When Barbara collected the mail she was shocked to see an envelope with red borders and big, ugly letters reading FINAL NOTICE OF PAYMENT. It was a bill and a threatening one at that. Now very worried, she didn't wait to read the contents inside her house, she opened up the letter and inside read it whilst standing on the sidewalk. It was worse than she expected.
THIS IS A FINAL NOTIFICATION OF UNPAID UTILITIES BILLS. PAY WITHIN 48 HOURS FROM THE 07/14/66 OR THE LANDGRAAB ELECTRICITY, WATER & GAS COMPANY WILL CEASE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES.
"What? Final notification? We never even received a first notification! What's going on here?" she muttered to herself as she headed back indoors.
Jeremy was still in his pyjamas and eating breakfast when she strode into the kitchen area and thrust the bill under his nose.
"Get a load of this!" she exclaimed. "Why haven't we paid this bill yet?"
Jeremy took the letter from her hand and looked at it closely. "Strange" he said. "This says it's a final demand but we never received a bill for this month. Don't worry, Babs, I'll sort this out. It could be the mail screwed up."
"Or Landgraabs flexing their muscle against us!" she said.
"I wouldn't go that far, darling. I'm not in their bad books and I doubt even Geoffrey would get himself involved in such a petty matter about a bill."
Barbara sighed. "Maybe not, but I tense up whenever I see or hear their name! Anyway, you finish your breakfast...I've got plans for today!"
"It's a Sunday, what plans do you have?"
"I'll tell you after you've had your shower and gotten dressed" said Barbara, cryptically.
Jeremy shrugged and went to get ready for the day. He stopped by the study to put the bill on a letter and receipt spike he had on his desk. He was trying to be reassuring to Barbara about the Landgraabs but inside of him he had a suspicion that maybe she was right and the Landgraabs were trying to unsettle them. A suspicion reinforced by the fact that were no mail strikes or reported disruptions in the postal service. Once he was ready for the day he reassured Barbara that he would sort the bills out first thing tomorrow morning and get to the bottom of the lack of regular mail.
"You were saying something about big plans for the day" asked Jeremy.
"Yes. How do you feel about getting a cat?" replied Barbara, enthusiastically.
"A cat? Well, I'm pretty neutral on that. I'm more of a dog person but I've got nothing against cats. So you want to get one?"
"Yes please"
"OK, we'll look for one in the... erm, cat breeder places; whatever they're called"
"No, I want a specific cat...not from a professional breeder or vet or cattery."
"You don't mean...?"
"Yes, my special little ginger and white cat who brings me good luck. I want to find it."
"Oh that's why you're in your orange and white outfit today!"
"I thought if I wore this it would create an incentive for the cat to bond with me"
Jeremy looked at Barbara as if she had lost her mind. "You've lost your mind" he eventually said.
"I feel a connection with that cat and I know its hangouts! Come on, let's find it and bring it home!"
"How do you know if it doesn't belong to someone else? That's cat-napping! No it isn't, but it's some form of cat kidnapping for which a word hasn't been invented yet because no one goes around stealing other people's cats!"
"It's a stray, Jeremy. And I want to be indulged on this matter."
"Why?"
"Because I'm kooky"
"You certainly are!"
"And you're always so stiff and proper. Come on, I really want to go out there into the world and have madcap, nonsensical fun!"
"And searching for a specific stray cat is the way to do that, is it?"
"Yes it is and the hunt will be fun...and you will enjoy yourself"
"I am not stiff, I am not a hunter and I am NOT going!"
PUPPERSTONE PARK, BRINDLETON BAY
"So we're here...in Brindleton Bay...looking for a cat whose fur resembles your outfit." said a resigned Jeremy. It was hard to resist Barbara when she looks so cute and indulges in playful behaviour. "So...what now?"
"We look for it all around here" she answered.
"Well, obviously, but do you have any tips or tricks on how to befriend it?"
"There's a Canadian saying: Pet a cat when you encounter one in the street."
"The things you lot do for enjoyment up there"
"The reason behind that saying is that it's difficult to win a cat's trust and friendship so you must be willing to put in the time and effort. Just be friendly if you see it and go cautiously to win its trust."
"OK, I'll just walk around the park going 'here kitty, kitty' then"
And that is what he and Barbara did for the next hour...patrol around the park and its surrounds looking for a cat that she had firmly in her memory and which Jeremy only half remembering what it looked like. He did encounter a large, furry black cat who he attempted to pet in the Canadian fashion but it snarled at him and Jeremy thought it might rip his face off. Eventually they took a break and reconvened at a park bench to report on progress...or lack of.
"Having fun yet?" asked Barbara, whose enthusiasm hadn't waned.
"My feet are sore and I've learned that cats don't like me very much" replied a less than enthused Jeremy.
"Give it time...you've got to be patient, remember? I'm having a fun time just being in this lovely place on such a fine day. We mustn't give up hope but enjoy the search."
"I could do with a coffee right now. There's a snack shack over there...let's go and get some refreshments and then I'll probably get my enthusiasm back." said Jeremy, getting to his feet.
They made their way to the refreshment stand and got coffees. There was a nearby bench to sit down on and here they drew up a plan of what to do next.
"I'll search up here at the higher end of the park, near the playground area and would you look at the lower end, where the fishing spots are." said Barbara.
"OK, that works. I've noticed there's a guy walking his Great Dane around near the playground...that might be keeping the cats away."
"He won't always be there but there are plenty of bushes around here a cat might hide in."
Jeremy barely acknowledged Barbara's last sentence because something had caught his eye.
"Barbara" he said "Do you remember Action and Suzy have been looking for a guy who works at the food stalls in town who has slicked back red hair and a tiny beard? They think he's a suspect in their investigations."
"Yes, I've heard them mentioning him. Why?"
"That guy over at the coffee shack. He matches the description. Was his name, Luke?"
"Yes...they said his name was Luke. Do you think that's him?"
"Only one way to find out..." said Jeremy. "I'm going to order another coffee"
He got up and walked over to the stall, trying to attract the barista's attention. "Hey, it's Luke, isn't it?" he asked.
The barista rolled his eyes in annoyance. "No, it's Jason. If I had a dime for every time someone mistakes me for Luke I'd be able to retire."
"Ah, sorry, my mistake. Can I get another white coffee, no sugar please? These are excellent if I may say so."
"You got it. So, do you know Luke?" said Jason.
"Not really. I wanted to talk with him about setting up one of these shacks where I work."
"OK...yeah, he's moved up into management now so we don't see him around much."
"You wouldn't happen to have any contact details for him? Personal ones, because I want to bypass going through your company's switchboard." Jeremy pressed for an answer.
"Sorry. No. I know he lives in Newcrest but he's a very quiet, taciturn person. None of us really know him that well but he's efficient enough." said Jason.
"Thank you. I'll give your company a call. Thanks for the coffee." Jeremy went back to the bench and sat next to Barbara.
"Was that him?" asked Barbara.
"No. But I found out Luke is in management of that snack vending company AND he lives in Newcrest. I'll pass that information on to Action."
The quest for the cat entered the sitting around drinking coffee stage and waiting for strays to come along when, after a while, Jeremy and Barbara were approached by a teenage girl who looked shy and nervous. Her movements were skittish but it was easy to tell that she wanted to speak with them by the way she was gradually encroaching on their space.
"Can we help you?" Barbara asked the girl.
"Erm...yeah...aren't you the lady who owns Pack's Boutique?" she said, her eyes darting around the park as if she was being watched.
"Yes I am..." Barbara responded, worried that this might be a disgruntled customer wanting their money back for something. "...are you a customer?"
"No. I've never set foot in your shop...I've stood outside it a few times. I like what I've seen through the window." said the girl, looking down at her feet instead of looking at Barbara.
"You should come in one day and try some outfits on. We don't bite" said Barbara, smiling.
"I know...what I'm saying must sound silly..."
"Why don't you sit down with us? This is my husband and co-owner of the shop, Jeremy and my name's Barbara."
The girl sat down and said hello, meekly, to Jeremy.
"I would like to come into the shop and look around...my friends have been there and said how great it is."
"So what's stopping you?" asked Jeremy.
"My father. He controls my spending and that includes clothes. He has to approve anything I purchase and he's sceptical about anything new or fashionable."
"Oh...well, we have to respect our parents" said Jeremy.
Barbara frowned. "How old are you...?"
"Luna. I'm 16. 17 in November"
"Well, you should be making your own choices, assert your individuality." said Barbara, sympathetically.
"But he's your father and you are still a minor. Is your family poor? Do they have to watch the finances? Is that why he's saying no to you shopping for yourself?"
"No, in fact it's the opposite: We're wealthy. He just....look. I've said enough. It's nice talking to you and good luck with your shop." Luna got up suddenly and started to walk off.
"What a strange conversation" said Jeremy to Barbara.
"Sounds like her father's a right square, and controlling too. You could have been more sympathetic, Jeremy."
"I was just stating the facts..."
"But she was reaching out to us for advice and you just told her to just submit to her father's unreasonable demands."
"We never found out whether his demands were reasonable or unreasonable. We only got one side of the story."
"Well, she was motivated to speak to two strangers so clearly something is bothering her that much. I hope she does visit the shop even if she doesn't spend any money but just finds it a nice place to hang out in."
Jeremy threw his hands up in the air as he had nothing else to say on the matter. Barbara was in a mood where outreach and caring about things well beyond her purview mattered to her greatly. He, always erring on the side of caution, felt he was being dragged along to find a weird cat and help out the lives of teenagers. For him the only positives he was getting out of the day was finding that bit of information about 'Luke'.
They spent another hour down in the park and Jeremy was getting fed up walking around the same bit or park and examining every bush, tree or other hiding place there. He was now getting to think that other people passing by must think he was a weirdo for spending so long prowling and searching the place. As for Barbara, she was desperately trying to make a success of this search and she was getting frustrated at the lack of results. Eventually the two of them reconvened to discuss what they should do next.
"I've drawn a blank, yet again. Barbara...maybe it does have an owner and it's tucked up inside, right now, on a warm sofa, being fed delicious treats and being stroked by its family? Lovely sofa.......delicious treats......" Jeremy looked off into the distance as if he were in a trance.
"Alright. Little Senator isn't here...I'm thinking about where else would be a good place to search?"
"Little Senator? You've named the thing already?" said an incredulous Jeremy.
"Down by the Salty Paws Saloon!" exclaimed Barbara, who had not payed any attention to what Jeremy had said. "That's the other place I saw him! Let's head there!"
"That's the best idea you've had today..." said Jeremy.
"Arrrrgh, me hearties! Let us drink hale, wassail!" said Jeremy, adopting a pirate voice.
"Ooh, you're being kooky...I like it!" replied Barbara.
"When it comes to pirate and crusty sea dogs I can do kooky"
"Right...well let's look out for that cat then" said Barbara, looking around the jetty and dock area.
"We could do that from this table over here..." said Jeremy, eyeing up a nice shady tavern table and bench that had great views across the bay.
"I've always had an affinity to this part of the city because I come from a seafaring family" said Jeremy, proudly.
"But you're from Colorado" replied Barbara, sceptical about his claims to some sea background.
"Yes, the Saint family live there now but up until my great-grandfather, Hezekiah Saint, the family lived in coastal regions and they earned their money from sea trading and voyages. Old Hezekiah sailed on the great tea clippers for 20 years before he had to stop."
"What happened to Hezekiah?"
"He suddenly developed a pathological fear of the sea. No one knows why...drove him around the bend and his doctors said he had to move to a place where there was no sea in sight. That's why my family ended up in Crested Butte, Colorado."
"You're kidding..."
"No, every word I've just said is true. OK, I'll get the drinks in, you look for the cat."
Barbara paced around the jetty near the tavern but could not find a trace of any cat, let alone the specific one she was looking for. Frustration was growing in her and she had to abandon the search and find Jeremy for some respite, although she dreaded him saying "I told you so" to her. If he could only be a little bit sensitive this time...
She found him at the bar with the drinks just being served. It had been very busy in the tavern and she figured it had been a bit of a fight for Jeremy to even get to the bar to place the order.
"Any luck out there?" Jeremy asked.
"No..." said Barbara with a sigh. "Thanks for the drink. I think we should pace ourselves here...have a drink, some food, then go for a scout about. I reckon the cat will hang around here a bit more because there's more food to be had around this dock. After all, the fishermen leave a few bits of fish lying around the jetty. Let's not burn our eyeballs out."
"Solid thinking, Barbara. I agree...cheers" he said, raising his glass.
"Cheers" said Barbara, clinking her glass to his. "Say, let's dance"
"What? Here? Now?" said Jeremy, looking nervously around the room.
"Yes here and now. This song's just hit the charts and I like it. Come on..." she said, grabbing him by the hand and leading him to an open area near the juke box. Jeremy usually felt very self conscious dancing in public and he, again, looked around the bar to see if anyone was paying attention to them.
As they were dancing Jeremy started to notice that cats were entering the tavern. At first he got his hopes up when a ginger cat walked past him but it was too thin and the white parts of its fur didn't cover as much of its coat than the cat Barbara had set her heart on.
There was a skinny ginger one, a big white fluffy one with black paws, a sleek tan coloured one and even a black cat wearing a top hat! All of them were prowling around the tavern as if they lived there. Some customers were giving the cats a stroke or tempting them with a small snack but it was getting hard to hear your own voice as there was now a party of people there being noisy and having a big laugh about something.
Another search of the area by the docks proved fruitless as well. It was 8pm now and even Barbara's energy and enthusiasm was waning. She now knew the cat just wasn't there and that all of the day's efforts had been in vain. Tired and feeling despondent she slumped down on a bench and let out a heavy sigh. Jeremy came to sit next to her.
"Oh Jeremy, I'm sorry to have dragged you along on this fool's errand" she said.
"It's had its moments" he replied.
"You don't have to say kind words, Jeremy"
"No, I mean it. Sure I was grumpy at times and, yes, I did curse your name under my breath once or twice but eventually it wasn't about the result, it was the adventure."
"Some adventure..." she said, cynically.
"Yes. Searching for a cat was an adventure compared to me paying bills, working on office paperwork or your doing a stock inventory. Besides, I like it down here in Brindleton Bay...we should make this a regular hanging out spot and who knows, the next time we might find Little Senator."
"Now look who's being kooky" said Barbara, smiling warmly at him.
"Hey there! You two! I have a special half price offer on all food for courting couples!" came a voice from behind them. It was the local street food vendor; an older gentleman with a kind face.
"I think he means us" said Jeremy.
"I am hungry" Barbara replied.
"What can I can you two?" asked the vendor.
"Two clam chowders to go" replied Jeremy.
"You got it! So you out on a date?"
"Not exactly..." said Jeremy.
"We came looking for a cat" said Barbara.
"You've come to the right place; they're everywhere around here!"
"The cat we were looking for is a large, fluffy orange and white one but we haven't found it today"
"Oh that one. It comes and goes. Never the same night. Very bold though; not afraid to walk right up to people."
"I noticed that" said Barbara, taking a spoonful of chowder. "Hmm, delicious."
"The cats love my food...there's so much fish! Anyway, I'm going to shut up stall soon. You two have a great rest of the night and don't worry about the cat. When he wants you, he'll find you."
"The chowder was delicious." said Jeremy. "Say, what about getting in one more drink before we head home?"
"OK, sounds good" said Barbara and after they had thrown away the cardboard cups that had the chowder in them they went back into the Salty Paws Saloon. It was even busier than when they'd left the place but they did see a familiar face there.
"Neil! Good to see you. How's the new place?" asked Jeremy, shaking Neil's hand.
"Great. Really nice. It would be really great if we caught up soon; we've loads to tell you!" said Neil.
"Exciting news? The kind that follows on a few months after getting married and moving to a bigger house?" teased Barbara.
"Eh, I don't quite follow you....OH YOU MEAN THAT? No! Nothing along those lines. We found the book; the one where those missing pages fit in to."
Jeremy's face turned serious. "You did? Oh my goodness, what does it reveal?" he said.
"We don't know...yet. Suzy's studying them. We need to have a meeting of our group: Us four, plus Action and maybe even Burr DeBenning. There's some big revelations to come!"
