Enter Nightshade

From the diary of Penelope Halwind:

Dec 25

This Nightshade hooligan MUST be dealt with! I will not stand for this! He is messing with my livelihood, my best customer!

It was Christmas Eve. As usual I was sitting alone in my office. The Lady Panther had again brought me a splendid 'catch' and I was looking over the jewels; remembering the conversation we had:

"Madam cat, do you ever knock?"

"Watch your tone, little bird. I have a plump piece of prey for you tonight."

She dropped a velvet-lined box on my desk. Inside were two of the highest carat diamond earrings I had ever seen and an exquisite diamond and ruby necklace.

"You do know how we birds are attracted to shiny things. Make yourself at home."

She walked over to my Monet art print and stared at it for a moment.

"This was not an easy hunt, birdie. Have you heard the stories going around about the new do-gooder?"

"Night-something-or-other? Yes."

"I saw him tonight."

I looked up. "Really? I had no proof of his existence. What happened?"

"I was at the Dobson mansion; got into their Christmas party. Got into the safe, no problem. Got out of the house, no problem. Then, a few blocks away when I was feeling scott free, I hear this deep voice say 'those don't belong to you.' Like I was going to give them back!"

Here she stopped and a strange smile crossed her face.

"So I turned to gauge my opponent. He was tall and strong looking, all dressed in black."

She must have realized she was practically purring because she shook herself out of it.

"Of course I took him down and made sure he wasn't tailing me before I came over here."

"I would hope so, madam cat," I said with my most dangerous smile, "because, even though you are my most lucrative customer, if you lead him to me...well, let's just say I know some dogs who owe me favors."

"Don't threaten me, little bird."

I walked to my safe. "I will contact you in two days."

So now I was looking at them. They were worth hundreds of thousands, easy. The next thing I knew something knocked out my desk lamp and I heard this deep voice:

"Those are meant for a charity auction."

I sat perfectly still. Not frightened, but fascinated. There was something familiar about that voice...

"What does that matter to me? Do you wish to buy them from me?" I smiled. No answer. I leaned over to grab the jewels and run, but was caught from behind and had a cloth placed over my nose and mouth.

When I woke, the jewels were gone and in their place was a little star-shaped purple flower with a little black berry growing in the middle: a nightshade.