Cat and Mouse Games

Part 2

Alba had to dig new paths to her coop and compost pile, and dig out her car and driveway before she went to town two weeks later.

The sun was shining and her fridge had a few cartons of eggs to be sold to her customers who needed them. With a sigh of optimism, she drove to town and parked in that central parking lot, waiting to meet her customers.

Cheerfully Alba handed them the cartons and took the five dollar bills and change, pocketing it. "Thank you very much for your business."

Once the egg cartons were all gone it was time to take her laundry to be washed. With the basket in hand she waited at the edge of the street for a few cars to pass. But before she could cross she was frozen in place, spotting her purse-thief stepping out of the laundromat.

Unbelievable, she thought with a glare. He doesn't even see me.

She watched him head up the street towards the coffee shop before she proceeded to the laundromat. As always the attendant was there, collecting the change from the machines.

"Good morning," she greeted.

"Hello," Alba replied. "Um, hey. Do you know the guy who just left? The one with the tan?"

"I didn't get his name, but he comes in once a week, same as you. Why?"

"I need to have a chat with him about a couple things," Alba muttered, noticing that her favorite washing machine on the end was in use already. Damn it. That never happens unless all the tree-planters come into town to do their laundry. This is the wrong time of year to worry about that.

It was her favorite dryer across from it that had a blue and orange hoodie flopping around amongst the other clothes, so she knew whose they were.

Alba felt suddenly determined to get the guy back for what he'd done to her on Valentines Day. I want my purse back! Along with everything in it! I want my writing back safely in my possession! She thought insistently. Alba wondered what she could do here that wouldn't get her permanently banned from this laundromat. Probably nothing.

She had her clothes washing in an unfamiliar machine when the young man's load of laundry had finished drying, and she opened it and grabbed that stupid hoodie, right as he set foot through the front door.

"Hey! That's mine! What the hell are you...?" He stopped as he saw her glare daggers at him, recognising her instantly. "Oh shit."

"Yeah," she agreed, clutching his hoodie possessively. "You should know better than to rob somebody from the same small town as you, jerk. I want my purse back," Alba snapped.

He looked mildly uncomfortable in this situation, and so did the older woman who ran the place.

"Alba, what's going on?" she questioned with worry. "Should I be calling the police?"

"No!" he pleaded.

"Don't bother," Alba agreed. "It's just a little dispute. It's not going to get out of hand." She turned back to the guy. "I want my purse back. I don't care about the money but the rest of the contents are very important to me."

"Well I don't have it on me, obviously!" he retorted.

"Then I'm holding the hoodie hostage until I get it back. And maybe these underwear too," Alba decided, grabbing a black and grey striped pair and holding them up. "I bet these ones are your favorite, huh?"

"Fuck," he cursed quietly.

"Language," the attendant reprimanded him.

"Sorry," he apologised humbly. "I don't have the purse, but I need my clothes. Wait here, one sec," he told Alba with a raised hand and bolted out the door.