Sam Spade 09: Case of the Lady in White

It was only a few minutes later that when Tigress ran over to Angela and jumped into her arms. From across the room Angela called out, "She found her scent and is tracking her now." As we headed towards the door Angela added, "It comes and goes but she is sure that Lady is at the end of it." It did not take long before we caught up to Kitten. At my instruction, we sat in the car about a half a block to give her room to search without distractions.

We reached a part of town that even for old town was decrepit and run down. While we were stopped at a stoplight, I watched as Kitten stopped, transformed, and talked to three men. A feeling of fear mixed with anger washed over me, Kitten's. Without thinking, I was out of the car and running down the street towards her. For a brief moment, I was whole and my baby was in trouble. As I closed with them, I saw that Kitten had two of them down. The third man had her around the chest and I could feel her mind screaming in pain. Again, without thought, I drew my 45 and fired into his back.

To my surprise, the man turned and started towards me. I do not know about you, but this was a first for me. A 45 caliber bullet does not leave a little wound that can be shrugged off without a thought. Lowering the pistol, I shot the man in the knees. While it would not kill him, it dropped him to the ground. Walking up to him, I said coldly, "Nobody fucks with one of mine."

He looked up at me defiantly and said, "You're dead bitch. You can't kill me."

I realized that he must be some type of changeling like Kitten. I felt a sharp pain in my back and could almost hear a snapping sound; my legs give out as I dropped to my knees. Jamming the pistol under his chin, I felt a cold rage fill me. I could feel Kitten's pain and knew she had been hurt badly. "That's true; this is just copper and lead. But let's find out how well regenerate without a brain," I said. I thumbed the hammer back as I looked into his eyes.

The sharp smell of urine assaulted my nose as he lost control of his bladder. The look of defiance changed into fear. At the last moment, I angled the gun away as I fired. As mad as I was, I found I could not kill a defenseless man in cold blood.

I became aware that the others were behind me, Angela asked, "You missed? How could you miss?"

Not replying I moved off the man and said softly, "If I ever see you again..." He nodded slowly and crawled to his friends. I paid him no more attention as I crawled over to Kitten. Caressing her face tenderly I nuzzled her face with mine and asked softly, "Are you ok Kitten?"

Kitten purring raggedly replied, "Momma save Kitten" in reply. She nuzzled me once more and added, "Must find Lady." Nuzzling me once more, she changed back into a black cat and limped away.

I rolled over and lay on my back looking up at Angela. She had her 45 out and was pointing it towards the retreating men with Jade beside her holding down on them with the shotgun. Jamie stood to one side, the wheelchair forgotten before her, her hands covering her mouth. The poor thing had never seen us in action before.

Arianne silently crept to the shadows watching the event unfold. She saw the opportunity that was needed as Kitten and Sam fought the men. One of them ran off in a different direction than the others. He stopped as Arianne stepped out of the shadows and smiled. "Going somewhere are you?" she said before magically appearing next to him with her hand firmly grasping his neck. She lifted him off the ground and laughed at his fear. She smiled wider to reveal her fangs and without another word sunk them into his flesh.

The blood rejuvenated her. She let him go, and as his body limply fell to the pavement, she noticed he had something that seemed important in his pocket. She quickly swiped it from him, as he would no longer need it. Some coin and a few cigarettes along with a small piece of paper with a list of names on it, one of which was her mother's.

Arianne wiped her mouth and looked where Sam had gone. She was glad to see Kitten okay as well as Sam. Seems they too had some fun. She went over to them and handed the paper to Sam. "I think you may want this."

Jamie came to her senses and hurried to me with the wheelchair. Kneeling next to me she said, "Are you ok mistress?" With concern in her eyes.

I tried to get up but my legs were so much dead meat. "Um, don't say anything but my legs don't work," I said softly.

She looked shocked and nodded somberly, "I will be your legs, mistress." I was surprised at how strong she was when she manhandled me up into the wheel chair without my helping her. While the others were still watching the retreating forms of the men, Jamie rolled me to the car and set me down in the back seat. Putting the wheelchair up, she sat beside me, watching as I looked at the list of names. Try as I might I could not connect any of them with a face.

When the others got in, I passed the paper around, "Anyone recognize any of these names?" To my dismay, no one recognized them. However, Jade thought, one of them may be connected to the mob somehow. I handed it back to Arianne and said, "You know of any of them?"

Arianne shook her head, "None other than mother's, but then I am young. Perhaps Mother will know them when we find her."

By the time we started up again, Kitten was hot on her trail. I recognized the area and said, "She's headed to the fishing pier." Dad had taken me there often to fish. While I never saw the purpose of it he seemed to enjoy fishing, and it was a chance for us to have a little father daughter time. True to my prediction, Kitten ran onto the pier as we parked and jumped off one side and into the water.

In the time it took Jamie to get me into a chair and out to the pier, a strange cry echoed up from under it, a cat crying. Soon the song was taken up by Tigress and from all around I could hear other cats meowing. I looked at Arianne, I could see the same thought, "We are too late," echoed in her eyes. Angela ran out and with Jade following, jumped off the edge and into the water.

Just as suddenly as it started, the meowing from all around us stopped. "Kitten found her, she's alive!" Arianne said and disappeared. "Mother hang on, you are safe now. I am here."

A moment later, I saw Angela as she came out from under the pier, "Sam, you got to see this. There are at least half a dozen stiffs stashed down here."

I shook my head, "We don't have time to deal with the cops. Just take pictures of their faces, grab Lady, and let's get out of here."

Angela looked towards the pier and back up at me, "It not that simple. They are all wrapped in plastic and rope."

"Damn it..." I thought fast. "First, bring Lady up. Then Jade and Arianne will take Lady somewhere safe in the car. You, Jamie and I will wait until Heather can get here. Once she is here, we will unmask the bodies and call the police. Make it happen..." I said and looked away from her. I called the house and passed on the list of names Arianne had retrieved and told Heather to get here as soon as possible.

A minute went by and then a second one before they brought Lady up. Had I not known I would have thought she was dead? Stopping Arianne as Angela and Jade took Lady to the car I said, "Make sure you take her somewhere safe. Tomorrow bring her to my house so we can find out who is behind this and deal with them. I will deal with this mess and research the names in the meantime."

Arianne wanted to argue. She knew whoever got to her mother would possible try again and the first place they would go is Lady's home. She nodded and kept her tongue. "Okay Miss Spade."

Looking at Jade I said, "Stick with Lady, until she and I can talk no one other than Arianne gets to her."

She nodded somberly, "Yes Mistress." She turned and hurried to the car.

Once they had left I sent Angela back down to strip the plastic from the faces and grab pics of them. While under the pier, she would also take samples of the plastic and ropes that held the bodies.

Angela was back quickly and crouched down beside me. She kept looking at the pier as she spoke, "Sam, Mistress, all the stiffs... they have fangs." Finally, she looked at me, "All of them." One hand dropped down to beside her and stroke Tigress who had been her shadow.

Kitten came up from under the pier, her fur wet, "Momma, all empty shells." She looked confused and added, "Not dead, no one home." Transforming into a cat she jumped up on my lap and I could hear her in my mind say, "Momma take Kitten home now, this bad place."

Looking at Angela I said, "I think we should skip calling the police."

Angela nodded, "So do I." Standing she added, "Let me go tidy up down there real fast."

I nodded and then reached back a hand to touch Jamie's I was concerned on how quiet she had been after the shooting. "Are you ok baby?" I said softly looking up at her.

Jamie looked down at me gulping and said, "I will be fine mistress."

"I know you will sweet pony. I can't express how proud of you I am right now." I replied. We waited in silence for Heather to arrive.

Chapter 7 -- Kitten viewpoint

Jumping up on momma's lap, I heard her instructions to Arianne. While in its self it was fine I did not think it went far enough. Looking at Arianne I added mentally, "Take her to Momma's house." I sent her a vision of walking through momma's house and down to the cellar before entering the secret room. Once they were on their way I changed and nuzzled her face as I sat in her lap.

Instantly I became aware that there was something drastically wrong with momma. Normally she would wiggle around to get comfortable with my weight on her lap. This time, she just wrapped her arms around me and held me close. Looking into her eyes, I could feel she was hiding something but could not get past the wall she had erected. "Kitten be right back." I said and focused on home.

Blinking I found myself in our bedroom and sniffed out Jasmine. I found her and all the others still in the house watching as Sue Ann worked at the computer. "Jasmine," I said and smiled inwardly as she jumped in surprise. "Jade is bringing Lady here to be safe. She needs whole blood."

Jasmine pulled at her lip and shook her head, "All we have is plasma Kitten."

While humans now and again surprise me, I find overall that they are slow. "No blood?" She shook her head in reply. "Then what is that pumping through your body?" I asked.

"Oh!" Jasmine replied. She gathered up everyone and proceeded to draw a liter from each and replace the volume lost with plasma.

I stood watching Jasmine while thinking. I had done everything I could for my friend. Next, my duty was to Momma. Where was Alvin I wondered? I thought about trying to track him down but decided he would come as fast as he came and nothing I could do would make him rush any more. Going back to Momma I arrived just as Heather showed up. Not speaking I watched as Jamie put Momma into the back seat with her while Angela and Heather sat in the front. I sat on Momma's lap in cat form as we rode back to the house.

Arianne sat in the car cradling Lady's cold plastic wrapped body in her arms. Her mind, focusing all of her energy on reaching her mother thought, "Mother, Mother hang on, going somewhere safe. I am here for you." Even holding her mother tight, she could not tell if Lady could understand her. She felt a nudge, Kitten, the image of the house and the room was printed in her mind and the overwhelming feeling that this was somewhere safe. She rode with Lady's cold and lifeless body cuddled tight in her arms all the way back to Samantha's house.

She let no one near her mother as she carried her down to the basement and beyond in the secret room. The room was filled with cabinets, shelves, gun racks, and a hospital bed. Off to one side stood one of Sam's girls with several bags of blood on a table. "My name is Jasmine; I have six liters of blood and fifteen liters of plasma at your disposal." The woman said.

Arianne set her mother on the bed that was provided and glanced at the woman. Stopping a moment, she did a double take, the professional voice was coming from a woman dressed only in high heels, rubber stockings, matching thong, and a blue rubber corset. "Thank you," she said before stripping the plastic wrap from Lady's body. Behind her, she could hear Jasmine picking up the wrapping and ropes and putting them in bags. Removing her mother's clothes, she found no visible mark on Lady, though she could sense magic of some sort about her.

Before Arianne could ask, Jasmine handed her a damp washcloth and held a stainless steel bowl of water. Nodding her thanks, Arianne washed her mother tenderly. Handing the cloth back to Jasmine, Arianne decided she could not wait longer for Sam to arrive. It had been days since Lady probably fed and the more time that was wasted the harder it was going to be to bring her back.

Turning to Jasmine, Arianne said, "You may want to leave, I don't think you want to watch this." Not caring if anyone saw she cut her wrist open with her teeth. She put the bloody wrist to Lady's mouth, "drink mother," she said softly.

Arianne could feel her blood course through her mother's broken body. Lady had gone through something. She could not tell what exactly but it was not good. The smell of death and something worse still lingered around her. A blood bag was thrust into her free hand, "Drink, you need to replace your blood loss." Jasmine said. One hand feeding her mother, Arianne sucked hungrily at the bag in her other hand. Healing her mother was the only thing that was important. Dropping the spent bag, she felt another one thrust into her hand.

Lady's eyes fluttered open and gave Ari a small smile, "Hey baby girl."

"Hello mother dear." Arianne voice sounded drowsy and rough. She gently hugged her and offered her wrist again. "You need to drink mother, there is more on the way but until it gets here... drink." Arianne spoke with a commanding voice trying to use her influence to help her mother. "Please mother... Drink from me and let me nurse to back health."

Snapping her eyes open, Lady grabbed Arianne's wrist. "Where is the cat? The one who found me. Is she here, is she alive?" She started to get up, but the world spun swiftly. Lady could sense they were near Sam. Her scent was all over the place.

Arianne replied tenderly, "Sam's kitten is around somewhere, maybe when you feel better you can see her. You should rest more now though. They should have more blood coming for you soon. Sleep mother, please." Arianne gently restrained her mother from getting up, pushing her back in a lying position.

Once Arianne was sure Lady would not get up and was sleeping comfortable, she looked at Jasmine, "Please let us rest now."

Chapter 8 -- Kitten's viewpoint

Arriving home there was some confusion over the fact that Lady was now residing in the hidden room but it was soon cleared up. I watched as momma was stripped and tucked into bed as if she were a pampered queen. Wanting to show my love for her, I started caressing her leg in a suggestive way once we were alone. It had been what seemed like an eternity since Momma and I had made love to each other without others around and this was our first chance.

Momma showed no reaction to my advances. Frankly, I thought it was just her way of playing hard to get so my caresses became leading. I watched her face as my paw worked its way between her thighs and caressed her flower gently. She lay on her back with her eyes closed and a face neutral. Purring softly, I nuzzled her neck and cheek as I teased her womanhood.

Momma's only reply to my ministrations was to rub her face against mine and raise a hand to scratch behind my ears. After a moment, she said softly, "I don't know what I would do without you Kitten. You make everything seem alright."

By the time, she had lowered her hand I realized she had yet to open her legs more or start the gentle thrusting of her hips. Removing my paw, I rested it on her leg and flexed my claws dimpling her skin. When Momma did not react, I said "Momma?" When she looked at me I continued, "What's wrong with your legs?"

"Nothing for you to worry about Kitten, just rest and everything will be fine tomorrow," Momma replied as she closed her eyes once more.

For a heartbeat I saw inside her, Sam's legs did not work. Everything from the waist down was so much dead meat. Momma was scared, scared to the core. However, she was determined not to show her fear and worries. She was responsible for everyone in the household and would not, could not let them down. The worry she felt was like a crushing weight in her mind.

My mind rolled back to my days before I was changed. Momma would bring dinner home for my brothers, sisters, and I. Even though there was not enough food, she would always make sure we ate before she did. When a wild dog came, she fought it off protecting us.

Now, I truly understood Momma's relationship with her girls. The love and admiration they had for her had bothered me, but put into the context of Samantha being their lover and mother figure, it came together. Even I, who was almost a six hundred years old felt like a kitten to her.

Easing out of the bed, I went in search of Jasmine. I found her sitting alone with her head in her hands in the grotto. When I walked up she looked up at me and said, "I don't know what is wrong Kitten." She looked down between her feet and continued as I sat beside her, "Red should be fine. Instead she..." her voice broke as she turned towards me. With an anguished cry, she wrapped her arms around me and sobbed against my shoulder.

I cooed softly as I stroked her head and let her cry. Though I wanted to join in her tears, I could not. Someone needed to keep this family together and it seemed I had been thrust into the role. In the darkness surrounding the edges of the grotto I could see the other girls clinging to one another as they watched Jasmine's breakdown. I caught Jade's eye and she came forward.

Gathering Jasmine in her arms she said softly, "Come twin, let's get you to bed."

As she stood, Jade held her for a moment and then, led her towards one of the bedrooms. As I watched, the other girls followed, leaving Tigress, Angela and I alone. Angela stroked Tigress's back, petting her and talking to her softly. Tigress looked at me and then hurried to follow the other girls.

Angela stood and came over to sit beside me. We sat in the silence listening to the night sounds and soft tinkling of the water in the hot tub. Finally, not looking at me Angela said, "Do you remember what you said to me when we first met Kitten?"

"My human," I replied simply. When Samantha had introduced me to her daughters, I saw love and devotion in all of their minds. While the others accepted me with open arms, I saw a difference in Angela. We both saw the other as a threat to our relationship. That first minute became a test of wills.

She nodded, "And do you know why you won?"

I had believed that I won because my love was stronger. Now Angela's mind lay open to me, she was a machine, pure and simple. If she had wanted to win, I could have fought her mentally until the ends of time and she still would have won. That someone was stronger willed then I was a shock, "You lost on purpose, why?"

Angela smiled slightly, "Because you could give Samantha something I could not."

I nodded, "Motherhood." I was there when Alvin broke the news that Momma would never be able to have daughters.

She glanced in the direction that Tigress had gone, "I computed that Samantha needed that emotional bond, but did not understand why." Angela looked at me and said softly, "You knew that Tigress would bond to me?"

Nodding I rested my paw on her leg, "She need someone strong willed, someone who is an authority figure. Of all the women in this house, the only one that fit is you." She started to open her mouth to disagree with me. "Think it through Angela," I said forestalling her.