Who loves ya, baby?

Happy Friday! Grrr. Stupid work getting in the way of blogging.

The next chapter to my mystery. The end approaches...

Chapter Six: Gin and Catatonic.

"Step this way," said the bug-eyed Personal Assistant. "Miss Ponderosa will see you in the Catateria."

Detective O'Hallahan nodded and followed after the Marty Feldman lookalike through the ornate halls of the Ponderosa Mansion. His mind was a million million miles away; going over the details of the last few days.

Why had someone murdered Charisma Ponderosa's by sabotaging the flange on her belt? Why had that (he was guessing) murdered Doctor Ira Qwacken with poison sushi? How did the cat fit in to this? What the hell was a "Catateria?"

He was to find out as he followed Igor into an enormous hall adorned floor to ceiling with cats. Everywhere he looked cats were batting cat toys, wrestling with each other, napping and otherwise engaging themselves in feline behavior. Where there weren't real cats there were pictures of cats, statues of cats and carpets with Hello Kitty embroidered on them.

O'Hallahan's eyes immediately began to water and his throat to tighten. He silently cursed his allergy.

At the end of the hall pacing back and forth was Eunice Ponderosa, sole remaining heir to the Ponderosa Kitty Litter Company vast fortune. Ponderosa looked to be in her late 40s with a face that said she was used to getting her own way. She was energetically involved in a conversation via her Bluetooth. O'Hallahan couldn't help but think she really did look like a "cat lady" yelling to herself as she paced about the room.

"What do you mean a truck was stolen? What kind of truck?" She screamed. "A tanker full of fertilizer? Well, call the authorities."

She noticed O'Hallahan watching her intently.

"Never mind, I have the authorities here now." She hit the pushed a button on her headset and ended the call.

"Your name?" she asked.

"Detective O'Hallahan."

"O'Hallahan," Eunice said. "Here about the accidental death of my wonderful sister I suppose."

"Murder," he corrected her.

"If you say so," She said. "Walk with me."

She offered her hand to him palm down, as if she was Queen Elizabeth and he a member of her court. Inwardly he groaned. Loudly.


Chapter One: Charisma Hits the Dance Floor.
Chapter Two: Death Punches Back on the Clock.
Chapter Three: Usually it's the Usual Suspects.
Chapter Four: Death by Wasabi.
Chapter Five: Fugu About It.