The Investigators, Inc. The Jigsaw Puzzle Mystery. Chapter 4. More Strange Things.

We were having our video call with Jennifer after breakfast and the team has found out some interesting things about the trial for Alex proving it was just a sham to get her in prison so that Patrick, her brother, could get the full inheritance instead of splitting it with her. He must have paid the judge and lawyers on both sides quite a large sum of money though which would seriously cut into the 20 million pounds of the estate. Unless there was more money than people knew about. “I must apologize to you Jennifer,” said Helene, “I did spend the night with your husband, but I assure you all we did was talk and sleep. I had a horrible nightmare, something that occurs regularly, and I was afraid to be alone.”

“Am I supposed to believe you?” asked Jennifer. “Well, I didn’t need to tell you,” said Helene, “but I wanted to keep things open, nothing hidden.” “Okay, thank you for that,” she said smiling, “Snow would like to talk with Steve again, is that okay?” “I’m not sure,” said Helene, “I think there is more to the meowing than simple cat meows. However, she can meow, but Steve can’t answer.” “That’s acceptable,” I said. Jennifer lifted Snow up and she meowed fast, then she looked at Helene and meowed once and purred. Then Jennifer put her down again. “We found a third packet of jigsaw pieces,” said Jennifer, “but this clue has us stumped.”

“Has Steffie looked at it yet?” I asked. “She just says that words are useless,” replied Jennifer. “Turn the words into pictures for her,” I suggested. “Oh, why didn’t I think of that?” she asked and sighed. We then signed off for another day. “Why did she meow at me?” asked Helene. “Maybe she likes you,” I said smiling, “after all, she purred too.” Later I was looking out the back window. “You have a beautiful garden out there,” I said. “Yes, my gardener looks after it very nicely,” she said, “would you like to walk around it for a while?”

“I thought I wasn’t allowed outside,” I said. “If you promise not to run off I will take you out for a while,” she said smiling. We went out and it was truly beautiful out there, so many different flowers, a nice path, a small pond with fountain, birds were singing so nicely and Helene held my hand while we walked. She is a hard one to figure out, that’s for sure. We soon sat down on one of the benches in the shade of a large oak tree. “It must have been hard for you to lose your Muffin,” said Helene. “Yes, it was quite a blow to me and I nearly gave up the Investigators after she was killed,” I said.

“Muffin would not have wanted you to quit Steve,” she said, “you two had a special relationship. I noticed you have a beautiful grave marker for her and Mr. Cat, in a nice shady spot in your cemetery.” “So, you have visited our little cemetery,” I said, “but, I’m not really too surprised by that, it’s part of finding out more about your enemies.” She just smiled. “I wish we didn’t have to be enemies Steve,” she said, “but, I have chosen my way and you have chosen your way.” I then noticed a red square on my one bracelet so I whispered to Helene asking her if she had a listening device close by.

She whispered back that she didn’t and that she doesn’t use them at her own home. I then pressed another square which caused some white squares to light up around the red one until it turned green. “There, now we can talk and whoever is listening can no longer hear us,” I said. “You are keeping secrets from me Steve, that is not nice,” she said, politely scolding me. “Sorry, but in this case it’s a good thing I did,” I told her, “someone is watching you, or me, or both. Perhaps Patrick, since he will know you are trying to help Alex.”

“I have many enemies Steve,” she said, “just like you.” “That reminds me, to continue our talk, people can change the path they have chosen,” I said, “you could change your path too, many on our team have come from criminal backgrounds as I mentioned before.” “You have some interesting people on your team,” she said, “I will agree with that. Like Jazzy and Ivy, both leaders of criminal organizations. Then there is Aari Jensen, also known in the past as The Major, very high up in the criminal world in Italy.” “Do you really think Aari is Major?” I asked.

“Please Steve, don’t take me for a fool,” she said, giving me a certain look. “I do not think you’re a fool Helene,” I said, “I really don’t, you could hurt a lot of people in our organization if such news got out.” “If such news got out,” she said, “I don’t plan to tell anyone and that’s a promise that I make to you right now. You also have other interesting people on your team, like your own wife. She has a grave in your cemetery too, as does her twin sister Kat, and Sky, Carine and Kristina. Yet all of them seem to be very much alive.

I have also seen them shot and yet not get hurt. Some in your team seem to travel long distances without the aid of any kind of transportation, such as the ones mentioned who are supposed to be dead, but also others. You have some unexplainable things going on in that organization of yours Steve.” I looked at her and put my head down a bit, she was still holding my hand. “I wish I could explain these things,” I said to her, “but then I would be betraying my team and maybe get a lot of people killed. Better for me to get killed instead.” “I don’t plan on killing you,” she said, “if I was, you would be dead already.”

She then smiled and we continued walking around the garden. The day passed quickly, we had another fantastic meal, then soon it was time for bed. I checked my room but there were no listening devices or cameras present, so that tells me someone is interested in Helene, not me. I hope she doesn’t talk in her sleep or she might give away our secrets to someone. I was lying in bed thinking when Helene came in through the bathroom. “I hope you don’t mind,” she said, “but I would like to sleep with you again. I will admit that I’m scared to sleep alone, I’m sure there are listening devices in my room.”

Then she motioned to me if I had checked my room. “Yes, there is nothing in here,” I said, “that tells me someone is more interested in you, than in me. Nice pyjamas.” “Thank you,” she said, “I bought them when I knew you would be here for a while, I thought you might like the blue color. But, I’m only here to talk and sleep, so please don’t worry that I’m trying anything else.” She didn’t say anything for a while and I thought she had fallen asleep while I was running my fingers through her hair, so I stopped. “Please don’t stop,” she said, “even if I fall asleep before you.” “Why the tears?” I asked. “You have some high profile criminals on your team Steve,” she said, “do you trust them all?”

“Yes I do,” I told her, “they have all changed and become important members of our team, and there are even more than you know about I’m sure.” “Would you trust me?” she asked. “If you really wanted to change, then I would trust you 100%,” I told her. “There are two guns in that drawer,” she said. I took them out and gave one to her which she put under my pillow and I did the same. “I don’t trust anyone that works for me right now,” she said, crying harder now. “If you want to change,” I said, “then come home with me. We can give you a totally new identity which would make it harder for others to find you. Though I guess we have a little work to do on that.” “I dig harder than most people,” she said, still crying…

To Be Continued. ©2026 Steve McLeod.