Damien wasn't hard to find. He stood in front of the door, feet planted directly under his shoulders, his muscles under his shirt tense. Tense about what? Why did he push her in and have his bot lock her in?
Then she noticed the gathering crowd. Led by Mr. Pyman.
Drat. The grumpy old man noticed. Probably shouting at the top of his lungs that she was the thief. In front of the audience. No wonder Damien locked her inside. Right now it was the safest place to be.
Clementine rolled into her feet. She scrambled to her feet and launched herself after the ball, landing right on top of Neon. Both disappeared in multi-colored coats of fur. Most times the ball's colors couldn't be seen.
Time to do what she came inside to do. Move the cat into the cage and safely away from the baby. She set down the cage with the front door open and approached the back of the enclosure where shallow sleeping pits in the straw and grass dotted the floor.
The tail of the baby appeared from among the dried grass as she knelt down. She gently pushed aside the grass. The baby perked up, popping fully into view. Penny yipped from the top of a branch.
"Relax. I'm getting her. Or him." Vallory gently picked up the baby from around the middle. The baby went limp, wrapping its tail partly around her wrist. With her other hand, she stroked the baby-soft fur on its back. "You have a fine baby, Penny. We really do need to name it, though. Prudence? Polly. Adrienne?"
She tried several other names as she lifted the baby to the same limb Penny lounged on. No response from the baby with any she tried. "Fine. We'll find a name for you soon enough. Stay up there with your mom."
Penny and the baby rubbed noses as Vallory turned back to the grass. The cat wasn't hard to find. From above, she spotted the dark fur under the grass. Who knew cats liked to burrow?
"Time to come out, lovely. Your owner is waiting for you." Vallory moved more of the grass out of the way, continuing to croon to it, hoping it was well-acclimatized to humans handling it. Not all of the animals at the show were.
A cat ear poked up, then an inquisitive eye. The rest of the head soon followed. It gave a soft mew, and then nosed down to push through the grass. The tail popped up, sticking almost straight up out of the layer of grass.
"Sorry, but time to go home." And time for her to have an uneventful day. How long had it been since she'd had one? Well over a year.
With both hands, she reached down through the grass. She brought up both cat and a wad of grass and straw. The daubpup's bedding slid off its back. The cat meowed louder, wriggling in her grasp to get free.
"No, sorry, time to go. Frumpmuffin, get out of the cage!"
She hugged the cat to her chest, gently stroking its short fur, and glared at the daubpup now sitting contentedly inside the entrance of the cage. Probably thinking it was a new toy. The cat started purring, the thrumming transferring to her chest. Well, at least it was relaxed. She let go with one hand and reached into the cage to push Frumpmuffin out.
Frumpmuffin bounded out. The cat tried to turn in Vallory's grasp and follow, but she turned it and popped it into the cage before it could react.
The door clicked shut and plaintive meowing started from inside the cage. Vallory looked inside to check on it. Sitting on its haunches, looking out the cage door, it was clearly not in distress. No frantic moving around at all.
Frumpmuffin came to her side to look at the cat, before turning its head to yip up at Vallory. Who know what her daubpup was trying to say, but it had the tone of telling her something serious. One of the others in the group came to do the same thing. Look at the cat, then yip up at her.
"Anyone want to own up to bringing the cat in here?" Vallory asked to the gathering group. Not that she expected any of them to say. Wow, this was going to be hard to explain. She could just hear Mr. Pyman complaining that with her creatures able to walk through walls that no animal in the place was safe.
Or that she'd trained them to walk through walls to drag out other people's pets? Oh lord, why did she have to think of that? For a pet-napper, it would be the perfect way to steal one in front of everyone else. Possible, too, considering she'd seen daubpups drag fruits and tree limbs back to the group that were three times or more their size or weight.
"This isn't good, guys," Vallory whispered, her heart sinking ever more at the train of her thoughts. At least the crowd outside the door had diminished. No more Mr. Pyman, or much of anyone else. Frumpmuffin nosed against her hand and she automatically scratched behind the ears.
Oh, that was the reason why. Multiple security uniforms, with a new type represented. Dark blue with white trimming, a uniform she'd seen worn by Station Police.
Police. She was in so much trouble now.
Damien half turned towards her and paused. He pointed to the cage and mouthed the word "cat." She nodded vigorously as she stood up. He motioned to the door.
"Time to face the music guys. Wish me luck." A chorus of sound came from the daubpups just before two of them started a new wrestling match for the ball. Penny and the baby took turns grooming each other on the tree limb.
She wished she could stay with them. Play the daubpup version of fetch, maybe. But, the meowing cat needed to be returned, and she had some hard questions to answer.
Damien's bot worked at the door lock, pushing it open after a series of clicks. Vallory slipped through the doorway with the cat cage in front of her, quickly shutting the door behind her before any of the daubpups decided to follow her.
"Any problems getting the cat?" Damien asked reaching out to help steady the cage.
"No. It was still playing with the baby."
"Not it, and not just a cat." A man with flushed red cheeks pushed past two of the security guards and grabbed the cage from Vallory. He set it down on the floor and opened the door to pull it out. The cat draped himself in the man's hands, purring up a storm. Yep, it found its owner. "His name is Stanford Wilby the Second, and he's the pride of my prize-winning breed."
"Glowing cats," she heard one of the police whisper to another.
Mr. Beel cleared his throat. "Morrison Wilby, the owner. Ms. Schist, we do need to talk."
"Of course, Mr. Beel," Vallory said, glancing past him. Police were holding a line to a crowd fronted by Mr. Pyman. She didn't feel safe. Not for herself, her daubpups, or even other exhibitors. They may have control now, but it may not last long. "However, I don't think this is the place for it. Perhaps we could move to the Show main office? That is, if I can be assured my daubpups are safe and secure."
A woman with skin of a reddish brown cast and black hair braided down her back stepped forward. One of the police, to judge by the uniform. "Alice Redsong, head of Redpoint One internal security. I am leaving several of my teams at the show and in this building in particular to deal with the crowds. I do agree with you. The sooner we can move to an outside location, the faster this crowd will calm down."
She'd warranted the head of internal security to come down? Or maybe she was called? Probably by a grouchy old man who thought he knew everything.
Vallory nodded, struggling to keep her smile in place. "After you, Mr. Beel?"
"I'm coming," Mr. Wilby said, standing with his cat still in his arms but leaving the cage on the floor. "I want the rest of my cats."
With a guiding hand at the base of her back, Damien turned Vallory after Mr. Beel. As if he was expecting her to say something right then and there. Maybe if she were angry, she might have. Right now, she was just afraid. Afraid for her daubpups after she told another secret.
Where would they go from here if they were kicked out of the show? That was, if she wasn't arrested.
Damien kept his hand on her back, even once they made their way out of the building, guided through the crowd by security and police. She didn't say anything, or try to move his hand. She rather liked his hand there. It gave her a delicious shiver of satisfaction. A small silent gesture, just like how he held her hand when they went walking. A mix of old style and grace. She would
have never expected if from him to look from the outside.
The walk across the grounds to the show offices allowed her the time to take a few deep breaths and prepare herself for what was to come. She kept her attention straight ahead, not allowing herself to look at the crowds to the right or the left. She knew how it looked. People in uniforms with her in the middle.
Okay, not a good thought to think of when trying to calm herself.
The separate building housing the main offices of the grounds sat not far away from the exhibition building. A long conference room sat past a a door at the back of the main office. She found a seat at the big table taking up the center of the room. Damien, Mr. Wilby, Mr. Beel, Officer Redsong joined her, and still there was plenty of space left over for the other show officials.
Her breathing increasing as all attention turned towards her.
"Ms. Schist," started Officer Redsong, pulling an epad out from a pouch, flipping it open, "when did you first notice the missing cat in your enclosure?"
And so it started. Officer Redsong's voice remained steady through it all with a calming quality to it, but her quick eyes took in everything. Vallory didn't get the impression of complacency in anything about her. No, this was a smart woman.
Vallory had nothing to hide. Why bother? She told of seeing the cat playing with her new baby and calling Mr. Beel immediately. The rest they pretty much knew, but Officer Redsong walked her through it anyway.
All through it, Mr. Wilby cradled and stroked his cat. Someone had set the unused cage beside his chair, but it didn't look like he was inclined to use it. The cat showed no desire to go elsewhere. It also looked in good health.
"The thieves must have fed Stanford well." She took a sharp breath, realizing she'd said it out loud while relating capturing the cat and putting it in the cage. Besides, why did she have to explain it? They'd all been there for that part.
Mr. Wilby frowned, his stroking increasing in speed as he stared her down. "Not amused."
"Sorry, I wasn't trying to be amusing. Really, he looks well fed," Vallory said.
"Why don't you get to the rest of the story? The part about how my cat got into your enclosure?" Mr. Wilby said.
Here came the hard part.
Officer Redsong glanced down at her epad. "I understand one of your daubpups escaped your enclosure the start of the pet show? Have you determined how it escaped?"
When Officer Redsong's full attention settled back on her, she knew she looked guilty. She'd never been good at hiding her emotions. Not good at suppressing them sometimes, either.
"I have a theory," Vallory said slowly.
"Of course you do," Mr. Wilby said with a sniff. The cat sniffed, too, but at the top of the table and not at Vallory. When it tried to climb on the table, Mr. Wilby pulled it back, holding it firm. As if expecting it to disappear again.
A warm hand closed over the top of her left where it lay on her thigh. Damien's hand. He gave her hand a squeeze. The squeeze and warmth heartened her. At least she had one ally in the room, and he didn't even know the full truth yet.
Vallory took a deep breath. "I think one of my daubpups went exploring last night, found Stanford, and brought him back with it when they returned."
Okay, not a good explanation. Everyone had blank expressions on them, except Mr. Beel.
"Are you saying you let your animals out at night?" Mr. Beel demanded. "Show rules clearly state that all animals are to be under your control throughout the duration of the show."
"No, no, that's not what I meant. The door of their enclosure has been locked this entire time," Vallory said quickly. Okay, time to say this better. "What I mean is that the daubpups can come and go as they please, even if the door is closed."
"Perhaps your enclosures have a security issue," Officer Redsong said to the man. Which wasn't fair.
"No, more like the daubpups get bored and want to see other things. They are always like that." Why was she squirming around the honest truth? At another supportive squeeze of her hand, she blurted out, "They can walk through walls."
The room fell into silence. Even Stanford Wilby the Second stared at her. Vallory turned her hand over and grabbed Damien's, squeezing it hard, waiting for the rest of the reaction.
Officer Redsong leaned forward, pinning her with a hard stare from across the polished surface of the table. "Are you saying they can move through solid materials?"
Vallory nodded, not trusting her voice.
"And you did not make this aware to the pet show?" Mr. Beel's voice started to rise. "An ability that could compromise this entire show and the safety of all other pets?"
"Daubpups are not hunters. They are strictly vegetarians," Vallory said. "Yes, they are curious creatures, but they would never harm another animal."
"Safety, as in disease spreading, Ms. Schist. One never knows what disease can be passed from species to species." Hard eyes pinned her to the back of her chair. "You should have informed the committee."
"And then you would have said no, and I had to be here. For them. To find a new home." Vallory jumped to her feet and gave him a glare of her own. "I applied for the exotic building and was turned down, just because not enough xenobiologists have bothered to look at my findings and the creatures themselves to affirm what I already have data to confirm. The only way to get into this show was to buy a place in one of the pet buildings. So, I did."
"You do not have the right to jeopardize the other pets in this show," Mr. Beel said, also rising to his feet, but in a slow and graceful movement. Okay, not graceful. More menacing.
"I did not jeopardize this show. Neither have the daubpups." Vallory gestured towards Stanford, which stared meowing as if on command. "See? One of my daubpups actually found one of the missing pets!"
"Why did you need to be at this show, Ms. Schist?" Officer Redsong's firm but commanding voice interrupted. She didn't move. She didn't have to. Authority radiated from her, and even Mr. Beel responded to it.
Vallory sank back to her chair, as did Mr. Beel. "Because they no longer have a home, and I must find another one. The group I have is the last in existence."
Mr. Beel's face blushed deep red. Only for an instance, but she'd seen it, and prepared herself for another outburst. Yet, his voice was controlled as he asked, "Are you saying they are nearly extinct?"
Vallory nodded, "Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying."
"It's why she hasn't been around for the judging." Damien's firm male voice filled the room. "She's been in meetings with various experts in hopes of matching environments to move the creatures to. It's also why none of them are for sale."
"Also why I needed to get Stanford out of the enclosure so quickly." Vallory put a hand out to him, but stopped. He probably wouldn't shake it. He still looked angry. "Sorry I couldn't wait for you, Mr. Wilby, but the baby now in my group is the first one any scientist has seen of their kind. Now I know they can breed. That baby is incredibly important to the species."
"And cats are at heart hunters." Mr. Wilby gave Stanford one more stroke before bending over to slip him into the waiting cage. This time, Stanford settled right in without a peep. When Mr. Wilby straightened, he looked her straight in the eye. "As a breeder, I am aware of the value of a new litter of a rare animal. I'm one of only three breeders of my type of feline. Yours? Well, even more valuable if they are as endangered as you say."
No outburst at all. Just understanding, even though she could tell he was still tense.
"However, this does not help me find the rest of my cats." Mr. Wilby settled into the back of his chair. "All the cats I brought with me are missing, except Stanford. Where are the others?"
"An excellent question," Officer Redsong said. "And if your animals can move so freely and are as curious as you say, what are the odds they will return to the location of the other animals?"
"Wait, you are assuming she truly is not guilty," one of the show security guards in another chair said. "If her animals can walk through walls, ho
w do we not know she trained them to do it?"
There it was, the accusation she worried someone would hurl in her direction.
"I see no deception before me," Officer Redsong said, keeping her full attention on Vallory. "Ms. Schist, are you able to account for all of your time since the start of the pet show?"
"Yes, although no one saw me get lost in the station. Except that small maintenance bot." Vallory turned towards Damien for the first time since entering the room. "Unless it can vouch for me?"
"Not quite so easy." To the others Damien said, "As some of you know, we've been having problems with the station infrastructure. Ms. Schist was involved with a near-fatal issue on the day one of her daubpups went missing. She later took myself and Arthur Getty to the location. We are working on the problem."
"I consider that enough proof." From the sounds around the table and towards the door where police officers guarded it, not everyone agreed with Officer Redsong.
Wait. That night. Penny going missing…
Vallory dug into her pocket and pulled out the pocket computer. "How about this for proof, and maybe an answer to the pet-nappings? All of my daubpups have tracking devices in their collars, and so far they don't mind having them on."
"What does that mean?" Mr. Beel asked, sounding more than a little cranky.
"It means the collar goes with them," Vallory said as she brought up the right program. "It's how I found Penny the night she went missing, and I almost got trapped in the station."
"Does this mean you also know which daubpups left your enclosure last night, and where it went?" Officer Redsong asked, her voice sharp. Vallory nodded. "Good. Bring it up on the big screen."
A little more work, and she managed to get the information she was seeing to show up on the wall at one end of the table. Vallory's heart sank when she saw the movements of the previous night. Of course it couldn't be easy.
Lines crisscrossed each other in all dimensions. She started counting the colors, realizing just about all of the daubpups had gone exploring, even the more quiet ones. So much for thinking they would stay in their enclosure. "I'm not sure this is going to be as helpful as I thought it would. It looks like most of them went exploring."
Once Upon a Pet Show (A Redpoint One Romance) Page 13