January Page 2

  “No doubt,” Pussy replied. “I need to know if two dogged gentlemen were in the bathroom in the past few minutes? Wearing dark suits, perhaps?”

  “Miss Katnip!” Robby whispered loudly behind her. “This is the men’s room. You can’t be—”

  “A simple yes or no will do, Mr. Limpet,” Pussy pressed.

  “I didn’t…no,” he mumbled.

  “You don’t know if they were in here?” Pussy stepped over to him.

  “No, I know.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I mean, no, they weren’t in here.”

  “There we go. That was easy now, wasn’t it.” Pussy turned to walk out. “Oh, and Mr. Limpet, you might want to join us out in the main room. It’s all right to step out of your shell every once in a while.” She glanced at her bartender. “Robert, please comp the gentleman his first drink.”

  “Whatever you say, Miss Katnip.” She heard him continue after she exited. “Sorry about that, Tom. Come by the bar, I’ll take care of you.”

  When Robby emerged, Pussy continued. “Go talk to Robin. Have her keep her eyes open for the two men. Let me know if they show up. Thank you.”

  “Hey, Miss Katnip, what’s the hubbub about?” Robby asked.

  “I’ll tell you later.” She walked back into the room, quickly scanning for both Rodney and Corson and his crew. Corson was sitting with two of his guests. Rodney was alone—for a moment. A waitress brought him something. His hands fumbled with the folded paper, eventually opening it enough to read it. The paper fell like the tree it was made from as he scurried from the table.

  Shaking her head the whole way, Pussy followed behind. The only pause was long enough to pick up the discarded note.

  The message on it was short and succinct. Meet out behind the club in two minutes and all was forgiven. Double the money paid out for the return of what Rodney stole.

  Pussy’s pace picked up as she tucked the folded note into a her belt. The trail led through the kitchen and to the back door of the club. It opened with a heavy clank, and Pussy saw what she feared.

  Another ten seconds might have been too late. Rodney’s feet dangled several inches off the ground, held up against the wall by the slightly larger of the pair.

  “…gotta go get it! Just give me a chance!” Rodney was already pleading. Likely for his life.

  “Not part of the deal, ya dope!” The gentleman to the side seemed to be doing the talking. “This is a short ticket out.”

  “Seems like you gentlemen aren’t giving him a chance.” All three of them turned her way. “Why don’t you put him down.”

  “This is none of your business, doll,” the talkative one replied. “Now get back inside before you get hurt.”

  “Actually this is my business. In every sense of the word.” Pussy took a half step towards them. “Now put him down, or I’ll put you down.”

  “Dumb way to start the year, but it’s your funeral. Hold onto him, Bruno. I’ll be right back.” The talkative one moved. Pussy moved faster.

  A fist to the gut and every bit of air exited the man’s lungs. Pussy was already pulling her hand back as he doubled over. His shocked expression almost made Pussy smile, but her elbow was already moving towards the back of his head so his expression was short lived.

  In less than three seconds his unconscious body was on the ground at her feet.

  “So, Bruno,” she rested her hand on her hip, “do we want to make it two for two, or do you just want to put him down and go back inside?”

  Bruno’s eyes flashed down to his fallen companion, and then focused back on Pussy. Rodney slumped down and gasped for air, but he made no move for the door. Bruno’s only move was to assume a defensive fighting stance.

  The element of surprise was gone, and Bruno appeared a little more competent than Pussy hoped.

  He stepped away from her quick jab and returned one of his own. It missed by a mile. He might have reach on her, but she more than made up for it with speed.

  Apparently, he figured that out, too.

  Both of his hands covered up his face as he rushed in. Pussy threw a punch towards his gut, but it didn’t stop his momentum. Bruno crashed into her, driving her back into the wall of the club. She winced, but kept her footing. His hand drove into her side, trying to finish what he started and put her on the ground.

  Three shots in rapid succession did their best to knock the air out of her. They almost succeeded, but really only made her mad.

  Her right hand grabbed his belt. The left went to his throat. She lifted, turned around, and slammed him against the wall. And then did it again. Plus a third time for good measure. As he slumped down, her right hand drove across his jaw, dropping him for the night.

  “And that’s how we do that,” she muttered. Her eyes shifted at a shuffling sound behind her. “Rodney, you lied to me.”

  The sound stopped. “Uh, what are you talkin’ about Pussy? You saw ‘em! They was tryin’ to off me!”

  “Which wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t come outside.” Her feet swiveled around and the rest of her followed. “And you wouldn’t have come outside unless you had money to trade them.”

  “Wh-what? No, they made me—”

  “I read the note,” Pussy interrupted. “Where’s the money?”

  “Well, that’s just it, Pussy, I kinda—”

  “Where’s the money?” He jumped at the volume of her voice.

  “I only got half.” His hands were in and out of his pockets in a second. A bundle of bills hung loosely together. “Just half.”

  She held out her hand. “Give me those, and go back to my table.” He stared at her hand. Then at the money. Then back at her hand. “I’m not taking it. I need it, but you’ll get your money back.”

  “You promise?” His hand barely moved away from his body.

  “Get back to the table, Rodney.” She snatched the money from his hand. “And this time, don’t leave.”

  One of the men on the ground moaned. It was enough to motivate Rodney to hurry back inside. Pussy looked at the man. A glint of metal caught her eye.

  She crouched beside him and turned out the lapel of his jacket. A gold pin of a sphere—a globe—with a hand gripping it tightly from below. It went with her as Pussy stood up. She turned it over once in her hand. The money rested in her left, the pin in her right. She locked the door behind her as she stepped back inside the club.

  The sound of Judy’s voice penetrated all the way to the back of the kitchen. The crowd’s response to it was almost as clear. Pussy could barely hear it through her own thoughts. She exited the kitchen and went straight upstairs to her private quarters. Money and pin fell beside each other on a small table. She slid the money free of the loose-fitting wrapper and thumbed through it, counting quickly.

  “Not quite half, Rodney,” she mumbled, “and nowhere near enough money to commit murder.”

  Like a green fan, the money spread out in her hand. The paper felt worn and used, but the bills were still somewhat crisp. She dropped them back down onto the table. Her eyes lingered on them. Once more her fingers moved the bills, this time spreading them apart.

  “I’ll be….”

  One swipe of her hand gathered them together. Moving to a bookcase, her hand pushed it aside, revealing a hidden safe. Tumblers fell, followed by the click of the latch, and the contents revealed themselves. Only one thing held Pussy’s attention, and she took it out in an instant. The safe door closed, followed by the bookcase, leaving none but herself the wiser.

  The wrapper that previously surrounded Rodney’s bundle of cash went around some new money, and she headed back downstairs.

  “Robert!” Pussy called ahead as she stepped up to the bar.

  “Yeah, Boss?” Robby wiped his hands on the rag at his waist as he stepped up.

  “I need you to do something.” Pussy handed something to Robby, and then laid out her plan.

  A minute later, his expression didn’t inspire Pussy with confidence.


  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Trust me on this, Robert.” Pussy stood up straight. “Besides, it might not happen. This is just a conditional situation.”

  “That’s a heck of a situation, Boss.” The short, sharp whistle added his own exclamation.

  “Just watch for my signal, Robert.” She left him in his doubt and wonder.

  Judy was still on stage, and the crowd couldn’t take their eyes off of her. With a few exceptions.

  “Not enjoying the show?” Pussy stepped up to Corson’s table.

  “The singer is delightful, but I must admit to being distracted this evening,” he replied. “I thought you were about to go on stage. What changed your mind?”

  “Oh, some unexpected business came up.” Pussy pulled out a chair. “May I?”

  “Of course!” Corson gestured to the chair. “Out of curiosity, what was your business?”

  Pussy held his eyes as she slipped onto the chair. Her hand rested on the table. When she pulled it back, she left something behind.

  “What’s that?” Corson stared at the table.

  “Your money,” she answered.

  He looked up. “I’m sorry?”

  “All five-hundred. Rodney apologizes for his…indiscretion.” Pussy all but purred.

  Corson pulled the bundle to him and flipped through the bills. He pushed it back towards her. “That’s not my money.”

  “It’s five-hundred dollars,” Pussy said.

  “Not my five-hundred.”

  Pussy leaned back and crossed her arms. “And I wonder exactly what that means?”

  “You don’t want to get involved in this, Miss Katnip. I don’t know your connection to Rodney, but my—”

  “I took the money from him,” she blurted. “He owed it to me.”

  She counted the seconds before he spoke. It was four. “You have my money?”

  “That’s your money.” She pointed to the bundle. “Paid in full.”

  “It’s not my money. If you do have it, I will give you the opportunity to return it to me, or else things will become…unpleasant.” He spoke slowly, with nothing but ice in his words.

  “Really?” Pussy put her hand back on the table. Her fingers pushed a golden pin forward. “I already found two of your companions entertaining enough. What do you have to offer?”

  The stub of his arm crept onto the tabletop, coming to a stop halfway between them. “Would you like to guess how I lost my hand, Miss Katnip?”

  “You’ve always had trouble finding a girlfriend?” she answered.

  He half chuckled. “No. One day I found myself confronted with an impossible situation. A life or death choice that was too bizarre to be real. A demon stood before me, looking to take my life. There was nowhere to run. No chance to escape. So I did what I needed to do. I plunged my hand into the demon’s chest and took hold of his heart. I crushed the organ, feeling it stop beating even as the intense heat from his soul burned away my flesh, leaving nothing but a stub. There was no blood. The end of my arm was cauterized instantly. It was painful, but it was a sacrifice that I was willing to make.” He pulled his arm back beneath the table. “Tell me Miss Katnip, are you willing to make such a sacrifice?”

  “Cute story. I don’t believe in demons,” Pussy stated.

  “It doesn’t matter what you believe, Miss Katnip. What matters is what the hand shows you,” he drawled.

  “Oh, Corson, I assure you, I haven’t even shown you my hand yet.” She motioned towards the bar. “It seems to me that if someone is more interested in some paper rather than the money it represents, there is something other than cash at play. I want to know what it is.”

  “It’s a bigger game than you want to play,” he answered.

  “Try me.”

  “You have a nice city that you play in, Miss Katnip, but the world is a large place. Where do you see yourself fitting in?” he asked.

  She paused. “I saw the pattern on the bills. Clearly counterfeit money. The serial numbers followed the strangest order. Tell me what it means.”

  “She knows too much,” Corson’s female companion commented. He only responded with a wave of his hand.

  “Have you ever heard of C.R.O.W.N., Miss Katnip?” His eyes were locked with hers.

  “Beyond the obvious answers, no.”

  “It’s a rumored organization. One that supposedly has its sites set on controlling the world. The Covert Rulers Of the World’s Nations. Stories of them have been circulating since The Great War.”

  She glanced down at the pin on the table. “Stories. Of course.”

  “You’re a capable woman. I believe that you might prove to be a benefit to us in the long run,” he stated. “Before I can answer your questions, I will need a gesture on your behalf. Something to instill a sense of trust between us.”

  “You want your money,” Pussy replied.

  “It seems like a reasonable request,” Corson said.

  They stayed locked in the moment. It was broken when Pussy stood and retrieved the money she had placed on the table. “I’ll be back in a minute or two.”

  She sauntered through the crowd, barely acknowledging anyone along the path to her destination. The smile on her face as she walked up to Rodney was less than comforting.

  “What did you bring into my club?” Her words came out slow but sharp.

  “I don’t know what you—”

  “Stop.” A touch of fang appeared. “No more lies. If I question one word from here out I’ll hand you over to that man myself. Now tell me what you know.”

  “I don’t know anything, Pussy. Honest!” Rodney was sweating enough to fill barrels.

  “Then tell me what you don’t know,” Pussy growled. “Corson says he’s part of some secret organization. How did you get hooked up with them, and why do they want that money?”

  “I….” He swallowed. “They needed someone to move on the streets for them. They came to me, I swear. Said I was the perfect guy. That I knew what they needed. I swear.”

  All of his words translated inside Pussy’s head. “You weren’t a threat and they could control you. But then you went and tossed a monkey wrench into their theory and nicked some cash. Why?”

  His finger pulled on the collar of his shirt. “I just took the cabbage. I didn’t mean for this to happen. Then I heard them talking about the gold, and….”

  “Gold?” Her eyebrow went up.

  “Yes. They said…they said that money was for them to buy gold. It didn’t seem like enough to make a difference to me, though.” He grabbed the remains of a drink from the table and downed it. Pussy was pretty sure it was hers.

  “Rodney?” He looked away from the glass and up to her. “If you ever come into my club looking for help, don’t forget to tell me everything.” Her foot had barely moved before she stopped. “Better yet, if you ever feel the need to come into my club…don’t.”

  His head nodded up and down like a stuttering jackhammer.

  Robby was waiting for her at the bar as she walked up.

  “Are you finished?” she asked. “You saw my signal, didn’t you?”

  “Much as I hate it, yeah,” he sighed. “Why did you make me do that, Miss Katnip?”

  “Did you mix it in with the rest?” She pointed to the ceiling.

  “Just a minute ago. And I’m gonna cry when midnight hits,” he stated.

  She glanced at her watch again. “In only five minutes, too. If you’ll excuse me, Robert, I have someone to see about some gold.”

  “What?” His question faded behind her as she weaved through the crowd.

  Once more Pussy found herself standing beside Corson’s table. She sat without asking permission.

  “What news do you have, Miss Katnip?” he asked her.

  “Routing numbers? Shipping numbers? What is it?” she answered with a question of her own.

  “Miss Katnip, I—”

  “I mean, there’s a code, obviously. I have no idea why it was transferred to you i
n a bunch of counterfeit bills, but that’s what you’re after. And since you are so desperately trying to get these bills back, clearly this is information that you won’t be able to get again. At least not easily.” She felt her blood racing through her veins, desperately trying to pound itself out of her body.

  “Just give me the money, and we’ll be gone. It’s that simple.” Corson growled.

  Keeping it as casual as possible, Pussy leaned back in her chair. “No, I don’t think it is. You’ll pardon a small-time business owner, but I know the cost of running my operation. And if that were to go global, then I’d be looking at an exorbitant amount of money.” She smiled. “You’re going broke, aren’t you?”

  “Miss Katnip!” Corson stood up. The other two at the table joined him. “I demand that you return my money to me this instant!”

  “Sit down.” Pussy eyed all three. “I actually have every intention of giving you your money.”

  His mouth dropped open. The other two looked his way, and he motioned them to sit. As soon as they were down, he followed. “I’m happy to see you’re as smart as you are beautiful.”

  A faint taste of bile hit her throat. “Oh, I’m full of surprises. In fact, I—”

  “Ladies and Gentlemen!” Jenny announced from stage.

  “Wait!” Pussy stopped herself. “It’s that time.”

  “On behalf of the staff and everyone here at the Kit Kat Klub, why don’t you help me welcome in the new year!”

  A cheer swelled up from every table, filling the room. Every table save the one where Pussy sat.

  “Let’s count down!” Jenny began. “Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six.” Pussy’s eyes were locked with Corson. “Five. Four. Three. Two.” She smiled. “One. Happy New Year!”

  The ceiling exploded into a rain of confetti, showering down upon the room. The band broke into a familiar tune, and Jenny led the crowd as they all sang along.

  Should old acquaintance be forgot,

  And never brought to mind?

  Should oil acquaintance be forgot,

  And old lang syne?

  For auld lang syne, my dear,

  For auld lang syne,