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“Oh, sure,” said Leo. “Can’t complain. Plenty of food and plenty of exercise if that’s what you mean. And the people taking care of me are nice enough. And if I promise not to chomp their heads off when they stick it between my teeth I get an extra snack in the evening, so life is pretty sweet as far as I’m concerned.”

I gulped a little. I wouldn’t want to be the person sticking my head between this big lion’s teeth, but then humans are a little weird, as I think I’ve reiterated more than once.

“I wonder what life must be like for a lion like Leo,” said Dooley as we walked on. “To have to do all kinds of tricks for food, I mean.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be in his place,” I said.

“Though in a sense Odelia expects us to perform tricks in exchange for food, too, right?”

I hadn’t looked at it that way, but Dooley was right. We were playing detective in exchange for board and lodging. “I guess so,” I said therefore. “Though at least she doesn’t lock us up in a cage.”

We’d arrived at Bella’s dwelling, and I recognized her from the parade we’d seen the day we spent in the company of Charlene.

“Hi, Bella!” I said, raising my voice a little, as Bella was towering over us. She was an impressive animal, and now sat in a large tub, her back being scrubbed with a big brush.

Bella looked down at us with a curious look.“Hi, cats,” she said finally.

“Leo told us you might be able to help us,” said Dooley. “Our human has gone missing. He’s a police chief who wears a police chief’s uniform, a police chief’s cap and drives a police chief’s car. He’s also very large and has no hair on his head. So have you seen him maybe, Miss Bella?”

The elephant laughed.“I’m sorry, you guys, but I don’t think I’ve seen anyone answering to that description, I’m afraid.”

“Oh,” said Dooley, visibly disappointed.

“The thing is, strange things have been happening, Miss Bella,” I said. “People have been going to see Madame Solange and their wishes have all been granted, but then it turns out it’s all bogus. Fake lottery tickets, stolen items, and cases of outright fraud. And it all started when the fair set up in Hampton Cove. So now we’re thinking there might be a connection.”

“Oh, and our human doesn’t remember us,” said Dooley, deciding to reveal all to this elephant.

“Sounds like you guys are in a real pickle,” said Bella. “Lucky for me my human hasn’t forgotten me yet. For if he did, there would be hell to pay.” And to show us what she meant, she lightly patted her carer on the head.

I gulped, thinking I wouldn’t want to risk the wrath of this particular elephant. “So you can’t help us, then?” I asked.

“I’m afraid not, cat,” said Bella, “though if you want to talk about strange happenings taking place, I can absolutely relate. For one thing, the circus director disappeared a few months back, only to suddenly turn up again a couple of days ago. So go figure.”

“And who’s the director of the circus?” I asked, though of course I already knew this.

“Solange’s husband. Guy called Wolf Moonblood,” said the elephant. “Solange was really sad when he disappeared, and she’s been very happy since his triumphant return, so at least that story has a happy ending.” She smiled down at us. “I hope your story will have a happy ending, too.” And to show us she had her big heart in the right place, she suddenly showered us with a spray of soapy water.

So we quickly skedaddled, but not before trying to shake off this impromptu shower!

Chapter 42

When Odelia walked into Madame Solange’s lair for the second time in two days, she didn’t exactly know what to expect. At the very least she wanted to dig a little deeper into the mystery of her mom losing part of her memory the day before, after their joint consultation.

As she walked in, the guard gave her the same unfriendly glare he’d awarded her the day before, and she saw that a sign had been hung up in the waiting room, a disclosure that the consults were being filmed and if you didn’t want your consult to be filmed you had to tell Madame Solange before the session began.

Moments later the curtain shifted and the fortune teller beckoned her in.

“Back again, huh?” said Solange with a smile. “Couldn’t get enough of my predictions?”

“Not exactly,” said Odelia as she took a seat, and watched how Solange removed the doily from her crystal ball. “Look, something happened to my mom after we came to see you yesterday. She’s been acting very strange.”

“Strange, how?”

“Well, she doesn’t remember my boyfriend, for one thing, and now she insists he goes out on a date with you instead.”

Solange grinned at this.“I’m sorry, hon, but I’m a happily married woman, so…” Then she turned serious. “Has she suffered memory loss before?”

“No, but I lost track of her yesterday for a while, and when we finally found her she was wandering around in the fields near here, barefoot and obviously confused. She also doesn’t remember what happened.”

“So maybe she took a stumble and hit her head?” Solange shrugged. “I don’t think you can hold me responsible, Miss…”