The Investigators, Inc. The Crazy Case. Chapter 4. The Traitor.

We had gone to the nightclub where Mary’s son and daughter-in-law were working when they disappeared about 15 years ago. The manager of that club, Francois, has something to do with the disappearance of Mary’s grandchildren, I’m sure of it. Why he decided to kidnap them now is a mystery and what Mary’s involvement is in this drama is also a mystery. But she must be involved somehow. Perhaps she worked at that club too, years ago.

Maybe she knows things that would be helpful to the police, but by keeping her confused, the police wouldn’t likely believe anything she told them. They could just kill her instead, but that would bring a police investigation and perhaps Koffman doesn’t like that idea. Or maybe there is a reason for keeping Mary alive, for now at least, but why is another mystery. First things first, I want Beryan and Engla back again. Then we want to find Soleil and Beau, Mary’s grandchildren.

I’m sure that Francois has them also, but getting that information from him might be difficult. Men like Francois usually don’t like to cooperate, without a little pressure being applied. Right now I don’t mind applying a little pressure. Or a lot of pressure, if needed. Anyway, we were now in Francois’ office and his three guards just dropped their guns because they were too hot. That happens a lot with guns it seems. I had just asked Francois about Beryan and Engla and made it quite clear that we wanted them back. He made this foolish claim of not knowing what I was talking about.

So, I told him that was the wrong answer, and I now dragged him out from behind his desk and punched him in the stomach, then to his face. His men were going to intervene, but the four Wildcats that came in with us stood in their way, so they backed off. “You know,” said a groaning Francois, “sometimes when you lose something, it’s best to start where you lost that item and usually you will find it.” “Check it out Sky,” I said. She disappeared right in front of those men.

“Whoa, where did she go?” asked the biggest man, whose name was Yves. I then asked Francois about Soleil and Beau. “I don’t keep track of the old lady’s kids,” he said, half spitting his answer. “You kidnapped them!” I yelled, “And you know where they are!” I then punched him twice more, knocking him to the floor and against a wood chair. “Where’s the safe in here?” I asked the 3 men. “Find it yourself,” said one man, “since you seem to be so smart, knowing everything else.” Marlena went over and gave him 3 quick kicks and he was knocked out. “Behind that big picture,” said Yves, “Percival here can open it.” “You are a dead man,” said Percival angrily.

“Get over here and open that safe,” I said, “or you will be a dead man.” He just stood there smiling. Sky had communicated that she found Beryan and Engla sleeping on one of the beds at Mary’s house so I told her to stay there and watch. Then I told Kat to bring in her Wildcats and deal with the employees of this establishment. “Fun time!” she exclaimed and went to call her Wildcats inside. I told the 4 Wildcats with us to go out and help the others.

After all, there was Jennifer, Angel and I in the office and we should be able to handle these guys. “Okay Percival,” I said nicely, “come over here and open this safe.” He just stood there smiling. “Let me teach him some manners Steve,” said Jennifer. I nodded and she went over to Percival and grabbed his long ponytail and literally dragged him over to the safe with him screaming. She then stood him on his feet, but he just stood there, not moving. So, she then punched him, hard, in his lower back.

That made him moan as his knees buckled and he fell to the floor. “Um, he might have written it down,” said Yves, “he doesn’t remember numbers well, so he often writes them down in his black book on that desk.” By now Jennifer had stood Percival back on his feet and he turned to Yves. “I hope Francois lets me kill you,” he said angrily, “because I know how to do it, slow and painful.” Yves was looking a bit nervous now. “Don’t worry about him,” I said, “he won’t likely be alive to hurt anyone soon.”

“If I help,” he asked, “will you help me get away from here?” “Definitely,” I said, “if you help us, we will help you, and we can do it too.” “Forget it Yves,” said Percival, “he’s just saying that, but he’ll leave you behind for us.” He then gave a weird laugh. He still refused to open it so I told Yves to check the book, but carefully. He did so and found the combination so Jennifer had the safe open quickly. Quite a pile of money and a box of jewelry too. We took it all with us and Yves told us the larger safe was in the basement, but well guarded.

We will leave that one for now. I asked Yves about Soleil and Beau. He said that Soleil is likely with her first “client” in Room 4 upstairs, so I communicated this with Kat and she went to look for her. Yves said that Soleil was here against her will and was brought here by Beau who works for Francois. That’s interesting, selling his own sister to this, this, whatever he is! Like so many of these guys, he is a modern day slave trader.

Meanwhile, out in the main club, which at the moment is packed with people. When Kat called her Wildcats, they came bouncing in, doing flips, cartwheels and other acrobatic ways of moving. They landed on tables, the bar and anything else that would hold them. Some when they came bouncing in kicked any employees that were close by, sending them flying into food carts or landing on tables, messing up people’s dinners and causing much yelling and screaming!

Some of the employees tried to pull out guns, but they had to drop them quickly as Kat heated them up a bit. It was at this point I had told Kat to go look for Soleil in Room 4 upstairs. When Kat arrived at Room 4 the door was locked, so she kicked it open and fortunately it was perfect timing, just as things were getting started and Soleil was truly scared by her “client”. It was easy for Kat to see that Soleil didn’t want to be there. The man quickly pulled out a knife which Kat quickly kicked out of his hand.

Then she kicked the man three times, though she was careful not to kill him, even though that’s what she felt like doing. Kat told Soleil that we were working for her grandmother and had come to take her away from here. Soleil began to cry and told Kat if she left they would kill her grandmother and she didn’t want that to happen. Kat then told her we would protect them all, so she didn’t need to worry and Soleil hugged Kat tightly.

She then got dressed and went with Kat who had already communicated with me that she had Soleil but she didn’t know where Beau was being kept. I then told Kat that Beau was working for Francois and had sold his sister to him. I told Yves he could come with us, stay here or go his own way, it was his choice. He wanted to come with us. There was gambling in this nightclub so the Wildcats took whatever money they could, most of which was in locked boxes, so, they just took the boxes along. Sky had already taken Beryan and Engla to the hotel and that is where we are presently headed…

To Be Continued. ©2025 Steve McLeod.