Mike could have had a wonderful good night sleep tucked with Ema after a wonderful date. But no, Albert Salsa had to wake him up just to introduce someone to him. He gritted his teeth, feeling tempted to punch him. He didn't even give him time to put some outdoor clothes on. Seething at Salsa, who was dressed in an orange suit and bright pink leather boots up to his knees. Not just any old boots either; they lit up in the dark. His cowboy hat, decorated in sequins glistened from the lights of the boots.
"Would you care to explain why you've taken me into a deep forest at two o'clock in the morning?" asked Mike, gritting his teeth, although he'd like to know what made him think what he was wearing was a good outfit.
"I already said, " Salsa replied. "I need to introduce to someone." Salsa was also humming to himself as he tiptoed into the forest hearing nothing but the birds singing and the owls howling.
"You can at least tell me who?"
"I can't say who just yet," Salsa whispered, then hushed. "It's a surprise."
"This better be worth it," Mike muttered, still growling his teeth at him.
"Sadly it's not Ema Skye in case you're fantasizing about her."
"Damn!" Salsa just had to rub it in his face.
"You won't believe your eyes."
"I don't plan on sleeping with anyone either." Mike had a feeling Salsa was going on about a hot lady he met in the club.
"Mike, this is strictly business. I've got everything under control. I've got a plan B in case my epic plan A to lock Klavier Gavin goes wrong."
"Our Plan A actually," corrected Mike. He didn't want Salsa claiming all the credit. "And it was Lana who started the plan." Mike got out his torch, since Salsa was shaking his torch about too much. His torch was larger, thus Salsa was able to find his way. A man was standing in the middle of a cottage. By the way he dressed, he seemed to have been a butler. His uniform blended in with the dark when Mike lowered his torch.
"Good morning gentleman,"the man said. His tone was deep. He sounded like a gentleman of business. Salsa smiled as if he recognized the man's voice.
"Hey Shelly DeKiller how are you?" Salsa said.
"Very well thank you." DeKiller bowed and asked, "What brings you gentleman up at this hour?"
"I was going to introduce Mike to a friend of mine."
"Not popping round to see your godmother?" DeKiller wondered, "she makes exceedingly pies."
"That's exactly where we were heading to," Salsa said, grinning. He tilted his sunglasses as he asked, "what about you Shelly?"
"I'm on quest for blood on behalf of Mrs. DeLite," he announced.
"You mean Mrs. DeLite has hired you?" Mike asked. He was positive that this was more than just a pure coincidence.
"Indeed," DeKiller said. "It is quite beneficial for the pair of us. I've always liked to kill Mr. Engarde for his unforgivable betrayal. Atmey on the other hand, still owes me money. I am also going to send her husband home: dead or alive."
"Well that sounds cool. Good luck on that." Salsa said, approaching DeKiller to shake his hand.
"Thank you," DeKiller said. "Unfortunately I have no time to chat. I bid farewell." And Shelly DeKiller walked away, blending with the night.
Salsa looked at Mike and said, "Okay now let's go in." Mike nodded and followed him into the cottage. As they walked in they could see fur all over the place and cats sleeping in harmony. "Pussies galore," Salsa whispered to Mike. "You like that don't you?"
"Not the cat version," Mike spat.
"Hey Namow," Salsa called. "It's me."
"Watch it!" a croaky voice called. "You're going to wake the cats. Oh..."
A woman had walking in, wearing her white gown, contrasting to her chocolate skin. She held a knife in her hand, but lowered it when she saw Salsa's face. "Albert! So nice to meet you."
"This is my friend Mike Blitz," Salsa announced.
"Hey," Mike said, wondering why Salsa had forced him to meet serial killer, Namow Lantem.
"Would you two like some pie?" Namow asked.
"I'm okay thanks, I'll have some tea though," Salsa replied as he removed his sunglassed.
"What about you Mike?"
"I'm okay thanks,"
"You know where Luke Atmey and Matt Engarde are hiding don't ya?" Salsa asked.
"Oh yes," Namow answered with a grin. "They were foolish enough to trust me." Funnily enough, Mike thought Salsa was foolish for dragging him out of bed to visit a killer.
"Maybe you can tell us," Mike said.
"Jacques Portsman said he visited them. He and Matt used to be good friends he says."
"Great another of the killers who just escaped jail." Mike yawned watching one of the cats throwing up in the sink. This was no way for a cat to live, it wasn't rocket science. Since Namow had brought him up, he had to ask her, "do you know where Portsman is..."
Namow said nothing but grinned as she gave Salsa his tea.
"You're silent, you've done something to him haven't you?" Salsa said.
"Maybe I did," Namow whispered, "but maybe I didn't"
"What have you done to Jacques Portsman?" Mike asked, trying to cut the chase.
"I turned him into pie and ate a bit of him," Namow admitted.
Salsa spat his tea out laughing, splattering on the cat that being sick. Mike had nothing else to say other than, "... Why?"
"He kicked my cat, Ribbon!" Namow barked. "Served him right the little pest."
"That's not a legit reason to eat somebody," Mike said. "Let alone kill."
"Do you want to be in my pie then?" Namow asked grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
"NO WAY!" Mike shouted. "Let's go!"
"Hold it Mike!" Salsa chased him. "She can help!"
"We should hand her in," Mike snapped, cold and clear. "I can't bare to have her walking around eating people."
"You gotta watch what you say about Nomow," Salsa warned him. He managed to get Mike to stop running by holding his arm.
"Why? She's dangerous she needs locking up!"
"Dude, you could have been killed."
"You could have been killed too,"
"I know her, she's my mama's best friend." Salsa roared. "I know she's crazy, but she's my godmother for a reason. She is a great ally to my family. She gave my bullies diarrhea."
"Do we have to bring your family life into this?"
"Oh whatever!" Mike sighed. "The point is Mike, you do not mess with her in anyway. She's an expert in romance!"
"Yes," laughed Mike clapping his hands. "That's why she flushed her husband down the toilet."
"That's why you don't mess with her or her cats," announced Salsa.
"The woman is a freak show," Mike said out aloud. "She's not going to help us. If anything she'll make things worse."
"Listen here Mike, you said that you were prepared to get your hands dirty for the truth and for peace."
"Yes I stand by that still."
"Namow has harmed her enemies many times before, but she loves her allies so much, she'll do the dirty work for them. Give her a chance, she's actually helping you."
"Handing herself in will be a great help."
"Just go back and listen to her," Salsa muttered. "Please?"
"Namow has about a million cats in that den of hers," Mike brought up.
"There is plenty of room in your car so maybe we can offer some of them a safer place." Salsa said. "She's had some of them cats for ages. She don't need all of them."
"Maybe we can get her to make a deal with us," Mike thought. "It's not nice for her or the cats to be living in such a junk room." He took a deep breath, wishing he could go back to see Ema.
Salsa tapped his back and told him, "now don't worry Mike. Once everything is sorted you can go home."
"Yay," boomed Mike. "Let's go back in again."
"Hello again," Mike said as he walking into the cottage. "Sorry about earlier, just a little tired."
"It's okay," Namow said. "I scare everyone in prison."
"Hey Namow, Mike and I got a proposal for you," Salsa told her.
"Nice what is it?"
"You help us catch Luke Atmey and Matt Engarde and lock Klavier Gavin in jail and in return, we'll help put your cats in a safer environment and give you a nice place to live," announced Mike.
"That means I'll have to say goodbye to all of them?" Namow asked. Mike could see a tear floating in her eye.
"Yeah," Mike said. "Sorry..."
"But they'll have a happy home and they'll still be able to chill out with each other," Salsa rambled on. He wrapped his godmother around his arms and continued, "They'll make new friends and some might even be stars."
"I'll miss them so much!" Namow wailed.
"Okay Namow don't cry," Salsa begged. "One day you'll realize it was the best thing to do."
"My words exactly," Mike said.
"I'll help you,"she sobbed out finally. "I'll send all of the Portsman pies to Luke Atmey's shelter. So it looks as if Luke made the pies. You two shall help me."
"I promise we will Namow," Mike and Salsa said together.
"Albert you were always a good boy inside," Nawmow smiled. "But whatever you do, don't report DeKiller," she warned the two men. "He's helping us out a lot."
"We won't," Mike promised.
"And one more thing," Namow said. "Before I forget. Do you guys know the Kitaki family?"
"Of course we do," Mike quickly responded. "Why?"
"I've seen their son, Wocky bring some of his friends over to have a party," Namow slipped out. "They very wild and loud when he's around. I know it was Wocky cause seeing Little Plum carrying him around in the pram."
"Well, thanks for the info," Mike said.
"It's a pleasure."
He was pleased that tonight wasn't a complete waste of time, they now had extra help in his investigations and his quest to protect Ema from harm. Despite all this, he wasn't sure that Lana would approve. She will kill him if he fails, but the chances of his failing seemed to be light years away unless Salsa messes it up.