They hesitated, like a fighter on the ropes. Zeke continued,“The first one goes for a gun gets it.” He sneezed then and his Colt bobbed threateningly. Quickly , they followed his orders, their faces wrapped in an expression of utter disbelief.
“When you get to Leavenworth ,” Zeke said, “you can tell them you’re the first guys ever railroaded to prison by a cat.”
28
The next day the newspapers played the story big. Bored and blase about it all, D.C. stared out from the first page of every edition. The headline writers had enjoyed themselves immensely. FBI UNDERCOVER CAT ROUNDS UP KILLERS. DARN CAT GETS HIS MAN. FBI SOLVES“IMPOSSIBLE CASE” WITH CAT STOOLIE.
Under one picture a caption writer even quoted D.C.“It was nothing. It was only what any patriotic American would have done.”
Mike showed D.C. his photograph, spreading the newspaper out on the kitchen floor. D.C. took a glance and it was obvious. Mike reported later, that he thought the pictures unflattering. He tried to dig a hole in the vinyl to bury them. It was not publicity that counted but what a man had in the refrigerator.
Pandemonium reigned that morning. Knocking on the door of the Randall home were reporters asking for exclusive interviews, two Life photographers requesting a layout, news-reel cameramen from three television stations, an advertising agency executive wanting D.C. to endorse Little Tiger cat food, and a press agent who said he could get D.C. an invitation to sit on the President’s lap at the White House.Once Patti overhead Inky indignantly telling someone over the phone, “He’s not ‘that cat.’ His name’s D.C. How’d you like it if I called you ‘that man’?”
Early on the scene was Mrs. Macdougall who prattled incessantly. “When the neighbors started talking, I said shame on ‘em. I said to Mr. Macdougall, I said, if that nice Patti Randall’s got a man in her bedroom, she’s got a reason.”
Slowly Zeke made his way through the melee to the front door where he thanked Patti.“You’ve put up with an awful lot.”
“I hope we’ll see you again,” she said.
Ingrid spoke up.“I’ll cook you dinner any night you say. I’m good at steaks.”
He smiled.“I bet there isn’t anything you’re not good at.”
Mike asked,“Don’t you want to say good-by to D.C.?”
“You tell him good-by for me,” Zeke answered, suppressing a sneeze. He added, “You know something, Mike? Why don’t you fasten him to a rocket? I’d like to see him be the first cat in orbit.”
When Zeke was gone, Ingrid flounced down on the floor and rolled over on her back.“Why is if, sis, every man I love is too old for me ? Mr. Kelso, Greg
?”
At mention of Greg’s name, D.C. marched into the room bearing a fish in his mouth. “Oh, no,” Patti screamed, and grabbed him, and tore the fish away from him.
Just then the doorbell sounded, and Greg stood there. He spoke very calmly.“I don’t like to mention this, Miss Randall, but your cat paid me a social call and on his way out ? absent-mindedly, I’m sure ? picked up the most beautiful bluegill note 14 you ever laid your orbs on. I stood all day in a drenching rain
“
Patti simply stared. Mike asked,“You sick or something?” Ingrid exclaimed, “What an image, Greg. I knew you could do it.” She looked at Patti. “Isn’t he just wonderful?”
“Thank you,” Greg said, handing her a new five-dollar bill. “By the way, you’d better get yourself a new cricket. I just heard over the radio, it’s only seventy-eight.”
Patti plopped the fish into Greg’s hand. “He’s a kleptomaniac, and we might as well face it. But can’t we keep it just between the two of us since he is a hero to a hundred million people?”
He nodded.“You know, I was thinking, well, maybe he could be rehabilitated ? with the right man.”
She smiled.“That’s the sweetest proposal I ever had
only
” She simply didn’t feel up to remaking a man. Not this one anyway. He could be fun, and exciting, but let’s face it, she told herself, he was an emotional staircase, and that little man inside would be pounding up and down for evermore. And she had no intention of spending the rest of her life listening to his frantic footsteps.
Ingrid sighed deeply and returned the five dollars.“You can’t win ‘em all,” she said.
He brushed it off with a laugh. He would give Patti twenty-four hours to think it over. Fish in hand, he left, passing Zeke coming back up the walk. Zeke rolled a little, as if he had just climbed out of the saddle, and he had aboyish dare-me spread across his features.
His voice spoke to Ingrid, his eyes to Patti.“about that steak ? would tonight be too soon?” He had that kind of peculiar look which foreshadowed coming events, and as Patti correctly interpreted those coming events, everything inside her quickened. She flounced her hair, and laughed, and took him closely by the arm, and walked him down the sidewalk out of earshot of Ingrid and absently into earshot of Mrs. Macdougall. But the world had taken on anew sheen, even mrs. macdougall.
“Let’s go somewhere,” he said.
She nodded.“Somewhere. I’ve been wanting to go there for a long time.”
He smiled down at her in that easy way of his, and it was as if he had been a part of her always, and always would be.
As for D.C., he couldn’t have cared less at this moment about coming events. He was skirting along the shrubbery, tailing Greg. He always went where the action was.