Work Text:
"I'm incredibly sorry," Father Brown muttered, all by falling through the door of Flambeau's new flat, "for coming unannounced, but the matter is a bit urgent. And I think you might need this."
The host looked at him with confusion, which was understandable, because the priest was holding, like a baby, a somewhat shapeless object of a dull – or dusty – white colour. It was also fluffy, which wasn't any help in deciphering what it could be.
"You are always full of surprises, my friend, but why would I, or you, for that matter, be in need of a toddler-size fur coat?" Flambeau raised his left brow, as well as his lopsided smile raised the left side of his moustache.
"You could use company when I'm away, and by God I wish I knew when and where I—"
"Company of a coat?" Flambeau pressed, his facial expression now closer to perplexed.
"It's a cat. I'm a dog person myself, as you might already know, and—"
"A cat?"
"Yes. Poor creature."
"Have you perchance stolen it?" Flambeau narrowed his eyes at this sudden thought.
"No, no," Father said. "Not to say I wouldn't, though. She doesn't look like she has had a rather happy life."
"She?"
The priest nodded, immediately distracted by his arms already tired and positioning the cat who didn't have to suffer any discomfort from it.
Flambeau took the cat from Brown (maybe, a tad less gingerly), and she meowed weakly (squeaked, rather).
"Mon Dieu!" he exclaimed when he finally saw her face. "She's a Persian! And very sad."
"I thought so too," the priest sighed with his usual empathy. "She was sitting all alone on a pavement, when I was on my way to Mrs Durby, and just as sad when I was walking back. She might be lost, yes, but there will not be any harm in her living with you for a time being, at least while we are looking for her owner. I have no doubt that asking the neighbours will yield some results."
"We are detectives, after all!" Flambeau laughed and Father Brown winced. "Well, I'm a detective, and you are a priest with a very strange luck."
"It might be luck, or something else less random and more particular. In any case, I sometimes like it more when it's only a white cat crossing my path.