Me and My Shadow - The Saga Continues

Chapter 4 

Shadow’s fortuitous encounter with Daphne augmented by his skillfully implemented interrogatory techniques yielded a wealth of information concerning the circumstances surrounding the death of Jasmine providing him a plethora of possibilities to guide and give direction to his investigation. Shadow knew that somewhere within this tangled mess of fact, theory, speculation and innuendo there existed the key that would ultimately unlock the truth. 

Shadow’s first objective would be to analyze and categorize all the raw data that he had gleaned in the brief course of his current investigation. As his razor sharp mind silently processed all he had seen and heard he began to formulate the next phase of his plan. Like a great chess master he mentally calculated all available options carefully weighing each against its possible outcome. 

As a result of his efforts Shadow had amassed a lengthy inter-species list of possible witnesses and suspects. He knew however that pursuing such a gargantuan number of potential leads was beyond the capabilities of even a kitten as gifted as himself. 

Having categorized his potential pool of possible perpetrators Shadow’s next step was to systematically limit the scope of his search. To this end Shadow resolved to proceed in his quest by focusing on a short list of what he considered to be the most productive potential suspects. 

Among the list of potential species of interest were several snakes. Shadow immediately relegated the possible use of their testimony to the category “ last resort” no matter how relevant it may potentially be. Shadow was not a speciest although he did have an instinctual distrust of snakes. He was not overly adept in the serpentine dialect and their body language made him extremely nervous. They spoke with a forked tongue and had a notorious reputation for lying and causing trouble. In spite of his efforts to subvert his prejudices Shadow ultimately removed snakes from his short list. 

The fowl suspects likewise posed both linguistic and logistical issues. Some were flighty, others screeched loudly ...even the lowly pigeons had the annoying habit of bobbing their heads and there was always that chronic uneasiness when cats and birds got together that made effective communication problematic at best. 

Due to their ability to infiltrate the tightest security as well as their skills at hiding and camouflage mice and smaller rodents could potentially supply valuable intelligence. There was however a significant issue with trust on their part as they never knew for certain whether they were being invited to dinner …or as dinner. None the less there have been some useful and productive relationships established with them. Unfortunately such alliances were generally the exception not the rule. 

The larger rodents … the rats…simply could not be trusted. They would turn on you with the slightest provocation. 

Among the insects Daphne had specifically recommended Hunny Bee. Hunny was a very busy bee indeed. She knew all the worker bees who went out daily in search of new sources of pollen. She was always up to date with the latest buzz. 

The choice of Hunny was definitely food for thought. Shadow had generally good relations with the bee community and bees could potentially provide air support and reconnaissance. They would prove to be an invaluable asset if his mission required a sting operation. Although Shadow found the bees constant dancing around and buzzing to be a trifle annoying at times, he just chalked up this slightly eccentric behavior as being one of the minor quirks of the species. 

The two guard dogs, Cliff and Bruno, potentially could possess extremely valuable inside information, however their interrogation would require a high degree of tact and a definite escape route in the event things turned ugly. 

The final category on which Shadow focused his attention was the feline group itself which in his personal opinion consisted of the most likely suspects. All members of this category were known to be violent and ruthless and each had a sordid history with Jasmine. 

Mandu was a brutal beast with a long criminal past. His two henchmen Soo Long and Diablo were likewise felines of interest in numerous as yet unsolved crimes and misdemeanors. 

Soo Long was purported to have been a former kitty porn star who had been rejected by the industry when his performances failed to elicit cat calls from his audience. It was a matter of great impotence. Even the use of stand-ins and special effects failed to revive his sagging career As a result he became bitter and despondent turning instead to a life of violence and crime. 

Diablo was rumored to be a former familiar of a mean and evil witch. He lost his patron when a crazy human girl named Dorothy threw a bucket of water on her. There is still a warrant out for her arrest, however it has been reported by reliable sources that she escaped as if by magic and may currently be living in a safe house somewhere in Kansas. Ever since that fateful day Diablo has terrorized and abused everyone around him. 

Shadow could not help but wonder how his sweet Jasmine could ever have become involved with such an unsavory lot. 

Why would she sully her reputation by consorting with  the likes of such evil street trash ? 

Sweet Jasmine could only have been conned by these misfits … and it  ultimately cost her both her reputation and  her life. .......