Secrets and Surprises

“We’re not going to talk about that again. ” Pentu’s voice was hardly more than a whisper. “Do you understand? ”

“I don’t see why we have to keep so quiet about everything, ” Kenamon mumbled.

“Silence is golden. ”

“But you spoke out this morning. Loud and clear, right to the Vizier. ”

“And look at the trouble that caused. ” Pentu sighed. “Kenamon, you need to leave that cat alone and come with me. Neferhotep wants to see you about painting one of the walls of his tomb. ”

Neferhotep again? I bared my teeth as I saw the goldsmith approach us.

Kenamon looked at his father in surprise. “I thought you said he couldn’t afford our prices. ”

Neferhotep overheard. He knotted his fingers together as he stopped in front of Kenamon. “Your father and I have come to an arrangement. ”

“An arrangement? ” Kenamon looked uncertainly at his father. “What are the terms? ”

Pentu didn’t meet his eyes.

“Never mind, ” said Neferhotep. His fingers were twitching again, so rapidly that I could hear a constant clinking as his rings tapped against each other. I sidled closer, trying to get a good look at those rings. Did one of them belong to Setnakht? “The point is that your father and I have agreed that you will paint a portrait of me on the wall of my tomb. Come with me, and I’ll tell you exactly what I want. ”

He turned and motioned for Kenamon and his father to join him. As Pentu followed, a narrow reed brush dropped from his waistband.

Scooping it up, Kenamon sighed, then bent low and whispered to me. “I have to go with them, but wait here. I’ll bring you some water as soon as I can. And a snack, if I can find one. ” He ran off, leaving me alone with Khepri.

“Did you catch that? ” Khepri asked.

“About the snacks? Of course. ” I never miss anything about snacks.

“Not that, Ra. Did you hear how Pentu told Kenamon they were going to have more money soon? He even said that he’s not supposed to talk about it. And he’s clearly done some kind of funny deal with Neferhotep. Looks suspicious, doesn’t it? ”

“Not really, ” I said, but I was uneasy. “You can’t possibly suspect that nice boy of being a criminal. ”

“It was the father I was wondering about, ” Khepri said. “Maybe Neferhotep knows he’s the tomb robber, and he’s blackmailing him. Though maybe the boy is involved, too. He did behave rather strangely in the tomb. He was watching us so closely, and he seemed to notice everything, but—”

“He’s an artist, ” I said. “He’s supposed to notice things. That doesn’t make him guilty. And remember, he offered me snacks. ”

Khepri dropped down onto my nose, looking cross. “Snacks don’t mean anything, Ra. ”

I stared at him aghast. “Khepri, snacks mean everything. ”

Khepri sighed and climbed back between my ears. “I suppose we can’t really build a solid case against anyone until we have more evidence. ”

“Well, after Kenamon brings me my snack, we can go look for more clues, ” I said.

“Kenamon only said he’d try to come back. It doesn’t mean he will. Anyway, we can’t just sit around and wait for Kenamon. We’re Great

Detectives, and we’ve got a case to pursue. ”

He was right. But that didn’t mean I had to be happy about it.

“So where were we? ” Khepri drummed his feet on my fur. “Oh, yes. You wanted to go interview Menwi, the Scribe’s pet. And I agree that might be useful. I vote we try the Scribe’s back door. ”

Pharaoh’s Cat doesn’t normally do back doors, but Great Detectives can’t afford to be fussy. With Khepri guiding me, I darted down alleys and squeezed through gaps until we reached a small courtyard behind the Scribe’s house.

“See that shed? ” Khepri murmured as we balanced on the wall. “Maybe

Menwi lives there. ”

“In a shed off the kitchen? Be serious, Khepri. No highborn cat—”

The Scribe bounded out the back door, a pot in his hand. “Menwi, darling, it’s lunchtime! ”

With grunts and squeals, an enormous pinky-white mountain rushed out of the shed. A mountain with a curly tail and a snout.

I looked at Khepri in shock. “Menwi is a pig? ”

“The biggest pig I ever saw, ” said Khepri in awe.

“But everyone knows that swine are allied with the forces of chaos, ” I said. “No one keeps them as pets. ”

“The Scribe does, ” Khepri said. “Just listen to him! ”

“Who’s the cleverest creature in Egypt? ” The Scribe blew a kiss to Menwi. “That’s right. It’s you, darling. ” He dumped the contents of his pot into a trough. “Spiced goose for you, my sweet. And some other goodies. ”

“Spiced goose? ” Khepri whispered in my ear. “What do you want to bet the spices are cinnamon and cumin? ” My thoughts exactly.

Menwi snuffled at the trough.

The Scribe scratched behind her ears. “I wish I could stay, beloved, but I need to keep one step ahead of the Vizier. ” He blew her more kisses as he left. “See you soon, my darling. ”

“He blows kisses to a pig, but he won’t let Pharaoh’s Cat into the house? ” I couldn’t get over the injustice. “That’s it. I’m going home. ”

Then I remembered I didn’t have a home. Some other cat had taken my place. All I had was this.

Khepri hopped off my head, the better to observe the pig. “I think we should talk to her, Ra. If she really is the cleverest creature in Egypt, she might be able to help us. ”

“She doesn’t look that smart to me, ” I said.

“She’s certainly worked out how to get plenty of food, ” Khepri noted.

Point taken.

“All right, ” I said. “We’ll talk to her. ”

“Good. You know, I really like how it smells here—” “But we’re not staying long, ” I added.

“Then let’s get going. ” Khepri meant to hop up on me, but in his excitement, he overshot. When I reached out to catch him, we both went tumbling down into the courtyard.

We landed in something soft.

And smelly.

And squishy.

“Dung! ” Khepri cried in delight.

“Dung! ” I cried in horror.

I jumped up, reeking, and found myself muzzle-to-snout with Menwi.

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