Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
T he next morning, Ray sat at the kitchen table, papers and notes scattered in front of him like some kind of detective’s disaster zone. His brow was furrowed, his lips pursed, and I could practically hear the gears in his brain grinding away as he muttered to himself.
“Handyman, Rick…” Ray scratched his head, tapping his pen on the table. “He seemed nervous. Maybe he needs money? He’s got access to all the rooms.”
From my spot on the windowsill, I flicked my tail in irritation. We don’t have time for this, Ray. There’s something in the attic at Tranquility , I tried to say telepathically, focusing all my mental energy on him. Move it already.
Of course, Ray ignored me, still lost in his jumble of thoughts. “And then there’s Mrs. Hargrove...” He scribbled something down and chewed on the end of his pen. “She was really worried about word getting out—bad for business. If people knew valuables were going missing, no one would want to stay there. That place isn’t cheap. Maybe she’s involved… but would she risk the whole place over some stolen items?”
He sat back, the tapping of his pen now more like a steady drumbeat. “Unless... the money from selling the stolen items is worth more than the risk of bad publicity.”
Attic, Ray! Attic! I let out a heavy sigh, eyes narrowing at him. You’re running in circles here. There’s no time for this!
Ray shook his head, clearly not hearing me, and flipped through a few more notes. “Then we’ve got Benedict,” he said, frowning. “A magician… aren’t they good at picking locks? I need to check into his past, see if there were any thefts at his shows. But he’s one of the only residents who hasn’t reported anything missing…”
I leapt down from the window and plopped myself right in front of him, locking my eyes with his. Exactly, Ray! If Benedict were the thief, wouldn’t he make sure to steal from himself too? Throw everyone off the scent? Think about it!
Ray rubbed his chin, his frown deepening. “Wait… if someone’s trying to avoid suspicion, wouldn’t they make sure they’re a victim too? It’d look less obvious…”
Finally! You’re catching on! I emitted an impatient meow, one loud enough to snap him out of his thoughts. He blinked, staring down at me, finally acknowledging my existence.
“You hungry again, Earl?” he asked in a softer tone. “You just had breakfast.”
I stared at him, my expression flat. Not hungry. Attic. Tranquility.
Ray scratched his head, still looking at me as if he was trying to piece something together. “Wait a second… the ones who haven’t had anything stolen yet...”
Yes! That’s it! I paced in front of him, tail swishing.
His eyes lit up, and he snapped his fingers. “I know! We need to get back to Tranquility!”
I purred, hopping onto the counter. Finally.
He jumped up, grabbing his jacket and stuffing his notebook into the pocket. The kitchen looked like a hurricane had blown through, with half-full coffee cups and crumpled notes everywhere, but Ray barely noticed as he bolted for the door.
When we arrived at Tranquility Terrace, it was business as usual. The residents were scattered around the common room, most of them engrossed in their own routines. Ray wasted no time heading straight for Mr. Benedict, who was sitting by the window and holding a bag in front of him. He reached in and pulled out a top hat.
I trotted along beside Ray, but my focus wasn’t on the magician. I had bigger things on my mind. The attic , I thought furiously, hoping Ray would pick up on the telepathic waves I was sending his way. Get to the attic. Forget the magician. You’re barking up the wrong tree, Ray!
Ray, predictably, was not on the same wavelength. He flashed Benedict a friendly smile. “Morning, Mr. Benedict. Mind if we chat for a minute?”
Benedict gave a showy bow from his seat. He stuck his hand into the top hat and pulled out a long string of scarves. For a minute, I thought he might pull out a rabbit, but he retrieved only scarves. “Detective Leonard! Always a pleasure. What can I do for you today?”
Ray pulled out his notebook and tried to sound casual. “Just a couple of questions. You mentioned before that you haven’t had anything stolen, right?”
Benedict nodded, grinning. “That’s right. Nothing’s gone missing from my room. Maybe I’m just too sharp for the thief to get past. Or perhaps I don’t have any valuables that interest them.”
Ray jotted something down, nodding thoughtfully. “Interesting. Almost everyone else has had something stolen, but not you. That’s curious.”
Curious? I thought, pacing beside Ray’s feet, my tail twitching with irritation. There’s something even more curious in the attic.
Ray, oblivious as ever, was still focused on Benedict. “So, you’ve never noticed anything unusual? Maybe someone lurking around your room?”
Benedict shuffled his cards again with a flourish. “Not a thing. I keep my eyes peeled, though. Can’t let your guard down.”
Oh, for the love of catnip. I flicked my tail in frustration. Upstairs, Ray. There’s something in the attic! I tried pushing the thought harder, willing Ray to get the hint.
At last, he glanced down at me, frowning. “What’s up, Earl?”
Finally! I leapt onto a nearby chair and stared at the ceiling. Upstairs. The attic. Come on, Ray. This is important!
Ray followed my gaze and shook his head. “You’re restless today, huh?”
Restless? Restless? I’m trying to solve this case for you! I wanted to throw my paws in the air in defeat.
Benedict was watching me with a knowing smile, like he was in on some joke I wasn’t privy to. “Your cat seems quite intent on something. Maybe Earl’s on to something you haven’t thought of yet.”
Ray chuckled, patting my head absentmindedly. “Yeah, maybe.”
Yes! Maybe! I darted toward the hallway, hoping Ray would finally catch on and follow me. Upstairs, Ray! The attic!
But no. Instead, he turned back to Benedict. “So, you’re saying the thief hasn’t been able to get into your room. Do you have some kind of special locks or something?”
Ray, please. The attic, the attic, the attic! I groaned inwardly, realizing this was going nowhere.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rick, the handyman, crouched down at the far end of the hallway, working on a lock. He kept glancing around, looking as guilty as a kitten caught knocking over a vase. Now, that was suspicious.
My ears perked up. Interesting.
Ray must have caught it, too, because he finally turned away from Benedict and narrowed his eyes. “Wait a second…”
Finally! I darted down the hall toward Rick, leading the way. Come on, Ray. Follow the cat!
Ray followed, his pace quickening. “What’s Rick up to?”
As we got closer, Ray cleared his throat. “Hey, Rick! What’s going on with that door?”
Rick straightened up so fast I thought he might fall over, his face turning pale. “Oh, uh… just fixing this old lock. It’s been acting up.” He shoved his tools into his pocket with a little too much enthusiasm.
Ray pointed at the door. “Where does that go?”
Rick hesitated then sighed. “The attic. No one’s supposed to go up there. It’s mostly just storage, old stuff. Off-limits for safety reasons.”
The attic! My tail flicked triumphantly. I knew it!
Ray’s eyes lit up. “The attic, huh? Mind if I take a look?”
Rick shifted uncomfortably, clearly wishing he could be anywhere else. “Well… it’s kinda off-limits, like I said. But I guess it wouldn’t hurt if you took a quick peek.”
Wouldn’t hurt? I darted up to the door and sniffed at the base. Ray, this is it! This is what we’ve been waiting for!
Ray turned to me then back to Rick. “I think we definitely need to check it out. Something’s been bugging me about this place, and I’ve got a feeling the answers are up there.”
I purred, eyes locked on the door handle. Attic time, finally!
Rick fumbled with the key, his hands shaking slightly as he unlocked the door. “Just be careful. It’s dark and dusty up there.”
Ray nodded, giving me a knowing glance. “You ready, Earl? Let’s see what’s waiting for us in the attic.”
I padded forward, feeling the thrill of the hunt as the door creaked open and revealed the stairs leading up into the darkness. This was where we’d find the real answers.