Asprin, Robert Lynn – Catwoman – Tiger Hunt (With Lynn Abbey)

“Yeah, yeah. She’s okay. I’m the man. She’s my woman. No problems.”

Another mark on the paper.

“We were approached the other day by our contacts in Hong Kong. It’s a small deal, but the exchange rate was interesting. It would appear that one of the Manchu emperors shared your passion for Panthera tigris and the Imperial collection has somehow survived. I’ve taken the liberty of selecting one of the choicer specimens.”

The telemetry jittered before settling at much lower levels: visible proof that a man could be bought.

“It’s in the desk. Take it with my thanks, my gratitude—for the good job I know you’re going to do.”

Tiger thrust his hands into the holographic desk. They struck something hard and fur-covered. He grasped it eagerly and withdrew a box cunningly constructed from a silver-gray tiger’s skull. The excitement he felt holding it was spiritual and sexual, and transmitted to the Connection in his distant lair.

“I thought you would like it. How many do you have now?”

“A hundred and thirty-nine,” Tiger said dreamily, stroking the stiff fur. “Any day now. Any day now the Tiger’s gonna come.”

The solid flesh of the real Connection shaped itself into a scowl that was not transmitted to the holograph. Tiger had been waiting ten years for his namesake. Someday he’d realize there was no Tiger spirit. Someday the Connection would have to kill him. But not quite yet.

Chapter Four

The day was perfect—bright and clear with a gentle breeze. The sky was azure blue and speckled with lines of wispy clouds. The morning radio personalities noted that Gotham City’s one perfect spring day was occurring on a Wednesday, when the ordinary people who needed it most were least able to destroy it. But to Sister Theresa Carmel, carefully twining a new ivy sprig around its older siblings, a beautiful day was a divine gift whenever it arrived.