For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
“Are you sure that was a warning for Baldwin and Brandi?”, asked Kat. “Yes, I’m positive it was,” I said, “that was no idle legend that Jessica gave us, it was the only way she had to warn us. If she tells any more we have to listen carefully.” “And we need to be careful too,” added Kat, “there is just something strange going on here, I know there is, but I just can’t figure it out yet.” Meow,meow.=Yep, something not feel good, have scary feeling. House more scary than castle even. Meow.=I agree, not like house, something bad there. Also not like human Ben, he very bad person. “That reminds me,” said Kat, and she took out her sketch book now that we were back in our room at the Inn.
She sketched a perfect picture of Ben. “I have seen him somewhere before,” she said, “I just know I have.” I took a photo of it and sent it off to Rossana to see if maybe there is a police file of him. It didn’t take long to get an answer. His real name is Willard Bannerman, wanted by police across Europe and America. Listed as ‘very dangerous’ and ‘do not approach’. But if I call the police into this right now, then it will ruin things for us and our case. “What do you think Kat?”, I asked. “Now I remember him,” said Kat, “he worked for Katrina at times, he’s just totally bad, an enforcer, he has no conscience at all. But we need to find out what Jessica is up to, she really might need our help.”
“Okay cats, what do you think about Jessica?”, I asked them. Meow.=Human Jessica not ghost, but also not Jessica, I remember, all humans have different smell, she not Jessica. Meow,meow.=That right, I say that too, but she seem scared, maybe really does need help. Meow.=Not certain about that, me think she only acting, but maybe forced to act part. Meow,meow.=Hmm, that possible, could be acting to make trap. “Yes, I agree with that Muffin,” I said, “and we will be extra careful. Now for a good night’s sleep so we can check out the cemetery tomorrow.”
Meow,meow?=Why we go there? “To dig up some clues Muffin,” I said, “sometimes old bones can talk.” Poor Muffin when I said that! Her eyes got big and her ears went straight up! “Don’t worry Muffin,” said Kat, “I’ll be there to keep you two safe.” Meow,meow?=Hey, where M.C.? He pokes his head out from under the bed. Meow.=Um, checking to make sure no bomb hiding under bed. We all laugh and soon we are asleep, the cats taking turns watching again, they are very good at the night watching. After breakfast we drove out to the cemetery and there was an older man working out there, so I asked him if he knew of a grave for Benjamin Carberry.
“Sure do,” he said, “I’ve been working here for 30 years now, I know everyone here.” Then he promptly took us to the graves of Benjamin, his wife and daughter. “Are you sure that Benjamin is really buried here?”, I asked. “Of course he is, can’t you read the marker?”, he asked. “That’s just a marker, it doesn’t mean that anyone is buried here,” I said. “I was here for the funeral and saw them put the casket in the hole,” he said. “But if the casket was empty, you could be in trouble,” I said, “helping to fake a death is a serious crime.” “Are you the police or something?”, he asked, quite surprised by now.
“Yes, I am,” I said and showed him my ID. “Undercover police!”, he said, “this is serious then.” “Yes, it sure is,” I said, “and because this is an undercover operation, we have to keep this quiet.” “Oh, oh yeah, I can see that,” he said, getting a bit nervous now. “Now if I was to dig up this grave and find no one in there, then you would be off to prison for a long time,” I said seriously. He was sweating now and looked rather scared. “L..look,” he said, “I didn’t know it would be serious for me, I was told nothing could happen to me,” he said shaking, “my wife, what about her, she didn’t know nothing, my kids too, just me.
I was paid to keep quiet, there’s no body down there, he’s still alive, involved in something right now.” “Tell me what it is and I can promise you a fair deal and all the help you need,” I told him. “Well, he’s over in the castle, got something going on over there, he said…” And the man fell to the ground. I told Kat to run behind some trees. I had heard a shot in the distance and looked around but could see nothing. The man was obviously too far away. He wasn’t interested in killing us though, just the man at the cemetery.
To Be Continued.
Previous chapters of this story, and other stories, can be found on my home page under “The Investigators, Inc.”
Β©2021 Steve McLeod.
1 dead! Not sure how many more to go? Oh well, gotta break some eggs to make pancakes π₯ or is it muffins π€… anyway it’s getting really good!!πππ Hey! This is yoyr reminDer to get your feeder in before dark!π€¨πππππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Doing good so far that way. Of course we don’t know what happened to the original owners of the Inn, they just disappeared.π¬ But I think those two guys had something to do with that.π€π But I found out about Benjamin not being buried without digging, that was good too!ππ±ββοΈπΈπΈπ΅οΈββοΈ
Thanks, but it’s much too early yet, the little birds are still out there.π€π
LikeLike
Yes, but you still have to dig!!! Ya gotta bury the poor guy now!π€«π€«π€«
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s not my job.π€π
LikeLike
You got him killed!!π²π³
LikeLiked by 1 person
No I didn’t. He got himself killed the moment he agreed to work with these guys. Money does strange things to people.π
LikeLike
I know!!! But still!!!ππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nope, nothing to do with me.
LikeLike
Nonetheless! Now you know! But is there anyone in the casket? If so! Who? If not? Why not??π€π€
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a police matter now, I can’t get involved with that part any more. It would be interesting to know if there is anyone in there or not, but the police are not under any obligation to tell me. I could find out though I suppose, it might be of help for us to know.π€
LikeLike
Makes you wonder if he had a twin or look a like..π€π€ Why did he want people to know he was dead??π€π€ So many unanswered questions!!! You gotta get PI’ing mister!!π€¨π€¨
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m trying, but my leads are dying. Now I need a new lead. Maybe it’s time to talk with uncle Benjamin. Or maybe I should try the “new” owners of the Inn. They don’t seem very professional, they are just someone the bad guys are using to fill in a spot. So a bit of pressure might work.π€π πΎπΎ
LikeLike
Maybe you should do it somewhere private?? Might help keep them alive long enough to actually get usable info! That you didn’t with the cemetery guyπ€π€ still he could have had more info that would be helpful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, already had that in mind, and I would like to get the woman alone without her husband around. He goes out afternoons. But those 2 guys are always around, they never leave that Inn.π€π
LikeLike
Perhaps they need a nap?πππππ€π€
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like that idea!
LikeLike
I’m sorry about picking on you today… I need to remind myself that a little goes a long way!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s okay, I’m fine. I have thin skin! Or is that thick skin? Well, I have skin anyway.πππΉπΉ
LikeLike
That’s the main thing!ππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comes in handy. Now to figure out how to get these guys to take a nap in the afternoon?π€ They don’t look like the type.ππ΄
LikeLike
Hmmmm…. do they drink anything?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhh, there’s a thought, but I don’t have anything to put in it, oh wait, I do too!π
LikeLike
Good thinking!!π€π€ππ I knew you could do it!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Righto! I have these pills to help me stay awake, that should do it!ππ
LikeLike
Exactly!! Waited out!! Good plan!! They need to sleep eventually!ππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, no, I give it to them! They’ll sleep right away!π΄π΄
LikeLike
Oh I see uh huh… they keep you awake and make everyone else sleepy!! Perfect!!ππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, actually they put me to sleep right away. I think there’s something wrong with them. If that doesn’t work, there’s always the cats. They’ll thwock them to sleep!πΉπΉ
LikeLike
Good backup plan!!π€π€
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always works.πΉπΉ
LikeLike
Like it should almost be the plan! Not the backupπππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Must admit, it might be easier. But, unknown to us, something is about to happen…π¬π¬
LikeLike
π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π³π€―
No Way!!! What could it be??π€π€ππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a good question! I like good questions, but we already have so many questions on this case!π€π³π²π²
LikeLike
Busy week ahead?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Define “busy”.
LikeLike
More than enough to do?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good definition, I like that one, it’s a keeper.
I do have lots to do for sure and…that’s what I forgot at the store! Rats, gnats and skunk scented hats!π
LikeLike
Ewwwww that stinks!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Works great in a crowd!
LikeLike
I’ll bet you get right to the front of the line!!πππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wait till I bring out my new line of ‘skunk deodorants’!
LikeLike
Okay I’ll wait!!π€£π€£π€£π€£
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good stinking!
LikeLike
It will be!ππππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s what I’m sure of!
LikeLike
That has got to be nature’s Foulest smells in the world!!π€
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would tend to agree fully with that thought.π¬π¬ππ¦¨
LikeLike
The part I have a problem with is that it get’s on your tongue π€π€
LikeLiked by 1 person
Why would you put it on your tongue?π€π
LikeLike
When ya breath!!π€¨ Seriously!!π²
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know, gets right through you, in your lungs, your head, your ears, stomach and it burns!!π³π¬π¦¨π¦¨π₯΅π±π€―
LikeLike
YUCK!!! Stop!! No more I give up I surrender!! No more skunk talk!!π¬π¬πππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
YAY!! I win! Wait a minute, didn’t know we were in a contest. Oh well, a win is a win!!πππ€£π€£πππππ£π£π₯π₯π¦¨π¦¨ππππππππππ
LikeLike
And I’m happy and proud of you!!! It’s not a competition!! I just didn’t know what else to say to make you not describe it anymore!!!π¬π¬π¬π¬
LikeLiked by 1 person
Works for me!πππ
LikeLike
I thought it might!πππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, so did I!π²π€ͺ
LikeLike
We agree!!πππ where heeee!!ππππππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
How could I disagree with my brilliant idea?ππππ
LikeLike
I don’t see anyway possible!!π€£π€£π€£πππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s what I don’t see too!
Was it warm down there today?
LikeLike
Yes sir it most certainly was!! Another 80+ plus degree day!ππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well we had 75 today!! Whoop, whoop!!ππ²π
LikeLike
That’s great for up there!! On the frozen tundra! It is tundra? Right??π€π€
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think these rocks weigh a lot more than a tun!π€π€
LikeLike
I guess I could agree with that!!πππ still frozen though!!ππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Can’t freeze a rock, often it barely gets cold! Sometimes never gets cold!ππππππ
LikeLike
So… how cold can a rock get?π€π€ππ That’s a good question!! I’m glad you thought of it!! You wouldn’t know the answer would you π€
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, depends on the type of rock, where it is, size. In other words, our granite bedrock stays quite warm throughout the winter because the snow keeps it warm. It can actually melt the snow on it even in cold weather! Though not totally so you could see the rock. But I have seen some rock melt the snow completely all winter. I walked into an abandoned mine one time, 50 feet into the mine the temp was 40F year round.
LikeLike
Huh! I knew the ground was warm below the frost line.. sounds right on the type of rock and where it is…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeppereeeeee!
LikeLike
Sweet!ππ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Things are heating up with one dead! Who is next? Be careful so it is not you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, things are moving. Someone didn’t want this cemetery caretaker to say anything. So now we have to start somewhere else. I don’t think they want us killed just yet. Maybe they want us to do something for them first? It does seem like some kind of trap though.π€π±ββοΈπΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
LikeLiked by 1 person
The man in the cemetery was concerned about his wife and kids,so he canβt be that bad…at this point I wonder whether you are the real Steve PI…of course the cats should know ! Something is going on , but I donβt know …yet…hmmm…very suspicious…βοΈβοΈπ΅οΈββοΈπ©πΌπΌ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, I know I’m not twins, so it must be me. Yep, he just let some money get the best of him, he should have reported it to the police right away. Now we need to start over and find someone else who might be able to help us. And soon.π€π³π±ββοΈπΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
LikeLike
So, Jessica is not Jessica and the plot thickens! There is definitely a lot going on.
π¬π»π€³πΌ
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, and it’s time to get some things sorted out! Before more problems show up.π³π±ββοΈπΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m catching up sup this is me not commenting but if I was commenting I might say this is getting very good.
;;
;;
;;
Decide to laugh
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Mr. Ohh!
LikeLiked by 1 person