“Ra, wait!” Miu called.
I didn’t slow down, but she overtook me anyway. “You missed an invitation,” she said. “To play games at twilight.”
“Fat chance.” I continued catapulting down the Valley. “I’ll be back in the palace by then, and you can bet I won’t be leaving it.”
“First you have to get to Set Ma’at,” Miu pointed out.
“I’m working on it.” I stopped on a rocky outcrop, panting from the heat. We’d closed some of the distance between us and the Vizier, but not enough.
“Come on,” Miu said. “We’ll need to pick up the pace if we’re going to catch up with them.”
The next time I looked up, the Vizier’s litter was even farther away from us than before.
“They’re getting faster,” I moaned.
“Actually, I think we’re getting slower,” said Miu. “It’s the heat.”
“I’ll bring you up to speed,” cried Khepri. “Forward march! One, two, three, four, one two, three—”
“Here’s another idea, Khepri.” Stepping on some sharp pebbles, I winced. “Why don’t you carry me?”
Khepri thought that was very funny.
“I’m not joking.” The sun was beating my head like a drum. “I tell you I can’t…go…on.”
I expected Miu would say I had to keep running, but she slowed down, too. “I think we need a break,” she panted. “Just a short one.”
Before she could change her mind, I dropped to the ground, so exhausted I didn’t see the dung pile beside me.
“Wow!” Khepri leaped headfirst. “What a great lunch! If we have to stop, then this is the perfect place.”
“I refuse to watch,” I told him.
“Mmmmmmm,” Khepri said blissfully. “This dung has such an intriguing aroma. Not quite dog, I’d say. Wilder than that. But I’m not sure exactly what—”
A howl floated across the canyon.
“Anooooooooooooooooobis!”
Khepri scrambled onto my back. “Wh-What was that?”
I leaped up. “I don’t know. But I sure hope you wiped your feet.”
“Jackals!” shrieked Miu. “Over there!”
“Impossible,” I said as she bolted past me. “They don’t hunt by day.” But when I glanced over my shoulder, I saw them: half a dozen of the golden wolf-kin streaming toward us, fur shining in the sunlight.
“Anooooooooooooooooobis!”
Forgetting my exhaustion, I streaked down the hill after Miu, but the dusty terrain offered no cover, and we weren’t fast enough. Before we knew it, the jackals had us surrounded, caught in a dip in the path that led back to Set Ma’at.
“Anooooooooooooooooobis!”
The cry echoed from one baying mouth to another. Ugly laughter followed.
“I hope the joke isn’t on us,” Khepri whispered.
The jackals were so close that I could see the dark outline around their glowing eyes. The leader of the pack snapped his jaws, and the circle tightened.
“Stay away from the toooooooooombs!” the leader warned us.
“Stay away from the toooooooooombs!” They all took up the cry.
Beside me, Miu was breathing very fast. She didn’t look scared anymore, just mad.
“We’re not even going to the tombs,” she burst out. “If you jackals just paid attention, you’d notice we’re on our way back to the village.”
“Miu!” I tried to nudge her into silence, but she shook me off.
“So leave us alone,” she finished defiantly.
The leader bared sharp teeth set in black gums. “Don’t you go giving me orders, cat.” He threw back his head and howled again. “Beware the jackals of Anooooooooooooooooobis!”
“Anooooooooooooooooobis!” the rest of them bayed.
“What’s all this about Anubis, anyway?” Miu demanded. “Do you know something about the tomb robbery?”
The leader’s eyes flashed. “You don’t get to ask questions, cat.”
“Oh, yes, I do,” Miu said. “I’m a Great Detective.”
I saw the leader’s jaw snap. His pack took a step closer.
“That’s our game!” I said quickly, making myself look as silly as possible. (It’s not easy for Pharaoh’s Cat to hide his innate intelligence and savvy, but he can if he has to.) “You’ve probably played it, too. Detectives and Tomb Robbers? Just us cats having a fun time. With our beetle.” I gave him a friendly tail salute. “But we’re ready to go home now.”
The leader watched me intently.
“Did I mention I’m Pharaoh’s Cat?” I added helpfully. “That means I’m under Pharaoh’s protection. Not to mention the protection of Bastet and the sun god Ra himself.”
The leader got an odd look in his eye. “Pharaoh’s Cat, huh?” He conferred with his second-in-command.
“Pharaoh…Bastet…Ra,” I heard them mutter. And then the second-in-command said, “Don’t worry, Chief, I hear that cat’s not so smart. Spends his time napping.”
Hah! Pharaoh’s Cat is as smart as they come. I almost spoke out loud, but I remembered in time that I was supposed to be playing dumb.
“All right.” The leader motioned to the pack, and they backed off. “Go home, Pharaoh’s Pussycat. Take your friends with you. But don’t you come around here again.” He raised his sharp muzzle to the sky. “Stay away from the tooooooooooooooooombs!”
“Stay away from the toooooooooombs!” the pack cried.
We didn’t move till they’d vanished back into the cliffs. Even then, we could still hear them howling in the distance—and sniggering and laughing.
“Anooooooooooooooooobis!”
“Horrible beasts,” Miu said angrily. “Who do they think they are?”
“Well, they can’t be the robbers,” Khepri reasoned. “Not unless they can haul blocks of stone around.”
“True. But they know something,” Miu said, looking back at the cliffs. “I’m sure of it.”
“Let’s figure it out later,” I begged. “Right now, I just want to get back to Set Ma’at.”
The Vizier’s litter could no longer be seen. Miu and I had to travel by paw the whole way back, step by painful step, with Khepri keeping time. I’d never walked so far in my life.
“It’s not such a big deal, Ra,” Miu said. “Why, lots of cats cover this much ground every day.”
“Pharaoh’s Cat doesn’t,” I croaked, my voice dried out by the heat. “Pharaoh’s Cat gets carried.”
By the time we reached Set Ma’at, I was barely able to creep through the gates.
“Just take me back to the palace,” I whispered. “I’ll never leave Pharaoh’s side again.”
“You don’t mean that, Ra,” Khepri said.
“Oh, yes, I do.” I dragged myself into the shade of a white-pillared house. “Where’s the Vizier? I want to go home.”
Out of nowhere, Sabu appeared, his green eyes glowing. “The Vizier? Why, he went back to Thebes.”
“He couldn’t.” I struggled up. “Not without me.”
“He had to report the tomb robbery,” Sabu said.
I stared at him, unable to believe it. “But the Vizier will be in trouble if he comes back without Pharaoh’s Cat.”
“Oh, he took a cat with him,” Sabu said. “One that looked just like you, in fact. A friend of mine. I think he’s looking forward to palace life. Neferhotep the goldsmith even put your collar on him.”
“What?!” An imposter had stolen my place?
“Looks like you’re stuck here in Set Ma’at,” Sabu said cheerfully.
I fainted dead away.
Stranded
When I came to, Khepri was bouncing across my face.
“Ra?” He prodded at my cheek with his foreleg. “Ra, are you all right?”
“How can I be all right?�
�� I moaned. “I’ve been replaced by another cat! And I’ve been banished to this lousy, no-good excuse for a village—”
“Shhh!” Miu flicked her ears in warning.
I blinked and saw Sabu standing behind her. Judging from his offended glance, he’d heard every word.
I tried to claw my way back. “I mean, I’m sure it’s fine if you grew up here—”
“It’s way better than a flashy palace,” Sabu growled. “Call yourself a cat! Real cats don’t sleep on gold-embroidered pillows.”
I rolled to my feet. “Hey! I don’t sleep on gold-embroidered pillows. Gold thread is much too prickly—”
“That’s enough.” Miu put herself between us. “Both of you, behave.”
“But I’ve just lost my home forever.” I’d never make it through the desert to Thebes on my own, even if the Nile weren’t in the way. “And I’ve lost my necklace from Pharaoh. And my snacks. My scrumptious, one-of-a-kind, made-just-for-me snacks.”
“Very sad,” Miu said. “But you’ll live. And it won’t be forever, Ra.”
“That’s right,” Khepri chimed in. “Pharaoh won’t be fooled, Ra. He won’t accept a substitute cat. He’ll send the Vizier right back for you.”
“You really think so?” I said.
Sabu gave a cat-shrug, but Miu brushed against me in a comforting way. “Of course, Ra,” she said. “The Vizier’s sure to come back. Maybe not right away. But soon.”
Khepri settled himself against my ear. “After all, there’s no other cat like you, not in the whole of Egypt.”
“True.” I cheered up. “Pharaoh can’t do without me. Not for long, anyway.” At least I hoped so.
“And really, when you think about it, we’re lucky to be stranded here,” Khepri went on. “Now we have a chance to crack the case.”
Lucky? I wouldn’t go that far. But he had a point.
“We’d better get down to business, then,” I said. “The Vizier could be back at any moment, and when he comes, I’m out of here. So we need to solve this case.”
“What case?” Sabu asked. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s a secret,” I told him.
“No, it’s not,” Miu said. Ignoring my protests, she laid out everything we’d discovered. “So it’s someone in this village,” she finished. “We just don’t know who. We could use your help.”
Sabu tilted his head curiously. “You mean, you’re trying to solve this case? Why not leave it to the humans?”
“We can’t,” Miu said. “They haven’t noticed any of the clues.”
“But we’re Great Detectives,” Khepri piped up with pride. “We notice everything.”
“Great Detective?” Sabu swished his tail, a sign of interest. “That sounds like a job that would suit me.”
“We have enough detectives already,” I said. When Miu glared at me, I added reluctantly, “But if you really want to help, I guess you could be our sidekick.”
Sabu looked like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. “I’m not anybody’s sidekick, Fancypaws. I’m a leader. Go find some other cat to help you.”
Head held high, he stalked off.
Fancypaws again! The nerve. But when I turned to Miu to complain, she said, “Ra, stop making trouble. We need him on our side. He’s the leader here. I bet there’s not a cat in Set Ma’at who will talk to us without his say-so.”
Hmmm…I hadn’t thought of that.
Miu was still watching Sabu’s angry tail. “We’d better go after him before he disappears completely. But this time, Ra, let me do the talking.”
“Good idea,” Khepri agreed.
By the time we caught up with Sabu, Bek was hand-feeding him snacks again. Honestly, the way that cat could eat! And did he offer to share? No.
As we came into view, he turned his face away and butted his head against Bek’s knee.
“The Scribe says nobody’s allowed in the Valley of the Kings until the Vizier returns,” Bek was saying to Sabu. “So we can’t work on Pharaoh’s tomb today. But that means I get to see more of you—”
“Bek.” A stocky man hustled up to the sculptor. “We need to talk.”
It was Neferhotep the goldsmith, the man who had given my necklace away. Oh, little beads that go clink! I put my claws out.
“That sculpture you were going to make for my tomb? I want it bigger.” Neferhotep stretched his restless hands apart, showing the size he wanted. His rings sparkled in the sharp sunlight. “Twice as big, in fact.”
Bek gave Sabu one last stroke, then straightened to his full height. “Are you sure, Neferhotep? It will take longer, and it will cost three times as much.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Neferhotep jabbed a ringed finger at Bek’s chest. “Twice as much, that’s all I’m paying you.”
“That wouldn’t cover the costs,” Bek explained patiently. “A bigger stone is much more expensive—and that’s before I even start carving it. But maybe there’s some other compromise we can come to. Come to my place, and we’ll discuss it.”
As he and Neferhotep walked away, I saw the boy Kenamon slip out of an alley and follow them. I pointed him out to Khepri.
“Maybe he’s going home,” Khepri offered.
“Or maybe he’s trying to get a closer look at those rings on Neferhotep’s fingers,” I countered. “I swear he has more now than he did when we got here. Maybe one of them comes from Setnakht’s tomb.”
“If it does, he’d be pretty silly to wear it where everyone can see it,” Khepri said. “You’re getting carried away, Ra. Yes, Neferhotep gave your necklace to another cat. But that doesn’t mean he’s a criminal.”
“Sure it does,” I grumbled. “He stole my necklace, for starters.”
I sat down in the shade, and Khepri slid between my paws. Behind us, Miu trotted up to Sabu.
“Cousin, I’m so sorry!” She spoke in her sweetest purr. “Ra was just teasing. He knows you’re a born leader. We all do. How could anyone doubt it? You’re clearly in charge here in Set Ma’at, and we need your help.” She bowed her head to him. “Please, cousin, will you be our partner?”
Sabu looked torn. Cousinship is a strong tie among us cats. Even seventh cousinship, twice removed.
“Look,” he said to Miu. “I want to help you. But I won’t take orders from that high-hat palace cat, and that’s final.”
Well, he wouldn’t be working for us, then.
But Miu continued in that sweet purr, “You don’t have to take orders from him, cousin. You and I can work together. I could help you organize the village cats into a detective force. You’d be so good at that!”
Sabu lapped up her praise. “You’re right. I’d be great.” His gaze flickered back to me. “Maybe I could give him orders.”
“All right. That’s enough.” I hauled myself to my feet. “Nobody gives orders to Pharaoh’s Cat. Khepri and I will pursue our own investigations, thank you very much.”
“We will?” Khepri said.
I gave him a look. “Yes, we will.”
“We can meet up and compare notes later,” Miu said, trying to keep the peace.
“Yes.” There was laughter in Sabu’s green eyes. “Then we’ll discover who’s the real Great Detective.”
Filthy Beast
It was all I could do to get out of there without starting a cat fight. But Pharaoh’s Cat knows how to behave with dignity. With Khepri perched on my head, I padded my way down the narrow main street of Set Ma’at.
When I was sure we were out of Sabu’s sight, I came to a halt.
“Did you hear that?” I fumed to Khepri. “Sabu’s turned this into a contest. He thinks he’s a better detective than I am.”
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Khepri said, “if it means he works hard.”
“Great Detective, my paw! Why, he coul
dn’t handle being a sidekick.” I was still fuming. “I’ll show him. I’ll crack this case before the Vizier comes back for me—with time to spare.”
“We’ll crack it together,” Khepri said. “Where do we start? With Neferhotep?”
“No.” I didn’t even have to think twice. “We’ll get to him later. But we’ll start at the top.” What better place could there be for Pharaoh’s Cat? “We’re going to interview the highest-ranking animal in Set Ma’at.”
“You mean Sabu?” Khepri said doubtfully.
“Of course not.” I scowled. “Sabu can brag all he wants to, but we know who the real top animal is.”
“Who?”
Wasn’t it obvious? “Well, it’s the Scribe who’s head of the village. So the top animal is his favorite pet. He had the boy Kenamon paint her portrait. Remember? What’s-her-name.”
“Menwi?” Khepri said.
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“What sort of animal do you think she is?” Khepri wondered.
“Something classy, no doubt, with a name like that.” The original Menwi had been a great lady in the royal court. “I’m guessing she’s a cat of fine lineage. Or perhaps a monkey or a falcon.”
Khepri looked down the street of tightly packed houses. “And where do you think she lives?”
“Oh, that’s easy. We’ll look for the biggest place in the village. Only the best will do for the Scribe.”
Khepri thought this over. “So he’ll have the best snacks, too?”
Khepri is quite clever sometimes. “Another reason to always start at the top, my friend.”
* * *
In the end, we identified the Scribe’s front door by smell alone. As the village boss, he had the fanciest midday meal.
“This is it, Khepri.” The aroma of cumin and duck made my head swim. It wouldn’t count as anything special at the palace, but I was too hungry to care.
I bounded toward the steps just as the Scribe himself came along, accompanied by Huya, the strapping young carpenter. They appeared to be in deep discussion, keeping their voices low, but when the Scribe saw me, he broke off. “Shoo!”
The Great Tomb Robbery Page 5
