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

“Easy,” Catwoman whispered. “Just because Old MoJo writes some dumb, dead language doesn’t mean you can’t figure out what she did with Rose.”

There was a phone on Mother Joseph’s desk: a sleek techno-toy with a wide variety of buttons and a single flashing red light.

“Be calm. Think. Think.”

A steel claw caressed the button nearest the flashing light.

“Hello? Hello? This is Dr. Gallan’s service. If you’re there, Sister, pick it up.” The nasal, feminine voice paused dramatically. “Dr. Gallan wants you to know that she got your message and is on her way. I want to know where she’s going. She didn’t have the number. She said we could get it from you. So call us,” and the woman recited the number.

Catwoman smiled, memorizing it while the machine reset itself. Then she lifted the handset and pressed another button. A rapid, ten-note melody played in her ear. Selina wasn’t a musical genius. She didn’t have perfect pitch and she’d have to press the redial button many more times before she could memorize the melody, but she knew she hadn’t made a local call and she was pretty sure she hadn’t called Dr. Gallan’s service.

The circuit closed. Somewhere a phone rang once, twice . . . a dozen times. Catwoman was about to give up when the handset came to life.

“Eye-aitch-em, Martyr’s Blood.”

Catwoman was nonplussed by the cryptic greeting. Fortunately, the groggy woman at the other end of the line blamed herself for the silence and tried again:

“Sisters of the Immaculate Heart, Blood of Holy Martyr’s Convent, Mother House. May I help you?”