Читать книгу Deadline Istanbul (The Elizabeth Darcy Series) - Peggy Hanson - Страница 10

CHAPTER 6

If you stared deep into a cat’s eyes, you would be able to see into the world of spirits.

English proverb

Sultana, the pure white Van cat, had her secret passages, which she only visited at night.

For a female cat, Sultana roamed a wide swath of Üsküdar. She knew and was known by the tough neighborhood tomcats, who recognized nobility and let her pass unmolested.

One of Sultana’s favorite places was the fish market down the hill near the wharf. She only visited after the fishermen had left, so she rarely got a bite of fish. Still, the smells were attractive: rodent, fish, people. She was known and admired by the ladies selling flowers at the bus stop. One of them often gave her a tasty snack.

Tonight Sultana followed a different kind of woman. She walked as a non-Turk and bought a jeton to get on the ferry to Eminönü. Businesslike as she was, the woman gave off friendly vibes. Sultana tracked her for a few minutes, slinking quiet and invisible.

When the woman started to put her jeton into the turnstile, she turned and saw Sultana. “Why, kitty! Aren’t you the beautiful one!” Language is no barrier between a cat and those who love them.

Sultana allowed herself to be petted, then slunk back into the shadows. Her judgment of people was impeccable. That didn’t mean she felt safe being visible to everyone.