For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
(All previous chapters and stories are available on my home page under “20/20 Investigations, Inc. It’s nice to have you here today, grab a cup of coffee and relax)
That blast knocked us right down, covering us with dust. That dust just floated in the air making it a bit hard to breathe at first. Both Jessica and I were coughing and sneezing. Muffin didn’t like getting all that dust in her fur. She had been in the lead, so she came back to me. Meow, meow!=I don’t like dust, gets in my fur! She gives herself a good shake, right in my face, making me cough and sneeze even more. Thanks Muffin. Meow!=Welcome! That blast was certainly no accident either, I said to Jessica. That was a trap meant to bury us, not just block the entrance. How will we get out of here?, asks Jessica. Well, guess we will have to keep following this narrow tunnel and see where it goes. But we will need to be more alert to any more possible traps along the way.
But..Jessica coughs again, but…if they are trying to kill us, then they might be waiting for us at the end of this tunnel. That’s always possible, but we certainly can’t stay here, so we have to keep going. This could be very dangerous, I think to myself, if they are waiting for us, but what else to do? Muffin runs off ahead before I can stop her, but she stops herself suddenly and looks 2 different directions. Then she comes back to me. Meow, meow.=Tunnel goes 2 ways, one go left, long and dark. Meow, meow.=Other tunnel go right and look like a little light that way. Hmm, what kind of light?, I wonder. Okay Jessie, time to get going. Hey, you finally called me Jessie, I like that better, she said. Never gave it a thought actually, but I won’t tell her that.
We get to the spot in the tunnel where we turn right and keep walking. Neither of us could see any light, but Muffin insists that it’s there ahead of us. She does have better eyesight, no doubt about that. Finally I get to see a small ray of light coming in further down the tunnel, and it looks like actual daylight. Plus there are a lot of tree roots showing up so we must be in the treed area on the other side of the road as we come into the hotel yard. Hmm, that’s interesting. Finally we come to the end of the tunnel and there is a ladder leading up to a trap door. Must be some kind of building up there. Now why didn’t Jessica mention that? I whisper to Muffin and she jumps up onto my shoulder. I tell Jessica to stand back until we check things over. And since there could be a shotgun waiting for us, I came prepared.
I thought you never carried a gun?, asks Jessie. I don’t, normally, I said, but I learned something during our last case. Up we go, we are going to need to do this fast. I grab hold of the handle on the trap door and toss it open! Muffin jumps in quickly and I have my gun ready…but there is no one around. I climb inside an old shack and look out the small window. I don’t see anyone out there either so I go out the door and look around, with Muffin beside me. Jessica had climbed up into the shack and waited for me to look around and make sure it was safe out there. I come back in and close the trap door and tell Jessie it’s safe outside. It really wasn’t too far to get back out onto the lawn of the hotel. How come you never mentioned that shack Jessie?, I ask.
I have never been over here before, she said, Bill used to come over here all the time to get wood for the fireplaces. But he never mentioned the shack, in fact he said there wasn’t anything over here except a lot of dead trees, that’s why he came over here to get wood. That tells me Bill was planning something all along. We need to have a talk, you’re holding something back and I need to know what, or Muffin and I leave now. No, wait!
To be continued.
Steve and Muffin.
© 2020 Steve McLeod.
AMAZING!!! YOU’RE GOING GREAT steve!!!!!!! I love Jessica for sure!
LikeLiked by 2 people
So nice to hear you are enjoying this Eshal!😃😺🕵️♂️🕵️♀️☕☕
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always do and sure still am!!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😁😸🕵️♂️🕵️♀️☕☕
LikeLike
I say put her on the rack and stretch the truth out of her!! hehehe 😉🤭😁
LikeLiked by 2 people
Put her on a coat rack? What if she’s not wearing a coat? Nice to see you’re still following along!😁😸🕵️♂️🕵️♀️☕☕
LikeLike
I always read and keep up with your story.😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
But what’s going on? What secret is Jessica hiding? Can I trust her? Are her and Bill working together? Is Bill trying to cut her off now? Is that why she is scared? Questions, questions. Back to coffee and Jessica does make good coffee!😁😸☕☕🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
LikeLike
I always say.. Teust but verify!😉 Becareful the coffee!!😲
LikeLike
Did you get out for your walk today?
LikeLike
Interesting and beautiful birds
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Haroon!
LikeLike
Oh boy, now the truth comes…🤥
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, but what kind of truth? Will I be able to trust what she says? Thanks for following along Nina!!😃😺🕵️♂️🕵️♀️🔎🔦☕☕
LikeLiked by 1 person
No probably not…she is cahoots…hmmm…complicated. 🙀 I like it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Guess we will have to wait and see!😂😹
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep….🙃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Might need Muffin’s intuition on this one.😃😺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good idea. Muffin is a clever one indeed.😻
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sometimes anyway.😁😸
LikeLiked by 1 person
Something is not right with Jessica…hmmm…waiting for Monday’s chapter ! 🙀😯☕️☕️🕵️♂️✍🏻☕️☕️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, what will she say? And can I trust what she says? Questions, questions. Have a good evening!😃😺🌙🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
LikeLike
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo wow
LikeLiked by 1 person
Guess that means you liked it!😁😸🕵️♂️🕵️♀️🌙
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice.
LikeLike
Wow, the eagerly waited post is back. Wait, a suspense in the end☺️🤓 Wow, this is What I want. Great Steve, done it perfectly with a suspense. Now that leads to few questions. I’m sure Jessica is having something in her hand, but from where did she took it, if she holds a gun, why should she do that? Is it because she is scared when he took the gun? Or is it because she had plans before to finish them both 🤔 Nice way you took the story Steve ✨☺️ So good to read 👌
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmm, every time I learn something it just produces more questions. What is Jessica hiding?😳 Is she really working with Bill on this insurance scam?🤔🙄 Is Bill even alive?🤔 Am I going crazy?🤪😜 Does Muffin need a bath?😾😾 Do I need more coffee?😳☕☕ Jessica makes great coffee.😁☕☕ Now I have to wait for Monday to find out what she says!😬 Can I make it?😳🤪😂😹🙄
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fantabulous questions, Is that Coffee mug Jessica is hiding behind, why? She wants to give you coffee or she wants to pat your head with that🤔 Where is Muffin?. Ofcourse you will make it. And ofcourse you’ll make it with another surprise for us. Great going Steve ✨ Keep writing ☺️✍️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, her coffee is so good,😀☕ it always makes me so sleeeeeeeppppppyyyyyyy.😴😴😴Next chapter coming soon! Maybe we will learn something and get some answers.🤔 Or maybe we will have more questions.🙄🙄 Hard to say, have to wait until I wake up.😂😹🙄☕☕
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sleepy 🕵️🙄🤔 Now we need to investigate about her coffee the . 😜 waiting for your next chapter, take your time😉😎✍️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes indeed, that is such great coffffffeeeeeeee.😳☕☕😴😴😴
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello… You said you wanted to go out. Don’t forget that 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was out, nice walk, nice fresh air, nice warm sun, nice day!!😂😹🌞
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done! The truth or better pack! 😻😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s right!😁😸 And today we find out the truth, or can I trust Jessica to tell the truth?🤔🙄🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hmmm 🧐🤔
LikeLiked by 1 person