Closing Down the House - Part 1"

Against his better judgement, Squig had allowed Harlan to go upstairs and bring down the girls. He had begged and Harlan was a master at widening his eyes and embedding a purr in every word when he wanted something. He argued that since he was local and probably knew all of them, the girls would find it less threatening to see him rather than the Sheriff knocking on their doors. Well it might have been less threatening, but familiar was certainly noisy, if the commotion he was hearing floating down the stairs was any indication.

Squig was at the point of going to rescue Harlan, when he saw him herding the girls into the bar. He looked completely done in. His clothes were in disarray, his cowboy hat
and it looked like one of them had slapped him with her claws out.

"Hello ladies," he said with what he hoped was a friendly but firm tone of voice.

"Good morning Sheriff," they replied flatly, sounding more than a little annoyed.

"Now I'm sure that all of you are aware that prostitution is against the law in the state of Colorado. And it has been alleged that the Katz City Cafe is operating as a front for a bordello."

"Alleged my ass," Harlan spit out. "This here place has been a whore house for over 100 years."

"And your family's been running it the whole time, so just don't you start moralizing," hissed a tall white voluptuous cat in a bright red kimono.

"Excuse me miss," Squig asked in his friendly but firm tone of voice, "what is your name?"

"Diamante," she purred. "That's Aetalian for..."

"Nothin," Harlan spit out. "Your name ain't Dinomighty and you ain't Aetalian. I went to high school with you and your name is Diane Tailer, hashtag, slut."

"Oh," she whispered, adjusting the sash of her kimono. I believe I remember you. Aren't you Harlan T. Katz, hashtag, loser."

"Diane Tailer, hastag, trash bag." Harlan squawked, laying back his ears and swishing his tail.

She paused momentarily, carefully examined her deep red nails for any microscopic chip and then with a sideways glance and and a soft chuckle said, "Harlan Katz, hashtag, douche bag."

Squig was concerned. The girls were laughing hysterically and if Harlan puffed himself up any larger, he was in real danger of splitting his pants. So sighing deeply and with his friendly but firm tone of voice, said, "I'm sure we'd all like to sit around reminiscing about high school, but I think it's time we returned to the subject at hand, Now where was I." He said and began ticking off his talking points.

"Point one, prostitution is against the law in the state of Colorado. Point two, for a number of years the Katz City Cafe has been operating as a front for a bordello. Which brings me to point three. From this day forward, there will be no, and I mean no, fornicating on the premises,

TO BE CONTINUED