(Disclaimer: Tintin and all related characters belong to Hergé. Any new characters belong to me.)
The Strange Cat Burglar
Chapter 2: The Thirteenth Notice
Tintin wasted no time in trying to convince the Captain to tag along on another adventure.
However, the old sea man was adamant, "Absolutely not, Tintin!" he bellowed, "Blistering barnacles, can't an old sea man enjoy a restful retirement with good whiskey without being pestered into another bothersome headache of a mystery?!"
The young reporter tried to argue, "But Captain, don't you think it's strange how every time this thief strikes, other stolen items are found at the scene of the crime? It's almost as though the cat burglar wants to help the police find the real culprits on more serious crimes!"
"Now, laddie, it's strange, but not as strange as a young journalist gallivanting all over the world to stop a drug smuggling operation." Haddock replied, "If you want to go sticking your neck out again, please leave me out of it!"
The boy sighed in defeat, "Very well, Captain. I won't try coercing you into this case anymore."
He turned to his little dog and said, "Let's go, Snowy. I think we've bothered the Captain a bit too much."
'Does this mean we're going to dinner now, Tintin?' Snowy thought excitedly as he and his master headed to the door.
Nestor, the faithful butler, opened the door for the young man saying, "Don't worry, Master Tintin. I'm sure Master Haddock has his reasons for not joining your exposition."
"I'm sure he does as well, Nestor," Tintin replied, "Thank you."
"It is a pleasure, sir, and do be careful out there." Nestor said.
Tintin said, "I shall, don't worry. We'll see you later."
Along the road, all the boy could think about was how to get started on the case. 'Perhaps it would be best if I knew everything about the thefts. Then we'd best get back to Thomson and Thompson.'
"Alright then, after dinner we'll have a nice chat with our Interpol associates, Snowy." he said to his loyal friend who barked happily in agreement.
"Aye, sounds like a good plan. Where should we go?" a familiar voice asked.
Tintin turned around and saw his old friend Captain Haddock walking right up to him.
"Captain?! I thought you didn't want any part of this escapade?" he asked in complete shock.
The former sea man simply said in response, "Like I'm gonna let a little landlubber like you have all the fun around here!"
Tintin smiled in disbelief. He knew his friend was only concerned about the trouble he was bound to get into, so Haddock went against his better judgment and came along to help.
"Now, about that dinner, I think I know just the place for that!" Haddock suggested.
The duo and their doggy friend walked into a restaurant named The Merry Mermaid. Haddock told Tintin it was well known for sea food, but also dabbled in what he called "landlubbers' specialties".
Upon entering, Tintin noticed two familiar, and nearly identical, faces seated at a table not too far from a stage, the reporter assumed it was for the house band or a cabaret; it was Thomson and Thompson, getting ready to have dinner themselves.
"Thomson and Thompson!" the young man called, getting the detectives' attention.
"Hello there, Tintin; fancy meeting you here!" Thompson said cheerfully.
Thomson added, "To be precise; you're meeting us here all fancy!"
"It is quite remarkable," Tintin said, "Captain Haddock and I were going to see you after supper about that cat burglar case."
"Is that so?" Thomson said surprised, "Well then, how about the two of you join us?"
"That sounds fine, eh, Tintin?" Haddock replied.
Tintin nodded cheerfully.
After a wonderful dinner of steamed crab and grilled halibut (and a large steak bone for Snowy), the four friends began a nice rousing chat.
"So, Tintin, what did you want to talk to me and Thompson about?" Thomson asked the young man.
He replied, "I'd like to know more about the Chatte Noir cases, if that is alright."
"It should be fine considering the previous cases have already been closed." Thompson said.
Thomson explained, "You see, Tintin, the cases always start off with a person coming to us to report a theft, but they never seem to have any evidence with them to support their claim. Usually afterwards, around a day or so, another person shows up with a notification card that states where and when a robbery will take place. The notes themselves are different every time, of course, but at the bottom of the note is a drawing of a black cat."
"Just like the notes the thief leaves when he returns a stolen object!" the journalist concluded.
"Precisely that, Tintin," Thomson said, "It's quite peculiar, if you ask me."
Captain Haddock gulped down more of his liquor and said, "It's more like that thief is a show off crying out for attention like a wee babe."
"But he's certainly helped us in apprehending those rats who steal for their own gain." Thompson stated.
Thomson agreed, "Indeed, thus the thief is aptly named the 'Chatte Noir'."
Tintin thought for a moment then asked, "Might I be able to see a list of those people who reported thefts before any notices were issued?"
"Of course you may, Tintin!" Thomson said.
"In that case, we'd better pay our bills and head back to Interpol Headquarters." Thompson added.
The next few days were spent in search of and interviewing the people who had their stolen property returned to them by the cat burglar.
It was a tiresome task Tintin, Captain Haddock, and Snowy had to endure.
There was an old man who lost his deed to a well-loved theater, a little boy who lost his deceased grandfather's golden pocket watch, a family that was tricked out of their home, and many other interesting cases.
The last person they interviewed was Nicole Endive, the lady whose Faberge egg was returned to her the very day Tintin decided to investigate the Chatte Noir.
She was a middle aged woman with a moderately thin waist, dirty blonde hair up in a loose bun, and simple looking attire.
Mrs. Endive had apparently been a widow for six months, her husband died in a car crash, when Monsieur Dupuis approached her as a life insurance agent and said she didn't have enough coverage for her expenses and, since it was the policy's collateral, took the Faberge egg her husband had given to her for their tenth anniversary.
By the time she realized Dupuis was tricking her, he had disappeared. Not knowing what else to do, she went to the police about the con.
It wasn't until a few days later that her dearest treasure was returned to her by the Chatte Noir.
In the end, they found absolutely nothing leading to the mysterious robber.
The day after the interview with Mrs. Endive left Tintin in a heavy slump. He was so stumped by the case that he hardly ever ate his meals, worrying the Captain, Nestor and Snowy.
Captain Haddock approached the somber young man saying, "Tintin, maybe you should go out and take a breather from this bewildering mystery."
"I can't Captain, I have to keep working until this…this puzzle is finally solved." Tintin replied, "I have all the pieces and it's just a matter of time until they all fit together."
"Thundering typhoons, you're not thinking right, lad!" Haddock bellowed, "If you work yourself to death, you'll never figure this out! Go out and have some fun! Browse around the nearby shops, get a drink at a café, anything that'll get your mind off of this puzzle of yours."
Nestor, agreeing whole-heartedly with his master, grabbed the boy's arm, lifted him out of his desk chair and escorted Tintin to the door, "Master Haddock is right, Master Tintin. You must get some fresh air to clear your mind."
Tintin sighed in defeat and left Marlinspike hall with Snowy at his heels.
A little bit of window shopping was what he came up with so Tintin and Snowy went from store to store and look at various objects.
Upon entering a newer looking shop, Snowy sniffed around until he found a wonderful scent. 'A bone! I smell a great big delicious bone!' he thought as he ran towards the scent's origin.
Tintin was worried about what the shopkeeper might think if his dog made a mess of the merchandise, "Snowy! Snowy, stop that!"
"Do not worry about the bone, Monsieur," a feminine voice said, "It was destined for your dog to find."
The young man turned around and saw a woman with jet black hair and twinkling eyes, wearing gypsy-like clothes emerge from the shop's storeroom.
"Are you certain, Madame?" Tintin asked, "Because I can pay for it if necessary."
"There is no need, my boy; he is welcome to have it."
Snowy looked up at the lady and barked happily, 'Yay! I get to have the bone!' and proceeded to chew on the old item.
The shopkeeper laughed, "I don't believe I've ever seen a customer so excited about a find like he is about his bone."
Quickly recomposing herself, she said to Tintin, "I am Clair Voyánt; the owner of this fine establishment. Please feel free to look around and see what peaks your interest."
She then went behind the curtain leading to the back, letting Tintin browse however he wished.
He saw many peculiar items; a shrunken head, a jar full of eyeballs, old-fashioned seal making mediums and old jewelry boxes.
But there was one thing that stood out to him the most; a pendant shaped like a diamond. It was made of silver that had tarnished slightly and had such lovely floral engravings set in its tiny surface.
Ever curious, the journalist picked the little object up for a closer look.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the shopkeeper return and walk towards him.
"So you found something, have you?" she said.
Tintin nodded and watched her smile earnestly, "Well then, we should get to reading its fortune."
The young man blinked in confusion and asked, "What do you mean, Madame?"
She giggled, "Just what I expected from you, Monsieur Tintin. My shop holds items that are destined for specific people. Who they are and how they come here is up to them, but they do come here, whether or not they were searching for something. It is my job to read what future they shall lead their predestined partner towards and share it with the customer."
"So that's how you knew what to expect from me." Tintin concluded, "You're a psychic!"
"Yes and no, Monsieur," she said, "Unlike those cheap phony psychics that are around these days, true psychics don't rely on the spirits for every bit of knowledge. I simply know who you are from reading the newspaper."
"Then you're a genuine psychic! Incredible!" the boy said.
"Indeed, now come and sit at my table." the lady offered.
Tintin accepted and sat down at a round cedar table with a crystal ball on a velvet cushion as the centerpiece.
Madame Voyánt sat down as well, took a deep breath and waved her hands over the crystalline sphere.
She didn't bother with an incantation, which Tintin quickly realized that was what fakes did for show, and within a few moments she spoke, "How intriguing!"
"What?! What do you see?!" the boy asked nervously.
"I see a little black cat outwitting a monstrous shadow." she replied, "For a dozen times it has come out of its excursions unscathed, but it seems the next time it will not be so. That is where you will come in, young man."
"Me? But what can I do for a cat?" he asked.
"I'm afraid I do not know, but I suspect that the cat will need that and your assistance in the not too distant future." the shopkeeper said, "You may have the pendent, Monsieur, just as your dog can have his bone; no charge."
"But I must give you something for it," he said, not wanting to take the object without paying.
He reached for his wallet and pulled out five francs to pay the shopkeeper, "Please, Madame, I insist!"
She smiled and accepted the boy's gracious patronage.
Tintin said farewell to the interesting shopkeeper as he and Snowy left the store and the Madame replied, "Goodbye, young man, and may luck be on your side."
Tintin returned to Marlinspike Hall feeling quite a bit better than he did when he left, only this time he was wondering about Madame Voyánt's fortune.
But, unfortunately, that was placed on the back shelf as Thompson and Thomson were there waiting for him.
"Hello, Tintin!" Thompson greeted.
Thomson added, "Did you enjoy your outing?"
"Yes I did, actually. Thank you Nestor, Captain for having me leave for a while." Tintin said.
"You're quite welcome, Master Tintin," Nestor replied.
"Aye, laddie, we figured that was just what you needed." Haddock added.
Thomson cleared his throat, "Now, Tintin, Thompson and I are here to tell you there has been a new notice from the Chatte Noir!"
This caught the boy's attention immediately, "Really?! What was it for this time?!" he asked excitedly.
"An old sculpture in possession of Monsieur Phillipe Leveque who lives at Belmont Manor," Thompson explained, "The thief says he'll strike at 11:30 tomorrow night!"
"The thirteenth raid of the Chatte Noir! Thomson and Thompson, would you mind if we accompany you?" Tintin asked eagerly.
"Well, I don't know about you, Thomson, but I can't see any reason why they cannot come." Thompson said.
Thomson replied, "Indeed, of course they can! They may have better luck apprehending the thief than we've had."
'Oh, Goody, we're going to chase a cat burglar!' Snowy thought.
So it was agreed that the next night, the two police officers would meet with Tintin, Haddock, and Snowy at The Merry Mermaid and go to Belmont Manor from there.
What will the next night bring? Will the Chatte Noir finally be caught? And what is the meaning of Madame Voyánt's fortune? Stay tuned for more of The Strange Cat Burglar!
Delphigirl689: First of all, I'd like to thank all of you who've reviewed! Secondly, I'd like to thank all those who've read my story. And thirdly, I'd like to thank Pink-Pencil-Girl303 for your suggestion. It really helped me out. Read and Review please!
