Zorilla At Large! Read Online Free

aroused.”
    â€œI’m the same,” said Stevens.
    â€œWhat about if it, you know...” said Pattimore, “...squirts?”
    â€œYeah,” Stevens nodded. “Do we get clothes pegs or what?”
    â€œJust try not to antagonise it,” Newton advised.
    â€œSo we just catch it with a noose on a stick and ram it into a box? I should fucking cocoa.” Stevens folded his arms to show how resolute he was.
    â€œWell, if you’re not up to the job...” Newton left the slight on Stevens’s masculinity unfinished and hanging in the air - like a bad smell and, like a bad smell, the implications got right up Stevens’s nose. He snatched up a stick and thrust the box at Pattimore’s midriff.
    â€œIn all seriousness, gentlemen,” Newton smirked, “it’s enough for you to locate the animal. Give us a call and I’ll send a couple of experts, OK?”
    â€œGotcha!” said Pattimore.
    Stevens murmured a vile imprecation into his moustache. They took the equipment with them anyway.
    ***
    Harry Henry was looking nervously at the animal in the cage. The zorilla - the escapee’s mate - was asleep, curled up like a cat in front of a fireplace.
    Looks harmless enough, the detective considered. Quite cute, really. That broad stripe running along its back as though it had been run over by one of them whadyacallems - you know - those things they paint the lines on football pitches with. Oh, you must have seen them. Like a wheelbarrow sort of doobrie.
    â€œYes, they do look sweet,” Jeff Newton roused Harry Henry from his contemplations. “But don’t get too close or she’ll have your arm off.”
    Harry Henry blinked. “Really?”
    Jeff laughed. “No, not really. But she can give you a nasty nip - and there is her derriere to take into account.”
    â€œHer d - ?”
    â€œThe business end.” He mimed, complete with sound effects, an explosion.
    â€œOh,” said Harry Henry. He edged away from the cage.
    â€œBloody hell,” said Jeff. “I’ve just been talking to two of your lot in my office. You might know them. Young chap and a greasy fellow with a porn star moustache.”
    â€œUm...” Harry Henry was noncommittal.
    â€œAnyone would think you lot had never had to catch a wild animal before.”
    â€œWe haven’t.”
    â€œGood. You should leave it to the experts. Now, you’ve got the easy job. When the Mayor arrives, leave the talking to me. I’ll tell him you don’t speak any English. It’ll just be handshake, handshake, and cheese for the camera. Let’s get it done. Nice bit of publicity before word gets out about poor Doctor Kabungo.”
    â€œUm...”
    â€œBut you’ll have to come over here. Stand a bit closer to the beast or you won’t be in the photo.”
    â€œUm...”
    â€œOh, come on; you’re not scared of it, are you? It won’t hurt you. Come on!”
    â€œIt’s not that,” said Harry Henry, fumbling in his jacket pockets for a pack of tissues. “I’m allergic, you see. To dander and what-have-you.”
    â€œWell, this’ll only take five minutes. The Mayor will have a ten-course lunch to get to, I expect. Ah, here they are now. Brace yourself.”
    ***
    â€œTo sum up: no one has seen anything.” Brough’s voice echoed in the Railway Hotel’s dingy function room. He sounded pissed off but then he’d been irritable since he came back. Miller noticed he wasn’t wearing socks, which was most unlike him. Perhaps they don’t have socks in Los Angeles.
    â€œPeople don’t want trouble,” said Miller. “You don’t want it broadcast that you’re booked in at the Railway Hotel. Discretion is the better part of wossname. You keep your head down.”
    â€œYou paint a vivid picture, Miller.” Brough draped himself across a chair in melodramatic fashion.