For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
I woke up at the doctor’s office again with the cats sitting on the bed beside me. One of Baldwin’s men was standing at the door, as a guard. The doctor came in and looked at me. “What will it take for you to listen to me?”, he asked. “Sorry doctor,” I said, “but someone is out to kill me, and the cats, I can’t just sit around and wait for that to happen. I need to find out what is going on and who is trying to kill us, before they succeed preferably.” “Yes,” he said, “I understand that, this Gisela woman, she is a cruel one. It was her that killed my nurse with poison.” “Gisela?”, I questioned, “you know her name?” “Yes,” said the doctor, “she wanted me to kill Muffin with some poison that can’t be detected, to make it look like heart failure. But I couldn’t do it, I just couldn’t. The next day my nurse is dead.”
“You and your wife are in danger too doctor,” I said, “you should go away for a while.” “If we went away, who would keep stitching you together?”, he said with a smile, “that was a close one, but not serious, just a lot of blood.” Just then Caren came rushing in. “What happened?”, she blurted out, “Steve, you’re going to get yourself killed, I don’t want that. Let me know what I owe you and then you can leave, I don’t want you dead!” She started crying. “Hey, the cats and I are here to stay,” I said, “this woman tried to kill Muffin and now me. We are going to find her before we quit this case, that’s our job. But there are two things going on here, your stalker and Gisela who is trying to kill the cats and I.
And yet, there is still something that isn’t fitting the picture here, a piece of the puzzle is missing, there’s something about that square house of yours that someone wants and is willing to kill to get it. These two things are just getting mixed up together.” Just then I got a phone call and the doctor handed me my phone. “Would everyone step out of the room for a few minutes please?”, I asked. After they left I called Baldwin back, this is the way we had decided to do things, just to make sure it was Baldwin. “Bad news Steve,” he said, “they found my 3 men at the airport, dead. Those men are not mine, so watch out! I’m sending more but I’m coming out too.”
I told him it would be better not to come, he can help more from there. “Okay,” he said, “but until my men get there, take it easy and rest.” If someone tells me to “rest” again I’m going to scream. I get up and get dressed, then go out into the other room. “Steve, you shouldn’t be up yet,” said Caren, “you need to…” “Don’t say it,” I said, “I’ll rest later, right now there’s work to be done before we all get killed. You 3 men go back to the hotel, I’ll call you shortly.” Off they went, though rather reluctantly. Once they were gone I told the doctor and Caren about those men.
“Doctor, it really might be wise to leave here for a while,” I said. “That’s an interesting thought,” he said, “I must consider that sometime, but right now there’s work to be done.” I almost got the idea he was mocking what I said, but it can’t be. “Okay Caren,” I said, “you will have to call in sick for a few days so you can stay home and “rest”, since that seems to be a favorite word around here. “But I feel fine,” said Caren. “You won’t after I give you this,” I said, “and the doctor here will verify that you are indeed sick.” I showed the drug to the doctor.
“That will work just fine,” he said, “but I will just step out of the room for a minute and get a prescription for Caren to help with her illness.” Then he left while I gave Caren a needle. “I sure hope you know what you’re doing Steve,” she said rather doubtfully. “No problem,” I said, “I need you at home so I can watch you and you can help me. But it has to look legitimate, I don’t want you to lose your job.” “Thanks,” she said, “I’m feeling hot already.” “You will have a fever, plus joint and muscle aches, but nothing serious,” said the doctor, “and these pills will help ease the symptoms for you.” “Now I know why the cats sigh so much,” she said.
To Be Continued.
Β©2021 Steve McLeod.
Things are happening fast. Is Gisela the sister of Caren? It is certainly dangerous being close to you, Steve. Caren is sick with the shot, Muffin is recovering, 3 of Baldwin’s men are dead, and you have multiple injuries. Will have to solve this case quickly!
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Yes, it must be done quickly or we’ll all be dead! No, Gisela isn’t related to Caren, but Gisela’s sister was in our second case last year and Muffin killed her just before she shot me for the third time. Gisela has been after me ever since. There’s something that still doesn’t seem right though and that house holds the last piece of the puzzle, I hope.
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You really do need to take it easy!π€π€π€π€π€π€ππ
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I’m taking it easy, that’s why it’s taking so long!π³πΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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I was wondering about that!π€ Now it all makes perfect sense!ππ€ͺπ€ͺ
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I did a whole week marathon with this story. Had no choice, time was going by too fast and there was still a lot to do. And besides I wasn’t feeling too great this week and the story was all set to go.π¬ππ
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That’s okay… I was just giving you a hard time!ππ
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As long as you don’t throw rotten tomatoes. As they say in the old country, “never pull up an anchor fast when in a rubber raft. You’ll get that sinking feeling.”
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I get it all the time! I don’t even have an anchor!!π³
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Then what are you doing in a rubber raft?π€
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Staying dry and keeping my feet dry! ππ
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Where’s the adventure in that?π€
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Says you!! Mr adventure!ππππ
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Yep, it was me that said it.ππππππ
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You are a regular Indiana Jones!πππ
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Actually I’ve never been to Indiana. How about Ontario Jones?ππ
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Works for me!!ππ
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I thought it was supposed to be my name?π€π
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Indiana Me!ππ
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Kinda catchy. Be back in a couple minutes. Don’t go away.
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I will be waiting..π
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For what?
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For you to return!π€¨π€¨ or did you not leave??π€¨π€¨π€π€
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Oh that’s right, I forgot you left. Or was it me that left? Yes, that’s right, I left.
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You are left but not behind!πππ
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That reminds me of a funny story about paper.ππΉ
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How can paper be funny?π€π€π
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Just for that I won’t tell it to you. It’s tearable anyway.
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Oh!! I get it… the funny papers cartoons π€£ππ
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You just said paper wasn’t funny.π€¨ Oh well, time for bed, morning comes in the morning and I want to be awake for it. Good night, chatter tomorrow.πππ΄π΄
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Good Night old Blue!πππ sleep well!
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Well ! Why a square house indeed ! How old is the house ? I am surprised that you and the cats are still alive ! βοΈβοΈπ΅οΈββοΈπ©ππΌπΌπΏ
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I think I mentioned one time it was around 100 years old, give or take a few years. But a house with everything square must have a purpose behind it. But what is it? Perhaps it’s nothing but something odd, but finding that hidden map tells me that there must be something there. We just have to find out before we all get killed!π³πΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Yea I knew this all was about you. I’m still not sure about Caren butthe cats are sure so i’ll trust for another minute. Somewhere between the map and all the stuff in the attic is the answer to the puzzle if you can find it before Gisela
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Laugh, People want to see your teeth
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Yes, that map didn’t seem to be exciting in any way, but it was hidden so there must be something I missed on my quick look at it. Yep, the cats seem to be very sure about Caren, we’ll see if they are right this time. I need to get back in that attic…
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Also look for invisible ink and look at it with back lighting that map is important
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Hey, that’s a thought, it’s an old map, they might have used invisible ink. Yes, you don’t hide a common map, it must have some importance. I hope it’s still there!
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Oh, my! The plot thickens! π¬πΌπ
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Yes indeed! Gisela is back and that means trouble and who knows what Caren’s sister Annali is really like. But is that all? Or is something/someone else involved here?π€πΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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π€¨
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That’s a fast express story…. You should take rest and let Baldwin handle it for a while, why take so much risk. Cats Sigh πΊ and no more killing .π² Steve u must stop these killings, why so much life lost when a skilled PI is around.π§ good write up uncle Steve… going good β€οΈ
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What? There’s a skilled PI around? What’s his name, I must contact him.π³πππ΅οΈββοΈ
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Oh oh ππ² now that’s a challenge, because the one you are searching is already missing, maybe Alzheimer’s stole him πππ u should ask where you left him βΊοΈπ
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I’ll check my backpack,π³ maybe I accidentally put him in there.π€ Hope he can breathe in there.π³π²
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hope, he is not wearing mask , as the bag will be suffocating already π did you find him ππ
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Just a remnant of his brain, I wonder if it will fit?π€ππΉ
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it will, is it that big? the brain π€ I doubt that part π
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I had to squeeze it in, but it might work better than my old one.πππΉ
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It’s good that it fit in there π
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I think so too.ππ€ͺ
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