SALVE ROMA! A Felidae Novel - By Akif Pirincci Page 0,65

blood. Real spooky though, if not to say excruciating, had been Antonio’s wake-up call.

»This is simply not possible, il mio amico«, I disagreed. »This monster should barely have any interest in doing her a mischief.«

»Why not?«

In this somber light the pitch black-furred, brawny stripling almost seemed to be invisible. Only the green eyes beamed with the brightness of burning magnesium and pierced the darkness. Now that he had stepped back into my life, I felt more intense than ever before how much I had missed him the whole time. He was more than a loyal companion, in his elegant way he reminded me of the former, the younger Francis. I faced my younger self. The otherness of his sexuality resembled a mirroring effect in this case. One can see himself mirror-inverted, but is still the same person. God enjoys some diversion within his zoo. To hell with prejudices: I wanted to kiss him here and now!

»Because they’re in cahoots together«, I went on. »Although I must admit that I don’t have a clue how such a relationship of evil between a human and an animal might come about. I mean we are not dogs who can be trained. Anyway, your fine lady has led me astray purposely. Did you know that there exists a secret society of so-called theosophists in this city?«

Infrequently at first, then in quick succession we heard the dashing of first raindrops on the chapel roof.

»Not only that. By now I’m able to mechanically recite the events, which you went through, in chronological order and almost dead on time. Maybe I will submit a screenplay of this whole thing at Cinecittà. Believe me, by now you’re even more famous in Rome than Berlusconi, Francis! The bums from Largo Argentina, with Giovanni leading the way, this strange Sancta, these priest imitators here and last but not least this ridiculous wanna-be-pope Miracolo have spread he news of your heroic deeds around town in no time at all. You’re even said to have performed a miracle. Everyone talks about you in deep respect. They call you detective di artiglio, detective with claws.«

The rain won on strength, and what had began as dripping, had turned into a steady rushing in no time.

»Wonderful«, I said. »As soon as my job is done, I will deliver myself up to the press and have autograph cards printed. To get back to Samantha: She made me believe that the theosophists are behind the murders. These brothers are creepy for sure, and what’s more extremely bizarre. In my opinion this theosophical society is a harmless grandpa-club, whose members prepare themselves for the afterworld with much hocus-pocus and bad singing. This doesn’t apply for their chief priest though. He seems to be heavily involved in the murders, if he isn’t the beast himself! His motive isn’t clear to me yet, but it is only a matter of hours before I see through his game. I actually have a theory on what this ear-cutting is about. Samantha wanted to take me for a ride, when she put the idea in my mind that there would be our kind sacrificed at those ceremonies. She reckoned I would take to my heels at the sight of this scary hassle before anything would even have happened. So I would have declared the case as being solved, and the detective di artiglio had embarrassed himself pretty much. Because everyone knew that the weekly theosophists’ circus in truth is the best source of food in town. The great detective would quickly have turned into a clown. But things turned out differently as you know now.«

»Samantha is still dead«, Antonio said and nervously drummed his thin, long tail on the pew. »How did she die? And where is her body now?«

The black Oriental made a face as if he had to explain to a coo-coo which letter comes after A.

»What do you think how she died? Her ear was cut off. She bled to death. She lies in Prince Savoyen’s cellar, and I can tell you, it’s not a pretty sight.«

»Damn it, now I do feel bad for her! Something doesn’t make sense. I just had a crazy dream, which seemed to reveal the motive for the murders. You were also in it by the way. Do you know about bionics, Antonio?«

»Now you’re asking me one ...«

»It is an artificial word and consists of a combination of the words biology and technology. This research area deals with the transmission of ›nature’s inventions‹, which have