For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
“I think that was a deliberate setup”, I said to Lena, “too much of a coincidence. I should have realized it, Jimmy’s daughter seemed apprehensive.” “Are you going to tell Jimmy about that?”, asked Lena. “Only about getting beat up,” I said, “I won’t mention the possibility that his daughter set me up, not without more proof. However, I’m going to talk with his parents, just in case Jimmy is mixed up with this.” “But why would Jimmy want to do anything like this?”, asked Lena, “he’s likely going to inherit the place anyway, and it would be better to inherit a thriving hotel than one that is going bankrupt.”
“Maybe he’s impatient and wants it now for some reason,” I said, “perhaps there is something else here that is worth more than this hotel. I think we need to explore those caves tomorrow.” Meow!=Yay! Exploring caves going to be fun time! Meow,meow.=Still say caves bad, that where ghosts live. “I’m beginning to wish we had gone to that castle for our honeymoon like Mr. Cat wanted to do,” said Lena. “Maybe we will need a second honeymoon if this one doesn’t work out too good,” I suggested. Meow!=Oh, that great idea! Meow,meow?=Why everyone want to play with ghosts all the time? Sigh! “Poor Muffin,” said Lena almost laughing.
In the morning we went down to the restaurant for breakfast, which was delicious. Afterward I went out on the porch with the owner, James Barlow, to talk about this case. He apologized for Jimmy asking me in the first place, he didn’t want to do that since this was our honeymoon. I told James we were going to accept the case anyway. I also mentioned being beat up last night. He just put his head down and said, “maybe you shouldn’t take the case, it could be dangerous for you, and I don’t want that.” “All of our cases have been dangerous,” I said, “so that doesn’t stop us, we want to do this and help you out.”
I got a bit more information from him, including the name of the insect man and where he lived, and the name of the man who is so anxious to buy this hotel. That would make him the number 1 suspect in this. I will get Baldwin to check him out. And maybe he can help out with something else too. I mentioned to James that customs had taken the bullets for my guns and he took me back to their suite and handed me a couple of boxes. “Are these the kind you need?”, he asked. “Yes indeed, that’s perfect,” I said. So he let me have them and I joined the others who were enjoying time in the garden.
“The couple with the 2 kids are going to explore the caves right after lunch and asked us to join them,” said Lena, “the kids really want to go but both parents don’t like being in such tight spaces, so they thought it might be easier to have someone with them.” “That’s good,” I said, “and no one would try to do anything to us with another family there.” “You think someone might try something in the caves?”, she asked. “Well, right now we have to be on guard all the time and everywhere. I don’t trust anyone right now. All the guests here are suspects too, some more than others,” I said. I told Lena and the cats that I now had bullets which James had given me.
And while we were outside we sat under one of the big trees and I called Baldwin. “What are you doing calling me?”, he said, “you’re on your honeymoon.” Then I told him what was going on, including my little “fun” time last night. “Here’s a name for you to check out,” I said, “Joe Graystone, he’s interested in buying this hotel and all the problems began after the owner’s said no to his offer.” “I know Graystone,” said Baldwin, “he’s a bit unusual with his way of doing business, but I can’t imagine him stooping that low to buy a hotel. However, I will check around and see what he’s up to these days.” We talked about a few other things as well. Then we walked all around the property and found the path leading to the caves. The morning went by quickly and it was now time for lunch. High on the hill where the caves were located sat a man, with binoculars, watching…
To Be Continued.
Pictures of Mr. Cat are kindly supplied by his human, Nina.
Previous chapters of this story, and other stories, can be found on my home page under “The Investigators, Inc.” and “20/20 Investigations, Inc.”
©2021 Steve McLeod.
Troubles are a certainty ! Maybe closer than you think !…be careful ! ☕️☕️🕵️♂️👩😼😼
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Yes, but right now there are too many suspects, we need to change that. Yep, definitely careful!🕵️♂️🕵️♀️🙀🙀
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Great story to read and keep abreast of the troubles you get into. Be careful as ghosts can be used for bad things if they want to.
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Thank you so much James! Yes, Muffin is always warning us about ghosts, care will be taken! Have a great evening!
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You are w3elcome Steve! I am glad Muffin is doing the right thing about ghosts for you all. Have a great Wednesday Steve !
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Thanks, you have a great Wednesday too!😀😺
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I am doing good so far today. Thank you Syeve Muffin and the crew.
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So much for your honeymoon, being beaten and then spied on! What will happen next?
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Yes, first night of our honeymoon and I’m beaten! But they certainly got my attention and they will regret doing that. I wonder what that guy was doing spying on us? And who was it?
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I’ll be back to find out!
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And so begins the next attempt on stopping you as a PI! I wonder where Gisela is hiding??🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
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Warning me to leave is not the way to do it. Hmm, I don’t expect Gisela back already, but you never know…🕵️♂️🕵️♀️😾😾
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Well now that they have made the first swing at you!!! You now have to give them everything in your arsenal!!😁😉😊🤨
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Hmm, let’s see, half a dozen bullets and then, um, throw the guns at em?
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Good plan!! I like it!!😂😂😂
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After which we run for our lives.
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That’s a short run then!😂😂😂😂
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Naturally, it’s a small island.😳
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Not to mention you’re not so fast either!😂😂😂😁
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I can outrun a speeding bullet. I just trip, fall flat on my face and the bullet flies overhead. You learn these tactics in PI school.🕵️♂️🙀🙀👩
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That’s called Natural ability!😂😂😂
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Hey, it’s taught in PI school. I was there and have my diploma to prove it!🤨
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Is that scar on your stomach the diploma?😂😂😂😉
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Oh yeah??!!😠😾
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Maybe?🙄🙄 Maybe not so much..🙄🙄🙄🤭🤭🤭🤭
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I knew you would agree with me.😁
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Of course! How could I not?? I like answering questions with only one answer!🙄😂😂😂😂😂
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There was a question?🤔🙄
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Not really🙄🙄🤭🤭
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Whew, thought I missed something. How was your day?
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Great actually.. if I didn’t have the commute it would be stupendous 😁😁🤸♂️🤸♂️🤸♂️
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Sounds great! But you need the computer.🤔
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Did I spell that wrong‽🤔🤔 Do I need to go back and look?🤨
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Look at what?🤔🙄
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LOL you…🤨🤨🤨
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Of course it’s me, Muffin is sleeping.
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Ya ya…😛😛
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It was 102 degrees here today.
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It was 85 here today, it was supposed to be 92 but there was too much cloud. Possibly 95 tomorrow, we’ll see.
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Unusually warm for so early in the season
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Yes, same here, this is July weather, but we haven’t even been getting it this warm in July the last few years!
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Yep… at least I’m getting my down south weather up here!😁
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Always a plus, always a plus!!🌞🌴😎
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Yes indeedy!!😁😁😎
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I hope this means a nice long summer this year!🌞🤸♂️🤸♂️🤸♂️🤸♂️😸
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Yes!! Me to!!
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Then you could use it to dive into the lake!
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Yes!! I ❤it!!
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I do get ideas sometimes!🤯
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Even just one of the small ones would work great!!😁😁
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Hmm, I’ll have to try and find one, probably one around here somewhere.🤔😳🤯
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Awe… that’s nice you bought one for Muffin😁😊
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It’s been very dry here this year. The lake level is down by over 12 inches!
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Big drop. The river is down 6 inches from last week. This is usually it’s peak time.
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Yeah my dock is way high now.. I need to step down to get on the pontoon.
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Put in a trampoline and then you could jump in!
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Ahahah 😂😂 now there’s a good Idea 💡
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Providing you don’t have a roof on it.
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I have a top that I can deploy when the sun is too warm.. but that hardly ever happens 😂😂😂
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Hey great idea. Also if you’re caught in a thunderstorm it would keep you from getting hit by lightning…maybe. Or at least stay dry.🙄
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If the wind isn’t blowing I might stay dry.
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As they say in the old country, “a little rain will swell the brain, a little wind will shrink it again.”
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That wouldn’t be good for me!!😲😳
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Nor me too. Well, time for bed and hit my head with my pillow soft. Good night Dusty, chatter tomorrow!😁😁🌙🤯😴😴
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Good Night Steve 😴😴
Ttyt
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I can’t believe how many food commercials are pn tv these days
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People are hungry.😛😛
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Well if they weren’t when they turn it on they will be after 5 minutes of watching 😂😂
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That’s the point, TV makes you hungry, commercials tell you what to eat.😂😹
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Time to turn it off then!!😂😂😂
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How would people know what to eat then?😳
Hmm, 2 forestry helicopters just came back. There is smoke in the air.🤔
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Uh oh…😲 let’s hope no fires!
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Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. On the path to the river today I found half a burning cigarette only one inch from dry grass! Even with the rain we had, which wasn’t much, it is still very dry out there. I wish people would think.😒🙄
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Yeah no for sure! They just don’t think..
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Yes, same here.
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A case without danger is definitely not for you 🙀😾
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It would be nice though. Someone warning me to leave just makes me want to stay. Now, who is watching us and why?🕵️♂️🕵️♀️😾😾
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Very interesting story of yours and photos 👌🌷Happy Tuesday 🙏
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Thanks so much! I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!😀😺☕☕🌼
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Here MCO , so alone home and boring days , computer helping 😊🌷🙏
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Yes, it does help to have computers these days, makes things a little easier. Still nice to have family around though, but I’m sure it won’t be long now.🙂😺🌞
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Lovely reply 👍🏼🌹 Thank you so much 🙏🌹 Hope so 🙏
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And so it begins, and on your honeymoon! Sigh! 🙀😬☕️☕️
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Yes indeed, they just can’t leave us alone! But who?🤔 Who is watching us?🤔 And why?😳👩😾😾🕵️♂️🕵️♀️
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Old buildings and grounds hold many secrets. We’ll hve to find out who’s watching and homany interested parties there are
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Laugh, It’s the least expensive Health Tip ever
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Yes, there’s a lot of things I would like to find out right now! Who is watching and why? Was I set up for that beating? There is something about the owners too that doesn’t sit right.
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Perhaps the beating was done to make you want to take the case
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If so, it certainly worked. But now everyone wants me to think I’ve gone crazy.
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What is with these people on buying a hotel 🧐 always taking shortcuts 🙄 not nice 😒.. and be careful, this is honeymoon for godsake 😐🙄 now it turns out to be another case 😵 Sigh..
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Yep, not much of a honeymoon for us. It might be the end of us!😲👩🙀🙀
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nah, that won’t happen, I’m sure about that 😁
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Hmm, but I come up with some good twists in the story sometimes!😳🙀🙀
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You did 😵😠argh… you would have done that, I should read the rest of the chap asap 😅😂
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With me anything is possible, but not yet.😂😹
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Author, 🧐😉😁 yes it is possible with you 😁
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😁😁😳😳
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