Pet Shop of Horrors

Deception

Ch 1Tea with D

Detective Leon Orcot was startled out of his daydreaming when his not so lovely partner dropped an over stuffed manila folder on his lap.

Leon skimmed through the top papers. "What's this Jill?"

"Your newest assignment." Jill answered as she walked away.

Leon looked at the folder in his lap, then at the stack of neglected papers still on his desk and sighed. 'I have a lot of work to do.' He thought.

"D?" Leon called out as he descended the steps into the pet shop.

"Detective Orcot, It must be time for tea." The count said smiling warmly at Leon. "Come, sit, how may I help you today?"

Leon sat down in his usual place, the left corner of the love seat. He picked up a small pastry from the coffee table before him. He munched quietly on the pastry until D come and sat next to him.

"So what brings you here this week?" D asked. He eyed Leon intently as he drank from his teacup.

"You know about Damon Wright, right?"

"Ah yes, of course. Tragic death. He bought a pet from me not too much over 3 weeks ago."

"I know, that's why I'm here."

"Honestly detective? Do you still think that you can close down this pet shop?" Count D looked at Leon astonished.

There was an awkward silence before Leon continued "I was wondering if this animal killed Wright or not. It was the pet, the wife, or suicide. And I have already ruled out the wife."

"Why couldn't it have been her?"

"Well I went to interview her yesterday. She had moved out of the penthouse. You know, the Harman Hotel on 6th. She moved in with her sister uptown, left everything behind."

"Couldn't stand the memory of the tragedy that took place there..."

"Yea, but I still had reasons to believe that she had done it." Leon paused to take a sip of the tea. Seeing Count D's questioning look he continued. " Well you know how Damon came into a lot of money very quickly. Then a month later he gets married. That's a bit fast if you ask me, so I immediately thought, 'gold digger'. Malory Kessing came from a poor family in Kentucky, she moved to the big city in hopes to become an actress and make big bucks. But she ended up working at a dinner. So I wasn't surprised when Wright turned up dead."

"It all makes since. A poor, desperate, money hungry woman and a rich, hansom, quiet, sensitive man. A not so lucky pairing. So what changed your mind towards her guiltiness?"

"Well yesterday I went to go talk to her, to see if my theory checked out ya know? And the poor girl was in hysterics."

"Malory Wright? I'm Detective Orcot; I need to ask you a few questions."

"Yes that's me, come in, sit down. My sister is out, so we have the place to ourselves."

Leon walked into the small, unimpressive apartment and looked around a bit. The place was empty aside from the bare essentials and clothes and food everywhere. 'Why would anyone leave a penthouse to live in this dump?' He thought to himself. Leon found an uncluttered spot on the couch and sat down. Malory sat across from him. "So let's just cut to the chase shall we Mrs. Wright?" Leon looked to Malory who nodded and so he continued. "Do you miss Damon?"

Malory looked taken aback. "Of course I do! He was my husband! How could I not? The night he died…" Malory looked down at the ground and shut her eyes tightly. "I cried so much, I didn't know what to do."

"Call the police maybe?" Leon said skeptically. "You let the poor man bleed to death on the street. Your lucky anyone had the initiative to call for you! But maybe that's what you wanted. You wanted him to die didn't you?"

Malory looked up, shocked. "No! Not at all! I loved him!" She screamed, tears streamed down her face. "He was my soul mate! We were made for each other! And when he got her… I was so jealous." Malory added the last part with a bitter tone.

"Got who?"

"That damn dog, Leala! She was always with him! Everywhere he went! I wanted to be that close to him, but it seemed like she was the only thing he would let into his heart. I just wish that I would have talked to him more, instead of getting so mad. His death, it's my fault… I can't believe he is gone."

Malory sobbed now. Feeling awkward, Leon moved across the littered living room and gave Malory a comforting hug. "I'm really sorry for your loss." He offered awkwardly.

"So now I'm pretty sure it was suicide, but I have to completely investigate all options."

D leaned back against the arm of the couch looking off past Leon in a thoughtful manner. "I see..." He murmured quietly.

Leon sipped the over-sweetened tea and waited patiently. He and the count had been friends for a while now. After a few months of stubbornness, Leon realized that he never really could get D thrown in jail, or the pet shop closed down, though he did try every now and again, he's a creature of habit. But his weekly visits were an act of pure habit now, and the Count never really seemed to mind. "So who, or what, is Leala?"

"Leala is a bitch."

Leon snorted into his tea." Excuse me!"

"A female dog, Detective. I sold her to Mr. Wright not to long ago."

"Are you Count D?"

"I am, welcome to my pet shop. How may I help you?"

"I am looking for a companion."

"Well Mr.…?"

"Wright"

"Well Mr. Wright, this pet shop houses a wide variety of animals from the most common to the most rare and exotic animals straight from your dreams. We have many to choose from, could you be a little more specific on what it is your looking for?"

"Well you see, I just came into… a lot of money, and-"

"Oh so your Damon Wright."

Damon sweat-dropped. "Yea, you've heard of me eh?"

"Well of course, you're a lucky young man to some, but quite unfortunate to others."

"You're telling me." Damon sighed. "That's why I'm here. It seems everyone just wants to know me because I'm rich. I just met this wonderful woman, but I don't know if she wants me, or my billions. I just want a pet that will love me, for me. Someone recommended me here."

"I think I have just the right pet for you. If you would please follow me." D Turned and headed towards the door in the back of the shop that lead to the labyrinth of hallways where all of the rarest of rare animals were kept.

Damon looked around in wonder at all the doors and passageways leading out in all directions. 'You would never know this place was this big from the front' He thought idly as he followed D. The smell of incense was strong as Damon and D rounded a corner to find a dead end. D reached out and traced a long slender finger along the detailed painting on the wall before them. Damon blinked and shook his head to clear his eyes. Then looked again for he could have sworn that he saw the painting of a pack of wolves trot away to reveal a door. Sure enough, when Damon opened his eyes once again D had walked through a door with a painting of two wolves guarding it.

"Just a little precaution" D reassured as he beckoned Damon in further.

Damon stepped inside the dark room and looked about. Slowly the room came into focus as D walked around lighting candles. Incense burned very prominently. Directly across from him, lying on a bed of multiple blankets lay a beautiful young blond woman. D approached her and rubbed her back slowly rousing her from her slumber. She looked up at him with blinking eyes and upon recognizing him she jumped into his embrace and… licked his cheek?

"What is this Count?"

"She is a bitch Mr. Wright. And the perfect companion you have been looking for."

"That's not a nice thing to say about a woman in her presence! I thought you were a man of honor. I will take part in none of this… this…"

"You misunderstand." D interrupted calmly, softly petting the blond head of the woman that lay in his lap. "Leala here is a dog."

Damon raised an eyebrow and eyed D suspiciously. " A dog?"

"One of the last of its kind. The most loyal of dogs. Very loving, and yet very fierce. A direct descendant of the wolf. She is perfect for you. Come on, pet her. She doesn't bite, much."

Slowly Damon made his way across the room to where D and the dog sat. He got down on one knee and held his hand out in front of her. She smelled his hand and let out a small bark of acceptance. "Her nose, its cold, and wet."

"Yes. She likes you, you may pet her now."

Damon raised his hand and softly petted her soft blond hair. Leala closed her eyes and relaxed once again in D's lap. "She is so beautiful, and soft, can I have her?"

"Of course Mr. Wright. Lets just sign a few contracts first." D motioned towards a desk in the corner that Damon could have sworn, was not in the room before.

D sat behind the desk and Damon sat before him. Leala followed them over to the desk and settled herself on the floor next to Damon who absent-mindedly petted her as he and D talked.

"There are only three parts to the contract that you must follow strictly. If you break any of these agreements the pet shop cannot take responsibility for anything that might occur. This is of grave importance."

"Right, what are these agreements?"

"One, you must feed her fresh, raw meat everyday. Two, she is to never be separated from her owner, that is you, for more than 3 hours at a time. And three never make any loud noises around her. Follow these agreements to the letter and you will always have a loyal companion with you for life."

Damon took D's hand and shook it vigorously. "Thank you D! Thank you!"

End Ch 1