Darcy Sweet Mystery Box 1

by K. J. Emrick

  “Oh for Pete’s sake Smudge, you scared me.” Her voice is not quite steady so I rub up against her again purring my loudest purr. That usually is enough to calm her down.

  I can feel her relax as she ruffles the scruff of my neck. I love how she does that. It feels so nice.

  “Hello boy.” She pulled me to her for a friendly hug.

  I don’t enjoy days when Darcy hosts the book club in the Sweet Read Bookstore. The women are always too loud and the noise interferes with my sleeping pattern.

  I look down at them now from my perch on top of the book shelf and can’t believe the noise they are making over some silly romance book. Although I’m not averse to some romance in my life. I smile as an image of Twistypaws, a certain girl cat with sleek gray fur and white-tipped ears and eyes the color of clear blue water, comes to mind. She’s not my girlfriend. Although, don’t tell anyone, I wish she was.

  I stretch out my body in the warm afternoon sunshine that is streaming through the front window of the bookstore and try to ignore the noise.

  But it’s impossible to get back to sleep. I decide now is a good time for a grooming session. I enjoy grooming and I take my time with it. There’s nowhere else I need to be right now.

  By the time I finish my grooming session the book club is breaking up and the ladies are leaving. I hear my stomach rumble and can’t remember if I’ve eaten since breakfast time. Whatever, it’s time to eat now. I shake my head to wake myself up. I sure have spent a lazy day in the sun today.

  “It was a great meeting today Darcy. I really enjoy these book club sessions.” From high up on my perch on the bookshelf I see Anna gently pat Darcy on the arm as she’s preparing to leave. She is a good friend to Darcy, and to me. Often times I’ll pop by her house and she’ll have some little titbit that she’s saved for me.

  “I’m glad you enjoyed it, Anna.” Darcy is walking Anna toward the door. That’s my cue to make a move.

  “The mists are starting to rise again. I’d better hurry home. Bye Darcy.” I see Darcy open the door for Anna. I hear the door shut as I jump down onto the floor. Rounding the end of the bookshelf I see Darcy just standing, staring out the window. She looks sad. I just know that she is thinking about that dream again.

  I hear her sigh and as she is about to turn away I rub up against her leg to let her know that I’m here for her. Just as she is for me. She jumps a little which shows me just how rattled she is feeling. She bends down to absentmindedly scratch between my ears before moving into the back of the store to shrug on her jacket and grab her bag.

  Time to go home. I love this time of the day. Darcy flipped the sign and we were out the door. I scamper ahead of her, glad to be out in the fresh air. I’d spent too long that afternoon just sleeping in the sunshine. I needed to run.

  “Psst… Hey Smudge!”

  I recognize that voice. It’s Tony. Tony the tiger. I see him in the alley next to the café. Not sure where he lives but he’s usually here in the alley at this time of night. He's a cat with orange stripes and flashing green eyes, hence the tiger part of his name. Sometimes I stop and we shoot the breeze, but not tonight. I’m a cat on a mission.

  “Hey Tony. Can’t stop tonight. On my way home for dinner.” He gives me a look that can only be described as envious. Perhaps he doesn’t have an owner at all and has to scrounge for all of his meals. I make a mental note to ask him some time.

  I hurry away but find that Darcy has got ahead of me so I speed up and as I catch up to her I hear a voice calling out "Darcy, Darcy wait up a minute." I heard Darcy sigh as her friend Linda ran up to her. "Oh Darcy, how are you? I haven't seen you in simply ages."

  Now it was my turn to sigh. You may not have noticed but cats can actually sigh. This will delay my dinner I just know it. Linda can talk the arm of a statue when she gets started. I know. I’ve been witness to it more than once.

  "I'm good Linda. Just heading home to get some dinner now actually." Yes, that’s good Darcy. Dinner now!

  "Oh good, good. Actually I wanted to ask you if you've seen my cat?"

  My ears pricked up at that. Linda’s cat was missing. This was news. Cats rarely went missing in Misty Hollow. Persephone was a fluffy, snowy white Persian with the greenest eyes and…

  What?

  So… I’d noticed her alright… so what!

  Please don’t tell Twistypaws. She would be mad that I’d even noticed even though we’re not technically a couple… yet.

  Persephone’s a very pretty cat but the nervous type. One of those mostly indoor cats that usually never venture too far from home. I like the more outgoing type of cat. Just like Twistypaws.

  "Your cat? No, I can't say that I have." Darcy was saying.

  "Oh darn, I was hoping you would have seen her. Persephone has been missing for about a week now. I've looked everywhere but I can't find her. I'm getting so worried about her."

  "That's too bad Linda. I'm sorry I can't help you. I will keep an eye out for her though, she can't be too far away surely."

  The humans kept talking but I tuned them out.

  Smudge to the rescue. I have a mystery to solve.

  I watched Darcy head for home and then I doubled back the way I had come. I hoped that Tony would still be in the alley. I sprinted all the way and skidded to a halt at the alley entry way. Sure enough Tony was still there chowing down on scraps thrown out from the café.

  “Hey Tony.”

  “Hey Smudge. I thought you couldn’t stop tonight?” Tony said with his mouth full. It looked like he was dining on turkey tonight.

  “Had a change of plans.” My stomach rumbled loudly letting me know once again that I hadn’t eaten all day. The things I sacrifice for my friends. I didn’t waste any more time on pleasantries. “Have you seen Persephone lately?”

  Tony stopped mid chew and spoke around the mound of food in his mouth. “Oh, that cute little Persian. She’s a real looker. No, can’t say I’ve seen her but then that’s not unusual. She doesn’t get out much.”

  “Darn it.”

  “What’s up Smudge?”

  “She’s missing. I felt sure that you would have seen her about or would have heard something.”

  “No sorry. I haven’t. Missing you say. That’s strange. It’s odd for a cat to go missing in this town. Can’t be a good sign.”

  “That’s what I was thinking. Thanks Tony. Gotta go.”

  “See ya around Smudge.”

  What was my next move? My stomach rumbled so loudly I thought it might wake the dead. And that was no joke in a town like Misty Hollow. I needed food if I was going to be able to think clearly. So I headed toward home and dinner.

  I squirmed my way into the house through my secret entrance. Even Darcy didn’t know about this one. I could hear raised voices and alarm pierced through me. Half way up the basement steps I stopped to listen. Darcy was arguing with someone.

  I recognized that voice. It was Jeff. My fur instantly stood on end. Not my favorite person. Okay, time to keep a low profile until he’s gone.

  I heard the front door slam and knew it was safe to come out of hiding. I heard Darcy moving about in the kitchen and my stomach rumbled again. I needed food now.

  I startled her when I jumped up onto the counter to demand that she get my dinner first before she gets hers.

  “Where have you been? You couldn’t have warned me about Jeff? Hm?” I just looked at her with my big green kitty cat eyes, looking all cute, and she smiled at me. “It’s okay, I don’t blame you for keeping a low profile while he was around. I should have done that myself instead of agreeing to marry him.”

  I nodded my head in my kitty cat way at her words and twitched my tail as if in complete agreement with her.

  I know Darcy thinks I am a smart cat.

  Darcy’s having that dream again. Enough is enough. I get up from my warm and cozy spot on the bed and watch as she thrashes about. I can’t let this continue. I lean on my back legs and spring forward, landing on her chest. N
ext thing I know I’m thrown to one side. Disorientated, I don’t know what happened exactly.

  Darcy’s sitting up and gasping. At least she’s awake and out of the dream. I let out a pathetic little mewl to let her know that I don’t appreciate being pushed aside when all I’m trying to do is help her.

  She patted me gently and said, “I’m sorry, Smudge. Thank you for waking me up. I was having another very bad dream. You wouldn’t believe it. I wonder who that man is that invading my dreams and trying to kill me. I hope it was just another stupid dream and not some premonition. What do you think?”

  How should I know what’s going on here? It’s just weird that she keeps having these bad dreams. All I can do is shake my head.

  “Well you’re a big help.” She laughed and rolled over getting comfortable. I carefully crawled in between her feet and settled down again. I sure hope she doesn’t kick me. “Goodnight good boy, I’ll see you in the morning.”

  The next morning, I was just too tired to go with Darcy to the bookstore so I stayed in bed. Keeping watch over my troubled owner sure was taking it out of me. I also had another reason for not wanting to go with her today. I had work to do.

  A couple of hours after Darcy left I finally got up and went in search of my breakfast. I had Darcy trained really well and found my bowl full. After my meal I was ready to tackle my job.

  What job is that, you might ask? The missing cat mystery, of course. Yes, I have taken it upon myself to find out what has happened to the beautiful Persephone.

  Misty Hollow Cat Detective to the rescue again.

  I slipped out of the house and into the bright sunshine of a beautiful day. I wish I had nothing more to do than lie about and bask in the warmth but alas a great cats work is never done.

  The first place to start was at the beginning. I needed to take a trip out to Persephone’s home that she shared with Linda. I knew that Linda lived in an older area of the town out near the industrial area.

  It didn’t take me long to travel the distance as I cut right across town, over roads and fences and through yards. Soon I was sitting in front of a small cottage with yellow painted wood siding. I climbed up the front stone steps and entered the porch through an archway. I sat for a moment to catch my breath. This would be a nice spot to curl up for nap. It was then that I noticed the unoccupied cat bed. It was brown and made of some soft, plush material.

  I sniffed all around it but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing there that shouldn’t have been. I was tempted to test it out but I reminded myself that there was a cat missing that needed my help.

  The surrounding neighbourhood was quiet at this time of day. I wasn’t sure what my next move should be when I spotted a sleek, jet black cat watching me from across the road.

  I sauntered across in my usual unfazed manner. Didn’t want him to think I was some sort of pushover. We came face to face and there was some subtle sniffing going on.

  I detected tuna and my stomach rumbled. How could I be hungry already. My appetite never ceased to amaze me.

  He had huge green eyes that seemed to penetrate my cool outer shell. Neither of us said a word, just stood and sized the other up.

  “You don’t belong here… who are you?” He finally broke the silence.

  “I’m Smudge,” I said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. It’s likely that this aloof cat might know something about the missing Persephone. “Who are you?”

  He shook his head and his jet black fur swung around his head like a huge spiky collar. “I know that name. You are the one who is revered.”

  This cat talked weird. But I liked what he was saying. “Don’t know where you heard that from, I’m just a regular cat.”

  “No! You are special, I have heard. I am honored to meet you Smudge. I am Onyx. Why are you here?”

  “Hey Onyx. I’m looking for Persephone. I heard she’s missing and I want to help find her. She’s a friend of mine.”

  I jumped back, fur on end, when the cat called Onyx let out the loudest, most mournful mrowl I had ever heard in my entire life. He sounded like he was dying.

  “Hey buddy, are you okay?”

  “Oh Smudge. Poor Persephone. I have serious misgivings about her being still alive.” Sounded like old Onyx here knew something about this.

  “Why do you say that? Do you know something about her disappearance?”

  “Mariel told me that she didn’t think that Persephone would be back.” He spoke in a flat tone and hung his head in despair.

  “Sorry… Mariel?”

  “Mariel is the ginger tabby that lives next door to Persephone. She has been very upset, telling the whole neighborhood she thinks Persephone is dead.”

  “How would she know a thing like that?”

  “I… don’t know. She seemed convinced so I never thought to question it.”

  “Okay. So where will I find this Mariel?” Onyx just flicked his head in the direction across the road. I turned to look that way and my eyes locked on to a petite ginger tabby sitting on the porch steps of the house next door to Persephone’s. She was quite pretty in her own way. Her tail was gently flicking from side to side as her clever green eyes sized me up. “I take it that is Mariel?”

  Onyx nodded his head once. “Thanks buddy. You hang in there okay. I’m going to find Persephone and bring her home.”

  With a flick of my tail I ran down the path and sprinted across the road. I skidded to a stop in front of Mariel and she didn’t even flinch. A tough cookie hey, we’ll see about that.

  “Hi, you Mariel?” The ginger cat just looked at me with narrowed eyes, still sizing me up. “I’m Smudge…”

  “I know who you are.” Her voice held a hint of disdain and her eyes narrowed even more.

  The silence stretched tautly between us. I didn’t have time for this. “Onyx tells me that you know something about Persephone’s disappearance.”

  I waited for her to answer. She took her time, still staring at me.

  “What’s it to you,” she said finally.

  “I’m going to find her and bring her home.”

  “Really?” She laughed. “You?” She laughed harder. “You think you’re Columbo or something?” Now she was laughing uncontrollably, rolling around on her back with her legs kicking in the air.

  I sighed. She thought I was a joke. I really didn’t have time for this. I waited her out and when she settled down enough I said, “Can we please continue?”

  She looked at me for a moment and must have seen something in my eyes. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” I nodded. She tilted her head to one side. I could see the change come over her when she decided to help me. “Okay then, ask your questions.”

  “Thank you.” I was relieved to be getting somewhere at last. I asked her what she knew about Persephone’s disappearance and why she thought Persephone wasn’t coming home.

  “Ernesto told me he thinks she’s dead and I believe him. Persephone hasn’t been home for such a long time now. I don’t think she’s coming back.” She sniffed and I was surprised by the show of emotion considering the tough act she’d put on for me earlier.

  “Ernesto?” I wasn’t getting very far. All I had so far was hearsay.

  “Ernesto is Persephone’s boyfriend. He’s her other neighbor.” She gestured with her nose at a huge light brown cat sitting on the porch steps of the house on the other side of Persephone’s house. He had a little bit of black fur around his eyes and nose and a tiny bit on the tips of his ears. And his startling yellow-green eyes were fixed on me.

  “You’ll find her won’t you? She’s my best friend and I miss her.” I assured her I would do my best.

  I bid farewell to Mariel and sprinted over the cool green lawn. I skidded to a stop just a little way from Ernesto. I didn’t want to take the chance of upsetting him. This close he was even bigger. I thought I was big but he dwarfed me.

  We sized each other up for a few moments. “Hey, I’m Smudge…”

  “I’a k
now who you are. You’a big shot’a detective cat.” He had a thick Italian accent and it threw me for a moment. Not that he was particularly hard to understand, it was just so unexpected. But with a name like Ernesto maybe I should have guessed.

  “Whadyua want?”

  “I’m looking for Persephone.”

  “You and’a me both. She’s’a been missing for a long’a time.”

  “Well, I’m going to find her.”

  “That’a fact. You’a think you’a that good?”

  “Yes.” I straightened my back. I was good and I would find her. “So what do you know about her disappearance?”

  “I see’a that’a brute Kujo chase her all’a the way outa the neighborhood. Haven’t seen her since.”

  “Kujo?”

  “Big’a mutt dog. Lives on the end’a the street.” He lowered his head. “I bet he’a eat her. Huge’a jaws. Big’a teeth. Scary.”

  Oh no that didn’t sound too good. “I’m going to need to talk to this Kujo…”

  Ernesto’s head popped up, his eyes wide. “No’a you can’t. He’s’a bad dog. Not’a nice. You’a need to stay away from him or you will end up’a like my Bella Persephone.”

  “It’s okay buddy, I’ll be careful. I really need to talk to him to find out what happened to Persephone.”

  Ernesto just shook his head. “You be’a careful.”

  “I will. Now which house was it?”

  Ernesto was right. Kujo was a big brute of a dog. I watched from my hidden vantage point as he harassed a young pup that was wandering the neighborhood. He was mean and foul and I knew that I’d used good sense to approach him with caution.

  I watched as he came back to his base and plopped down into his overstuffed bed. He looked pretty pleased with himself. He was just a big bully. How was I going to find out what I needed to know from him? I did have a plan but I wasn’t sure how safe I would be. No time like the present to find out I guess.