The Investigators, Inc. Mountain Cabin Murder Mystery. Chapter 7. Death Room.

Sky communicated her conversation with Kerry, Darlene and Krissy to me. I asked her what Galyna thought of the girls reactions and plea for help. Apparently Galyna is quite satisfied that the girls are telling the truth and really do want out of their present life and change completely. That sounded good to me, but right now I had a thought, and sort of a plan. It could be dangerous though and I told Sky and Angel they would have to be with the girls at all times to protect them. I also asked Sky to send me photos of their room right away since it’s nearly bedtime, at least for our little puzzle solver.

I then called Friskie to bring Steffie up to my office right away, and she was here in just a few seconds. “Mommy runs super fast!” said Steffie. “I run super slow,” I said chuckling. Steffie jumped onto my lap. “But you the bestest superhero in all vestigators Daddy!” she said while hugging me. “I agree with Steffie,” said Friskie, trying to get in a hug too. “Forget the hug,” said Jennifer, “just give him a kiss.” So she gave me a quick kiss and turned red. Jennifer just shook her head. “Steffie gives Steve a better kiss,” she said. “Okay honey,” I said, and all 3 of them looked at me, “um, I meant Steffie.”

Friskie blushed again. “Anyway, Steffie I have some more pictures for you to look at,” I said, “there might be another hidden door in this bedroom too and we need to find out.” She looked at all the pictures carefully including turning her head sideways a couple of times. “Ask Auntie Sky if round mirror hang on wall or is perlyment,” she said. I communicated this with Sky. I didn’t want us to talk openly about this in case someone was listening. “It’s perlyment, I mean, permanently attached to the wall,” she said sighing.

“Oooo, that good,” said Steffie, “maybe find door now. Tell Auntie Sky to pull out bottom drawer in dresser, kinda slow till stops, listen to click. Then do same with top drawer, remember listen to click. Then turn mirror backward to clock so top is at bottom, listen to click. Then turn mirror forward with clock so top looking left, listen to click. Then turn lamp on wall on left so it look at mirror, listen to click. Do same with mirror on right, listen to click. Now can open dresser like door.”

Sky was doing all of this as Steffie was giving instructions and I communicated them to her. She then tried to push the dresser out of the way, but it wouldn’t move. I told this to Steffie. “No, no, not push, open like door,” she said. I told this to Sky and she just looked at the dresser then pulled it open like a door and there was the opening in the wall. There was a short hallway, then stairs going down. I told Angel to get Misty and her Sneakers, plus a couple cats and check it out. Soon they were heading downstairs and a dead end.

Misty sent pictures back and Steffie sighed. “This one too easy Daddy,” she said, “see small x at bottom of wall? Press that spot.” Misty did so and a door swung open towards her, hitting her on the head causing her to groan. “Who makes a door that opens towards a person?” she asked, “That’s just stupid.” On the other side of the door was more stairs going down until they were in a cellar, except nothing was there, just an empty room. The room was very dirty too and obviously hadn’t been used in a long time.

That actually made me feel better since no one is likely going to come sneaking into the girl’s bedroom. However, I told them to check that room thoroughly, just in case they were missing something. Then I had an idea and told Misty to get her phone out and let us see around that room so Steffie can look at it too. Misty sighed, but she did it. “Auntie Misty is the bestest!” said Steffie, “After Auntie Jennifer!” Then she jumped over to Jennifer who was sitting on the bed and the tickle fight was on! “Okay you little rascal,” said Jennifer, “you’re supposed to be working right now.”

“Needed break to think more,” she said, then she added, “that it!!” Then she jumped back onto my lap. “Auntie Misty, aim phone camera at wall again,” said Steffie. “Um Steffie, there are 4 walls,” replied Misty. “No, no,” said Steffie, “only one wall with small stones, other walls have big stones.” Misty just said “oh” and turned her phone around to that wall. “There, up at ceiling!” said Steffie excitedly, “there is pretty stone up there. Push stone and maybe should open door.” Steffie was all smiles right now.

“How am I supposed to push that stone?” she asked, “It’s like 10 feet high, and I’m not!” “You need Courage to do it Auntie Misty,” said Steffie giggling. “I’m going to tickle you when we get home,” said Misty. Then she felt someone pushing her from behind. “Who’s doing that?” she said and turned around. She was now face to face with Courage. “Oh, that’s what she meant,” said Misty. She then climbed up onto the head of Courage, who then lifted her up to the stone which she then pushed easily, but nothing happened. Nothing except a stone at the floor level came out and Steffie said to push it back in.

Misty was about to push the stone when she remembered the other door, so she stood off to the side then bent over and pushed the stone back into the wall. That stone door opened amazingly fast, outward, hitting Misty on the head and knocking her over! “The door is on the wrong side,” she said, rubbing her head, “who makes a door like that? That’s just stupid.” Steffie was rolling on the bed laughing which I told to Misty. “Double tickle,” was all Misty said. Angel went first with the cats, followed by Misty and her team. Just then iron bars dropped down from above and sealed off the door.

“Welcome to my dungeon humans,” said a deep voice. Then someone walked out from a doorway in another wall, someone draped in a white gown with white hair and beard, plus white eyes. “I am the ghost of this mansion and you are trespassing,” said the ghost, “for that you must stay in my dungeon and die.” Angel was communicating this with Kat, Sky, Kristina and Kitty, plus with Jennifer and I. Angel then went over to this ghost to touch him. “Do not touch me or you will die immediately,” he exclaimed. “You are no ghost,” she said, “you are just a mortal.”

She then reached over and he swung his arm at her, knocking her against the other wall. Then he laughed in an echoing tone. “That wasn’t nice,” said Angel. Then 3 more such ghosts came into the room and stood beside the first one. Angel laughed at them. “You people look ridiculous in those white gowns,” she said giggling. Then she went into action! She began kicking and hitting these ghost imposters until the first man pulled out a gun and shot at Angel and she caught the three bullets in her hand. Misty then shot him and he fell to the floor dead. The others had been knocked out by Angel.

The girls handcuffed these men together, then they went into the other room where these men had come from. As some arrived in the room they heard another voice, this time it was female. “Welcome Investigators, it is quite amazing you made it this far, too bad you will not be able to leave though. The stone door has closed and is now sealed shut. If it is forced open the entire mansion will be destroyed, and soon your oxygen will be gone and you will all die. A terrible way to die I must admit. It is too bad you cannot warn your friends to not force open that door, but, that’s life. Or in this case, death!” Then there was silence…

To Be Continued. ©2026 Steve McLeod.