to anything.” Tibbs replied.

“Maybe I should call him and get him back here?” Tabitha bluffed.

“I have to go home.” Tibbs nervously moved towards the door.

“Are you that afraid of what the black Persian might tell me?” Tabitha observed.

Tibbs stopped in his tracks and began doing what can only be described as a ‘fan dance’. “If you want, I can do this in a thong.” Tibbs offered in his most seductive meow.

Tabitha began hacking and she threw up a large furball but Tibbs would not be put off. He continued to wriggle and gyrate around the room. Finally, he meowed, “The bird is a statue. It is a reminder of the fun times we all used to have when Twitter was the best place, for us cats, to be. I wanted to save it for prosperity. Unfortunately, others wanted it for its value.”

“What’s it worth?” Tabitha asked.

“For sentimental reasons, it’s priceless. But you heard Magic. They are willing to pay 5000 treats for it. I cannot compete with that.”

“What’s it made of?” Tabitha wanted to know.

“It’s a solid mass of Lick-e-lix.”

“Liar!” Tabitha was not fooled by his answer. It just was not possible.

“You think I would lie about food? Oh Tabitha . . . I admit to the odd fit of exaggeration, now and then, but I have never embellished the importance of food!”

The night ended with a sleep over. In the morning, Tabitha arose early. She quietly rifled through Mr. Tibbs thong and other garments. She found a key. Tabitha exited her apartment without fuss.

********

Tabitha went to Mr. Tibbs’ room where low and behold the key fit. She had a quick but thorough search around his extensive thong collection. Which took up most of the time. It was vast, in more ways an one!

She rummaged through his treat supply and found it a bit more meagre than she would have imagined for such a BIG cat. Lastly, Tabitha clawed through the litter box in case, he had decided to hide the ‘bird’ in such an outlandish place. Nothing. She found nothing of value, except a rhinestone collar with the name ‘Cleo’ written on it.

Tabitha left the room and headed back to her apartment. She stopped off in the alley behind the restaurant near her building, to scrounge a bit of breakfast. Upon entering her apartment, she found Tibbs awake and hiding behind the sofa.

“What are you doing?” She asked.

“When I woke up to find you gone, I thought they had made you disappear too. I was afraid they were coming back for me.” Tibbs answered apprehensively.

“It’s just me with some breakfast.” Tabitha held up a couple of bags filled with discarded chicken and fish. “I’ll get the bowls.” Tabitha walked into the kitchen while Tibbs had a sniff around the bags. His belly began to rumble. Tabitha returned and placed a bowl in front of Tibbs. She dished up the food and they both tucked in.

Tibbs finished off his meal and attempted to gobble up some of hers. Tabitha moved away and asked, “ About that bird?”

This stopped Tibbs munching the food. “What about it?” He inquired back.

Tabitha’s eyes narrowed at him as she commented, “Tough, huh? But she allowed him to finish off what was left in her bowl.

They left the apartment soon after and Tabitha noticed that ‘The Tail’ was no longer tailing them. She managed to slip Tibbs’ key back into his clothes and left him at his hotel.

Tabitha made her way to the Hotel Catchpole. Walking through the lobby, she spotted ‘The Tail’ sitting next to the potted catnip plant. She sidled over to him and asked, “Where is he?”

‘The Tail’ looked over at her and hissed, “What?”

“Where is he?” Tabitha repeated.

“Who?” ‘The Tail’ played dumb.

“The Catnip Fairy.” Tabitha shot back facetiously.

“Shove off, Pretty Girl.” ‘The Tail’ growled.

“You’ll have to meow with me sometime, you know.” Tabitha grinned at the young, sandy-coloured Persian.

“I told you to shove off.” ‘The Tail’ yowled loudly.

“This is my town, Fluff ball! I make the rules here.” She snapped at him.

‘The Tail’ glowered and his ears twitched wildly. “Bugger i ffwrdd! (‘Bugger off’ in Welsh)” He hissed.

Tabitha’s fur rose. She let out a low growl and meowed, “Be polite or suffer the consequences.”

‘The Tail’ flicked his fluffy back end towards her and let out a high pitched rumble.

Tabitha noticed the hotel detective, Bernee, hanging around the front desk. She motioned him over. “Bernee, you shouldn’t let these cheap ‘bolas de pelusa’ (fluff balls) in your hotel.” Tabitha told him.

Bernee took one look at ‘The Tail’ and chased him out of the hotel. ‘The Tail’ was heard to sneer, “I won’t forget you guys.” As he high-tailed it out of there. Bernee came back to stand next to Tabitha and asked, “Who was he?”

“An acquaintance of a black Persian staying here. Do you know who I mean?” Tabitha asked.

“The young fluffy Tom with the funny meow?” Bernee clarified.

“That’s him. How long has he been staying here?” She wanted to know.

“About 4 days.” Bernee answered.

“Did he sleep here last night?” She continued the search for answers.

“No.” Was the reply. “Should I keep my eyes on him?” Bernee was hoping to move from hotel detective to operative at #DDDDC and Tabitha knew it.

“It wouldn’t hurt.” She could use all the help possible and while Bella was the boss, Tabitha was happy to put a good word in for anyone willing to help her with the investigation.

Just then Magic entered the hotel and walked across the lobby floor. He appeared rough. His fur was a knotty mess and part of his left ear was drooping precariously lower than the other one.

Tabitha sidled up to him and kept in step with him. “Let’s talk somewhere.” She suggested.

Magic stopped in his tracks and looked around the lobby for an escape route. Tabitha grabbed his fur and pulled him back outside with her. They crept into the alley beside the hotel. She let him go and asked, “What happened to you?”

Magic did his best to lick away the remnants of his disheveled appearance. “I caught up with Bella after I left your house.” He began. But at Tabitha’s look of incredulity he claimed, “After we meowed a few words, I left her and was set upon by some thug cats. I don’t know who they were or what they wanted.”

“Really?” Tabitha did not believe a meow of it.

“I didn’t tell Bella anything about our meeting even though she tried to get me to meow the beans and admit that the load of codswallop we gave her last night was bunk.” He admitted.

“Make sure you keep it that way.” Was all Tabitha meowed.

********

Back at the office, Tabitha entered to find Rocky on the phone. He hung up and turned to Tabitha meowing softly, “Tibbs is here.”

“Is he? Any other revelations?” Tabitha commented snidely.

“Bella called earlier and there was a strange message from someone saying that ‘W’ called.”

“Who’s ‘W’?” Tabitha’s interested was piqued.

“I don’t know. That’s all the Tom meowed.” Rocky informed her.

“Get Bella on the phone.” Tabitha began but got no further before Tibbs rushed into the outer office meowing frantically, “Someone broke into my apartment.”

“How do you know?” Tabitha inquired.

“It was a mess.” Tibbs followed Tabitha back into her office. Tabitha knew she had not left his apartment that way. So, she asked, “Anything taken?”

“There was nothing to take.” Tibbs answered a tad defensively.

Tabitha sat down and thought a moment while Tibbs played nervously with the lamp shade on her desk. “It could have been Magic, I suppose . . .” Tabitha concluded. Then she called to Rocky in the outer office, “Did you reach Bella?”

Rocky stood in the doorway, “She wasn’t in.”

“It could have been Bella.” Tibbs meowed with trepidation.

“Hmmmm . . .” Tabitha gave nothing away.

“I can’t be alone. Can I come home with you? We make a fun couple.” Tibbs sidled closer to Tabitha.

Tabitha looked at Rocky who grinned knowingly. “You can spend the night at Rocky’s.” Tabitha deflated both Toms, in one fell swoop.

*This is getting interesting!!! Find out what next week entails!

*If any of my work entertains or amuses and you fancy being a patron of the arts, feel free to tip/donate. Your support is very much appreciated . . . https://thejoyofcats.wordpress.com/1896-2/