To Stalk a Cat

    It was very early one summer day when Sniffy Johnskit entered Mr. Mouser’s convenience store on the corner of Calico and Hunter. The sun glaring through the windows cast an eerie stripe design of black and yellow on the worn tile. Behind the counter stood Mr. Mouser, a short, round cat, his fur grayed with age, but in a dark corner of the deli sat a strange tomcat Sniffy did not recognize. He wore a long black coat and a hat falling over his eyes. Eyeing him with slit pupils, she approached the counter.  

    Mr. Mouser yawned, revealing his old, yellowed teeth and one gold canine. “Good mornin’, Sniffy.”

    “Mr. Mouser.” She nodded. “A donut and coffee, please.”

    He tossed a paper bag and a cup on the counter. “Way ahead of ya’, kit. The boss has you on the really early shift now, meow?”

    She growled. “Yeah.” Her tail swished from side to side. “I’m hoping to be accepted into the Pawscat University of Rollway for the next school semester on an academic scholarship. Then I can kiss this fast food job goodbye.” As she spoke of attending PUR, her pupils grew, and her whiskers went forward. Then she saw the weathered clock behind Mr. Mouser. “Oh, rats! I’m late.” Without even a goodbye, she pounced for the door.

    “The best of luck to ya’, Sniffy,” Mr. Mouser called to her.

    Sniffy raced toward the bus stop and leapt aboard right before the door closed on her tail. With a shake of the head, she tiptoed her way down the aisle until she found an open seat where she could enjoy her breakfast peacefully. Her eyes wandered around the bus wondering who else would have jobs at this hour. Then they fell on the seat across the aisle from her. There slouched the strange tomcat from Mr. Mouser’s store. A chill ran down her spine, and her fur stood on end.

    This must be a coincidence, she told herself. Coincidences happen all the time. People often cross paths. They just don’t notice it.

    She tried not to stare, but she could not stop her eyes from thinning and her fur from bristling. It was impossible to read his expression since his wide-brimmed hat covered his eyes.

    Seemingly a lifetime later, Sniffy left the bus at her workplace MacKibbles’, the most popular fast food joint around.

    Her workday went along as it normally did. Customers entered, ordered, and left. Several times though, she thought she saw the strange tomcat in the parking lot of the restaurant. A car would move from its place, and he would be standing there, but, just when she was about to call security, he would be gone.

    Finally, her lunch break came to give her a half hour reprieve.

    At least no creep can watch me in the break room, she thought with relief. When she was almost done, she glanced into the restaurant area. Instinctively, she ducked back behind the door. The stranger was at the cashier!

    “What would you like?” she could hear cashier ask.

    “A burger, bacon, ham, no cheese, and a large soda,” he ordered in a low, rumbling tone.

    “With catsup?”

    “Yes.”

    He stood there until his order came, and then he left the restaurant. Once sure he had left, Sniffy ran up behind her coworker. “Hey, who was that guy?”

    Without even looking at her or speaking a word, the cashier handed her the ticket.

    The name on the ticket was Thomas Catskit.

    Thomas Catskit? She growled. Tom cat. A fake name. “Have you ever seen him before?” she asked her coworker.

    “Never saw him before.” The cashier snorted. “What does it matter to you anyways?”

    She ignored the question.

    When Sniffy’s shift ended at three in the afternoon, she crossed the street to go to the mall. Carefully, she glanced around her, but there was no sight of the stranger. Sighing in relief, she opened the door to the department store section of the mall. 

    She only had to get some stationery but decided to walk through the perfume section of the department store. Mint Madness and Basil Beauty from the Purrfum product line were her favorites, though she could not afford them. She selected one and raised it to her nose.

    At least I can sample them for free whenever I pass by, she thought with a purr. She set the bottle back in its place and nearly dropped it. In the reflection of the glass counter, she could see the stranger! He was standing in the exit, blocking her way of escape. She scanned the department store. Right behind the perfume counter was the door to the rest of the mall. Calmly, she walked through the door and made a beeline for the next exit. In every reflection, she could see the stranger following her. Her pace quickened.

    Does he every tire? Her fur bristled, and her tail twitched with every step. Finally, she turned into the exit corridor and halted in her tracks. The door the closed! The entire corridor was blocked off with caution tape.

    What a horrible time for the workmen to be working! She whirled around. The stranger was standing some twenty feet from her. The next exit was farther down the main corridor.

    Sniffy broke into a run. In a great leap, she sailed over a little pretzel stand.

    “Hey! What’re you doing!”

    “Watch it!”

    She ignored the angry shouts and did not stop running until she reached the exit. It opened into a vacant parking lot behind the mall. She dashed to her right and ran along the back of the mall. Slinging her purse over her head and shoulder, Sniffy reverted to all four paws for greater speed. As she turned the corner of the mall, she could see the street dead ahead. Relief washed over her.

    A few more bounds and I’m free!

    Suddenly, she was shoved to the ground from behind. Shots rang out. A car screeched. Then someone was dragging her to her feet.

    “Come on! Before they return!”

    By the time that Sniffy regained her wits, she found herself again in the vacant parking lot facing the strange tomcat. Snarling, she swiped at him with her claws. “Who are you, and why are you following me?”

    He deftly dodged the blow. “Hey, now, I just saved your life!”

    Her fur stood on end. “Oh, yeah, from whom?” she snarled.

    Click!

    “From us,” a voice with a thick French accent growled.

    Sniffy and the stranger spun around to face three huge, bluish-gray tomcats. The one in the center pointed a gun at Sniffy.

    The stranger boldly stepped in front of her.

    “Wha-What’s all this about?” She gulped.

    The thugs ignored her comment. “Step aside,” the gunman told the stranger. “This does not concern you. This is between the Chartreux and her.”

    The Chartreux! Sniffy gasped. The most powerful and dangerous mobster family in the city? Why are they after me? And why is this stranger saving me?

    “Au contraire, mon ennemi,” retorted the stranger in a poor French accent, enraging the thugs. “This does concern me.”

    “Then you shall suffer the same fate as her.” The gunman raised his revolver.

    With cheetah-like speed, the stranger shoved Sniffy to the ground. The gun went off! Then, the stranger swatted the revolver from the gunman’s hand. The other two thugs pounced on him.

    Sniffy thought for sure that her mysterious hero would be pommeled! One thug swung a punch at him. He stepped to the side and shoved the thug off-balance. For what seemed like hours to Sniffy, he evaded their blows. Why isn’t he fighting back? she wondered.

    Then the wail of police sirens pierced the air, and seven police cars skidded into the parking lot.

    “Freeze!”

    “Paws in the air!”

    “Do not move!”

    The police surrounded the Chartreux and arrested them.

    The stranger massaged his shoulder where one of the thugs had landed a punch. “It took you long enough,” he told the police chief. “What were you doing? Getting donuts?”

    The chief laughed. “You did good, Fischer. With these three, we might have a chance to completely shut down the Chartreux racket.”

    Sniffy’s ears perked up. “Fischer?”

    The stranger turned to her and took off his hat. “Hi, Sniffy. It’s been a while since high school.”

    Suddenly, she recognized him. “Fischer Mau? How—but—why?” For a moment, she could not find words. Then she slapped him. “What have you been following me around like a creep for?”

    He rubbed his cheek. “Ouch. Is this what I get for saving your life?”

    “That’s what you get for freaking me out all day!” she retorted. “Now what’s going on?”

    Fischer took a deep breath. “As you know, after high school, I was admitted to Pawscat University of Rollway immediately. I’m a criminal justice major. Anyways, I have a friend who works for the admissions committee at PUR—”

    “Will you just cut to the chase!” exasperated Sniffy blurted.

    He crossed his arms. “I’m getting there! Be patient! As I was saying, a few weeks ago, they came to me saying that they thought someone was stopping applicants from attending PUR. They then showed me the list of accepted applicants and a whole bunch of newspaper articles about how some of the accepted applicants had been attacked in the past few weeks. He thought that there was a correlation and hired me as a private investigator to sniff out the truth.”

    Sniffy frowned. “Why didn’t he just go to the admissions committee? Or the police?”

    Fischer rolled his eyes. “Because he thought that the crooks might have connections in the university! Anyways, I’ve been investigating over the summer and found out that a kit from the Chartreux family wanted in PUR really bad. So—”

    “The Chartreux thugs were intimidating the other applicants so that their kit could have a better chance to be accepted!” she finished.

    “Yes, exactly! You were the last individual on the list who hadn’t been attacked yet, so I was following you to catch them in the act.”

    She exhaled. “Wow, that’s almost—unbelievable! In fact, I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t just experience it!” Her knees began to shake, and she sank to the ground.

    Fischer sat next to her. “A lot to absorb, isn’t it?”

    She nodded. “I’m—I’m sorry I slapped you.”

     “I deserved it.” He chuckled. “I should’ve probably told you why I was following you. I just didn’t want to scare you.”

    “Well, you flunked at that!” Playfully, she punched his arm. “I was terrified that some creep was following me!”

    He blushed. “I guess I need to work on my tailing skills.”

    The police chief waved at them. “Hey, I need you two down at the station to give your eyewitness accounts!”

    “We’re coming!” Fischer shouted back.

    As they were walking toward the police cars, Sniffy grabbed his arm. “Wait, did you say that I was on the list of accepted applicants?”

    His whiskers tilted up in a grin. “I guess we’ll be seeing each other more next fall.”