Katz Pajamas Series Boxset Page 7

  “But how did you know?” Mr. Hashimoto questioned.

  “Oh, I’ll get to that, but first we should have Madame Buttercup join us.”

  “Yes, that would be nice, but didn’t she…”

  “Fly out a window?” I interrupted. “From what I could see, she did; but as I’ve been reminded this evening, our eyes can play tricks on us.”

  “How so?”

  “Sometimes we see what we want to see, and other times we are too distracted to pay attention,” I answered. “But before I get to that, I really think everyone should join us. Surely, the Madame would prefer to hear my story from someplace other than under the table.”

  Mr. Hashimoto and Dr. Flufferton looked over to one of the tables closest to the wall of monitors as Madame Buttercup slowly crawled from underneath. I offered her a paw to help her up, which she took with a slight amount of disgust.

  As the Madame stood up, the door to the room burst open, and Fiona ran in. “Mr. Hashimoto, we can’t find Mr. Katz anywhere!” she exclaimed short of breath.

  “I’m right here,” I said as I smiled at Fiona and waved.

  Her jaw dropped at the sight of me. “How did…” She was unable to finish her sentence which was either caused by her shortness of breath or pure shock.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were looking for me.” I grinned proudly, feeling like I had the upper hand for once. “I assume Cornelius is with you.”

  “Why would you think that?” Fiona questioned.

  “You did say, ‘we’,” I pointed out. “I’m guessing that meant you and Cornelius.”

  She was about to deny that Cornelius was a participant when he walked through the doorway. I figured he wouldn’t run like Fiona had, but he would be close behind.

  “It looks like we are all here,” I stated erroneously to see if anyone would protest. While no one corrected me, it was clear they were all aware that I had not yet found Archie. After pausing for a moment, I broke the silence saying, “except Archibald Wigglebutt.”

  By this point, Mr. Hashimoto’s silence seemed to admit that I’d figured out his game. A game that appeared to have only one real player. Me.

  “No one wants to tell me that Archie was captured by the ghost when I narrowly escaped through the laundry chute?” I looked around at each curious cat with no response. “No one wants to challenge my assertion that Inspector Wigglebutt is also here in this room?”

  I moved to the center of the room and stopped. The floor creaked with a hushed annoyance under my feet, but up against the silence of the room, it could have been a deafening clap of thunder. I shifted my weight on the floor, and the creak repeated itself. Creak, squeak, creak.

  “What could that be?” I questioned as I looked directly at Mr. Hashimoto. “Is it…” I knelt down and extended a claw into a small opening between the floorboards. “…a passageway?”

  I lifted up on the floorboards and a two-by-two door opened, revealing Archie crouching beneath. “Hi, Katz,” he said, climbing out from the hole in the floor.

  “And now, Mr. Hashimoto, if I remember correctly, you were asking how I knew about Dr. Flufferton and Madame Buttercup being here. I would assume that would also pertain to my old friend Wigglebutt too.”

  I walked over to the wall of monitors, which I decided would be helpful in demonstrating how I found all the clues and was essentially the first clue. “When I arrived this evening, the first thing I noticed as I approached the front door was the security camera positioned to see who comes to your front door.”

  “Nothing unusual about that, right?” Mr. Hashimoto interrupted.

  “No, nothing at all. Especially for a house of this expense and reputation. In fact, it may not be that unusual to have even more scattered throughout your home considering the number of guests you have on a regular basis. But what I noticed was there were cameras in every room. From what I could tell there wasn’t a space in this house that didn’t have camera coverage. Even this room.” I pointed to the camera in the corner by the ceiling.

  “I value security,” Mr. Hashimoto said.

  “As you should,” I concurred. “The next clue that stood out to me was the truck parked to the side of your home. As I noted the other cars in your driveway, the semi-truck seemed a little out of place. I didn’t think too much of it at the moment because I assumed you could own a trucking business.”

  Mr. Hashimoto nodded.

  “But remember. Clues are just pieces to the puzzle, and two puzzle pieces such as the security cameras and the truck may not directly connect. In this case, a third piece to the puzzle would be the one to connect the other two.”

  “And that third piece was what?” Archie asked.

  “When I was reminded that Mr. Hashimoto owns The Cats All The Time Television Network.”

  “How does that connect the cameras and the truck?” Madame Buttercup questioned.

  “Every cat knows that cameras are used to shoot TV shows. What I had thought were security cameras were actually high definition production cameras. The kind that might be used for a CATTT reality TV show.”

  “And the truck?” Dr. Flufferton added.

  “Well, you of all cats would know that when a television show shoots on location, one or more trucks might be used to transport lighting equipment, props, editing, or production tools used to create special effects such as lightning, thunder, wind, or…” I paused for a moment for dramatic effect. “Ghosts.”

  “Very good, Mr. Katz,” Mr. Hashimoto said as his smile returned. “You are as good as your reputation.”

  “Thank you,” I replied, accepting the compliment again. “But there were more clues that helped me confirm that what we were really doing was shooting a new reality show for CATTT.”

  “More?” Mr. Hashimoto questioned.

  “Sure. Dr. Bingo Flufferton is the star of Cat & Mouse, which is one of your shows. And Madame Buttercup, a ghost expert, is often called upon to consult on ghost-related TV programming.”

  “What about Inspector Wigglebutt?” Mr. Hashimoto asked. “How is he related to this TV show that you’re describing?”

  “That was the biggest mystery of all,” I admitted. “But then I remembered back to when we were Cat Cops together. There was a businesscat who had developed a security system for homes, businesses, and law enforcement. It was a system of linked video cameras that would send signals to a recording device, which at the time was all done on video tapes. It was the cutting edge technology. Of course, today it would be a bit antiquated.”

  Mr. Hashimoto interrupted me asking, “How is this relevant, Mr. Katz?”

  “It’s relevant because you are that businesscat, Mr. Hashimoto,” I proclaimed. “You were the one who came to the precinct years ago to demonstrate your new technology. You see, I hadn’t remembered that it was you until I saw Archie at the dinner table earlier tonight.”

  I turned my attention to Archie who avoided my glance by looking at the floor. “Correct me if I’m wrong, Archie,” I continued. “Our chief at the Cat Cops had recommended that I work with Mr. Hashimoto on this project. But before I knew it, you had stepped in and taken the opportunity. It was the reason our friendship ended.”

  “Excuse me for being such a sourpuss,” I apologized. “To answer the original question, Inspector Wigglebutt has been a main contributor to your security business and most likely has been deeply involved with this show’s creation.”

  “Very good, Mr. Katz,” Mr. Hashimoto said.

  “What I don’t understand is why you chose me for your little game.” I stated.

  “Why don’t I let the inspector explain,” Mr. Hashimoto replied.

  Archie looked up from the floor. He appeared hesitant as he started, “Because you’re the best, Katz.”

  I raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to believe what he was saying.

  “To make this show work, we need it to feel as real as possible,” he continued. “Who better than the best detective in New Purrt, to help us f
ind out what works.”

  “And what doesn’t,” I added.

  “If we could have fooled you,” Archie added, “we would be able to fool anyone.

  “Apparently we have some work to do,” Dr. Flufferton said.

  “I’ll admit, I enjoyed the adventure,” I replied. “And I’m sure the average cat would be less suspicious of the events.”

  Mr. Hashimoto came over to me and extended his hand very businesslike. “You have been a good sport, Mr. Pajamas.”

  As I shook his hand, I noted that not only did he not give me a hug, but he actually addressed me with my correct name. Apparently, even how he originally presented himself was all part of the show.

  Reaching inside his coat, he pulled out an envelope. “Here is a check as payment for your assistance tonight.”

  Part of me wanted to refuse the payment to make a point about the deception, but what did I really have to complain about. I love to solve mysteries and that’s what I got to do. Also, as a self-employed detective, refusing payment because of a bruised ego didn’t make much sense. Instead, I accepted the check and quickly tucked it my pocket. With that, I said, “Thank you,” and exited the house.

  The rain had stopped and the storm clouds had cleared by the time I walked out of the Hashimoto house. Interestingly, without the stormy weather, the house looked much friendlier. Knowing it was impossible, I still wondered if Mr. Hashimoto has created the rain storm just for the show too.

  I was about to get into my car when I spotted Archie leaving the house. “Katz, wait up!” he called to me.

  I didn’t really want to wait. I contemplated pretending like I hadn’t heard him, quickly jumping into my car, and driving away without looking back. I’d had enough drama for the night, and Archie was not a cat I wanted to spend extra time with. Yet, something inside me wouldn’t let me ignore his call.

  “Katz, I thought you’d like to take this.”

  I looked to the box in Archie’s hand. “Is that?....” I couldn’t finish my question.

  “Yeah,” Archie said as he nodded and handed the box to me. “I’d hate for all that food to go to waste.”

  I took the box, able to smell the contents.

  “Salmon is still your favorite, right?” he asked. “I had Fiona make a little extra for you to take home.”

  I nodded, speechless. Not able to form the words, I looked to Archie, questioning his motives. He knew what I was thinking.

  “Look, Katz, I really messed up back when we were on the Cat Cops. I’ve always wanted to say I’m sorry but never knew how. I sacrificed our partnership… our friendship just to get ahead. So when we started putting this show together, I realized I…” Archie’s voice faded.

  I could see this was difficult for him to say. “You mean to tell me you did this to…”

  “Say I’m sorry,” he said cutting me off. “I figured this would be a good way to get together. I really am sorry.”

  As would be expected, there was that awkward silence between two tomcats in a sentimental moment. I deflected my eyes by examining the box holding my salmon.

  Finally, Archie broke the silence. “I know it may be too little too late, but maybe one day we can be friends again.”

  “You could have just come by my office.”

  “And miss the chance to solve a mystery with Katz Pajamas, detective extraordinaire?”

  I extended my paw and said, “Thank you for the fish and the adventure. Most of all, thank you for the apology.” After shaking his paw, I sat in my car and started it up. I rolled down my window and said, “Let’s meet up for a milk sometime.”

  With that, I started driving. I was looking forward to an easier ride home without the treacherous storms. It would be a drive with the convertible top down.

  As I set the salmon on a plate and popped it into the microwave, I thought about Archie kindly. Despite my years of holding negative feelings toward him, in one night I had been able to let go of my anger and appreciate him for his positive attributes. The fact that I was paid for my time and rewarded with my favorite dish didn’t hurt either.

  The ding of the microwave brought me back to the present where I was standing in the corner of my office, which I had labeled “the kitchen.” Even though it only had a microwave, a KatKup machine for the best brewed mocha milks, and a mini fridge, it had always worked well for my needs. I carefully pulled the steaming plate out of the microwave and inhaled the heavenly aroma. It was a scrumptious smell that could make any cat’s claws curl.

  Sitting down at my desk with my late night dinner, I prepared to record the events of the case like I always do. While this case was different than most, and I don’t usually have a gourmet meal to accompany my work, it was still important to keep a record. You never know when a similar situation or small detail will come up and help solve another case. In fact, my familiarity with trap doors such as the one on the stage at the Fat Cat Café came in handy at the House of Hashimoto. Knowing how trap doors work, helped me know that the disappearing cats were not from a ghostly presence but only a magic trick.

  Focusing more on my meal than my notes, I thought back on my old friend Archie. I reflected on the good times we had after joining the Cat Cop Academy. We had worked so many cases together, solving the toughest of mysteries. Reflecting, it made me wonder why I had gotten so upset in the first place and lost a friend. Sure, Archie could be a little rough around the edges and let the fur fly, but he was always willing to take risks, and not back down in the face of danger. Even with all his flaws he was still a pretty good cat.

  I might have been justified in my anger with him years ago, but I too had done something wrong. I had held a grudge against Archie. I was equally guilty of letting my selfishness interfere with our friendship.

  After typing the last few details about the events of the night, I pushed my typewriter aside and brought my plate closer to me. One bite remained. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the treat for my taste buds, coming to the last bite of a heavenly meal is always a bittersweet moment for me. Knowing the pleasure was coming to an end, I took comfort in knowing that I had more leftovers in the fridge. That thought made the last bite more sweet than bitter.

  And so another mystery was solved. While it was more a ruse or trick, it didn’t get the best of me. Plus, I was paid and fed, and when you’re a hardworking gumshoe, work is work and getting paid is what counts. In the end, though, there was a real mystery to be solved. It just wasn’t a mystery about finding a ghost. It was a mystery about a finding a lost friendship.

  I guess what I realized was that some mysteries are harder than others to solve. Some can be answered in a single night and others take years.

  I put on my hat and coat and flipped off the office lights. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I scrolled through the contacts and found Archie’s number. Opening the door, about ready to leave, I hit the send button on my phone.

  “Hello?” the voice said on the other end.

  “Hey, Archie, it’s me, Katz,” I said as I stepped into the hallway and pulled the door shut. “How’d you like to meet me for a mocha milk?”

  The End

  KATZ PAJAMAS

  The Catastic Carnival Caper

  Copyright © 2018 Jack Lugar

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of very brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Published and Distributed by The Jackodile Press

  Book Design by Jack Lugar

  Illustrations by Max Rambaldi (www.MaxRambaldi.com)

  Cover Design by Max Rambaldi and Samantha Yoo

  Author’s photo by Callista Lugar

  Chapter 1 Let’s Go to the Car
nival

  Chapter 2 The Greatest Showcat

  Chapter 3 A Costumed Cat

  Chapter 4 Under the Bleachers

  Chapter 5 Clowning Around

  Chapter 6 Cats Big and Small

  Chapter 7 The Hot Seat

  Chapter 8 Cat and Mouse

  Chapter 9 The Tunnel

  Chapter 10 The Boss

  Chapter 11 Found a Peanut

  Chapter 12 The Dairy Car

  A carnival is no place for a detective like me. With all the cats, clutter, and chaos, it can make my fur stand on end. But when I get the call with a mystery to solve, I can’t help but say “yes.” So like every other day, when the phone rings, it’s like bells from heaven. That ring typically means it’s time for me to go back to work.

  Of course, you know me as Katz Pajamas, New Purrt, Catifornia’s top private eye, and while my work often calls for me to hob nob with the rich and famous, that is quite the contrast from my normal life. Take one look at my hole-in-the-wall, low-rent office and you’ll see that I don’t live the highlife. That’s why when my phone rang a short time ago, I was ready to take the short walk to meet my next client: C. T. Barncat. And while that name may not ring a bell for you, it’s a name I’ve known since I was just a little fluff ball. C. T. Barncat is the most famous carnival barker, funny to call a cat a barker, possibly in all the world. He has created shows of great interest featuring all sorts of cats of unique skills and appearances as well as developing thrilling rides beyond any other cat’s imagination.