Before the strange man was able to get close, chains reached out from under the shadows of the furniture and restrained the man.
"Now, Selina!" Mater meowed.
Selina summoned all the strength inside her and swung the fire poker. The thick metal rod smacked on the strange man's head, knocking him out cold.
The chains disappeared, allowing the man to fall to the ground.
Selina dropped the fire poker and slummed on the floor. She breathed heavily.
"Holy shit! I just killed a man!"
Mater rolled his eyes. "If it was that easy to kill a man, I would've been the king of the world."
He approached the strange man and used his fluffy paw to push his face aside.
"Hmmm. Who is this person? David is already dead so it is definitely not him." Mater meowed.
Selina grabbed her phone and took a picture of the man.
"Is he some kind of thief?"
"Not a thief." Mater meowed.
"You're right. I should call the police."
"I definitely did not say that."
"911. What is your emergency?"
"Yeah, I spotted a strange man in my client's house…"
Cole drove the slim police car on the road. Detective Baltimore was in the passenger's seat and Carpenter, a female cop, was in the back seat.
"All units attention! There is a burglar in a house on 82 Mark Avenue Street. The suspect has been apprehended by a citizen. Requesting back up."
Cole and Alister looked at each other.
"Isn't that…" Cole said.
"That is the address of David Rendell's house."
Alister grabbed the microphone. "Dispatch, this is Detective Baltimore. We're in Unit 109. We will take a look at the situation on 82 Mark Avenue Street."
"Copy, Detective Baltimore!"
Alister gestured at Cole. "Turn the sirens on, Cole."
"Yes, sir!"
The blue and red light lit up on top of the car with the deafening sirens. Cole stepped on the gas pedal, accelerating forward.
Inside David Rendell's house.
Selina hung up the phone. "That's it. Now we have to wait for the police."
"I have a better idea." Mater meowed. He went back to the hallway.
"Where are you going, Mr. Mater?!" Selina followed him closely.
Mater climbed on the stairs again.
"Wait, Mr. Mater! We can't!" Selina said.
Mater glanced at her and kept going. Selina bit her lips. She went back to grab the Dark Grimoire then followed Mater to the second floor.
Mater pushed the door of the master bedroom open. Everything was in a horrible state inside. The bed was upside down. The wardrobe lay on the floor. All the curtains were torn away. On the wall, more writings were visible.
"David Rendell's last room. It was here that he killed himself." Selina shivered. Even the sight of the room was filled with a scent of death.
On the wall behind the bed was a circle of dry blood. It was created after David Rendell shot himself in the head, splashing his brain and blood on the wall.
Mater approached the bloody wall. His eyes flashed red.
"No Chaos here. This was simply a suicide." Mater meowed.
Then he pulled the door handle of the wardrobe. His small paw was not enough to pull it open.
"Let me help you." Selina stepped forward and opened the wardrobe.
"These damned tiny hands!" Mater meowed.
Ants filled the wardrobe, creating a thick black layer.
Selina closed the door immediately and covered her mouth. "Disgusting!"
Mater already went to a different location. This time he climbed onto the short cabinet next to the bed.
Selina came over and pulled the drawers open.
"Could there be anything useful inside?"
Selina checked the drawers while Mater observed.
"That thing!" Mater meowed.
Selina also noticed it. She grabbed it.
A short wooden thumb with a ring on it.
"What could this be?" Selina mumbled.
She and the cat looked at each other. The black cat shrugged and exited the bedroom.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
Mater stood on the trapdoor leading down to a basement. Selina couldn't understand what he said but she knew what he wanted.
"I'm not going down there!" Selina crossed her arms.
"You will!" Mater meowed.
"I don't want to die!" Selina turned her head away.
"You won't!" Mater meowed.
"Fine! You present a very compelling argument. I'll go."
Mater tilted his head in confusion.
Selina grabbed the handle of the trapdoor and pulled it open. The deep dark space of the basement was revealed.
There was a ladder leading down.
"Spooky!" Selina blurted out.
Mater stood at the edge of the door and pointed his paw down. "Let's go!"
The black cat meowed again.
Selina sighed. "I can't believe I'm listening to a cat."
"I ain't no cat! I'm a dark lord! I'm your master!" The cat meowed.
Selina climbed down the ladder. Mater jumped on her shoulder.
Selina had learned her lesson. She brought the fire poker with her down the basement.
Her feet touched the wet ground of the basement.
"Ew!"
Selina took her phone out and turned on the flashlight. The scenery of the basement was revealed.
It was a small basement with a stone wall. The ground was soaking wet for some reason.
A part of the wall was broken down, leading into an unknown cave.
"I have a bad feeling about this, Mr. Mater!"
Mater meowed. "Let's go."
He jumped down from Selina's shoulder. The wet ground drenched his fluffy paw.
"Argh. Disgusting."
Mater shook the water off and continued forward. He jumped onto the dry part of the ground.
The black cat went inside the cave.
Selina looked around in a panic. Then she followed.
"Wait for me, Mr. Mater!"
Alister knocked on the door. "Police! Open up!"
No one answered. He tried again but there was only silence.
Alister gave Cole and Carpenter a look. The two cops drew their pistols.
"Stay outside, Carpenter."
"I can help!"
"We don't know what is in there. You are our backup. If Cole and I go missing, call dispatch for reinforcement."
"Yes, sir!"
Alister drew his revolver. He slotted in three ordinary bullets and three silver bullets.
"Let's go, Cole." Alister kicked the door open.