Chapter 52
Fortunately for Marge, and also Tex, they weren’t actually lying in bed at this particular time. Instead, they had placed cushions under the sheets to make sure that when Marva entered the bedroom, she would be induced to think she was firing her gun at two actual people.
As she turned around to make a quick getaway, she found her progress blocked by Gran and Scarlett, and also the four of us.
“Darn cats,” she growled, revealing herself not to be a fan of the feline species.
“Please don’t point that thing at me,” said Scarlett, whose voice had adopted a decided wobble.
“Don’t point it at me either!” said Gran, with a lot less wobble and a lot more fury.
“You stupid old women,” said Marva, proving that she wasn’t a fan of the Neighborhood Watch either.
She could have shot and killed both Gran and Scarlett, and therefore it was quite fortunate that at that moment a powerful hand grabbed her from behind and took hold of the gun.
The arm and the hand belonged to Chase, who had been patiently waiting in a closet on the off chance that my theory was correct and that Marva would come after Marge next.
The fact that Gran had given him advance warning had helped, of course.
From a different closet, Odelia also emerged, and when Chase removed the helmet from his partner’s head, we were all greeted by the sight of a very angry young policewoman, who didn’t seem to appreciate this unmasking or the unraveling of her dastardly plan.
“Let me go, you big brute!” she yelled.
“Marva Prink,” said Chase, “you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Marge and Tex Poole. And for the murder of Harley Glad. You don’t have to say anything, but?—”
“Oh, just leave it already,” said Marva.
For some reason, she had singled me out to expend her ire on, and her look cut through me like a knife—a proverbial one, fortunately.
“It’s that darn cat, isn’t it? That darn Max.
I’ve heard rumors that he is too clever for his own good and that he can talk to Odelia. But I never believed it until now.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” said Odelia. “Max is just a cat, nothing more. But you,” she said as she pointed a finger at the woman, “are a killer.”
“Why did you do it?” asked Scarlett. “Why did you kill that man? And why did you try to kill the Pooles?”
The Pooles in question had now emerged. They had been stashed away in Gran’s bedroom for the time being, just to make sure they weren’t harmed.
“I’m not talking until I get a lawyer,” said Marva, which was probably for the best. “And I’m definitely not telling you anything,” she added as she threw a particularly venomous look at Marge. “You thief.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Marge. “What thief?”
“Oh, you know,” said Marva. “You stole one of my letters!”
“I didn’t steal anything!” said Marge.
“I know you took it. I accidentally left it on my chair at the last meeting of the fan club, and I know that you must have taken it, since you were sitting next to me.”
Marge became a little nervous, which told us that Marva was right on the money.
“Okay, so maybe I did take it. But I was going to give it back,” said Marge. “I just wanted to know what was in it. And I wasn’t disappointed, since it was so romantic.”
“That letter was none of your business, Marge!”
“I know,” said Marge mutely. “And I’m sorry.”
At that moment, a man suddenly burst into the room. It was a man dressed in a bumblebee costume and swinging what looked like a can of some kind of spray.
As he sprayed some substance in Marva’s face, we all got a good whiff of the stuff.
“The Germinator is here!” he cried. “And you won’t escape your fate—you fiend!”
Marva started coughing and squeezing her eyes tightly shut. She was also uttering a series of quite colorful curses, and I hastened to press my paws over Dooley’s ears.
“Now look what you’ve done!” said Gran. “You hit all of us with that poison!”
“It’s not poison,” said the Germinator, for of course it was him. “It’s germicide.”
“Where have you been?” asked Scarlett. “After you left us high and dry yesterday, you vanished.”
“I needed some time to rest and recover,” said the Germinator. “Superman needs his rest, and so do I. I may be a superhero, but even superheroes have to sleep.”
“Mr. Germinator?” said Tex as he approached him. “I just want to say that I’m a huge fan, sir. I’ve been following your exploits closely, and I think you’re simply the greatest.”
Much to our surprise, he grabbed hold of the Germinator’s hand and started pumping it like one would an old-fashioned water pump.
“Well, thanks, buddy,” said the Germinator. “That is very gratifying to hear.”
“I’m such an admirer of yours. As a matter of fact I have been trying to get in touch with you. Will you sign your autograph for me?”
“Sure,” said the guy, who seemed pleased to meet such a big fan. “Where do you want it?”
“You can sign my chest,” said Tex and raised his pajamas.
“Tex, don’t make a fool of yourself,” said Marge.
“He’s a bona fide superhero. How often do you meet a superhero in your life? Never.”
“He is not a superhero,” said Marge. “He’s just a guy in a suit. Isn’t that right, Mr. Germinator?”
“Oh, but I can assure you that I am the real deal,” said the guy. “I really am a superhero.”
“I don’t believe this,” said Marge, rolling her eyes.
“Can you guys take this conversation outside?” asked Odelia, sounding a little exasperated. “If you haven’t noticed, our suspect isn’t feeling well, and Chase isn’t looking too hot either right now.”
She was right. Marva was on the floor, coughing her lungs out, and Chase, who had been in the line of fire of the Germinator’s germicide, appeared a little woozy.
“Actually, I can’t stick around,” said the Germinator. “I need to be of service elsewhere.”
“But Mr. Germinator,” said Tex. “My autograph.”
“Some other time, Tex,” said the superhero.
He started for the stairs and soon was gone.
“But Germinator!” said Tex as he hurried after his hero. “I have so many questions!”
But the Germinator was gone—swallowed up by the night.
Ready to fight crime in other parts of town.