Raven's Wordzzle Challenge # 97

Raven's Wordzzle Challenge # 97

teflon, idealistic, marshmallow, opportunistic, kittens, beef, sawing logs, slapped, tickled, scissors
ripen, shelve, laminate, goofy, Siamese

The Slumber Party Mystery
Chapter 43 - The Return of the Brigadier General

Clouds were gathering in the sky above them. Looking up, Diana sad: "Might be time we moved indoors anyway, it looks like it's going to rain." Just as she said that, there was a sound like sawing logs somewhere in the background that seemed to confirm her suspicions.

"Oh, I hope we'll have a real thunderstorm!" said Diana. "I'm getting this urge to roast marshmallows over the fire in the library later on. Come on now, I want to show you those bones."

The men rose slowly, feeling a bit heavy still after the beef they had been served for lunch, and neither of them really all that keen to look at some dusty old bones that the General might have shelved among all the rest of his weird collections.

Entering the library, they found a surprise waiting for them. The room was not empty. In one of the armchairs sat the Brigadier General,with two kittens on his lap. The General tickled them, and the kittens every now and then slapped at the old man's hand, but otherwise seemed rather content.

Skittles felt his mind taking in the details but then they sort of slided right back off again, he couldn't get anything to fit together.

The only one seemingly not surprised was Diana. She went straight up to her grandfather, kissed him on the cheek and said: "Glad to see you back!"

"Hello my dear," said the General. "I just sent Bumblebee to fetch the scissors and that machine from the study, I'd like you to laminate some labels for me to put on those boxes over there." He nodded towards some obscure corner of the room; and then also towards the three men. "I hope our guests have been well fed? Where is Adam?"

"I expect Adam to come round later. I didn't ask him to come to lunch because I suspected that he might turn down a direct invitation, but I have a strong suspicion that he will show up for afternoon tea anyway."

This reminded Skittles of having seen a glimpse of the doctor outside the church, but then at the sight of Diana he had completely forgotten about him. He really must be getting teflon syndrome.

Matthew, having come along as an outsider and observer, was not feeling quite as stunned as his friend. Looking at the kittens, he said to Diana: "Excuse me, but I was under the impression, from something John mentioned, that your cat had got run over by a train. Are these her kittens?"

"Oh no," said Diana. "That was Puddles. She was a Persian. A bit to curious for her own good. Idealistic in her nature, you might also say. But she never had kittens. These belong to Goofy, the Siamese. More of an opportunistic character. I don't know where she is at the moment. Seems she left the kids to granddad to babysit." Matthew found himself beginning to emotionally understand how one's fascination with this girl might ripen fast. Conversation with her just never seemed to take the route that you had planned.

In an attempt to get back on track, he turned to the General and introduced himself. "Pleased to meet you, sir," he said. "I'm Matthew Turtles, colleague of Police Lieutenant Skittles here whom you have already met. I understand you had a bit of an accident on Friday. I hope you are feeling better now?"

"Ah," said the General. "Another police officer. I did wonder where you came into the picture. Am I suspected of anything?" He looked amused rather than surprised or worried.

"No, sir," said Matthew. "Your granddaughter was just kind enough to invite us for lunch. Then just now she mentioned something she wanted us to have a look at in here..." He broke off, suddenly actually feeling a bit suspicious. Maybe that whole thing about asking them to look at some old bones had just been Diana's way of getting them to go inside.