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

I’m a fool, nothing more but an innocent fool, take me by surprise or wonder why…    ”

 

 

James rang the bell twice before the door was finally opened by Mr. Picklock

"James!" Picklock shouted happily as he gave James a big hug

"I am so glad to see you, Mr. Picklock" James said happily "I have missed you"

"I've missed you too, James" Picklock replied as he looked closely at James "oh my God, look at you! You also got bruises! What is going on James?"

"I don’t know" James said as he let himself in and sat on one of the couches "I really don’t know"

"Life is tough, James" Picklock said as he sat next to James "but we all have to deal with it one way or another"

"I wanted to kill myself yesterday" James interrupted "I just can’t handle anything anymore, I almost made Armand confess that I am the Magnificent Cat right in front of everyone, including Ray, and I wanted to die just to end all this which is probably the best revenge for Armand"

"Don’t say that James, the Magnificent Cat belongs to you, and that’s what your grandfather wanted it to be"

"My grandfather will be very disappointed if he was still here" James added "with me all grown up and the Magnificent Cat is still in Armand's hands"

"No, James" Picklock continued "he will be disappointed if he heard you tried to kill yourself! That will surely break his heart! As matter of fact he will be glad to know that the Magnificent Cat is with Armand and not with Ruddick!"

"What difference does it make?" James asked angrily "both Ruddick and Armand are not Scorpions! Are they?!"

"No they are not!" Picklock replied "but the fact that the Magnificent Cat is with Armand it will be closer to you!"

James turned to look at Picklock seriously and said "No one knows I am the Magnificent Cat, right?"

"That’s right" Picklock replied "even you are not suppose to know, but…let’s just say this is a very delicate secret"

"This is horrible" James continued "but no one will touch me if they know the truth"  

"Who…?" Picklock asked "do you mean Ruddick and Alden?"

"Yes" James replied "I can take them down easily, they cannot hurt me if they want the Magnificent Cat"

"James, no one is going to believe that you are the Magnificent Cat" Picklock added "you can't just go over to them and order not to be killed because you are the Magnificent Cat!"

"Why not…?" James shouted "I… I will tell everyone that I am the Magnificent Cat!"

"No, James" Picklock shouted "they don’t even know that the Magnificent Cat belongs to someone or is even someone"

"What?" James asked

"The Magnificent Cat to them is just a sole object nothing attached to it!" Picklock continued "you shouldn’t let anyone know you are the Magnificent Cat"

"Ruddick is smart" James added "he can do a background check and find out that it does belong to someone, my grandfather"

"I don’t think so" Picklock replied "just stay safe, James, that’s all I am asking from you right now, that’s all"

"Thank you Mr. Picklock" James said as he smiled "are you leaving Bevin for good?"

"Yes I am, James" Picklock replied "I don’t want to end up like Mr. Watson, I will miss this place though, but most of all I will miss you"

"I will miss you too, Mr. Picklock" James said as he stood up and gave Picklock a hug

"But I will be here for the concert" Picklock said happily "I will see the concert before I leave, and that’s for sure"

"In this case I will be there" James replied "we shall meet there"

 

Chapter 22 - An eccentric investment

The next day in Bevin was quite, there wasn't any busy street, and this is because the people of Bevin were instead preparing for the concert the next day.  

The Beautiful garden was the main place for all the guests attending the concert, while a new huge stage will be fixed at the end of the garden. 

 

Jessica knocked on Lisa's door to check out with the preparation.

Lisa opened the door and said "Good morning Jessica"

"Good morning" Jessica replied "how's everything going with the music?"

"I am still practicing, well I mean revising everything"

"You got a big day tomorrow" 

"Yes I do" Lisa said nervously

"And it's not just the concert; you also have to talk to Wade"

"That’s true" Lisa agreed "it is as important as the concert, I have to see him"

"You will see him" Jessica said seriously "I am sure he will come"

"Oh my God, what if he don’t want to see me" Lisa said nervously "he might not even come to the concert"

"Trust me" Jessica said seriously "he will be there"

 

The Magnificent cat was returned last night by Mr. Herbert and Ray, and was promptly placed back to its protective spot.

Armand walked into the room happily and looked at it proudly.

The iron door opened suddenly and Ray walked in.

"We have a problem" Ray said angrily

"What is it Ray?" Armand said without paying any attention.

"Lewis is reported missing" Ray continued "all of Bevin police are publishing this story and are also making a move; they might come here very soon"

"No one is coming here" Armand replied "relax, I will take care of this, I will make sure his wife said he travelled somewhere, and he would not be missing again!"

"Where is his wife?" Ray asked "do you even know her?"

"Sure I do" Armand replied "she leaves far away, I think in a city called Cleland"

"That’s very far"

"Well I can go there anytime now with my new jet plane" Armand said smilingly

"What jet plane?" Ray asked "since when do you have a jet plane?"

"Since this morning" Armand said laughingly "don’t you want a ride?"

"What the Hell!" Ray shouted "What are you thinking? Did you use Herbert's money to buy it?"

"Herbert's money…?" Armand asked curiously "what do you mean by Herbert's money? That money was mine, Ray. Mr. Herbert hired the Magnificent Cat and gave me my money…? Are you ok?"

"You used all the 7,000,000 to buy a Jet plane?" Ray shouted "I can't believe you"

"Ray, I can buy anything I want" Armand said seriously "you can’t tell me what to do, you are just an employee working for me"

"What I am trying to say is that…" Ray interrupted just to change the topic "I am just saying that you should lower your spending here"

"Ray, you are not my financial advisor" Armand interrupted "I know what I am doing"

"But I just mean-" Ray started 

"You mean nothing" Armand added "if you are worried about your salary; don’t be, because I still have a lot more money than that $7,000,000, everyone will get paid each month, no one ever complained about that, as a matter of fact they are so loyal to me"

Ray rolled his eyes and turned away

"They are too loyal indeed, I have to give them a surprise" Armand said thoughtfully

"What is it?" Ray asked angrily "are you going to raise their salaries again?"

"No… I am giving them a break" Armand said as he walked out of the secretive room.

"Shit!" Ray said angrily as he thinks about the $7,000,000. What is he going to tell Ruddick?!

Ray followed Armand to the main hall downstairs.

 

Everyone in the building gathered to the main hall to see what their boss has to say this time.

"Good morning, Armand" Nick said happily as he saw Armand 

"Good morning, everyone" Armand said o the crowd "I have an announcement to make"

Everyone stood silently to hear Armand.

"I want everyone to take a day off tomorrow and enjoy the concert!" Armand said happily "no one has to be here"

"That’s great" everyone said happily as they looked at each other

"Are you sure about this?"  Ray asked Armand lowly

"I am positive Armand replied "I think Mr. Herbert made my day!"

"As you wish" Ray said as he walked away

"I want everyone to enjoy their day tomorrow" Armand continued "that same way I am enjoying mine now"

One of Armand personal bodyguard walked next to him and said "are you sure I should leave too, sir"

"Yes of course, this news is for everyone!" Armand said as he turned to look at his bodyguards "you should all have a break"

"I can't leave you" one bodyguard said as he approached "I love guiding this place"

"Me too" Joe said as he walked forward "I don’t really like concerts anyway"

"As you wish" Armand continued "for those of you who don’t want to go to the concert can just stay here with me, we can do some talking, for there will be still no work"

"Thank you Boss" everyone said happily as Armand walked away

"Are you sure you don’t want to go" Nick asked Joe curiously

"No" Joe replied "I would love to stay here and have a talk with Armand, I think that will be much fun than the concert"

"That’s true" Nick agreed "but I just can’t miss Bevin's first concert, unless the boss wants me to stay, well then that’s an exception"

"The boss wants you to go, Nick" Joe said happily "just tell me everything when you come back"

 

Ray walked out of the building and went to the back where no one is watching.

He picked up his phone and dialed quickly.

"Hello Ray" Ruddick said sharply as he replied the phone.

"Ruddick, I have some bad news, but you have to listen carefully to me"

"You lost the money, did you?" Ruddick interrupted "how could you?"

"Well Armand spent it on a fucking Jet plane! I have no idea how that happened, but I was ready to protect that from happening" 

"This is horrible, Ray" Ruddick continued "we are completely broke now"

"No we are not" Ray added "I want you to consider this as an investment"

"Bullshit" Ruddick interrupted "what kind of sick investment is this? I am sorry but donating money to Armand doesn’t sound like an investment to me"

"Sure it was an investment" Ray continued "you made him happy"

"Are you trying to piss me off or be funny?" Ruddick asked angrily

"And the fact that he is happy, he made his entire employee and troops go to the concert tomorrow, leaving the place empty and easier for us to snap The Magnificent Cat"

"Are you serious?" Ruddick asked curiously "he seriously made all his people leave?"

"Yes he did" Ray replied "tomorrow is the big day, Ruddick, and it turns out to be more easier than we thought"

"It sure did" Ruddick said happily "are you saying that the $7,000,000 just bought us the Magnificent Cat?"

"I told you it was an investment" Ray said with a smile.

 

Ruddick hanged up the phone and walked into the main hall proudly, in the hall there was a big screen hanging on the wall for instruction.

"Do you want me to send in the troops" Alden said happily as Ruddick walked into the hall.

"Sure" Ruddick replied "it’s time we get things straight.

About 500 armies walked into the building where they can see Ruddick standing right in front of them, ready for a speech.

"Good afternoon everyone" Ruddick said happily "Ready for War!"

"Of course they are ready for war" Alden interrupted "they are waiting for years now. They have nothing to do"

"Yes we are ready, Sir" the troops answered together.

"Great" Ruddick continued "because our big day is tomorrow"

"Did Ray confirm" Alden asked 

"Yes he did" Ruddick replied "the concert is