For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
This is crazy, we have not really finished our case in the desert and we are on a new case. This time however, it is a case for survival. The desert mystery is in the hands of local authorities in that country, so we cannot participate now unless asked by their government. We will ever find out anything more? Probably not. But we did rescue Jessica and that was the main thing for us anyway.
Plus we added Storm to our team. Muffin and MC have been training him and he is learning very fast. He can sniff out drugs and bombs better than both of the cats and that will be very beneficial. Right now Baldwin and I are taking Jessica to the airport, she is looking forward to returning home and relaxing for a while. I did ask her to join our team but she kindly refused. She said it would be to stressful for her.
I can understand that. Soon she was flying back home and Baldwin and I were on our way back to the chateau. “I am kind of worried about this sniper,” Baldwin said, “the girls cannot leave the chateau.” “Well, most of them are safe,” I said, “it is just Kristina that is next on the list, so we have to watch her closely.” “But what if he decides to change his pattern,” said Baldwin, “just to get at the girls more quickly.”
“Yes, I have thought about that,” I answered, “this is a long list for someone in his business and usually they do not like to stay around too long, too easy to get caught then. But that is why we need to go on the offensive right now. We have to find him quickly before he decides to change his way of doing things.” “How do we attempt that one?”, he asked. “The best way is to cut off his flow of money,” I said, “if we can find out who hired him, then we can stop his payments. He will not work for nothing.”
“You make it sound easy, but even with Jake helping we still do not know who hired him,” Baldwin reminded me. “Well, now that we know who he is, maybe that will help,” I said, “whoever hired him must have a lot of money, and that person must live close by since Stinger likes to be paid in cash by a third party.” “The problem is, there really are not many people with that kind of money close to where we live,” Baldwin added.
“That is true, kind of narrows things down,” I said, “unless he changed the way he is getting paid. But that could mean a greater possibility that he would change the way he handles a list too.” We sat quiet the rest of the way. Meanwhile at the chateau…
“Okay Aurela, here are three men, are any of them Stinger?”, asked Annelie. Aurela came over to look, “that is the Stinger, on the right. I would know him anywhere, those cold eyes, like he is not alive.” “Yep, that is him alright,” said Annelie. “Is this a test to see if I am telling the truth?”, asked Aurela. “Oh, do not worry, I would do this with anyone,” said Annelie, “we just have to be totally sure in something like this.”
“Yes, that does make sense,” said Aurela with a smile. “Hey Jake, look at your mail,” said Annelie. “Whoa, cool girl, we have a photo of our man at last,” replied Jake, “I know a lot of people that would like to have this picture.” “Then get it out to them Jake,” said Annelie, “we want this guy, any way we can get him.” “I will share the money with you girl,” said Jake happily.
“Keep it Jake, just help us get this guy, and please keep looking for whoever hired him,” she added. “Seems to me I already did that girl,” he said, “still not convinced?” “Not yet, just does not add up somehow,” she answered, “so keep looking, please.” “Shall do girl, don’t worry,” he said and hung up. Well, it has been 3 days now since Jessica left and we are all getting a bit jumpy, which is not good. Finally I told the girls and Rock to go outside for some exercise and sunshine, that might help a bit.
Aurela and Lajla were fitting in nicely with the team and Baldwin has a couple men ready to join us too, both are pilots which is good, that is something we do need. They still have to pass a couple more tests yet. Plus there are two other women that have expressed a desire to join our team, but we will see. Just then Jennifer came running in. “Kristina has been shot!”, she yelled…
To Be Continued.
Β©2022 Steve McLeod.
How could you let her go outside??π€¨π€¨ Oh boy another one!!π¬π¬ You won’t have many employees left at this rate!!ππ
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Hey, they are not employees, we are a team. Actually we are basically all employees of Baldwin I guess. But that’s not how we are treated however. Yeah, I know, but the girls were going stir crazy locked up inside for days, and how would Stinger know when they might go outside? He would have to be living close by so someone could contact him and let him know. Man, I feel terrible right now, it’s my fault she is now dead. She had become a fantastic member of our team. Sigh.ππ©πΎπΎπΎπ΅οΈ
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There’s always more available for hire! But it kinda takes a toll on the rest of the team… don’t ya think??π€π€
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Yes, it does, it’s hard emotionally when team members who are also friends keep getting killed in such a short space of time. Some how we need to stop this guy quick, but can we?π€π§π¬
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You’ve got a picture and a name now you’ve got to build a chain that leads to the one paying him!!
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Yes indeed, that is where Jake comes in, I hope. His contacts will maybe find out where this guy is and who might be paying him. He has to be staying close by, now we need to check around and find out where he is staying.
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Make sure you check the Chateau!!ππ
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Well, I know he’s not staying here.ππ
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Really?? How do you know for sure??ππ
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Probably because I live here? As do all of us, except Baldwin and Shirley.
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Where do they stay??π€
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In their house. Baldwin bought property 2 miles away and built a house, which Baldwin calls their little cottage on a hill, nothing fancy like his big mansions, this one only has 12 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, 14 bathrooms, 3 living rooms, a game room, library on both levels, family room, 2 huge dining rooms, 1 small dining room when it’s just the two of them, a study, an office and a two bedroom suite for the live in maid.
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Be sure you check his place too!!ππ€π
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How could he be living there when Baldwin is living there. Plus his maid, his chauffeur, his caretaker, his gardener…They each have their own 1500 sq ft cottage to live in, except the maid who lives in the suite in the house.
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So there are others there…π€π€ππ
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Just a skeleton staff really, usually Baldwin would have a lot more servants around. I did forget to mention his guard cottage which has 6 bedrooms, suitable for 18 guards.
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And you’re certain he couldn’t be hiding out there??π€π€
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How could he? Baldwin would know about it, especially now that we know what this guy looks like, all of Baldwin’s staff will be looking for this guy.
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Unless he’s disguised π₯Έ π€π€ππ huh??
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That would be kind of hard to do, disguises are easy to pick out. It would be kind of dangerous for him to take such a chance to be that close. He doesn’t seem like the type that takes chances considering he is always so far from the person he shoots. He could be camping in the forest somewhere. But he was tipped off that the girls were all outside, unless he is watching this place all the time.π€
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Now there’s the PI pi ing!!πππ
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I just thought of something, Carine is next on the list! I just can’t let her be killed!π¬π¬π§ππ―
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Especially after she took you in and fed you and kept you alive!! You have to do the same for her!!π²π³
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I know, I can’t let her go out, she stays indoors from now on with someone to guard her 24 hours a day!
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Now you’re talkin!talking!!π You keep her inside away from windows until you find this guy or the person paying him!!
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Don’t have to worry about the windows, Baldwin had them all replaced with bullet proof glass! Yep, I know what I’m doing…now.
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Oh no…..ππ
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What happened?
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You know what you’re doing now!! That’s the scariest thing you’ve ever said!!!π³π³π³π²π²π²
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Really? I think that’s a reassuring statement…now.π€π
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Maybe we should wait and see if she survives??π¬π¬π¬π€
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She will, even if I have to stop the bullet myself!
Now it’s time to end the day,
By going quick to hit the hay!
Have a great night Dusty! I’ll be back on the morrow, ready to chatter and not borrow!πππΉπΉππππ΄π΄
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Alrightyπππ
Sleep Good π΄
Rest Well π₯±
Pleasant Dreams π΄ π₯± π
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Are you still there??
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Where else would I be? I had to get the feeders in.
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Oh okay! I thought maybe that was it..π
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Another one taken out ! Like at a booth in a circus or fair where one tries to shoot all the ducks in a row ! Seems the sniper is one step ahead of your team ! Not good ! π΅οΈββοΈπ©π©π©πΌπΌπΌπ€βΉοΈ
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Yes, this is getting bad! That is now 4 of our regular team and one of the new girls. The sniper must have been tipped off by someone that the girls were outside, unless he watches this place all day long. Now Carine is next on the list!π€π©πΎπΎπΎπ΅οΈ
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