The Investigators, Inc. The Destruction Case. Chapter 13. She Got Away.

I was feeling much better by the time Kat sent the news of Medina’s death. Everyone was relieved to hear the news, maybe now we can start getting things back to normal with The Investigators. Meanwhile, back at Medina’s house, the team was searching the house for any of those laser weapons, or perhaps other little inventions, that we should keep.

We don’t want those kinds of things falling into the wrong hands, it is better for us to keep them. Also, that way we can study them and hopefully come up with ways to protect ourselves in the future. Colette, Rochelle and a couple other girls were in the kitchen getting something to drink and Colette noticed Rochelle frowning a bit.

“What is wrong Rochelle?” asked Colette. “I don’t know really,” she replied, “but, where are all the servants? There are always servants, even when Danielle, or Medina, is not home. And her voice, it did not seem to be the same as when we were talking with her at the insurance building.” Colette ran into the study where Kat was still looking around.

“Kat, please check this woman,” said Colette, “see if she is wearing a mask.” Kat stopped looking around and stared at Colette. Then she went to the body and checked. Sure enough, she was wearing a mask. “I thought it was not her!” exclaimed Rochelle. “Do you know this woman?” asked Colette. “I am not very certain,” she said, looking at the woman’s face, “I only saw her once, but it looks like her sister-in-law.

Her name is Janet Landers, her husband is in prison somewhere in the US and Danielle, or Medina, was looking after her. They both were so much alike Louis had told me.” “Cristy,” said Kat, “Janet Landers, sister-in-law to Medina, I need a picture of her quickly please.” Cristy sent a picture to Kat within minutes, and she also sent one to me.

As I saw the picture a terrible thought came to me, and Kat confirmed that thought a few moments later. “She must have made the switch at the small jewelry store she stopped at on the way home,” said Kat, “I can’t believe she got away from us. Now she has a two hour head start, she could have gone anywhere.”

“Don’t worry about it Kat,” I said, “we did our best to stop her. But check the airport and train station, just in case.” “We will do that Steve,” said Kat, “Rochelle said that Medina sometimes uses the name Eloise Michaud. Louis had told her that, and maybe she uses other names too.” “Well, forget that and get out of there,” I said, “Medina likely has called the police, or will once she considers herself safe, so it is best for you not to be there.”

As the team returned to their vans they could hear sirens far away. Once they were all out, Catalina pressed a button and her surprise packages exploded. The three vans were gone by the time police arrived at Medina’s house and when the police arrived, the house was engulfed in flames. The girls returned to their hotels, packed up quickly and were soon on their way to the airport.

Their jet was just landing as the girls arrived. We kept the jet at a different airport for safety reasons, something we try to do all the time now, unless there is no other airport close enough. They did not have to wait very long before they could take off again, which was a good thing. “Well Steve,” said Kat, “if there were any other weapons or inventions hidden in that house, they are gone now.

Catalina’s surprise packages will have burned that house completely by this time. We did find some things, however, and we are bringing them back with us. I just hate the fact that Medina escaped us though.” “Well, it will take her a while to rebuild,” I said, “you girls did great. We will keep looking for Medina in a quiet way, she can’t stay hidden, she is not the type, her pride will bring her out in the open again and then we will catch her.”

The girls arrived safely back to our new home. Mandar is here and we are talking about some things. Returning to our chateau is out of the question after what happened to us there. However, since Medina knows we are staying here now, then it is best for us to go somewhere else.

Mandar agrees with this as well and there are three other places he owns in Europe that would be suitable for us, plus he has houses elsewhere in the world, we just need to look at them and pick one for ourselves. Aari and his team did a great job scaring off Medina’s detective agencies in Europe.

After a couple of minor incidents, the private detectives either quit and disappeared, or they immediately went back to Canada where they had come from originally. That was very helpful. There are already a lot of private detectives working in Europe, we don’t need more competition. I don’t think any of these other private detectives really compete with us anyway.

Well, it is time for us to relax for a while and we are going to take a real vacation for a change. All of us. Mandar set it all up for us at a nice resort beside the ocean. The guys wanted to go somewhere else for their vacation and that was fine. Might be good to split us up a little, just in case.

As the only married man now, I went with the girls, since that is where my wife was going. I guess this case has come to a close, not quite the way we wanted it to end, but that’s the way it works sometimes. Hopefully after our vacation we will be nicely rested and ready for our next case. I wonder what that case will be?

The End. Another case will begin soon.

©2025 Steve McLeod.