Of Cats and Men

Gaston walked out into the snow and ice. Most of the nearby shops were open and Schwenk entered a nearby pharmacy. The door jingled and he walked over to the counter. A young lioness was serving.

“Hello…..I need some razor blades please….”

“OK…..give me a moment.” She disappeared out the back. Schwenk looked other objects on display and twiddled his thumbs. He whistled some tuneless ditty and waited…and waited.

“Come on…..” he muttered “It would have been quicker to go to a barbers…..” just as he thought this the door opened and three city guard entered. They were three mean looking tigers and with them Constable Stride.

“Oh? You all need medication….now why doesn’t that surprise me!” he smirked. The tigers growled. Constable Stride walked forwards.

“We’ve been looking for you…..luckily the lioness did her duty and told us you were in….”

Schwenk gave the lioness a withering look, she returned his look with a one that said “you’re a monster!”

“Well….I’m sure it’s a question of mistaken identity. So….let’s talk….”

Stride nodded his head and two tigers strode over and handcuffed him.

“OW! That’s tight….is this really necessary Stride? After all, I’ve agreed to a chat…..”

“Sorry Schwenk…this is a serious matter and only the station will do….but don’t worry, I’m sure one of my guards will keep you company…..” Schwenk looked at the tiger guards, and they gave him a smug look.

“Oh great!” he groaned. He was then dragged out and thrown into the back of a wagon and taken to the police cells.

After ten minutes he was sitting in a cold, grey cell with straw on the floor and a dubious looking bucket in the corner. He was starting to wonder how a dope like Stride could have figured the murder and crystal theft out….unless Lani had blabbed, and that seemed unlikely. The door swung open and a large guard walked in and sat down. The door was locked behind him. The tiger must have been a good seven feet tall.

“Erm…..they finally caught you then…..corruption was it?”

“You think you’re funny…but you’re not……” the smooth, deep voice replied.

“You know…..I’m getting that a lot recently…..” he scratched his stubbly chin.

“We need you to give us some answers…….”

“To?”

“Our questions…..”

“Well…yes, I know that…but….”

“Who murdered the scientist?”

“I don’t know….I’ve already told Stride that…..”

“Yes…..but we don’t believe you…….so…who killed him?”

“I don’t…….” the tiger got up and punched Schwenk around the head. He fell to the floor.

“What the hell…..you can’t do that!!” he protested.

“Just did……so, who killed him…..”

“Please…..I really don’t know…..” this was met with a hard kick to the back. Schwenk rolled in pain. The tiger guard then lifted him up to his eye level.

“I’m enjoying this…..so I hope you keep lying to me!” he grinned a brilliantly toothy grin at him.

Schwenk gulped.