The Magnificent Cat by Nadia Ramadan (early reader chapter books .TXT) 📕

sadly and hugged him.

"James…please I beg you for the last time…don’t let anyone know about this information, don’t let anyone know you are the Magnificent Cat, and especially Ray! I don’t trust that person, I never did, please don’t let anyone know the truth!"

"I won’t" James replied "I won’t make a silly mistake again, I must have got a big lesson today, seeing you leave is just terrible"

"Be strong that’s all" Picklock said with a smile "keep the secret safe…for all of us"

 

All the staffs in the building were still wondering about what really happened, they thought Mr. Picklock was the one who left, but the fact that he was fired got everyone really mystified and suspicious.

"Are you ok?" Ray said as he approaches Wade.

"How can I be ok?" Wade said angrily "I don’t know how you are still smiling!"

"Hey I wasn’t the one who got him fired, or perhaps killed" Ray said annoyingly

 

The main door suddenly opened and James walked in.

"You son of a bi-" Wade said as he approaches James "I knew you have something to do with this!"

"Shut up! I have nothing to do with this!" James shouted back "why don’t you go talk to your boss!"

"If anything happens to Mr. Picklock" Wade said as he looked at James angrily "I swear I will-"

"You will what?!" James shouted as he gets closer to Wade ready to fight

"Knock it off!" Nick shouted as he walked between them

"Stay away from him!" Ray said as he pulled Wade away from James

"Leave me alone!" Wade shouted "I have to go home now! I can't work like this! Tell Armand I will back tomorrow"

Wade picked up his cell phone and walked out of the building.

"Yeah just get out of here!" James shouted from the building 

"Shut up James" Ray said angrily "leave him alone!"

"And who is he to you?" James said as he laughs "your boyfriend?" 

"I am just going to make sure you join Mr. Picklock very soon" Ray said as he smiled back "all the way to your grav-"

"Ray!" Armand shouted as he stepped out of the elevator 

"Yes Armand" Ray said as he turned from James annoyingly to face Armand.

"Let’s go to the office" Armand continued "where is Wade?"

"He took off like a pussy" James said as he looked at Armand 

"He will be back tomorrow" Ray said as he looked at James angrily "let's go to the office now"

Armand looked at James for a minute or two without saying anything.

They both looked at each other without saying anything to each other, it was one awkward moment where no one understands what was going on, and not to mention the fact that James and Armand barely communicate.

"Yes, let’s go to the office now" Armand said as looked at James one last time and heads in the elevator.

"Get ready for changes, Armand" James said lowly to himself as he looked at Armand and Ray entering the elevator.

 

"What's that?" Jessica said angrily as she walked into the kitchen "we barely have any customers today, when are you going to sing again!"

Lisa looked at Jessica and laughed "I am not singing at the bar until I sing at the concert!"

"Why is that" Jessica asked

"Because I need to practice with that song and only that song" Lisa replied" I have to sing a song that will mean the world to me, I have to make sure everyone sees my passion with music, and also to win Stacey's vote for me, I might end up performing in the Fantastica stage soon"

"That’s really nice!" Jessica said happily "so what Special song are you singing!"

"I am going to sing {Bright Star}"

"The song your mother taught you!" Jessica said happily "that’s so sweet"

"I know, it will be great, this will surely please her"

"She will be watching you from above, you will do great at the concert, Lisa don’t worry"

"Thanks Jessica, I just hope no bad memories overcome my performance at the concert"  

"No" Jessica shouted "this is your dream...I always wanted you to get out of Bevin, I am sorry if I called you back here for this ridiculous job"

"No don’t say that!" Lisa interrupted "if it wasn't for this job I wouldn’t even get the chance to sing in public and get noticed! And if it wasn't for Bevin, I wouldn’t be able to sing and audition in a concert!"

"Yeah, yeah" Jessica said as she laughs  

"And if it wasn't for Bevin" Lisa continued as she starred at the kitchen's window "I wouldn’t have met Wade"

Jessica stopped working in the kitchen and looked at Lisa seriously "are you saying he means that much to you"

"Well" Lisa started with a smile "he do mean something to me, a lot, I can't tell if Wade or my singing dream mean more to me"

"That’s huge" Jessica said as she laughs "I am really happy for you, I can see that everything is shinning for you these days"

"I hope so" Lisa said happily.

"Now let's go to the counter, there may be some customers"

"Hey Girls" Colin Lennox said just as he saw Lisa and Jessica walked out of the kitchen.

"Hello Mr. Lennox" Lisa said politely

"Lisa…" Lennox started as he looked at her "if you need any time off for your practices, I will be more than happy to give it to you"

"No thanks Mr. Lennox" Lisa replied happily "I will be fine"

"You know the concert is only a few days from now" Lennox interrupted "you might need some time to get everything together"

"Don’t worry about Lisa" Jessica said as she smiles "she will do great I know it"

"That’s right" Lennox replied "I know very well that she will do great, and that’s why I am scared of losing her, once they accept you to go to the Fantastica stage, I will lose my amazing waitress"

"Don’t say that Mr. Lennox" Lisa said as she laughs "you know that I will always come here for a visit

"I don’t want a visitor" Lennox continued "I want my waitress back"

"Come on" Jessica said happily "the next time she sees us, she will be paying you instead of you paying her!"

"That’s right" Lisa said as she looked at both Lennox and Jessica "but let’s not go to conclusion fast, I am not even sure if I will make it"

"You will" Jessica said as she started to collect all the cups "you will"

"Thank you" Lisa said "it will be a wonderful dream"

"Alright, I will talk to you girls later, if any of you need anything, I am at my office"

"Sure Mr. Lennox" Jessica replied "thanks"

Suddenly the pastry door opened and Wade walked in, he walked straight directly to the counter.

"Wade!" Lisa said shockingly as she looked at him "hi, how are you?"

"Hey Lisa" Wade said as he forced a smile "can I have a vodka, please"

"Oh Wade we don’t serve drinks now, it’s just a pastry shop now"

"Please" Wade continued to beg "just one glass"

"What can I say…?" Lisa said as she looked at him worryingly "I will-"

"Ok wait!" Wade interrupted "wait, no need for the drink, just, just…"

"What is it?” Lisa asked as she looked at him closely.

"Come with me for a walk, will you?" Wade asked politely as he gazed directly into her eyes.

"Right now…?" 

"I will cover for you" Jessica interrupted "we don’t have any customers anyway and I will make sure Lennox thinks you are here"

"Jessica…you can't…"

"Just go" Jessica said to Lisa

"Thank you " Wade said as he looked at Jessica.

"I owe you everything" Lisa said to Jessica as she walked out of the shop with Wade.

 

Lisa and Wade both walked side by side down the road of Bevin, it was breezy afternoon.

"So how is everything?" Wade said as they walked straight on.

"Hold my hand" Lisa said as she looked at him

He looked back at her and held her hand tightly

"So what's the problem?" Lisa asked "you don’t seem happy like any of the other days? Is something wrong?"

"Well lots of things happened lately, worst of all today" Wade replied

"What is it? Is it something to do with your business?"

"No, well yes…Lisa, this business is all I got, and a good friend of mine is gone now"

"What do you mean?" Lisa asked "I thought you said no one can leave the building"

"Exactly" Wade continued "he was fired, and that’s not a good sign"

"You seem worried, I can tell" 

"I am" Wade said as he looked at her "I will pay him a visit someday"

They both continue to walk down the street hand in hand.

 

Armand and Ray walked into the secretive room without saying a word to each other they just entered the room and started to work.

"I think James is being very annoying these days" Ray said just to break the silence 

Armand looked at him without replying and looked back at his work.

"Are you listening to me" Ray said loudly 

"What?" Armand asked as he looked at Ray again 

"I said…I think James is be-"

"James is always annoying" Armand interrupted sharply "you don’t have to say it over and over, everyone knows that"

"I think he should leave as well" Ray said as he looked at Armand 

Armand turned and looked at Ray straight in the eye "listen to me Ray, I really like your work here with us, you are smart and you get me good customers, but please don’t interfere in this! Who stays and who goes is my call, no one else!"

"Sure, sure" Ray said angrily "you are the boss, at least I admit you are the boss, unlike James"

"I don't give a shit what James thinks!!" Armand shouted "I am the boss here and he will know that sooner or later"

Ray walked to his jacket as his cell phone rang; he picked it up and asked "who?"

"It's me" Patricia replied "you should come right away!"

"What for…?" Ray asked in a low voice as Armand looked at him.

"Who is it?" Armand asked curiously

"It's Patricia" Ray said as he closed the mouth of the phone.

"Alright" Armand said as he looked through his files again "take your time"

"What is it Patricia?" Ray asked angrily

"Just come home now!" Patricia said as she shuts the phone.

Ray looked at his phone and then looked at Armand "can I be excused, there is a problem"

"What problem?" 

"Just some family issues, you know Patricia and her issues…long story"

"Not interested, alright, see you later"

Ray nodded his head and walked to the door.

"Wait" Armand shouted 

Ray turned to see what Armand has to say.

"Good luck" Armand said with a smile 

"Oh, thank you" Ray said as he walked out the room

 

Ray walked down the stairs and saw all the employees still talking about Mr. Picklock.

"Will you all get back to work already?!" Ray shouted as everyone began to scatter to their positions.

James stood there and looked at him without moving.

"And that include you, James" Ray continued as he walked closer to James.

"I am really not in the mood to kick your ass right now, Ray" James said annoyingly

"Neither am I…" Ray replied "I have something to do right now, but I suggest that when I'm back you do your work, and also be more respectful"

"In your dreams" James answered 

"You know what" Ray said as he moves away from James "I feel sorry for you"

 

James looked at Ray as he walked outside of the building. "We will see who is sorry in the end"

 

Chapter 18 - Wade's deadly confession