For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Well, here we are pulling into the driveway of this chateau, and what a place this is too. There is wonderfully landscaped grounds and a huge chateau, made with large blocks of stone and it has two towers on the front side, one is 5 stories and a bit, the other is 4 stories. The chateau itself is 3 stories, I can only imagine how many rooms there is in this place. Even the guest cottage looks rather large. Last evening Lena got a call from the company she works with and they wanted her to go help out a client up in Belgium, so she was unable to come along after all. If only I had known what was going on. I stop the car and we go up to the door which was actually a double door of solid wood with an elaborate door knocker. A young lady answered, which I figured was the maid, the owner must have servants looking after this huge place.
Another young woman came out, “Hi,” she said, “you must be my new PI and helpers.” We just talked about some normal things at first, then she took us over to the guest cottage. On the way she became more serious in her talking. Seems she is afraid to talk about anything inside, she feels that someone is always listening. So we sit down on one of the many outdoor benches and talked for a bit. Seems she doesn’t even trust any of her servants. I asked why she keeps them and she said it’s too hard to find anyone willing to work out here. It is a long ways from the nearest town, so the servants live out here. She said things have disappeared, like dishes, lamps, jewelry, even a couple small statues. But she said none of it was really worth much.
She has received notes tacked to doors inside, usually with just one word, such as “leave”, “death”, “old”, “run”, “chains”, and other things, but nothing really made sense. She kept them all to show me which is good. Plus she has heard noises, screeches, laughing, grinding, footsteps. But no one else in the chateau has heard anything, or so they say. Then she gave me one that was in a sealed envelope and had my name on it. She received that one yesterday after talking to me. I opened the envelope, the note just read, “woman, train, death”. Lena! I immediately called her but no answer. I’ll have to try later. We talked a bit more, but I didn’t learn much. I asked her if anyone hated her enough to kill her? Maybe family after the inheritance?
The only other family is a cousin and she also received a chateau. Hmm, a wealthy family. It was her uncle that owned the chateau before her and they found him drowned in the swimming pool. He was a large strong man and excellent swimmer, but it was considered an accident. His parents had purchased the chateau about 30 years ago. His mother died of a heart attack 5 years later, 15 years after that his dad was found at the bottom of the stone steps out front with his head broken open. It was ruled an accident. Hmm, too many accidents here it seems. Just before her uncle died Linnea had been talking to him and he confided that he started getting notes about 6 months before. No notes were ever found and no one else knew anything about the notes.
Okay, now we have a connection. “Someone is after your property for some reason,” I said, “and since there are no more relatives after you, what will happen to your estate?” “I haven’t really thought about that yet,” she confided, “I am hoping to have a family some day and it would go to them, but, right now, I don’t know.” “There must be something important about this place,” I said, “have you looked into the history of it?” “No, I never have,” she said, “but there is likely something here that talks about the chateau’s history.” “Good,” I said, “that’s where we will start.” The cats remained quiet through all this but listening very intently. Then Linnea took us into the guest cottage, which really was large. And on the table a note, which read, “Leave”. Forget it, we’re here to stay.
To Be Continued.
Β©2021 Steve McLeod.
Here we go again…question, questions, questions.
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Yes, we need those questions, but it would be nice to have more answers sometimes.π€πΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Oh my…indeed too many accidents here it seems! Are you sure you want to stay? π€¨ππππΎπΎ
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The cats and I never quit! Unless ghosts are involved.π¬πππ»π»π΅οΈββοΈ
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Hahaha π€£ Good luck then! ππΎ
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Thanks!π³πΎπΎ
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Sounds like another exciting adventure.
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Thanks Dusty, and we’re just getting started!π€πΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Im sure you’ll have it solved in no time.
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Yep, that’s what I say three. All we need to do is identify the culprits and we have it done. Um, maybe.πππ
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I’m sure of it. Or full of it? Not sure yet about that yet.
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Did you get your walking done today?
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Yep! Did it about an hour earlier than usual. I missed lunch so I went early so I could make something for supper, before it got too late.
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Good thinking!
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Yeah about that thinkin stuff…
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Glad you still at it. I have to quit early tonight, I’m tired, just not getting much sleep these nights. Talk tomorrow.π΄π
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Yup, good night
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I am mulling over going to a Rheumatologist.. I would like to see if any of these new medicines would be a good fit for me.
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There you go with those big words again. It’s a good idea to check though, new things keep coming out.
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Yeah, there’s only treatment of symptoms, but if I can get some of this fatigue reduced, it will help my mental outlook. Won’t be such a struggle to do things.
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I know what you mean, fatigue is a terrible thing.
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I am sorry … to much info… π
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The history is something but they need to figure out the secret of the notes
Laugh NOW It can’t wait
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Yes indeed, those notes are important and must contain a hidden message.π€πΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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And just what could it be?? Hmmm
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Yes, but it’s likely just one piece of the puzzle, yet in many pieces.π€π
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I’m sur there is more to come
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For sure, somehow I just can’t shake the thought that there is more going on than what I have been told.π€πΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Ask the cats. I’m sure they are watching
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For some reason they are very quiet this time.
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Here we go again ! I look forward to the next chapter ! I can see that the cats are going to be a great help to you ! βοΈβοΈπ΅οΈββοΈπ©πΌπΌ
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Yep, right now the cats are just drinking in that information, they can remember things that I won’t, which is always a good help in itself. Now to try and figure out what is happening.π€πΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Well said! ππΈ
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Thanks so much!ππΊπΊπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Wow, the Chateau does not have a good history π Wonder who’s behind the notesπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Yes, those notes are interesting. They seem odd and mixed up, but I think they are a careful message of some kind. Have to wait and see.π€πΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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You should have replied in the note ‘I am going to stay’ behind the note π too many accidents, too dangerous, how about we think about replying to the notice now ππ and no more questions now, as there are so many eavesdroppers involved, we just need to wait and see who else is involved in this little game. Be careful Steve π€
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Yep, definitely need to be careful,π¬ there is something strange going on here,π² but I don’t know what it is just yet.π€ Lots of suspects in this one!π€πππ΅οΈββοΈ
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lots of something something π³π³ Be careful ππ
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First thing is to find that ghost!ππΎπΎπ»π»
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Ghost π³π³ you should check with MuffinβΊοΈ
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Muffin shot the ghost!πΎ Ooops,π³ I shouldn’t be telling you,π you haven’t read that chapter yet. Rats.π I’m not saying any more.πΆ
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what did you say? shot a ghost π³π³ can’t believe that, need to read that soon.
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Muffin shot the ghost, not me, but he still got away.πΎπ»π³
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