Read Online The 56th Man by J. Clayton Rogers - Free Book Online Page B

an easy matter to locate and evict it. Or strangle it and toss
it in the garbage.
    A single glance told him the master bedroom
was clear. He went in anyway, to check the windows. Then came the
bathroom and the studio. All the windows were closed, but where was
the yellow devil? As he came out of the studio he saw the flick of
a tail as the cat whipped downstairs and back into the living
room.
    Ari swore loudly and pounded down after it.
He circled the rooms, then saw the door to the basement standing
open. He hesitated at the top of the stairs, breathing hard. With
another oath, this one lower, he went back into the kitchen and
dropped into the chair. He would deal with the beast in his own
good time.
    After a few more sips of tea he was able to
regain his equanimity. He dwelled on the possible identity of his
unannounced visitor. He was fairly certain all the first floor
windows were closed. There was an outside chance the cat had
sneaked into the garage while Ari was pulling in, but he was
certain he would have seen it spurt past his legs as he entered the
kitchen hallway. Unless there was a large hole in the wall
somewhere, the cat had to have entered with the intruder.
    He had been sitting at the table for over
five minutes when the cat appeared at the entrance of the kitchen.
Ari restrained himself from leaping up immediately. He watched.
    The cat stepped out cautiously onto the
linoleum floor. It glanced at the refrigerator, then stopped when
it spotted Ari. Having decided to wait and see what it did next,
Ari did not move. It backed away very slowly, then stopped again,
watching him. After another minute, it sat and took a few long
swipes at its fur with its tongue, shifted its front legs, then
watched him some more. Seeing no more threatening gestures, it rose
up and walked a few feet into the room before sitting back down to
watch him some more. Once or twice it met Ari's eyes, after which
it would look away, almost as if out of shyness--or insolence.
    Ari nearly lost his self-control when the cat
rose and leapt on the counter. He found it revolting to have the
animal tread on the cutting board he used to divide his chicken.
But he waited.
    The cat sat on the cutting board and stared
at the refrigerator. It obviously knew this was a place where food
was stored. This was no feral animal but one wise in the ways of
humans. A pet.
    It meowed once, a short, almost harsh sound.
Rising on its rear legs, it pressed its front paws high up on the
side of the refrigerator and meowed again. Then it sat back down on
the cutting board and stared at Ari.
    "Don't tell me you haven't eaten in nine
months."
    On hearing a voice far less dangerous than
the one Ari had used while chasing it, the cat rose, lifted its
tail, and emitted a pigeon-like trill. It seemed healthy enough, in
no way underfed. Ari drew out a Winston and lit up. He was still
using the ash tray from the car.
    He no longer felt so keen on throwing the cat
out. It belonged here as much as he did. More so, maybe.
    It jumped to the floor and put a prudent
distance between them when Ari went to the refrigerator and took
out the milk. He poured some into a saucer and placed the saucer on
the floor. The cat did not come. Ari reseated himself at the table
and took up his cigarette. The cat approached the saucer, sniffed
at the milk, then crouched and began to drink.
    Ari finished his tea and smoke. The cat
backed away when he stood and walked past the saucer.
    "Smart cat," Ari nodded.
    He stopped in the center of the dining room,
then called out over his shoulder. "Hey cat, do you think they
found what they were looking for?"
    He had planned to do this the next day,
opening the thick curtains and letting sunlight assist him in his
search. But the chase had shaken off all trace of evening lethargy.
He did a quick tour, looking for anything amiss, registering
possible hiding places for future investigation. At first glance,
in a house without furniture, there appeared to be