Unknown - Cat_In_A_Midnight_Choir-spaces_ru

Su crossed her arms. “A lot of cop talk is pretty sexist.”

“It’s something a guy’s gotta do to make sure the other guys know he’s a guy.”

“I can take it. Dish it out too.”

Morrie shrugged. “Some women overcompensate. You don’t. Molina neither. I didn’t realize how much she didn’t until just now.”

“So it’s bad.”

“She’s been working overtime, real overtime.”

“You think she’s cracking?”

“Naw, but she ain’t happy about this last killing. Responsibility will get to you if you let it. We’re not here to save anyone, just to find the guilty.”

“I can’t believe I heard Molina say that.”

“Nothing shocks you, remember?”

“That’s why I hate it when something does.”

Morrie nodded. “I know what you mean. My daughter?”

“Yeah.”

“After all that, she grew up to be a real toilet-mouth.” He shrugged. “What are you gonna do?”

Su shook her head sympathetically. “Shit.”

Midnight Louie Sings the Blues

Give a dude a dame, and you might as well carve “Finis” on a block of marble bearing his name somewhere, hopefully not at Los Muertos.

I have seen enough of that place to last an entire one of my nine lives.

Here I spend half the case worrying about the welfare of my so-called “partner,” and she gets to show up at the curtain call and kick ass.

I get to watch.

This is not the sort of claws-on action I am used to providing.

I can only conclude that this revolting denouement is due to a surfeit of females in my life. There is the errant Miss Temple, who is always getting herself into as much hot water as another infamous redhead, Lucy Ricardo. There is my newly discovered mater, the unfortunately named Ma Barker. There is the vicious Hyacinth herself. There is the unforgettable and lethal Kitty the Cutter. There is the relentless Lieutenant C. R. Molina.

And there is my partner in crime writing, Miss Carole Nelson Douglas, who appears to revel in showing us guys in a less than flattering light.

Is there a hidden message here? Is this some feminist, humanist tract that I have innocently become entoiled in?

I get to do the dirty work! Do you hear me? Little dolls are supposed to stand on the sidelines and cheer me on. Or swoon at my approach when I deign to make it.

From now on, it is sheaths off.

I am the alpha element here, not to mention the titular hero.

(I like that word “titular.” It means the whole enchilada is named after me. Not literally. Aw, now it is getting complicated. Dames must be at work again.)

Of course, when I think about it, that only means that someone else did the naming, and what can be bestowed, can be taken away.

Still, it cannot hurt to reestablish my territory.

I am feline, hear me roar!

Hark? Is that an echo?

Oops. It is Osiris, joining in from across town.

I guess we Big Guys did our part, and we have to give the little ladies a solo bow now and then.

It does not really mean anything.

Unless the little ladies take offense.

Very best fishes,

Midnight Louie, Esq.

For information about getting Midnight Louie’s newsletter and/or T-shirt, contact him at Midnight Louie’s Scratching Post-Intelligencer, PO Box 331555, Fort Worth, TX 76163, by e-mail at cdouglas@catwriter.com. or visit the Web page http://www.catwriter.com.

Carole Nelson Douglas Joins the Choir

I totally agree with you this time, Louie.

Don’t look so surprised. We are in this together.

Frankly, you underestimate your achievements. You’re the one who finally tracked down the connection between the murder of Professor Jeff Mangel and the symbol of the Synth. You’re the one who found the hidden nest at Los Muertos and Hyacinth and who-knows-what other connections to ongoing villainy.

You managed to call help to Temple’s aid, even if it was pretty unappetizing help, and you sprang Midnight Louise from durance vile. She was pretty helpless until you came back on the scene, you know. Just because she and Hyacinth got into a little cat fight at the end doesn’t steal your thunder, Louie.

Besides, I thought you macho guys got a kick from watching girls go at it in the ring.

Honestly. Dudes. You can’t live with them and you can’t live without them.

BUT WHO WOULD WANT TO? LIVE WITHOUT THEM, I MEAN.

I THINK.

eBook Info

Title:

Cat in a Midnight Choir

Creator:

Carole Nelson Douglas

Date:

2002

Type:

novel

Format:

text/html

Identifier:

0-312-70619-7

Source:

PDF

Language:

en

Relation:

None

Coverage:

None

Rights:

Copyright © 2002 by Carole Nelson Douglas

meta:

Table of Contents

Previously in

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Tailpiece