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The Winchester-Nabu Detective Agency Year One: Case File No. 04-04

AMBER LOVE 12-JUNE-2017 My work is supported by the generous backers who tolerate my cat stories at Patreon.com/amberunmasked and they also get first access to what’s happening with my books and podcast.


Where we left off:

Detective Inspector Guster Nabu thought he could reach the finch nest in the hanging basket of snapdragons. He and Professor Oliver Winchester already received a few reprimands and protests from Mother Finch. Gus tried his experiment without taking proper precautions and nearly fell off the second floor balcony.

On the Wild Side

THE WINCHESTER-NABU ESTATE. SUNNY AND WARM.

Oliver in buggy
PROFESSOR OLIVER WINCHESTER OFTEN OBSERVES FROM HIS CARRIAGE.

Guster and Oliver had plenty of chauffeured rides around the grounds, but they wanted to enjoy as much as possible before the predicted heat wave. Guster Nabu left the confines of his carriage and took to exploring on foot. He’s not thrilled with being tethered on a leash, but it’s the only way to avoid further anxiety over his desire to take off for dangers of the road or deep into the woods.

Gus in the herbs

The herb garden is abundant with lemon balm, mint, and thyme. As delectable as the thyme’s fragrance was, there were still plenty of notes on the wind that visitors have been making themselves at home.

Deer

Besides, the visiting deer and rabbits, there have been sightings of other felines passing through or hunting here. We watched a gorgeous calico get a rodent in one fell swoop through some thick shrubbery.

Gus on the rocks.
“Phthththtbt. Woman, youu are holding me back.”

We decided we needed to explore some new places. One of them was a trail in the woods that was too steep to ever face again. No fun was had. Another new place was the “rock quarry”. Since there are definitely critters living in the rock wonderland, it was no surprise that Guster wanted to poke around there. Unfortunately, the structure is only safe for agile creatures of relatively light weight because this human nearly toppled an entire three-foot perimeter of rock in order to catch up with Gus who reached the bottom.

Gus with fairy

He was scooped up and placed back in the fairy garden to resume detecting the scents of the other visitors.

Gus building bed
“This goes next.”

The weekend was busy. Not only were there several surveillance shifts to continue the finch stakeout, but there was also a construction project indoors. The fatherly human clearly needed guidance.

Oliver and Joe building bed.
“On budget and ahead of schedule. That’s what I like to see.”

 

The Professor came through a couple times to check on the progress and eventually gave it his signed approval.

On top of all those assignments, Gus has not slacked off. He caught another mouse on Saturday night and brought up to the 2nd floor suite at 10:10pm. Fortunately, he did not bring it into the bed, but rather chose to carry it around while he spun in circles around the room and under the bed. Oliver came up to supervise and made sure Gus didn’t drop it. The fearless hunter wouldn’t proffer his catch to just anyone either. He refused to give it up for the fatherly human, but willing gave it to me. It was lifted by its little tail and indeed confirmed dead; then promptly removed in a bag.

But wait! There’s more.

Yoga with Gus

Gus is not embracing his yoga studies as well as Oliver, but he’s participating and that’s what’s important. Somehow, we will try to meditate and center ourselves after learning that a tree fell on top of one of our cars. Gee, thanks, Universe.

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