Batman and Catwoman: Family Mystery

Part 11: The Cat's Out of the Bag

(Present)

John tossed his jacket on the couch and grabbed a beer from the fridge as he went out on the balcony. He stared out into the polluted night; smog from shops, car vents and engines and honks, police sirens, people shouting, and some gunfire here and there. After spending a couple moments of silence, John got his phone and started looking for some day jobs.

He knew definitely what he was going to do at night, but it was not going to pay in cash. He'd gone out today job hunting, but found nothing that caught his interest. He heard the front door open as Ellen came back home, back after a few days spent undercover on a case, tossing her keys on the entrance table and announcing her arrival.

"I'm home! If you know you're not supposed to be here, leave now or rot in jail."

"Just me, hon!" John shouted from the terrace. "There's food in the fridge."

He heard the fridge open but no sound of the microwave, and a minute later Ellen was walking out to the terrace with a beer bottle in hand.

"Left early?" She asked, without a formality of a greeting between them. Ellen simply leaned over the railing and stared out into the city, waiting for a reply.

"Actually, I think I left late." John said completely nonchalantly, expecting her to pick up on his meanings. Detective Yin did.

"You quit?" She said with very little hint of surprise as she walked back to sit on the other chair.

"Yup, but I think I might come back if Rojas is out."

"I'll drink to that!" Ellen tipped her bottle over and John clinked his bottle to hers.

After a sip, Ellen continued the conversation.

"So what'd he do? Another heated argument about the Batman?"

"Not specifically, but he was brought up. Rojas wants to arrest Catwoman for a crime that she apparently looks guilty of."

"What is it with you two protecting Catwoman? Remember the time I got fired over Catwoman?"

"No. Really. How did it go again?" John asked with sarcasm.

§§§§§

It was late at night and Detective Yin was still in the museum, trying to piece together who the thief was. The scene was messy, but the missing item was a statue of a cat. That would obviously imply Catwoman.

But what didn't make sense was the second point of entry. Maybe partnerships were in season this year. Just as she thought that, her flashlight caught the Batman hiding in the corner, and she nodded to him.

"I want everyone to recase the point of entry. Let's go."

With that order, all the police officers left the main crime scene, leaving the room empty for the Batman.

Back in her office, Det. Yin stared at the cork board. There was Catwoman, and a bunch of other pictures related to the case, but who was the second perp? She stared at the bat radio on her desk for minutes, then decided to put her new partnership to the test.

Yin made a fool of herself unable to find words to talk with him, but apparently he was hunting down a couple leads. And just when she was sure she heard a meow on the radio, a call came in reporting that Catwoman and Batman were caught leaving the scene together.