The Investigators, Inc. The Secret Vacation Case. Chapter 4. Mysterious Woman.

“I want you to go help Kat,” I said, “I will come in just a minute.” “It is not safe Steve,” said Jennifer, “you come with me or I don’t leave.” “Okay, you win,” I said, “let’s go.” Jenny went inside first and as I passed the basement door one of those cops came out quickly and put a gun to my head. Jennifer turned to say something, but she saw it was too late. We came out into the living room. “Look what I found boss,” said the officer to Paul Gator. “Well, well,” he said, “tell your people to lay down their weapons please. Or you will end up dead like your wife.”

He had this horrible smile on his face. Jennifer was going to do something but I nodded no. I told everyone to put their guns down. “Mr. Harder!” said a woman on the stairs, “You tell your man to give his gun to this gentleman that he is holding. Or I will kill you, right now.” “That would be murder,” he said laughing, “and you can’t do that.” “On the contrary, this time it would not be murder,” she said, “I would be defending a friend of mine, that’s a big difference. Now, do it or die, like you killed this man’s wife!”

I could see that Harder was getting angry, so what is he going to do? “Give the man your gun, and do it now!” he barked. The man gave me his gun and I told my girls to pick up their guns again. “Now Harder,” said the woman, “I want you to leave, immediately.” He stood there briefly but then told everyone to leave. As Harder was going out the door, the woman called to him. “One of these days I will kill you Harder!” she said, “But it will be when you least expect it.” “One day I will kill you young woman,” he said.

“You already killed me once,” she replied, “you can’t kill me again.” He then left, mumbling to himself. The woman then turned to me. “I am very sorry for your loss,” she said quietly, “I wish I had come downstairs sooner, maybe it would not have happened.” “Never worry about the maybe’s,” I said. She then turned to Matt. “Are you the leader of the gang?” she asked. “Yes, I am,” he said, “I am Matt Knight, leader of the Knight Riders.” “You must also be friends with this man,” she said, “you were not just passing through the neighborhood. Although how he managed to contact you is a puzzle.”

“We have ways of doing that,” I said, “when conventional ways are not available.” “Are you Steve McLeod, leader of The Investigators?” “Yes, I am,” I said, “and these are some of my team members. We are supposed to be on vacation. Um, do you need to point that big gun at me all the time?” She smiled and let it hang down. “I’m sorry, just a habit,” she said, “it keeps me alive. A man named Mandar owns this place and he is kind enough to let me live here. I look after the inside of this huge place.

He has only been here once since I began working here. I get a place to live and my food. Not bad really. Paul Harder owns things around here, like the whole town, the police, the lawyers. He wants this place too, but Mandar won’t sell to him. Harder killed my family, my parents and siblings, Henry 14, Silvia 11, Nora 8, Peter 5 and he took Jazzy 17 to work for him, she was very pretty. I don’t know if she is still alive or not. He wanted me too, but I escaped and he has been after me ever since.” She then pulled out a small bag from under the cape that she wore.

“This cape has helped me a couple of times when I had to jump out a window,” she said. Then she tossed the small bag to me. “I know it is not much money, but it’s all I have,” she said, “if you give me credit I will pay off whatever else I owe you. Will you please help me against Paul Harder? I know you must charge a lot considering all the big jobs you do, so it might take me a while to pay you. But I promise, I will pay you, somehow, if you give me some time.” I looked in the bag.

“You have enough here to hire us,” I said, “we work on the basis of what a person can afford to pay, nothing else. But I don’t work for people I don’t know. I would like to see your face and I want to know your name. Do we have a deal?” Meanwhile, before most of this took place, Jennifer had sent a message to Angel. Most everyone was in the library and Angel came in crying. She asked the kids to leave and go play with the cats for a while, which they did.

The girls knew something serious must have happened. She told them that Sky had been shot dead and it looked like the police were going to arrest Steve and the others. “Annelie, we need to contact Mandar right away,” she said. Annelie tried right away, but there was no answer, so she tried a different number she had and Mandar’s right hand man answered. “Richard, I need to speak with Mandar right away,” said Annelie, “there is big trouble with Steve and the others. Sky has been killed.”

“Mandar is in the hospital,” he said, “he was poisoned and his doctor isn’t sure if Mandar will live or not. Where is Baldwin?” “He’s on a business trip, but I will have to call him,” she said, “someone is trying to take over Mandar’s house and property and is trying to get Steve and the others arrested. That is how Sky was shot and killed.” “I will get Mandar’s lawyers on that right away,” said Richard, “and I will send you directions on how to get out there, they are not far away, just over in Spain.”

“We already have Matt and Kat over near there with their teams, so they can help out,” said Annelie, “just want to make sure that things are okay, legally, for the property.” “No problems there Annelie,” he said, “Steve and the others can stay there as long as they want. I will send Team 8 out there too, that is a big place to guard.” “Thanks Richard,” she said, “keep in touch about Mandar please.” “Will do Annelie, “he said, “if there are any other problems, just let me know.” Then she called Baldwin who nearly exploded and said he was on his way home right away…

To Be Continued.

©2024 Steve McLeod.