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“Hello? Jasper, Jasper you idiot! How dare you call here?” I couldn’t believe he was calling me at the hotel. Simplem
inded ghoul that he was, he couldn’t follow even the simplest of instructions.
“But we don’t want no more of this, we want our boodle!” This was too much. Just too much. Did I really have to hold their hands while I was trying to get ready for an evening out with my mama? Why on earth was I paying these idiots from what little I had left?
“Not one shilling until the job’s done. Do you understand?” I said. There was no way I was going to pay them for a job half done! But they wouldn’t relent.
“It’s here in the blinking papers, pictures and all!”
“Hang the papers! It’ll be forgotten tomorrow,” I said. And it was true. Who cared about a bunch of puppies anyway? Tomorrow the world would find something else to get upset over.
“Ah, shut up, you idiot!” he said. I couldn’t believe it!
“What?”
“Oh no! Not you, miss. I mean Horace here.”
“Why, you imbecile!” And I hung up the phone. This was all too much. Too much. I decided I’d better call Anita and see if there was anything to Jasper’s anxiety.
These idiotic henchmen were playing havoc with my nerves. This was the last thing I needed before I met Mama. The last thing. Someone finally answered the phone. It was that ridiculous stammering Roger.
“Hello, hello, Inspector?” he stammered. Ah, so they had been speaking to the inspector!
“Is Anita there?” I asked.
“Who?” he asked. My stars, what a fool!
“Anita!”
“Oh, it’s for you,” he said coldly, passing the phone to Anita. Her sweet voice was a nice change from Roger’s accusatory tone.
“Hello?”
“Anita, darling!”
“Oh, Cruella.” She did not sound happy to hear from me.
“Oh, Anita, what a dreadful thing. I just saw the papers. I couldn’t believe it.”
“Yes, Cruella, it was quite a shock. Roger, please!” That fool must have been chattering in her ear during our entire conversation. I didn’t hear what he was saying, but I’m guessing it wasn’t anything nice. “Yes, yes, we’re doing everything possible,” she said.
“Have you called the police?”
“Yes, we called Scotland Yard. But I’m afraid …”
And then that horrid man took the phone from Anita. “Where are they?” he demanded. And then it was Anita again.
“You idiot!” she exclaimed.
“Anita!”
“Sorry, Cruella.” Oh, she had been talking to Roger. That made me smile. I asked if they would keep me informed about their little drama. “Yes, if there is any news we’ll let you know. Thank you, Cruella.”
Ha! Clearly she thought Roger was an idiot as well. I was happy to see she was on my side.
We were fine. They had no leads. Scotland Yard wouldn’t be bothering me again. Horace and Jasper had nothing to worry about. I had nothing to worry about. Except for one thing: what was I going to do with just fifteen puppies? That wouldn’t even make the muffler Mama was so keen on. I needed more. Many more. And the last thing I needed was to be seen buying up every last puppy in London.
No, I needed those wretched men just a little longer. And I needed more puppies.
