Chapter 2: A New Home



She dropped her keys on the small table next to the door as she slowly walked into the front door of the house she had once shared with John. It had felt so big and lonely since he died.

The main bedroom of the house had a large walk in closet that neither of them had a use for, she designated this to be the room for her new pet. She moved a coffee table into the middle of the room and placed the large cage in its centre. She removed the black sheet covering the cage and looked at the moth. It had not moved since it first entered the cage upon D's command. "Why would John get me this?" She wondered before opening the cage door and closing the rooms'.

"Dammit!" Leon shouted from behind his desk at the LAPD. The young man was a detective in the homicide division; he was glaring at a headline in the morning newspaper. "Another unexplained death! I'll bet you next months pay that that crazy count person knows all about it too." For months Leon had suspected the pet shop of being a front for the selling of drugs, and the Count of withholding information regarding the mysterious deaths of several patrons of the store. Leon turned back to the newspaper and continued to read the article. "Man found dead in his apartment after being mutilated by a as of yet unidentified species of feline, found dead near the scene." Leon read the article aloud as he continued to fume. "So how did this guy manage to break his contract? I'm gonna go to that damn store and give D or whatever his name is what for!" "Oh Leon," the chief's secretary poked her head around the corner. "If you're going to see D, would you bring this for him?" She smiled and produced a basket of home baked cupcakes. "Do you do this for all murder suspects?" Leon said, a frustrated tone leaking into his voice. "Nope, just D. He always likes them so much." "Just give them here." Leon said, grabbing the basket from her grasp and leaving the office. "Like he'll ever catch D for anything." She said after Leon had left.



Leon's sporty yellow car came screeching to a halt outside the small store and he came storming out of the drivers side door. "D!" Leon blared as he entered the doors of the store. "Get out here right now!" "Are those for me?" D said as he emerged from a shadowed corner and pointed a slender finger at the basket in Leon's hand. "Uh, yeah. But don't think this excuses you!" "Not at all detective." D said in his usual calming voice. "I trust someone st the station approves of my work?" "Yeah, my bosses secretary, but that's not important right now.

Upon entering the store, D placed the basket on the coffee table in the center of the room and sat on the large red sofa beside it. "Please detective, do sit down." The count said, motioning to the large, comfortable looking chair opposite the couch. "I am assuming you wish to know about Mr. Smith's new kitten? A rare breed indeed." "Yeah, whatever. Where's the contract D?" The count produced a piece of paper from a pocket of his elaborately designed kimono and slid it along the table to Leon. He picked it up and started reading at a furious pace. "I am sorry for what happened to Mr. Smith detective, but as you can see, we did state plainly that he was not to get the kitten wet under any circumstances, and that should the contract be broken, the store could not be held responsible for any of the consequences." "Just like every other damn time one of your pets lashes out at its owner. The contract is all in order though." "Of course Leon, this store operates within the strictest confines of the law." "I'll get you one of these days D, and don't think I've given up nailing you on any number of illegal substance charges." "As I said, this store operates within the strictest confines of the law. You have nothing to 'get' me with detective. I have done nothing wrong." Leon arose from his seat and started walking purposely towards the door. "We'll see." He said without turning around. "Thank you for the cupcakes Detective." D shouted to Leon as the doors to the store closed behind the fuming detective.