For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Mandi just stared, not knowing what to say. But Sky went over and slapped her hard. “Say something!” she demanded. “Sky, come here,” I said softly. She did so. I brought out an envelope and dropped something in front of Mandi. “This is a copy of the birth certificate you showed us,” I said to Mandi. “Yes, that is right,” she said with trembling in her voice. I dropped another paper in front of her.
“This is a copy of your real birth certificate,” I said, “strange that the two do not match. Apparently you are 20 years old, not 17. It is time to come clean Mandi. Or we go, right now.” “Noooo!” she said plaintively, “please, do not leave me here with Alonzo, he will kill me if you leave, please, I need help!” “What is he holding over you Mandi?” I asked, “you are a very wealthy young woman, you do not need to worry about him.”
She did not say anything right away. “He, he has things that would ruin me if news got out,” she said, still trembling. I took a photo out and dropped it in front of her. That certainly got her eyes open wide. “H, how did you get that?” she asked looking up at me, her face covered with tears. “Never mind,” I said, “there are more here, worse than that one. Is that what he is holding over you?”
“Yes,” she said quietly, “and more. I am not wealthy either. Alonzo made me sign everything over to him and he gave all the property to his girlfriend. They plan on taking over all the drug trade in this area, plus other things, like that.” She pointed at the photo. “With all my money they planned on hiring what Alonzo said would be a small army and if the guy that owns this area would not sell out, then Alonzo would take it by force.”
“That is dangerous business,” I said, “Alonzo and his girlfriend do not understand what they are getting into. What is the name of his girlfriend?” “He never would tell me,” she said, sobbing “but he said Betty one day, just no last name. But she is from Canada and was part of a big gang there that got busted by a PI.” Muffin and MC raised their ears. Meow,meow.=That gang Annelie from. “Are you listening Annelie?” I asked. “Yep, her name is Betty Foster,” she said, “she was number 3 in the organization and one of those who got away.”
“Hmm, that is interesting,” I said, “can you find out who controls things in this area?” “I can try, no guarantees though,” she said. “Well, get at it then,” I said, “that would be very helpful information.” “Okay, I am on it, Steve,” she said. “I know these photos are bad,” I said to Mandi, “but are they worth killing someone?” She put her head down and began crying again. “The night that David was killed,” she began, “Alonzo and my oldest sister were here.
David and I got into a big argument, and I yelled that I would kill him. I would not, I loved David. I know you probably do not believe that now, but it is true. Later at the top of the stairs, Alonzo shot David, then pushed him down the stairs. He then paid those two cops and the coroner to say it was accidental, which they did. But the coroner changed his mind and told Alonzo he was going to the city to tell the police. So, Alonzo had one of his men force him off the road.
Then that same man killed the witness. But Alonzo said he would tell the police that I arranged it all, and my sister would back him up too, she hates me, always has.” “She is telling the truth about her sister,” said Angel, “according to our info, her sister does hate Mandi, because Mandi is beautiful, and she is not.” “Well, we are getting somewhere finally Mandi,” I said, “you can tell the truth when you want to.” “Does that mean you will stay?” she asked quietly.
I looked at her for a minute. “Yes, we will stay, for now,” I said, “but I will need your cooperation and willingness to keep telling the truth. If you lie again, I will hand you over to the police and let them sort things out. And I mean real police, not the one in town here. Do you know where Alonzo does his forgery work?” “I have no idea,” she said frowning, “Alonzo would never tell me something like that.” “I will believe that for now,” I said, “I figure it must be somewhere in this castle.”
To Be Continued.
Β©2022 Steve McLeod.
Oh my!! Alonzo is a very depraved individual!π€¨π€¨
He and this Betty lady need to have their wings clipped and put them both in a cage for a very long time!!π€¨
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Yes, that is for sure! Now we just need some good solid evidence against the two of them. I want to get both of them somehow. I think I might have a plan on that too. But I need to call in some extra help. π π©πΎπΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Perhaps a person needs a fake identity documents?π€
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Yes, I thought about that, but I want him on more than forgery, I want him on murder too, and blackmail, drug trafficking, as much as I can. But I might have to settle for one thing. π€π©πΎπΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Hmmm….π€π€π€ so what do have in mind?
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Forgery is actually a good charge, but I need proof that Alonzo himself is doing it. However, that would not get his girlfriend. But, maybe, if I’m real sneaky and mean… π π€π΅οΈββοΈ
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If you can find where he works in the castle you hide a camera or two and catch him in the act!!π€π
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Yes, we need to find out where he is doing his work, then perhaps we can catch him at it. That still would not catch his girlfriend though and I want to stop her as well. But I might go with plan B instead. π€π΅οΈββοΈ
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Hmmm… that sounds very intriguing π€ π I wonder what that could be??π€
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Well, it’s a secret for now, but it might prove our best bet for stopping Alonzo and Betty together. π€π΅οΈββοΈ
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But what scenario could you use to bring them together??π€π€
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I am still working on that part. It will need to be something quite important to get her here too, especially since she lives a long way south of here. π€π΅οΈββοΈ
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Well that would seem to me to mean you would have to go after the drug trade part of it to get Betty to go to the castle π°
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Yep, and what better way to do that than to pose as big dealers in that drug trade looking for new partners? π€π΅οΈββοΈ
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That would do it!! But!! Doesn’t Betty know you and your team?π€
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She doesn’t know all of us, such as Rock, Benson and John. And John knows the trade well and could fool anyone! π€π΅οΈββοΈ
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Sounds plausible! Now to get it in motion!! Isn’t it risky with all of you there already?
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Only some of us are here. Rock and the others are here, but staying at a hotel, pretending not to know us. Plus, we have someone new to help us as well. π€π©πΎπΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Won’t you need to leave the Castle though?
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Not at all. Deals like that would take place in neutral territory, such as the hotel. Since we are not involved, we can stay comfortably here. When they produce the goods, well, we got em! If not, there’s always plan C. π€π΅οΈββοΈ
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Maybe you should name it plan H ? π€ Ya know for HELP!!ππππ
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No, no, it goes like this;
Plan A=awful, likely won’t work.
Plan B=better, still might not work.
Plan C=Cruel, works perfect.
See? There’s a progression. π€π΅οΈββοΈ
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Ah ha!! I knew there was madness to your method!!πππ
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That’s why I’m the head PI! I come up with truly good, though perhaps diabolical, plans! ππ΅οΈββοΈ
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Yes… I agree!! A very apt description!!πππ
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Thank you so much! We will get those 2 one way or another! π π΅οΈββοΈ
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I prefer doing ut one way instead of two!!ππ
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We shall see which one of these 3 plans will work! π€π΅οΈββοΈ
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Indeedlydo!π
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Mandi is talking but only what you already know. She is a shaky partner. Her brother, Alonzo and Betty sound like the ringleaders. Make sure your plan will work.
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Yes, Mandi hasn’t really helped us, but she is being truthful at the moment. But that could be only because we caught her. I still don’t think I would trust her too much yet. Alonzo and Betty are the ones we want, I wonder if Alonzo’s wife knows about his girlfriend. I hope my plan will work too, or it could mean big trouble for us. π€π©πΎπΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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Hope your plan will work!
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Yes, me too, or there could be big trouble.
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Hard to know what Mandi is up to π³ She May be a well trained agent for Alonzo or she may be telling the truth ! π€ It would be interesting to know if Alonzoβs wife is aware of the girlfriend ! π― Looking forward to the next chapter ! π΅οΈββοΈπΌπΌπ©π©π©
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Yes, I am not so sure we can trust Mandi completely just yet. But I think she is afraid of Alonzo and what he might do to her. Guess we will have to wait some more to find out whose side she is on. π€π©πΎπΎπΎπ΅οΈββοΈ
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