Mystery

Hannah swore under her breath. "Every time! Every damn time there you are!" Today was the fourth day in a row she had seen the same cat. Almost all black except for pale yellow eyes. The cat was always in the same spot, outside her apartment building, underneath the rusted, abandoned car in the parking lot.

The cat was never around in the morning when she left for work, but upon returning home that cat sat in the same spot, tail wagging, staring at her with those pale, pale eyes. Every time she approached the cat, it would turn around, darting in the opposite direction. Halfway down the block, the cat would stop watching her, as if daring her to follow it.

This time, Hannah was determined to figure out what the cat was up to. "A so-called game of cat and mouse," she muttered to herself, chuckling. Hannah took off after the cat. As it ran ahead of her, tearing down the run-down cracked sidewalk of Palmer Avenue.

Riffinwood wasn't the best neighborhood to be from. A lot of the buildings were falling down in addition to being empty. The streets smelled of raw sewage, the rats roaming the street though not always the rodent type. Most people didn't feel safe walking around, especially at night, but Hannah was tougher than she looked. But then she also always carried a canister of bear mace, just in case, only having to use it once since she moved into the area.

As Hannah walked along the dimly lit street, she tripped over a loose section of pavement, crying out in pain as she hit the sidewalk. The cat stopped, staring back at her, then licked its front left paw waiting for her. Hannah grumbled, then sat up. Her hands were slightly scraped, but otherwise, she wasn't seriously hurt. The cat meowed at her as she cast it a dirty look. "You're lucky I didn't break a nail," she thought.

To Hannah's surprise, the cat meowed back at her, making her wonder if the cat was some sort of mind reader. The cat started back towards where she was sitting gently rubbing up against her. "Sorry cat, my landlord doesn't allow pets. I can barely afford life as it is," Hannah sighed, as she realized she was talking to a cat, slightly embarrassed.

The black cat stretched, walking away from her before it stopped in front of a boarded-up house with an unkempt, overgrown lawn a few houses away. It sat under the mailbox out front of the house, just staring at her. "Do you...do you want me to go inside that house?" she asked, knowing it was dumb to think the cat could understand her, but having to ask anyway. "Forget it, cat."

The cat simply stared back at her. Hannah got to her feet and dusted off the knees of her work pants before checking her phone for the time. “Nine o'clock?” she said in disbelief, “Damn, it's getting late!” Hannah looked back to where the cat was. It had vanished again! "See you tomorrow, I guess," she said to the cat that wasn't there anymore. Half amused, half exasperated, she turned around, heading back to her apartment building.

After a hot shower, Hannah reheated her leftover spaghetti. She sat in her favorite chair, and turned on the news, catching it mid-report. "..authorities are still looking for ten-year-old Zoella Jackson, last seen near the intersection of Carson Street and Palmer Avenue four days ago, walking home from school" news anchor Robert Phillips reported, with a picture of the little girl shown in the corner. "Her mother, Shayna Jackson, is asking anyone with information to come forward."

Hannah turned off the TV, suddenly aware that her pulse was beating more rapidly than usual, her thoughts racing. “Carson Street and Palmer Avenue? That was only a few blocks away. What if...? There was no possible way, yet it seemed logical at the same time.” Hannah shook her head. "No way that cat knows where she is, No damn way," she mumbled to herself.

Hannah pulled out her phone calling her best friend, Maria who picked up on the third ring. "Hey girl, why are you calling me so late?"

"Have you been watching the news?" Hannah asked nervously.

"Yeah. What about it?"

"That missing girl.” Hannah paused. “I think I know where she is."

"So why are you calling me? I don't work for the police." Maria let out a hollow laugh. "Can't stand them, to be perfectly honest."

"I know, I know, but I was thinking you and one of your boys could check on something for me.” Hannah stopped to take a deep breath before continuing, “there's an abandoned house down the block from me. I think that missing girl might be in there."

"So call the anonymous tip hotline, I'm on the clock right now," was Maria's response. "Can't do anything even if I wanted to."

Hannah sighed. "You can't send anyone?"

"Girl, you must be crazy. Titan's out of town on personal business and Big Q is working security for me at the club." Maria paused for a moment and then continued, “Hey! What makes you think that girl is in an abandoned house anyway?"

"I just got this feeling, that's all," Hannah said quietly. She didn't want to tell Maria about the black cat. Maria would think that she had lost her mind.

"I told you, call that number. I need to get back to work," Maria said as she hung up.

Hannah didn't know what to do. She wasn't going to call the police without knowing for sure the girl was in the house. In fact, she didn't know the exact address of the house, so even if she called the police, it would be a waste of time and effort on her part. Hannah slowly exhaled, growing more frustrated.

Out of the blue, Hannah heard a noise outside her window. She stood up, suddenly apprehensive. Her mind was racing a million miles a minute. Who would be at her window at this hour? Who would be out there at all? Then she heard the noise again recognizing it, laughing to herself. "No freaking way," she said in disbelief as she walked over to the window, looking at that damn cat.

She had a first-floor apartment; sure enough, the black cat was outside her window. "You almost scared me to death, you damn animal!" Hannah exclaimed. "What is it? Why do you keep bothering me?" The cat made no noise as it headed down the road. “Not again,” Hannah laughed in disbelief.

Grabbing her can of mace and putting on her shoes, Hannah wasted no time getting out into the parking lot. She saw the cat under that same car before it headed down the road again. "Wait for me!" Hannah called after it even though she was pretty sure she knew where it was going this time.

She felt a chill go down her spine nonetheless, even though the night air was hot and muggy. She had only been out on the street this late once in the past, the night she had to use the mace. She closed her eyes, shaking off the image in her head. Clutching the mace even tighter, she went to the abandoned building down the street. As she expected, she found the cat sitting in the same spot under the mailbox. As she drew closer to the mailbox, the cat started to move alongside the house.

Hannah was growing more apprehensive as she got closer to the house. She quickly looked along the dimly lit road but saw no one. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she followed the cat along the side of the house, her heart pounding so loudly in her chest, she was sure everyone could hear it. She took a deep breath, slowly exhaling trying to calm down as she stepped over the tall weeds and broken beer bottles, making as little noise as she could.

The cat was waiting for her at a side door and started scratching at it as Hannah approached. Hannah reached for the doorknob, surprised to find the door unlocked as it creaked open. To Hannah's dismay, the cat quickly darted inside, so she quickly followed, not knowing what to expect.

Hannah entered the kitchen realizing that the house wasn't abandoned after all. She took notice of canned goods, bottled water, and what appeared to be camping supplies on the table. She wrinkled her nose as the smell of stale cigarette smoke reached it, realizing she probably wasn't alone. "Is anyone in here?" Hannah called out nervously, "Zoella?"

Walking towards the open kitchen door, she was about to go through it when there was a sound right behind her. Hannah swallowed hard, her fingers wrapped tightly around her can of mace, hoping she could get away from whatever was behind her. Her breathing was rapid, adrenaline pumping through her entire body. Then the cat ran beside her into the room. Hannah laughed to herself, sighed with relief than followed it.

As she turned the corner she came into the front living room. “Don't wake her!” a deep voice cried out, “she's sleeping.”

Hannah's eyes darted around the room as she came to a dead stop, her heart once again racing. All too late, she realized there was a man sitting in an old recliner, covered with a blanket in here. “She should have been more careful.” she thought to herself, “no one even knew she was here. No one would find her until it was too late. Why had she been so stupid?” She glared over at the cat, almost saying aloud, “Why didn't you warn me?”

The man pointed at the couch. Hannah looked over at the couch, seeing the body of a young girl laying on it. The cat sat perched at the end of the couch, looking down at the body. "What the hell?" Hannah gasped in shock. "What's going on?"

"My name is Herbert. Herbert Jackson," the unkempt man said slowly. He nodded towards the body. "And that's my daughter, Zoey."

Hannah was beyond confused. "You kidnapped your own daughter?" she asked nervously, one finger drawing small circles on the side of the mace container helping her to feel a bit calmer.

The man whispered angrily. "What else could I do? She's my little angel.” Then he spoke a bit more angrily. "My ex-wife - Shayna – She took EVERYTHING from me! The house, the car, my job! She even cost me, my son!" The man had tears in his eyes, but he continued. "I couldn't let that woman take my daughter too. She's the light of my world, she's all I got left." He looked over at her, crying even more.

Hannah swallowed hard as she looked over at the body on the couch nervously. “Is Zoella...”

“Zoey. I call her Zoey.” The man interrupted.

“Sorry. Is Zoey alright?” Hannah asked quietly.

The man looked at her in disbelief. “Huh? What are you...? Of course, she is! She's my everything! I wouldn't hurt her for the world. I just don't want to live without her. I'm just keeping her safe. Why won't anyone listen?” he cried out.

Hannah decided it might be safer to change subjects to calm the man down. "Um, what's the deal with the cat? It led me here from my apartment."

"Mystery? She's no ordinary cat. I got her from a shelter as a pet for Zoey a few years back when things were good between her mom and me but she's always had a special bond with Zoey. But you know how cats are sometimes," Herbert said. "Mystery doesn't really have an owner. She just comes and goes as she wants, but she always showed up whenever Zoey really needed her. Guessing she feels like Zoey might be needing her about now. Maybe Mystery feels like Zoey needs you as well. Mystery must like you or else she wouldn't have led you to Zoey."

"Oh." Hannah wasn't sure what to say or how she was feeling. She looked over again at the body on the couch. Hannah wondered what 'Zoey' might be needing from her. "Mr. Jackson, this ain't a good place for your daughter and the police are searching for her to make sure she doesn't need any help. I know you love her, but you should give her up and turn yourself in! I'm sure once you explain everything, the police will understand."

"NO!" Herbert almost shouted. "They'll lock me up and I'll never get to see my baby girl again. Sorry, I can't let you call the cops either. You shouldn't have come here. Not tonight. I'm taking Zoey somewhere where no one will take her from me again. You're just going to have to come with us." He pulled his arm out from under the blanket, pointing a gun at Hannah. Hannah closed her eyes, praying to anyone that would listen.

All of a sudden, Hannah heard a hissing noise, opening her eyes just in time to see Mystery leap onto the man's face, causing him to cry out in pain, dropping the gun. Realizing this was her chance, Hannah held up the can of mace, spraying it all over him, just as the cat leaped away from him. He howled in pain, falling face-first to the floor as Hannah watched in disbelief.

Hannah ran towards the man, grabbing the gun. She started towards the door, but then glanced over towards the body on the couch. Hannah gathered up all of her nerves as she walked over to the couch. She swallowed hard as she looked down at the body, amazed to see the chest rising up and down. “Zoella?” Hannah asked in amazement softly shaking her.

Zoella jerked awake crying out, "Daddy?” than in more alarm as she saw the stranger over her, “Daddy!" Then Mystery came over to Zoella, rubbing up against her, purring softly. Zoella reached down, absentmindedly, petting the cat, starting to calm down.

Hannah tried to reassure the girl that she wouldn't hurt her. She lied, saying she was working with the police so Zoella could get back home. She asked Zoella if she could call the police now to come to make sure everyone was alright. Zoella said sure so Hanna pulled out her phone and pressed 911 keeping a careful watch on Zoella's father. The gun was now in her back pocket, feeling really out of place there. Hanna was a lot more comfortable with her mace.

"911, what's your emergency?" the dispatcher answered.

"I found Zoella Jackson at an abandoned house on Palmer Avenue. Her father was the one that took her. I maced him. He's not really moving around right now, but please send help right away before he recovers!"

After she gave the address of the house with all the information, she stayed on the phone with dispatch waiting for the police to show up. "Everything's going to be okay now, Zoella. You're safe and help is coming." Hannah hoped she wasn't lying to the child.

“I want my Daddy,” Zoella cried softly.

Hannah just held her, rocking her back and forth, keeping an eye on her father until the police arrived taking them both away.

Two days later, Hannah was walking home from work and saw Mystery outside her building again.

"Not again! Someone else needs rescuing?" she called out to the cat, which responded by walking up to her. "Haven't seen you in a couple of days."

The cat meowed, purring when Hannah began stroking her back.

Hannah had been through a lot in the past few days. She had been labeled a hero in the news as well as by Zoella's mother. Maria congratulated her on finding the girl and apologized for not taking her seriously that night.

Hannah's landlord, an elderly woman named Gladys, was at the front door of the building. "That cat's been sitting in my parking lot all afternoon. Friend of yours?"

Hannah laughed. "This cat is the real hero. Without Mystery, I never would've found that girl. Without Mystery, I may not have made it out of there alive."

"Oh the cat has a name, does it?" Gladys said with a smile. "Well, as you know, I don't allow pets. But what you may not know is for hero cats, I think I can make an exception."

Hannah smiled. "Thanks, Gladys, but this cat doesn't have an owner. Mystery is just that - a mystery. She tends to come and go as she wants." Mystery came over to her, rubbing up against her legs. Gladys chuckled softly as Hannah picked up the black cat with both arms. "Come on Mystery, let's go home."