To Catch a Cat

by Marian Babson

  It would be his alibi.

  ‘Never mind him right now.’ Kerry gave the face-saving order that prevented a useless chase. ‘Let’s get what he threw in there.’

  ‘It’s alive. I heard something when it went in.’ Pete’s face was paler than the weak moonlight. ‘It was alive.’

  They stood at the edge of the quarry and peered into the murky water. At first, they saw only the reflection of the moonlight on the surface; then, deeper, something white and trailing could just be discerned.

  ‘We fished out a sack once.’ Pete’s voice was shaky. ‘It was full of puppies. They’d been in the water for days. We couldn’t do anything …’

  Robin winced in sympathy. So many animals that needed help, so little even the most well-meaning could do.

  ‘Well, this one just went in!’ Kerry snapped. ‘Get the hooks - quick!’

  ‘Right!’ Pete dashed back to the cart. Robin found that he was liking Pete a lot more than he had before.

  ‘Can we get down lower?’ Robin squinted into the cavernous shadows. He didn’t know how much good a couple of fish-hooks and lines would be against the weight that had made such a splash.

  ‘I can!’ Jamie was the smallest and lightest of them. He scrambled down from rock to rock, sending a spray of pebbles into the water.

  Kerry followed, almost as quickly. He was a lot bigger, but he knew the terrain. In a moment, they were standing on a lower ledge just above the water.

  ‘Here!’ Pete was back with a long-handled boathook and a coil of rope with a grappling hook attached. ‘Pass this down to Kerry!’ He handed Robin the boathook and disappeared into the darkness. ‘Then come down yourself. It’s all hands to the pump!’

  In response to a whistled signal, Robin lowered the boathook by its handle until he felt the other end being firmly grasped. He let go and the pole slid out of sight.

  Kerry and Pete were experts in the manipulation of their fishing gear, veterans of many salvage expeditions. By the time Robin joined them, Kerry had already hooked into a twist of white fabric and was pulling the long heavy bundle up and towards them, while Pete was reaching out to secure it.

  ‘Good thing we got it before it could sink.’ Kerry heaved at the bundle and a large rock slipped from it and splashed into the water. That helped lighten the burden, as did many hands.

  After the mechanics of getting a grip on the bundle and wrestling it back to the top of the quarry, they had all fallen silent. Robin knew that their fingertips had sent them the same message he had received from his. What was concealed within the sodden wrappings was a human being – or had been.

  They tried to set it down gently but, inevitably, someone’s grip slipped and it thumped to the ground.

  And groaned.

  ‘Alive! It’s alive!’ They threw themselves at it, tearing frantically at the wet sheets. Another stone fell out and rolled away. Then another knot gave way and the cloth fell away from a face.

  ‘It’s a woman!’ Kerry was surprised. ‘I thought it would be a man.’

  ‘I didn’t,’ Robin said. ‘Mr Nordling only kills women.’ And kids and cats, too, if he could catch them, but this was not the moment to go into that.

  ‘You saw him, too?’ Kerry sounded relieved. ‘That’s who I thought it was, but I wasn’t sure – ’

  The woman groaned again, her eyes opened, closed, opened and tried to focus, then closed again and remained closed.

  ‘Who is she?’ Pete asked. Everyone shook their heads. It was no one they knew.

  ‘We ought to get her to a hospital,’ Pete said uneasily.

  ‘People die in hospitals.’ Jamie sounded so positive, the others hesitated.

  ‘We can’t leave her here,’ Robin pointed out. ‘If she could tell us who she was, we could take her home.’

  ‘She’s out of it,’ Kerry said. ‘We need to get her somewhere warm and dry. I’d take her home, but my mother …’

  ‘My grandparents are very old,’ Jamie said. ‘But they might – ’

  ‘I’ll get the cart!’ Pete ran off. ‘We can take her in that.’

  ‘We’ll take her to my place.’ Robin spoke with firm assurance. ‘Mags will know what to do.’

  38

  The cat had been restless and unhappy ever since the doorbell had rung. It prowled ceaselessly between Mags and her mother, silently asking a question neither of them could interpret or answer.

  Not that Mummy was even trying. She had thrown herself into an orgy of light housekeeping, dusting every surface that could be dusted, picking up every stray piece of clothing and putting it away. Now the cat drew her attention.

  The cat had begun pawing at the door, trying to open it, wanting to go out. Now that it had had the freedom of the house, it was obviously in distress at being cooped up in one room.

  ‘I’m sure we have time to give that cat a bath. It wouldn’t take long and your precious Josh wouldn’t be disturbed, he needn’t even know.’

  ‘No.’ One glance told her that we still meant you – and Mags wasn’t going to fall for it. ‘I don’t want my hands scratched to pieces.’

  ‘Don’t be absurd!’. Mummy watched bemusedly as the cat, failing to pry open the door at its base, rose up to full height and rattled the doorknob. ‘That sweet little thing would never scratch you.’

  ‘She isn’t going to get the chance.’

  ‘Now, Nils, I know this is very difficult for you.’ Joshua’s voice oozed sympathy and dripped compassion. He maintained eye contact, crinkling his own eyes at the corners and nodding encouragement. ‘Just take your time, we’ll understand, and tell us in your own words …’

  Pretentious prat! Damned right he’d take his own time – he’d take all night. He gave Josh a brave tremulous smile and had the satisfaction of seeing Josh nod again. That was what the idiot wanted – let him have it.

  ‘Just start at the beginning and tell it as it happened …’

  ‘Yes … yes … of course.’ He’d be lucky! ‘Well … I’d got home late …’ Was Edward home yet? ‘I’d been working late, you see, and – ’

  ‘As we all do from time to time,’ Josh interrupted, either to move the narrative along or to remind the listening audience that he was still there. ‘It could happen to any of us. Except that we wouldn’t, we hope, get home to find …’

  Cut to the chase, that translated into. The chase … through the dark house … stumbling down the stairs after the … the burglar. No! He couldn’t mention that. It had never happened! He didn’t know anything about any intruder until he had found Ingrid.

  ‘To find …’ Josh urged. Despite the promise of all the time in the world, he was being hurried along.

  ‘Blood … all that blood …’ Give him what he wants.

  Yes, he was smiling now – or trying not to. ‘Oh, not at first. Not downstairs. I didn’t know anything was wrong. Not until I went upstairs. To our bedroom – ’ He broke off. Should he bury his face in his hands? Or just sit staring blankly into space?

  ‘You’re doing fine,’ Josh encouraged. ‘Just take it step by step. You opened the front door and went inside. Everything looked normal downstairs …’

  He was being led. Expertly, but led. Careful, careful, you never knew the destination to which you might be led.

  ‘Yes … I’m all right. If … if I might have a glass of water, please …?’

  ‘Certainly.’ With a conspiratorial wink, Josh poured amber liquid from a decanter into a glass and added a dash of water from another decanter.

  Why not? Nils took a sip. Because the oaf was trying to get him drunk, that’s why not. Anything for a more exciting interview. Nils took another sip and set the glass down firmly.

  ‘So you went into the house …’ Josh prompted. ‘You weren’t surprised to find it dark?’

  ‘No. No, I’d told Edith not to wait up for me. I thought she’d gone to bed – ’

  ‘Edith?’ Josh’s voice was a silken ripple. ‘Who’s Edith?’ What had he said?

/>   ‘Ah, slip of the tongue. Sorry …’ How could he have blundered like that? ‘Edith and Edward Todmaster – I’m staying with them while … at the moment. Such good friends … so kind. Slip of the tongue … you can cut it out of the tape, can’t you? Patch it over?’

  ‘Sure, sure, don’t worry about a thing. This is going to be fully edited before it goes out on air. I’ll take care of it myself.’ But there was a new alertness in Joshua’s eyes. ‘Go on, you’re doing fine …’

  Nils didn’t trust him for a minute. He was going to have to retrieve that tape before he left. Take it away and destroy it – No … no, he couldn’t do that. It was his alibi and the longer it ran, mistakes and all, the better.

  ‘Whenever you’re ready …’ The elaborate patience didn’t fool him, either. He was being pushed again and he knew it.

  ‘Yes …’ He reached for his glass and took a long slow sip. Pity he’d given up cigarettes, they were another useful delaying tactic.

  There was a loud thump overhead.

  ‘What was that?’ Nils jumped, sending liquid sloshing from his glass down over his hand. ‘You said there wouldn’t be anybody else here.’ Had he walked into a trap?

  ‘There isn’t. Relax.’ Josh glanced towards the ceiling with a look that bode no good for anybody. ‘It’s just the cat jumping around.’

  ‘Cat? I hate cats!’

  ‘I’m not too fond of them myself. Don’t worry. It’s shut away and can’t get out. It won’t bother you.’

  It bothered him by existing! Any cat, all cats … especially

  There was another louder sound from above. One that he recognised. One that had reverberated down through the years of his marriage. He stared accusingly at Joshua.

  ‘Your cat must be in quite a temper. It’s slamming drawers.’

  ‘Really!’ Mummy dropped heavily into the only chair. ‘This is ridiculous! Skulking around like some sort of fugitive in your own house! I don’t see why you put up with it!’

  At the moment, neither did Mags. She couldn’t see why she put up with either of them – Josh or Mummy. She was an adult, a woman in her own right, not a housekeeper, a concubine, or a child. Furthermore, she was beginning to realise that she was very close to the end of her tether.

  ‘How long is he going to be? Are they planning to spend the whole night on whatever they’re doing? Where is Robin? When is he coming back?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ The blanket answer covered every question asked and a few that Mummy hadn’t even thought of yet.

  The cat had gone back to prowling. From the door to Mummy and back to the door again, then to Mags and back to the door. Each time the cat had looked up at the women with imploring eyes before retracing her track to the door. The poor little thing wanted out.

  So did Mummy. She glanced at her watch and then at the door. On her other wrist, the rubies and diamonds glittered mockingly, keeping their secrets. Mags had protested when Mummy decided to wear the bracelet, but Mummy had claimed that this was the best way of facing Robin with their knowledge of what he had done. When he saw that on his grandmother’s wrist, he would know the game was up and be ready to confess all.

  Mummy might even be right. Mags didn’t know any more. All she knew was that she wanted out, too. All the way out!

  With an explosive sigh, Mummy stood up abruptly and went to the window, where she stood looking down at the street below like a prisoner yearning for freedom.

  Mags took the opportunity to slide open the dressing-table drawer unobserved. She wanted a closer look at those mysterious packets she had swept into it the last time they had invaded Robin’s room, Robin’s privacy. She might as well know the worst.

  The cat jumped up on the windowsill to look down and see what was so interesting to Mummy. Automatically, Mummy stroked it gently. Both of them stared down intently at the street.

  Trying to look unconcerned, Mags reached for the nearest half-crumpled envelope, which was streaked with a strange yellowy-brown colour. Her nose wrinkled.

  ‘Mrryeeoow!’

  ‘Margaret!’ Her mother’s hand had tightened on the cat’s neck. ‘Come here!’

  Taken by surprise, Mags dropped the packet and she closed the drawer too quickly, too hard – it slammed shut.

  ‘What is it?’ She joined Mummy at the window.

  ‘There! Just turning the corner. That’s Robin, isn’t it? With a … a gang! What have they got in that cart?’

  ‘I don’t know. I can’t see …’ Mags leaned closer to the window, but Mummy was already half-way to the door, the cat at her heels.

  39

  ‘It’s an old house.’ Josh tried to soothe his panicking interviewee. ‘You know how old houses are, always making lots of strange noises, especially at night.’

  ‘Someone’s here! You lied to me!’

  ‘No, no …’ Deftly, Josh flipped over the tape to record on the other side. One half of it used up already, with only about two minutes of it usable. At an optimistic estimate. If the sodding bugger went on at this rate, he might not have enough spare tapes.

  ‘You’re doing fine … fine …’ Josh said. ‘You’ll have everyone on your side. Don’t lose it now.’

  ‘No …’ Don’t lose it now. Not after he’d come so far. ‘I’m sorry … my nerves …’

  ‘Sure, sure. Understandable. After all you’ve been through. Now, if you think you can go on …’

  ‘Yes … I’ll try.’ Nils gave him the brave tremulous smile again. It had worked before.

  ‘Good.’ It worked again. ‘Now, in your own words … take your time …’

  ‘What was that?’ There had been a loud creak from the staircase in the hall.

  ‘Mags! Auntie Mags!’ Simultaneously, the front door was flung open with such force that it crashed against the wall.

  Josh swore violently. He snatched at Nils as the bastard dived for the hallway. ‘Come back! I’ll get rid of him!’ Damned kid, nothing but trouble from the moment he’d arrived.

  Nils was in the hallway, but the front door was blocked by a horde of kids charging through it. They were half-carrying something large and dripping, ghost-like in its wet white shroud.

  ‘No!’ Nils reeled back, refusing to believe what he was seeing. The lout who had stolen his money was the ringleader. One of the smaller boys was … was …

  There was a moaning sound from the shrouded form. He knew who that was, too.

  ‘No!’ Nils stumbled and grasped the banister for support. There was already a hand on it – a woman’s hand. On the wrist above the hand, blood-red stones and pin-point explosions of light from the diamonds glittered at him accusingly.

  ‘Ingrid! No! You’re dead!’ He could not look at her face, her bloodied battered face, her mouth filled with the blood she was about to spit at him.

  At his feet, a cat, a caricature of Leif Eriksson, spat fury and hissed hatred at him. He kicked out at it and missed. The cat slashed out with unsheathed claws and he felt them rip his ankle.

  ‘Leave me alone!’ he shouted at the cat, at the apparition on the stairs, still not raising his eyes above those blood-red stones. ‘Do I have to kill you again? You’re dead, Ingrid – dead!’

  ‘But I’m not!’ Edith pulled herself away from the supporting hands and faced him, swaying. ‘You killed Ingrid, but you didn’t kill me! Not quite. And I can testify against you!’

  ‘And I got it!’ Josh gloated. ‘I got it! Every blistering, incriminating word of it!’ And he was keeping it. Unknown to the police, he had taken a copy of the tape before they arrived. If he used it, he might be in trouble, but the publicity gained would outweigh the trouble. He’d worry about it later.

  ‘How nice for you,’ Mummy said frigidly. At a time when any normal man would have rushed forward to help, Joshua had dived back into the living-room for his tape recorder. It had been left to herself, Mags and the boys to deal with Nils Nordling. Not that he had struggled much: Edith’s baleful eyes, her very presence, had sent him into an a
lmost catatonic state.

  ‘You bet it is!’ Not even Mummy could spoil Josh’s triumph. He beamed at Kerry, Pete, Jamie, even Robin. He especially loved Robin … now. Now that Robin had been instrumental in his triumph. Now that Robin was his ticket to the Big Time.

  A little while longer and he would probably love Leif Eriksson, too. The cat curled on Robin’s lap, a transformed creature. With all the strange colouring washed away, he had turned out to be mostly white with tabby patches and tail. His uneven fur still looked rather odd, but it would grow again. The tufts feathering from his ears gave a hint of future magnificence. And Mummy had been right. During a prolonged bath, he hadn’t scratched once – although he had complained a lot.

  The other boys eyed Josh warily. He had assembled them here, two days later, with promises of rewards and a celebration. So far, all they had seen was the ever-present tape recorder, into which they were expected to tell their story, and a strutting ego that was sending their thoughts to other places they would rather be and other things they would rather do.

  ‘Erm … ’Even Edward was not immune to the general feelings of disenchantment. ‘Are we going to be much longer? Edith shouldn’t be out too late, she still needs plenty of rest. Ordeal, you know.’

  Mags supposed that was as good a word as any for what an intended murder victim had endured. But Edith had the comfort of a nice supportive husband to take care of her. Mags had seen precious little of Josh in the past forty-eight hours. He had spent most of it on the telephone hammering out deals. Like the hour-long special he was now working on for syndication.

  ‘Just hang on,’ Josh told Edward. ‘I’ll get to you next, then you can go.’

  ‘Feel guilty,’ Edward said awkwardly to the others. ‘I should never have brought that monster under our roof. I had no idea – ’

  ‘None of us had.’ Edith settled more comfortably against his shoulder. Nothing was going to bother her, now that she was safe with him again. ‘Although I think Ingrid was beginning to suspect. There were some odd clauses in her will – now I see why.’