Cat In A Sapphire Slipper

Feline Fatales

Girrrrl power is fine, but I prefer Grrrrrowl power.

I hop out on the heels of the Misses Electra and Kit, undetected, of course.

There was a time when I lamented my midnight coat color, which left me liable to be overlooked, and my long, trailing train subject to being tread upon.

I contemplated aligning myself with the early flag of this country, featuring a rattlesnake and a DON’T TREAD ON ME motto.

But over time, despite the many slings and arrows to my overlooked extremities, I have come to appreciate the art of being easily assimilated into the dark of asphalt, the shadows, the epitome of night.

The old man has been exploiting this inborn advantage since he was an aspiring stud farm his own self.

I admit that now he is socially and sexually responsible, but he had a lot of bad years to make up for, including siring such by-blows as myself. By-blows is an old-fashioned phrase to designate unlawful heirs. Those of us of no account. Unwanted offspring.

I admit to an inborn intolerance of the double standard, by which the arranged mating of show cats produces prestigious lines, and by which we alley cat “accidents” are deemed worthy of quick quietus. That is a fancy word from Shakespeare for “put down.” I too can sling around literary hash with the Old Bard.

So I consider this, my first solo case with my female human posse, a testing ground. I am free of male supervision for once. For once, I am Midnight Inc. Investigations, riding to the rescue of my old man, and I intend to prove my prowess.

It is no accident that I have invited Ma Barker, my partner’s supposed mother, to aid me on the case. We girls are up for the challenge. If Ma Barker and her gang are established at the outskirts of the Circle Ritz, I believe Midnight Inc. Investigations will benefit from a large network of legwork operatives.

I do not expect the senior member of the firm to cede a chin hair on any reorganization of our assets. But I expect to win. If I solve this Sapphire Slipper murder on my own, with the semi-able assistance of Ma Barker, I will have a fine bargaining position.

So I tell Ma Barker to follow my lead and keep a low profile, and we trot after the Ladies’ Number Three Lucky Detective Agency at our forefront. The humans can take the lead. We will untwine the tail of the case.