My Journey in Writing, Ranting, and Woodworking

Celine picked up the map and looked at both sides.  She held it up to the light, but it appeared to be just a map.  Buttons hopped up on the desk and pushed his head under the map with a meow.  She patted him on the head, “Not now, Buttons, we’re trying to solve a puzzle.”

Buttons, offended, hopped off the desk and started rubbing against Henry’s leg.  Henry reached down and picked up the cat, “She didn’t mean anything by that, if you have an idea, we’ll gladly take the help.”  Button purred, but offered no further assistance.

Celine layed the map back on the desk as Bobby stormed back into the room.  He held a black light and said, “If there is a secret message, this little baby will do the trick.”  He plugged it in and then flipped the light switch on the wall. “Everyone ready?”

They were, but didn’t say so.  Encouraging Bobby might lead to lengthy chatter about the origin of invisible ink or some such stuff that they didn’t have time for.  Bobby flipped the switch and then held the light over the map.  It revealed nothing.

Luna, hearing the disappointed exhale from Bobby, said, “Let’s check the other side.”

Bobby quickly flipped the map over with a one handed flourish.  He turned the office lights back on, “Sorry, Henry, no secret message.”

“It was a good idea.  Definitely worth checking out.”

Mike looked at his watch, “We’ve got ninety minutes before somebody gets killed.  Anybody have any ideas?”

After a one beat pause, everyone, but Henry, started throwing out places.  Henry stood, with Buttons, and listened. The ideas were rather random as panic began to set in.  Somebody suggested the Statue of Liberty, another said Union Station, and then MOMA, but none of them fit the clues in the letter or had anything to do with Texas.

Mike picked up the phone and called the station, he simply asked for a squad car to pick him up at the Flatiron building, and to wait until he came down.  He hung up and said, “When we decide where to look, we’ll need to get there fast.”

Quiet had come over the room.  Henry said, “This one has me stumped. The map and the letter seem unconnected.”

“Meooow”, Buttons said and lept back onto the map. He stretched and the curled up across the AS in “TEXAS”.

Carol said, “He sure likes the map.  Maybe you should have named him Tex, Celine?”

Celine wasn’t enjoying Buttons help and looked annoyed.  She reached down to grab buttons and Henry said, “Wait!”

Celine froze.  Everyone looked at Henry and he stood over the map, gently petting Buttons, “Tex”  He said it again, “Tex” and then announced, “I’ve got it!”

Buttons said, “Meow”, rather loudly.

Henry, “Correction, Buttons figured it out, but now I get it, too.”

Buttons hopped off the desk and wandered off to find a post-puzzle solving spot to nap.  His work day was done.

Henry grabbed his hat and ran out of the office, “Follow me, we’ve got to hurry.”

Everyone ran after Henry, with Mike right behind him and Bobby brining up the rear, after closing the office door.  The hustled down to the curb, just as the squad car was arriving.  Mike jumped in the front, “Carol, you sit up here with me.”  Carol giggled, “Okay.”

Henry, Luna, and Celine piled in the back and Henry said, “Just go straight, I’ll tell you where to turn.”