Page 38 of Alex Cross Must Die

“Pardon me, David. I believe Mr. Bain needs a broom.”

CHAPTER 36

ACROSS THE BROOKLYN BRIDGEand into Bushwick, Poe was taking his Torino Talladega out for the first time in months. In some ways, he liked it even better than the GTO. It rode smoother, and the fastback gave it a sleek, aerodynamic look. He knew that most collectors wouldn’t think of taking a car this precious out on a city street, but Poe enjoyed the admiring stares.

He had hand-washed the Ford the previous evening and buffed it to a high-gloss shine. It practically glowed as he pulled into a space in front of the Wycoff Animal Shelter—a one-story building with a worn redbrick facade and a big SPCA logo near the entrance.

Poe stepped out of the car and walked the few steps to the front door. A small electronic chime announced his arrival. Not necessary. Poe had seen the young female attendant looking out the window when he parked.

“Nice whip,” she said as he walked in. “Sixty-nine?”

“Dead on,” said Poe.Impressive.The only vehicles most kids recognized were the drift cars from theFast & Furiousmovies.

The attendant sat on a high stool behind the worn laminatedcounter. She was in her early twenties, Poe estimated, with neon-streaked hair and a small silver ring through her right nostril. A colorful snake tattoo emerged from under the right sleeve of her T-shirt and wound its way down to her wrist.

The air smelled of disinfectant. From behind a pair of metal doors at the far end of the space, Poe could hear muffled yips, mews, and howls.

The young woman hopped off her stool. “Looking to adopt today?”

“I need a cat,” said Poe. “A good mouser.” Marple needed protection, and he was determined to provide it.

“Follow me,” said the attendant, tapping her name tag. “I’m Virginia.”

“Auguste,” said Poe. “My pleasure.”

Virginia walked out from the far end of the counter, then placed her hip against one of the doors and bumped it open. “Come meet my buddies.”

Poe slid past her into the back room, raw space with cinder-block walls and a concrete floor. Rows of cages lined a wide center aisle with a rusted drainage grate in the middle. The smell of disinfectant competed with the odors of sawdust, wet paper, and fresh animal excrement. Poe was glad he hadn’t brought Holmes along. This was no place for a super-smeller.

The basic housing arrangement was simple: dogs on the left, cats on the right. “Take your pick,” said Virginia. She was backing down the aisle like a tour guide, pointing at a row of small, elevated cages. In each cage was a scruffy cat or kitten. Some were pawing at the thin metal bars. Others were busy gnawing at tattered toys. One kitten was missing an eye. Another had only three legs.

Poe ran his fingers lightly across the enclosures. Some of the tenants looked up. Others couldn’t be bothered.

“I need a hunter,” said Poe. “Killer instinct.”

Virginia stopped in her tracks. Her eyes narrowed and a knowing expression crossed her face. Her voice lowered to a confidential whisper. She crooked her finger. “Come with me.”

She led Poe around a corner to a row of larger cages. Most were empty, but Poe could make out a shadowy shape in the enclosure at the far end. As he got closer, the shape turned in his direction. Poe felt a small flutter in his belly. He stepped up to the wire mesh. The resident of the cage was a large midnight-black cat with bizarre yellow-orange eyes—knowing and slightly sinister.

Virginia placed one arm protectively over the enclosure. “Nobody wants her,” she said softly. “She freaks people out.” The cat emitted an eerie screech that settled into a strangely ominous purr.

“What’s her story?” asked Poe.

“Abandoned,” said Virginia. “They found her in a basement apartment when the building was getting demolished. She was starving and dehydrated. Almost gone.”

Virginia stuck two fingers through the bars. The cat rubbed its head against her knuckles. “I brought her back to life.”

Poe stared at the cat. “Even in the grave, all is not lost,” he said.

Virginia raised her eyebrows. “‘The Pit and the Pendulum’! Great story.”

Poe stepped forward and leaned down toward the cage. The cat shifted her attention to him, looking straight through him with those strange eyes. Now Poe felt like the one being appraised.

“She’s been here for a month,” said Virginia, her tone turning slightly mournful. “If nobody takes her by tomorrow, they’ll put her down.”

Poe smiled. He knew a good sales pitch when he heard one. But no matter. He was sold already.

And not just on the cat.

---