I shook my head wearily. This was one time when Benny could have shown a little more sensitivity. When I think about it though, he did only charge me thirty bucks. That’s pretty lenient by his usual standards. In fact, it was lenient enough that I found myself growing anxious to know how much I was really gettin’ for my money.

“So, what are ya waitin’ for?” I nudged. Bad news or not, I wanted it out on the table.

At my urging, Benny leaned forward and said quietly, “Earthsong is on the level. She’s completely clean.”

I sat there for a moment dumbfounded. Benny practically had me believin’ that she was Lucretia Borgia and now he tells me she’s on the level. Quickly my surprise turned to anger and, before I had time to think, I raised my voice and shouted, “Then what have you been messin’ around with my head for, you sadistic—”

Benny looked around a little embarrassed and gave me the pipe-down sign. “You gotta let me finish, Nick,” Benny said with more patience than I imagine he was feeling. “It’s true that I said Earthsong was Kosher, but that cat of hers ain’t. It seems that kitty girl has an impressive rap sheet and Earthsong is totally in denial about it.”

“Keep talkin’,” I said knowing that it would probably be ugly.

“It seems that kitty has a little nickname among the folks that know her. Can you guess what it is?” I shrugged lamely not feelin’ up to twenty questions.

“They call her The Soprano Maker.”

“The Soprano Maker,” I repeated moodily. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Come on, Nick. What do you suppose it could mean? It’s basically what kitty did to the last 5 of Earthsong’s partners. Does that help clear things up, for ya?”

I heard the sound of a glass tumbler breaking and knew that the shot of mead had slipped from my numb fingers. Too bad, too. It was the good stuff. Benny gestured to someone across the room and another mead mysteriously appeared while the glass was efficiently removed.

“How?” I whispered hoarsely.

“Kitty apparently gets ‘em while they’re making love with her mistress. I picture it happening like this. She probably stows away somewhere in the room, lazing around in a half sleep. After a while, things start getting a little exciting on the silks and kitty pokes her head up to see what’s going on. What she sees catches her interest.” Benny paused, affecting a distant gaze and adding a solemn note to his voice.

“I can just imagine those big feline eyes, locked onto that funny little part of a guy which by now is bouncing and jiggling in a tantalizing way, like a sack of fresh catnip. Kitty, mesmerized by the fascinating tidbit, starts twitching her tail in a jerky motion. Watching. And watching. Her excitement continues to grow and soon she’s no longer content to watch. Succumbing at last to her primordial nature, with her tail twitching more violently and her claws fully extended, kitty decides to play. She crouches fluidly and silently, her ears laid back and her muscles tensing for the final—”

“Goddess Benny, that’s enough!” I screamed as I bolted from my stool while gripping a beloved bit of plumbing. “I think you’re really getting off on this!” I added in an accusing tone.

Benny smiled impishly. “You’re on to me,” he said barely able to contain his mirth. “Maybe that sadistic comment wasn’t so far out of line.” He could see my outrage and he stopped smiling only to start laughing uproariously until finally, he rolled helplessly to the floor.

“OK, wise guy,” I growled when his laughing fit subsided, “Now that we’ve identified the problem, maybe you have a decent suggestion?”

Benny dried his eyes and quickly became serious. “Drop the case, Nick,” he advised. “The cat is trouble. And for the Horned one’s sake, don’t get involved with Earthsong, do you hear me? Do not fool around with that woman. It would end badly. Besides, if that cat were to trim your tree, I can’t begin to imagine the whining I’d have to listen to.”

“Jeez Benny,” I shot back, “You’re concern for me is touching. I’m gonna start ballin’ here in a minute.”

Benny smiled and then put on a show of irritation. “Lodestone. Are you still here? I should have known you’d be hard to get rid of after that free drink.” The sparring was starting again.

“Sorry Benny,” I said with mock sincerity, “I thought I was supposed to get some information for my money, that’s all. If I’d known you were just going to cop out with some hysterical ravings about The Demon Kitty of —”

“Now just a damn minute,” Benny said cutting me off. “That information was totally legit. If you choose to ignore it, that’s your problem. Just don’t come cryin’ to me in your newly acquired contralto. Capice?”

It was my turn to laugh. I’d gotten to him with that last one. “OK, OK. I was just jerking your chain. I believed you the first time. I’m planning on turning down the case when I see Earthsong later this afternoon.”

“Maybe you’d better call her, Nick,” Benny suggested with a hint of concern in his voice. “She has a certain persuasive quality about her that you’ll likely be powerless to resist. Others have tried and failed.”

“Your faith in me is overwhelming, Benny, but I think I can handle it.”

“Suit yourself,” Benny replied coolly, “But kitty is bloody dangerous. Keep that in mind.”

“I will Benny,” I promised after I polished off the mead, “but there’s one last thing you should probably know.”

“What’s that?” Benny inquired.

“Whatever you do, don’t ever let her catch you calling her ‘Kitty’. I hear it really pisses her off.”

Benny pulled back and beaned me with an olive as I ran for the front door. When I turned to wave so long, he tossed me another little package. It was the money he owed me. Less the 30, of course.

“Stay in touch,” he hollered, “and look after yourself.” I smiled and nodded. “And don’t get involved with—,” his voice trailed off as I made my way from the Holly King. Loneoak talks a tough line, but he has a good heart. A big one, too.

I caught the West End transit and headed toward my meeting with Earthsong. It was a short trip, but there was still plenty of time to worry. After the tram ride, I pulled out the hastily scribed directions and headed off to my appointment. As I moved along the last stretch, I noticed I was slowin’ down. Considerably. For all of my bravado with Benny, I was a little nervous about that cat. Maybe worried would be more accurate. Let’s say just a little shy of incontinent with fear, for the sake of clarity. Pets. Goddess help me.

Despite my best efforts, I managed to find myself walking down Earthsong’s street toward her digs. It was a quaint two story brown stone cottage shaded by some majestic old white oaks. She had several simple but elegant gardens placed about the front yard. A small stone walkway led to the front door and another path branched from it, disappearing around the right side of the house. As I walked toward the porch, my feet bruised the thick carpet of native chamomile growing prodigiously between the stones of the walk. The smell was incredible. I felt strangely refreshed as I took a deep drag.

Forgetting myself for a moment, I stopped and took a good look at the garden to the left of the path. It was carefully laid out within a large stone circle which I guessed to be about 9 feet across. Various clusters of herbs were segregated by more lines of rock within the circle. It took a moment for me to realize that the rock partitions made up a pentacle. Very nicely done. I recognized the yellow blossoms of trefoil growing in the boundaries. Different herbs grew in each point and in the central section. A little stone goddess kept watch contentedly from the center. I recognized some of the stuff; foxglove, angelica, a flavor of mint, cinquefoil, comfrey and there were a couple of others that I just couldn’t place. It was an intriguing arrangement. I scratched my head. There was something in particular about these herbs but it wasn’t coming to me.

“Protection,” offered a beautiful voice to my right. “It’s my garden of protection.” I straightened up suddenly, caught completely off guard. The woman standing on the porch gave me a speculative glance and asked, “Would you be Nick Lodestone by chance?”

“Yeah,” I said sheepishly, “That would be me.” Earthsong moved gracefully down the stairs to where I stood.

“Oh Nick,” she whispered. “I was afraid you wouldn’t come.” She embraced me fiercely. Most of the air I would have used for a reply had escaped somewhere over her right shoulder. The lady had some arms. I found myself not minding a bit, though. After a long and pleasurable moment, I gently pulled loose.

“I never fail a lady in distress,” I replied smoothly.

Of course Earthsong had no way of knowing that I had tossed a coin to make my decision of whether or not to show. Actually, I tossed it 12 times and lost every time. Not the kind of coincidence I’m inclined to ignore. Nonetheless, I was struggling to muster some enthusiasm for being there. Fortunately for me, Earthsong proved quite helpful in that department. She smiled at my chivalry and said, “I guess you’d like to get started then.”

I smiled setting aside my fears and replied, “Actually, if you wouldn’t mind too much, I’d like a look around first. If the gardens out back are as nice as the ones in front, I could use the recharge.”

Earthsong warmed to my comments and took me on a tour of the grounds. Suffice it to say I’d never seen such a cool suburban yard in my life. Statues of gods and goddesses abounded, each finding sanctuary within the intricate weaving of small copses and grottos. Roughly in the middle of the yard was a fair sized circle with a fire pit at the center. Both the fire pit and the circle were circumscribed with rocks of various kinds, all tastefully chosen. A reflecting pool lay clear and tranquil to the west. How could the Lord and Lady resist a place like this? It was like Nirvana.

After a leisurely tour, we finally made our way into the house. She started a pot of green tea and threw in a handful of dried herbs from a crock near the stove. A lemony scent emanated from the warming water. As she led me through the house, she pointed despondently to a few of the haunts of the recently vanished Bastet. “There,” she said gesturing toward an unrecognizable piece of detritus in the corner of a small room. That’s her scratching post.”

Once again I could feel that faint sense of foreboding dance along my spine. I moved over and had a closer look at the thing. It appeared to have been a hedge post with some sort of Orlon carpet nailed to the outside. That was my best guess. Now it was mostly a pile of artificial fiber fluff and wood splinters. The remaining post didn’t look long for the world. I know a couple of beavers that only wish they could do something like that to a piece of hedge.

“Is there more?” I inquired, my voice temporarily jumping up an octave.

“Just a few toys and some photos.”

“Could I see the pictures?” I asked, hoping to get a grip on my nerves.

Earthsong directed me to a futon with a coffee table in front of it. She followed along shortly after with the pot of tea. While the tea cooled, Earthsong picked up a photo album and began leafing through the thing. All in all, there were a surprising number of pictures of Bastet. I don’t think I could miss her if I saw her now. Earthsong smiled dreamily and sighed, “She’s a beauty isn’t she?”

I looked at the pictures and thought to myself, Stephen King, eat your heart out. In every picture, kitty’s eyes were glowing and she always seemed to have her teeth bared.

“She’s got quite a personality,” I said weakly wondering how long it would be before I could sleep without nightmares. I made a mental note to pick up that dream catcher today. Hoping to avoid any further discussion about how cute or sweet kitty might be, I grabbed my tea and took a sip. The aroma was pungent but the taste was smooth. There was definitely a lemony hint to it.

Earthsong watched me taste the brew and said, “The flavor comes from lemon grass. Do you like?”

“Mmmmm,” I offered, nodding my assent. It was really pretty good stuff.

“So tell me Nick,” Earthsong began in a coy sort of way, “Do you think you’d like to take the case?” She fixed me with a level stare. Her eyes seemed large to me, like the dark reflecting pool in her yard. They were a place where an unwary fellow could lose himself with no hope of escape. Despite her abundant charm, I’d decided not to take the case. It just wasn’t my horn of mead. As I prepared to let her down easily, I was only slightly distracted by the subtle hint of sandalwood which clung to her skin and her dark, lustrous hair. I groped for the right way to begin when I slowly realized just how closely her body was pressed to my own. Her nearness made it a little difficult to concentrate. It was going to be a shame to let this one go — real shame, but that was life.

I quickly refocused on the disagreeable task of refusing the case, when I caught myself admiring the fullness of Earthsong’s small, sensual mouth. She had an opulence about her, I realized; a ripeness in her breasts and hips that made her the very image of the goddess. Yeah, she was clearly a beauty beyond the will of lesser men to resist. That is, lesser men than Nick Lodestone. When my mind is made up, nothin’ can sway me. I decided it was time to drop the bomb.

“I’ll take the case,” I blurted out as her hand brushed softly along the inside of my thigh. The part of my brain that had answered was too far away from the other part that was screaming, ‘Sweet Gods, Noooooooo!’ to pick up on the mistake. These things happen.

“Oh Nick,” Earthsong sighed in a breathy voice. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I know you’ll find Bassie, I just know you will.” That said, she eagerly pressed her wondrous lips against my own and showed me that she knew how to use them. A lesser man would have been helpless against the onslaught of her savage charm. Only a guy like me with a will of iron could resist such certain temptation. And I do have a strict rule about getting involved with clients.

After several hours of wild love-making, Earthsong and I shared a cool shower. She was truly a marvelous hostess. She also made her own soap. After we found our clothes, I asked if she could show me some of the neighborhood. She agreed but insisted that we go ahead and put the clothes on before heading out. I shrugged. It’s her neighborhood.

It was a mature burgh and very well kept. There were a number of little sheds and out buildings behind the nearby houses. Like the houses, they were mostly made of stone. One particularly large unit caught my eye.

“What’s with that one?” I asked nodding toward the place. Earthsong pursed her lips and gazed at the building for a moment.

“I think it might have been a garage at one time,” she offered finally. “But I’ve lived here for 11 years and I’ve never seen a car go near it.” I could tell by the scant remains of a cinder path that a drive way had probably connected it to the street in front.

Something about the abandoned garage caught my fancy and I asked for a closer look. We went through a wooden gate then and had a quick look around the building. It appeared to be pretty tightly sealed. That cat would have to be named Houdini to break into a joint like that.

I turned back to Earthsong and asked, “Have you heard of any other cats or even dogs that have disappeared in this area? If so, I’d like to find out when and where they disappeared. It might offer a decent lead.”

Earthsong sighed and said she hadn’t noticed anything when she was putting up her ‘lost cat’ signs but she’d ask around. She took my hand then and led me back to the house. Her skin was soft and her touch, gentle. I could see why a guy might brave a psycho cat to share space with her. I wondered absently what poor chump would be kitty’s next playmate. Hey, I know what you’re thinking.

Before I left, we cast a circle near her favorite shrine and raised energy for the safe return of Bastet. The energy was incredible. I found myself feeling a little disappointed when we were finished. As it was, I had already stayed far longer than I’d expected, but I’m not complaining. I thanked Earthsong for the tea and made a clumsy effort to separate my professional involvement from my rapidly blooming personal involvement with her.

She smiled and pulled my face to hers. “We’ve got some chemistry between us, Mr. Lodestone,” she began, “and the cat has nothing to do with that.” She slipped her hands into my back pockets and squeezed hard. Mentally, I gave her an hour to stop. “I intend to pay you for your services just like I said, and I expect you to do the job you’ve been hired for.” She moved her face closer still and whispered, “Any other services, will involve payment in kind.”

“Sounds reasonable,” I replied coolly. “Let’s worry about your fee later, though. I really need to get back to the office.” She smiled and agreed. We hugged one last time and I told her to call as soon as she had the goods on the local pet population. I knew she would.

I boarded the tram for the ride home knowing I would have trouble taking money from Earthsong. It just didn’t seem right somehow. I got a window seat and started to make myself comfortable. Strangely, it was taking more effort than I’d expected and I soon realized why. Two crisp C notes had been rolled into tight balls and shoved into each of my back pockets. I chuckled then and said to no one in particular, “Earthsong you little scamp.”

When I walked into my place, the phone was ringing. Damn, I hate that. I toyed with the idea of letting the machine grab it, but curiosity got me again. I snapped up the receiver, “Lodestone Detective Agency. You’ve got Nick.”

“You poor bastard, you took the case didn’t you.” It was Benny Loneoak.

“Benny. Your manners still need some work. So I took the case. What’s it too ya?”

“We’ll talk about that later. You’ve got something else to worry about right now.” The feeling of foreboding descended again like a lead curtain.

“What?” I asked hesitantly.

“The cops are lookin’ for you, Nick, and their lookin’ hard.”

Immediately I started with old parking tickets and worked my way through last year’s tax returns. “Why the hell would they want me?” I asked, feeling pretty much stumped.

“They want you as a consultant, or so they said.” It took a moment for that to digest.

“A consultant?!” I paused for a moment then asked, “Do you get the weather channel at the bar, Benny?”

“Yeah.” Benny said somewhat puzzled. “Why?”

“What’s it doing in Hell right now?”

“Would you stop with the jokes, Nick,” Benny barked. “This is serious stuff. There’s some kind of case they need your help with. Ritual sacrifices in a park or something. Very bloody. Lots of scared people.”

Ritual sacrifices!?! Well, that caught my attention. Just what I needed. “They’re probably thinkin’ it was one of ours that did it,” I grumbled. That’s what they always seem to think.

“That’s not what he said,” Benny replied.

“Who is this he we’re talking about?” I asked.

“Sergeant Goodfellow,” Benny said. I nodded to myself. Robin Goodfellow. It could have been worse. Goodfellow was OK as cops went and he tended to be pretty tolerant. Goddess, I’d hope, with a name like that.

TO BE CONTINUED