“We have to get out of here.” Zan said as she draped a cloth over the machine after disconnecting the battery. She took the entire thing off the bench and shoved it into one of the bottom shelves of the laboratory.
“We?” said Simkins, with an eyebrow raised.
“Mr. Caradon and I,” she replied. She began gathering everything on the work bench and dumping them into a drawer. “The detective and the other policemen will return here surely and no matter what you will say, they will demand entrance. Perhaps they’re back at their headquarters obtaining a warrant for a search right now.”
“But how will you leave if the entire place is being watched?” her butler replied. “And it’s broad daylight as well!”
Caradon opened his mouth to speak, but she shook her head to dissuade him. “It’s better that you not know how we get out,” said Zan. “Especially if they try to question you, you will be telling the truth that you don’t know what happened to us.”
Simkins gave an exasperated sigh and then trudged back up the stairs.
“How do you propose getting out of here?” said Caradon. “If we get caught, I think it would be all the worse. And I will never be able to make the meeting.”
She suddenly turned to him. “What meeting?”
“I received a message this morning from the Captain. Apparently he is all right and he is staying at an inn in the old city. He’s in hiding at the moment and he is to tell me exactly what had happened yesterday with the aborted attempt at killing the monk.”
“A message? How do you know that it is really from your Captain and not the kidnappers themselves?”
“There was his signature…”
“A signature could be coerced out from people,” she replied. “Come on. We don’t have much time to lose.”
“Would you mind telling me what your plan is?” he asked as they sprinted up the basement stairs and then took the stairs up to the second floor. They passed Isadora who gave them an odd look, but otherwise, did not ask any questions.
“There are two ways to get out of this house,” Zan said as she opened the door to her bedroom and ushered him inside. “We could exit this house in a disguise.”
“That will never work,” Caradon replied as he watched Zan walk behind the changing screen and listened to the sound of skirts dropping to the floor. “With all the policemen watching, they’re bound to notice anyone coming and going. What’s the other way?”
“Changing.” She came back out from behind the screen in her fox form. What are you waiting for? Hurry up.
“You’re an incredibly bossy female, you know that?” He told her as he went behind the screen himself. “I’ll have to think up a suitable bit of retaliation for that.”
You’re just annoyed. She nudged open her bedroom window and peered out. She couldn’t see any policemen out in the backyard, but she could smell two of them in the vicinity. One was standing next to the back door and the other one was standing in the shadow of some trees in the neighbor’s back yard. Both of them would be eyeing the back door. After all, what sort of person would jump out of a second story window?
All right. I’m ready.
She turned to see a male black fox padding towards her.
We’re going out there? Wouldn’t people notice two foxes prancing about on the second story ledge?
No they won’t. Their eyes will be attuned to looking for two humans. Two people. We will be mere shadows to them.
They went out on the ledge and quickly traversed it and the wall separating the neighbor’s yard and hers. Her ears were continually pricked, alert to whatever unusual sounds that might spring up while they traveled exposed. Then the dog began barking. Zan jumped into some bushes at the base of the wall with Caradon following soon after.
“What is it?” yelled one officer. “Did they try to make a break?”
“No! This dog has just crazy over some black squirrels, that’s all.”
Zan let out a breath of relief. Good. Let’s go.
Go where? If you haven’t noticed, we’re in our animal forms. If we change, we’d be naked. As much as I’d like to see all your lovely skin, it’s not very practical.
She slapped him on the nose with her tail. I thought of that. I suppose going to your residence is out of the question?
If they’re looking for me as well, it would not be out of the realm of possibility that my residence is being watched as well.
Then we will go to one of my friend’s house. I am sure she will have clothing for disguises since she is such a fashion expert.
* * *
Are you sure she’s at home? Inquired Caradon as the both of them lurked underneath a yellow rose bush in Sabina Felis-Ackert’s garden. From Zan’s residence, they had managed to make their way down several blocks to Mrs. Felis-Ackert’s house without being run over by carriages or being spotted by pedestrians.
She will be out any moment, Zan assured him. She’s an avid gardener and she must be home at one time or another. She’s usually out here in the morning before she goes out on one of her shopping or amusement jaunts with Del.
Does she know that you’re a fox shifter?
Of course. She’s a shifter herself, you know, as well as Del. Her form is a cat. Del is a wolf.
Really? I wouldn’t have guessed.
Well, you don’t expect every shifter to shout out his or her true nature to the entire world, do you? Ah, there she is.
Mrs. Felis-Ackert was wearing an old and faded blue dress covered with a dirt-smudged smock and a straw hat. In one hand was a pair of shears and the other, a basket. She was heading straight towards the rose bushes.
I never thought she was the type to ever be out of fashion if she’s such an expert, said Caradon.
There’s more to Sabina than mere frippery, Zan replied as they heard the shears snipping away above them. Then she directed her thought to her friend. Sabina!
The sound of the shears abruptly stopped. “Zan? Am I hearing things?”
No you aren’t. Sabina, down here!
The skirts of the old blue dress moved and then they saw Sabina kneeling in the dirt and looking under the rose bush. “Why Zan, what are you doing down there? And with such a nice looking fellow as well? Don’t tell me. You two are eloping. Your staff—particularly Mrs. Philomon—must be livid!”
What is with everyone and eloping? Zan thought sourly. That’s Caradon.
“Oh.” A frown appeared on Sabina’s forehead. “I didn’t know you could change, Mr. Caradon.”
You never asked, he replied, amused.
“Well, come on out of there, you two,” Sabina finally said. “There must be some reason you must be slinking about my garden.”
The two foxes followed Mrs. Felis-Ackert through her garden and then into her house by the back door. The cook and the kitchen maid seemed startled as Sabina walked past with the foxes at her heels. She waved cheerily. “Just some friends. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”
Bewildered, the kitchen staff just nodded and went back to their work. A lot of strange things happened in the Felis-Ackert household, but as long as they got paid, they would just mind their own business and keep their mouths shut.
Finally, Sabina led them down a hallway to a guest room. She began opening the wardrobe and pulling dresses out of it. “The screen is over there, Zan. I have a perfect outfit for you. You know this is the first time that you’ve really allowed me to dress you? I promise you—you will look absolutely marvelous. Those black dresses were doing nothing for your complexion.”
Sabina…
“I’m sorry, Mr. Caradon, but I don’t have any gentlemen’s clothes for you.” She took out an armload of dresses and dumped them on the bed. Then she tapped a finger to her chin in thought. “I doubt you wish to wear petticoats and a bonnet. However, I’m sure Del has a great many things that might fit you.”
Sabina, Zan interrupted. There are policemen looking for us.
“I’d imagine it was something like that,” remarked Sabina. “What did you two do? Rob the Museum?”
No, of course not! I am not sure why we are being hounded although we do have some suspicions. Zan jumped onto the bed and sniffed at the dresses. Do you have anything that will be a bit of a disguise?
Her friend rummaged through the dresses before pulling one out. “This one will do nicely. It is gray muslin—fantastic for remaining anonymous, yet also quite tasteful and fashionable. I shall have one of the maids fetch the matching accessories. The hat has a bit of a veil, you know, just to make one appear a little mysterious. But it is quite the crack these days so you won’t look out of place at all!” Sabina then turned to Caradon who was sitting on the floor by the bed with his ears twitching. “What do you think about this as a disguise, Mr. Caradon?”
What is she going to wear underneath?
Zan’s ear’s flattened against her head and she barred her teeth.
“Oh! You’re almost as bad as Del!” huffed Sabina.
I was just curious, he told them in faux innocence.
“Zan, go behind the screen.” She hung the dress over the changing screen just as Zan got off the bed and trotted off behind it. Then Sabina opened a trunk at the foot of the bed and pulled out some undergarments that she threw over the screen as well. “Turn around,” Sabina told the male fox-shifter. “I’m seriously beginning to think that all men should have a certain portion of their anatomy cauterized.”
Ouch, Caradon winced. And then he turned his back to the screen.
After a moment of clothes rustling, Zan came back out in her human form, dressed in the gray dress. Meanwhile, Sabina had called for one of her staff to retrieve the necessary accessories and she helped Zan adjust her clothes as she stood in front of the mirror on the wardrobe. Caradon looked on patiently.
“Do you think this will work?” asked Zan.
“Of course it will,” her friend replied. “This style is so fashionable, no one will believe it is you. Those near-sighted policemen will be looking for a woman in mourning weeds, not haute couture. Now all we have to do is to find your patron something suitable to wear. We will pay a visit to Del. Unless Mr. Caradon wishes to remain in his animal form until the authorities let up?”
That will be out of the question.
Zan found herself grinning. “All right. Then we shall all go pester Del.”
