Our eyes lingered in a moment of hope and uncertainty. “Do you suppose,” Earthsong began but did not bring herself to finish.

“I do,” I replied with a gentle smile, “but we should try not to jump to any conclusions. Let’s just take first things first — like, for example, how are we going to get inside this joint?”

For a while, I looked thoughtfully at the opening in the foundation and then I moved my gaze to Earthsong. I took another long look at the opening in the foundation and then I looked at Earthsong speculatively. I then moved my gaze meaningfully back and forth between the hole and my lady fair until she caught the implication. Assuming a look of outrage, she took off after me and began flogging me with a hastily acquired handful of dandelion stems while yelling, “You’re nuts, Lodestone if you think I’m climbing down that.”

“All right, All right. I was just kidding,” I said between belly laughs. I finally collapsed and Earthsong took ruthless advantage of my weakened condition. Let’s just say it would be a while before my underwear was completely free from dandelion seed fluff. A very long time.

In a naked attempt to halt Earthsong’s retributive seeding of my shorts, I suggested that we find a way into the garage. Grudgingly, she stopped her attack. I took that moment to summon my dignity and shake out a few seeds. Of course, a gentleman never gives tit for tat in such childish frolics. Instead, he rises above the fray in matters of selfish revenge. That is the way of a gentleman. Too bad there’s never one around when you really need one.

Earthsong somehow failed to notice that my left hand was burgeoning with happy little fluffs until I had swiftly caught the front of her T-shirt with my right hand. Using her own technique, I seeded her upper torso with surprising facility despite her struggling and laughing. When it was all said and done we laughed until our tear-streaked faces were also generously covered with the white fuzz. Sometimes it’s better to laugh until you cry instead of just crying.

I looked over at Earthsong’s beautiful face and brushed the hair from a sparkling blue eye. “You know,” I offered, “I bet there’s more than a few Yetis out there that would kill for fine fuzzy cleavage like yours.”

Not surprisingly, these words of consolation earned me a big mouthful of fluffs. I was fascinated to find, though, that the many hundreds of seed heads sticking to my tongue suddenly put me in the mood for a long and passionate kiss. Go figure. How fortunate that such a lovely mouth was so close at hand.

Later, when we had finally composed ourselves, I led the way around to the front of the building. It was solid and the windows and doors were locked. I examined the lock on the front door and it seemed to be in good repair. Earthsong peered over my shoulder and said, “Too bad it’s not a padlock. At least then we could use some bolt cutters on it.”

“That would work,” I replied, “But I have another thought.” I reached under the band of my hat and produced a couple of thin steel strips, which I moved purposefully toward the lock. After a quick glance around for unwanted spectators, I slipped the picks into the lock and began manipulating the tumblers into position. An audible click announced my success and I turned and looked at Earthsong.

“Are you ready?” I asked softly. She nodded her head and I turned the handle and pushed the painted wooden door slowly into the room. The hinges groaned with prolonged disuse and anxious rays of sunlight flooded into the place. It was a surprising study in anal retention. Everything in the room was arranged in a maddening symmetry and all of the objects seemed to have their own cozies. I began to know fear. I even had this nightmarish image of Martha Stewart hiding behind a stack of boxes with a set of pinking shears, waiting for me to get a little closer.

Just as I was starting to consider seeking professional help, I heard a high pitched sound coming from inside the room. I couldn’t quite make out the direction of the noise, but there was definitely something in there — something that didn’t sound much like a cat. I moved quietly into the room with Earthsong holding onto my shoulder. Goddess, she had a grip on me. As my eyes adjusted to the poor light, I could see the arrangement more clearly. To our left were stacks of boxes and to the right was a tool bench with a lawnmower and other sundry tools stored underneath. As I took a closer look at the boxes, I saw a fine patina of dust covering them all, dust, I might add, that had been repeatedly disturbed by the passage of tiny paws. Clearly, they belonged to a cat or perhaps several cats.

My eyes followed the cat prints from box to box to what I realized was a loft a few yards ahead. I’d missed it earlier because it had been lost in the shadows. The boxes were conveniently piled in such a way that they served as a natural stairway into the loft area. Suddenly, as I stared into the deep shadows before me, it all came together. I had the caper trussed like a Thanksgiving turkey. It was the sound I’d heard earlier that tipped me off. It just took me a while to place it, that’s all. I hadn’t heard a sound like that since I was a kid.

“Didn’t you say that Bassie had been putting on a few pounds recently?” I asked, resurrecting the detail from my recollections on the case.

“Yeah,” Earthsong replied warily, “but what’s that got to do with finding her?”

“Finding her?” I said, “Nothing. But if I’m right, it might have everything to do with her disappearance.” Genuine confusion and budding irritation played across Earthsong’s face. I continued to explain my reasoning. “You see, I’ve never really bought into the idea that someone would grab Bassie.”

“And what’s wrong with Bassie?” Earthsong inquired indignantly?

“Oh, not a thing,” I replied. “She’s a beautiful animal. But,” I added as tactfully as I could manage, “she does get a little cranky with strangers.”

Earthsong frowned, clearly unwilling to accept my assessment of her beloved pet. It was probably a good thing that I elected not to share my poignant comparison of Bastet’s temperament to that of a pissed-off badger. And there was certainly no point in verbally speculating about the three or four big guys I figured it would take to grab kitty girl — and not without at least one human casualty. Love is blind, after all.

“Anyway,” I continued, “I couldn’t picture Bassie going AWOL, either. From all you told me, that just didn’t seem her style. Since her usual modus operandi was to hang in the neighborhood, I figured she likely hadn’t been injured by a car or anything of that sort without you knowing about it. This led me to the idea that Bassie was still somewhere in the neighborhood. Until this moment, I had been thinking that she might have gotten stuck somewhere — maybe accidentally locked in a building or the like. I would have come back this way fairly soon for a look around even if you hadn’t called when you did.”

“But I did call and we are here and I have yet to see my cat,” Earthsong said, a hint of exasperation creeping into her voice.

“Ok,” I continued, “if you’ll indulge me. I’d like for you to call to Bastet quietly and let’s see what happens.

“OK Nick,” whispered Earthsong. “You’re the detective.” We were both hoping that I had some idea what I was doing. “Bassieeeeeeee,” she called softly, “Bassie honey. Where are you sweetie?” After a brief moment, not one but two cat heads popped up above the front edge of the loft peering curiously down at us. By the distinctive crescent marking on the one cat’s forehead, I knew we’d found our Bassie. The other cat matched the golden fur sample we’d just found outside. Doubtless, this was Bassie’s squeeze.

“Sweet Goddess, Nick, it’s them. It’s my baby and the other missing cat. But what are they doing here?” she asked, puzzled. “Why would you run away like that?” Earthsong asked her truant feline in an injured tone. Bastet looked down calmly at Earthsong, inscrutable as the Great Sphinx.

Suddenly, we heard the noise again. It was the same high pitched keening that had drawn us into the room earlier. Earthsong wrinkled her brow and said inquiringly, “Birds?”

“Kittens,” I answered. “Bastet was pregnant. She picked this place to have her babies. I’m guessing that her squeeze there has been bringing her small furry offerings to help Bassie keep body and soul together.”

“Oh Nick,” Earthsong sobbed, grabbing me and pulling me close. I held her tightly, glad that the news was all good. After a good while, she relaxed her hold on me and we moved a ladder over to the loft. Earthsong climbed up quickly to see the nest. She gazed at them for a very long time and with a dreamy sort of wonder in her voice said, “They’re adorable — all six of them.”

“Do you think Bassie would mind if I had a peek?” I asked. I guess Earthsong could hear the hesitation in my voice because she looked down at me with long suffering and said,

“She’s not nearly as cranky as you think, Nick. Why don’t you give her a try?” With that she climbed down the ladder and gestured toward the thing with a flourish of her hand. Swallowing, I climbed the ladder very slowly until my head popped above the edge of the loft. There before me was Bastet, lying on her side and nursing her tiny newborns. They were beautiful little things, their eyes still closed and their ravenous mouths pressed contentedly against their mother’s bosom. At the feet of Bassie sat the proud father who looked on with unabashed pleasure. I noticed that Bastet also had a look of pride and contentment about her. At the moment, I was finding it hard to believe that this purring machine could be the demonic kitty of Benny’s tale. In fact, I was starting to get the niggling feeling that I’d been set up by my old pal — and if that was the case, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time that Benny had gotten one over on me for his own twisted amusement. I’d have to ask him about it next time we talked.

As we went back to her house to get water, cat food and a few other “honeymoon” supplies, I asked a question that had been bugging me just a little. “Earthsong, how is it that a luminous earth deva like yourself could miss the fact that you cat was — well — pregnant?” By her expression, I could tell that this was a bit of an embarrassment.

“I never had cats when I was a kid, Nick. I’d never even seen a live kitten. I grew up in a fifth floor apartment in the middle of a city and the only real pets I ever had were guinea pigs and a rabbit. When I was sixteen, my Dad dragged home a wire-haired terrier named Fergus and that was really more his and Mom’s dog. I went off to school a year and a half later. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I just never had much experience with cats. I didn’t even get Bassie until well after she was weaned, so I’d never heard a newborn meow until today.”

“Good answer,” I said, feeling a little like shit that I’d even asked the question, but I was curious. We ported over some cat delicacies and set the cats up in high style. In a few days, it was likely that Bastet and her new entourage would be parading home to Earthsong’s sanctuary. I’d feel better when everyone finally made it home. As we meandered back to Earthsong’s digs, she held up a wrist and showed me a strange abrasion. “How did that happen?” I asked.

“It happened when I jammed a handful of fluffs into your pants. It’s like there was some metal there or something.” Having said this, Earthsong looked at me inquiringly. A large chunk of ice instantly found it’s way into my mid section as I fumbled for a reply. What could I say that wouldn’t get me in more hot water than the truth? I took a deep breath and proceeded to spill my guts. I told her about the premonitions, about Benny’s warnings and about my last terrifying nightmare. Earthsong listened calmly until I was completely finished and then she turned away. I could see her shoulders quivering a bit and I feared the worst. Gently, I went to lay my hand on her shoulder when suddenly she exploded with laughter. At first she was merely doubled over and then finally she fell to the ground. Her face was drenched with tears as she began kicking and slapping the ground with mirth.

“A chain mail g-string,” she hooted. “Oh Goddess, Nick. I’m — I’m dying here.” Earthsong began babbling inarticulately between wrenching belly laughs. I couldn’t be sure, but I think she was in need of a bathroom. No longer feeling even a crumb of pity for the incapacitated maiden, I began to watch her to see if she could make it to the bathroom. To my credit, I did actually try and help out by holding onto her ankle and tickling her foot.

Sometime later, when we had returned to the house and Earthsong had collected herself together, she noticed that I was a little put out by her lingering outburst. She sidled up to me and said sweetly, “Hey Nick. Don’t feel bad, OK? You have to admit it is a pretty funny story. I mean, think about it. I just wish I could have seen the armorer’s face when you placed that order.” I wasn’t feeling much better as Earthsong could clearly tell by my response. “Oh come on, Nick,” Earthsong prodded. “You know that the last thing I would ever want to do is hurt your feelings, don’t you?” Earthsong kissed me sweetly on the neck and nibbled playfully on my ear. Then she said, “Besides, sweetie, I think the chain mail sounds kind of kinky. Maybe you’d consent to modeling it for me?”

Now, though I tried to stop it, I felt a smile beginning to spread across my face. “That’s better,” she whispered, running her tongue down to the place where my neck and right shoulder met while her right hand began to work it’s way around the intricate chain mail loops. It was clear that my chain mail briefs would start getting really uncomfortable soon. Ever the sensitive one, Earthsong began fumbling for the catch on my medieval loin wear. “Say,” she said speculatively, “I’ve got this thing I’d kind of like to try with Altoids. You game?”

“Altoids, really?” I replied. “You mean, the little peppermints? What on earth could you do with those?” Great Mother. What indeed.

After some incredible quality time, a warm shower and some herbed tea and scones, we retired to one of the shrines out back and made an offering to the Lord and Lady. It was a blessing that Bastet had been found. It was also a blessing that I had found this splendid lady. The shrine itself was in the northern part of the garden. The earth there had been built up into a modest mound. Earthsong had dug into the side of the mound and built a small wall against the exposed earth with natural rock pieces. The faces of the rocks were painted with intricate symbols and a moderate sized blue-green terra cotta mask was attached near the top edge. Creeping thyme grew from various openings between the stones and around the mask, lending the shrine an ancient sense of presence. At the base of the small wall was a shallow stone basin. It was there that we knelt, poured a libation of herbed tea and left some of the scone pieces to the divinities.

We cast a circle once the offerings were made and luxuriated in that sacred place between the worlds. As I drifted lazily beyond the bounds of time, a crisp image of the blood stained rock I’d recently examined at the park came unbidden to my mind’s eye. I’d managed somehow to push the whole park business out of my head from the time of Earthsong’s call on the previous night. This must be my wake up call. As I focused on the image of the rock, I realized that I was witnessing a sequence of events. The rock’s image was clear enough but the surrounding shadows made it difficult to see exactly what was going on. There appeared to be three — no two men moving surreptitiously around the rock. I could hear the clattering of metal buckets. Probably galvanized steel. As I watched the men, I could hear their voices.

“Hey watch yourself, bonehead. If we get caught, it’ll blow the whole caper and if that happens, we don’t get paid. You understand me?”

“Oh I understand well enough, but I’m telling you, it’s too stinkin’ dark to see what we’re doin! I can’t work this way? Why can’t we just use flashlights anyway? And another thing — who died and made you the supervisor of this little project?”

“Stow it, will ya Squeak? I’m not the project supervisor but I can’t afford to have us go buggerin’ this little job either — and you know that the boss specifically said no flashlights. We can’t afford to go attracting a lot of attention. Besides, the moon will be coming up soon and you’ll be able to see better then. So quit whining and help me get these candles set up, will ya?”

“Stop callin’ me Squeak. You know I hate that. I think we should trample the grass a little more around the rock first. We want to make it look good. You can get the candles set up by yourself if you’re in such a hurry. Here, I’ve got the matches. Take ‘em and…, Oh shit! I dropped ‘em. I dropped the damned matches. They’ve gotta be right around here somewhere.”

“Squeak, you moron! This is just bloody terrific. If we don’t find the matches, we can’t do the candles — and I needed this job, too. If we lose this paycheck because of your… Hey, what was that? Did you hear something Squeak? Bloody hell, someone’s coming. Grab your stuff and let’s get out of here.”

“But the matches…”

“Screw the matches. If we get caught, the game’s over!”

“All right, I’m comin’. Just don’t be calling me squeak, eh

The men grabbed their buckets and raced off soundlessly into the shadows only moments before a young couple giggled into the clearing, looking for a private place to make out. Mindless of the gore soaked rock, the amorous pair slipped into a nearby stand of witch hazel and began to dutifully follow where lust would lead them. Maybe a foot from their heads was a little potato goddess watching with neither shock nor surprise.

The images faded after that and I drifted back into my body space. Earthsong opened her eyes at almost the same moment as I did — as though we were synched together. She smiled sweetly at me and my heart danced as we returned our leftover energy to the earth and slowly took down the circle. Earthsong has that effect on me.

Hands intertwined, we headed out to make one last check on the cats before I had to go. As we approached the door of the newly proclaimed cat house, Earthsong turned to me and said,

“Nick, does the image of a big painted rock and a couple of bozos with buckets mean anything to you?” I could feel my hackles twitching as I realized that we’d shared the vision. I told her about the situation in the park and the significance of the vision. She thought for a moment and then said, “So the match book is probably a pretty good lead — that is, if it really belongs to one of the men who poured blood on the rock.” Sharp lass.

“You’re quite right, my dear,” I offered.

“So, why don’t you go and tell the police about your vision?” Earthsong continued.

“Because,” I replied, “my visions don’t cut much slack at the precinct house, except maybe with Robin. Still, a vision like this is good enough for me to pursue and it’s not like I didn’t already know this business was a cheap setup. I’ll give Goodfellow a call when I get back to my place.”

After a brief glance in on the extended Bastet family, Earthsong and I returned to the house. As I collected my things together, Earthsong cleared her throat and said,

“Nick. Aren’t you forgetting something?” I knew what she was driving at. She expected to be billed like any other client. It just so happens that I was ready for her.

“Here,” I said pulling out a bill I had scribed on a piece of scrap paper.

“What’s this?” she asked with a hint of disbelief.

“It’s my bill. I said patiently. It covers my expenses for the investigation, etc.” Clearly irritated, Earthsong started giving me some cheek.

“Is this how you bill all of your clients, Nick? Thirty seven dollars and twenty eight cents? How can you survive on that kind of money? Why don’t you just go and set yourself up as a charitable organization?”

“Look,” I began, rising to my own defense, “I’ve purchased two tram tickets on your nickel. You’ve fed me every time I was here and the only food that I’ve dropped my own dime on was a bag of egg rolls — and that’s on the city’s tab.”

“What about the five hundred I’d agreed to pay you on the safe return of the cat, Nick? I intend to stand good on that deal.”

“Goddess! Earthsong. Be reasonable. Your cat would have come home in a few days anyway. I barely broke a sweat on this one — er that is, on the investigation. Only a prick would hold a client to such an agreement under the circumstances. Still, I have an idea. What do you say you feed me a couple of good meals a week to keep me from starving and we’ll call it even.” Earthsong’s troubled face relaxed into a warm smile.

“I like the way you think, Lodestone. But there is one other thing you could take as a token of my esteem.” She padded back into her bedroom and, some moments later, returned with a small metal box of Altoids. “Here,” she said, proffering the small brightly colored metal container. “Try and think of me when you suck on one.” I started feeling a little dizzy, then. I’m pretty sure I was hyperventilating. Earthsong pressed her lips to mine and we stayed that way for a while. Life was seeming pretty great at the moment.

Later, as my tram clicked back across town toward my bungalow, I got a hankering for a curiously strong peppermint and popped the lid on the Altoids. There was a note folded neatly around three crisp one hundred dollar bills and lying across the top of the mints. It read,

Dear Nick,

Thanks again for finding Bassie. I think you know how much it means to me. I hope you know how much you mean to me. The money is to compensate you for your custom chain mail undergarment and for the mental suffering caused by Benny. Don’t worry about the meals, they come with any visit (and I hope for a lot of them).

Love, Earthsong

What a babe.

It was plenty warm on the train and I found myself drowsing peacefully. Before I knew it, I was strolling up the walk to my flat. I grabbing my mail and shuffled through it while standing on my porch. It was the usual stuff, a couple of pagan magazines, an artifact catalog, a copy of The Native Ecologist, an Ecology Action bulletin and a flyer for the up coming Mabon event at the Vale of Brid. I’d have to try and make that one. The Vale is some amazing space.

When I finally got the door unlocked and opened, I could see the light on my answering machine flashing ominously. It was probably just Benny — or more likely Robin — but something about it bothered me.

I opened the curtains and got some light in the place. I dusted off my altar, dragged out a bottle of Honeyfyre and poured a little libation to the Horned One. Then I poured a generous shot for myself. Medicinal purposes, you know. I kicked off my shoes and got comfortable in my chair. After a short swallow of the mead, I decided I had the courage to push the play button on the answering machine. What the hell. After the tinny message and the grating beep, I heard the sound of Benny’s voice,

“Hey Nick. I thought you were supposed to call me and give me the goods on this mess at the park. Remember, information is only valuable if it’s fresh. Seriously, you doin’ okay? Call me.”

I smiled. Good ol’ Benny. Then another message started. This time, it was detective Robin Goodfellow.

“Hello Lodestone? Pick up if you’re there. We got a problem. A real problem. The analysis has come back on the blood. The lab says it’s human, Nick. Human blood. What now? Call me ASAP.”

TO BE CONTINUED