Steve and Muffin’s Year End Pics. #7

Good morning everyone! Today we have another first for me. This is the Indigo Bunting, a small finch 5 1/2 inches (14cm) long and such a beautiful blue. Although I have seen this bird before this year, this is the first time I have been able to get a picture of it. That was a definite thrill for me. Have a great day everyone and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

©2022 Steve McLeod.

The Investigators, Inc. The Year End Case. Chapter 4. Trapped Cats.

“Where are those wonderful cats hiding?” asked Mandar. “Still at the chateau, and we are a bit worried about them,” said Sky, “something must be wrong or they would have contacted us by now.” “Oh my, we must get them at once,” said Mandar, “Gerald, take 3 men and these ladies back to their chateau to pick up some special cats and bring them all back safely. And go prepared, there may be trouble.”

“Yes sir,” he said. “We will take our car, it is safer,” said Sky, “and I will drive.” Those poor men had never driven like that before, but Sky got them there safely. They went in the door and stopped. Silence. “No cats, they always come to meet us at the door,” said Sky. “That means trouble,” said Kristina. Gerald and his men came equipped for trouble and went with the girls to the cats playroom.

The door was closed. Gerald threw the door open and the cats were sitting on the floor looking at them. Meow,meow.=We embarrassed. We make so much noise, not hear someone come in, they close door so we not able to get out. “Someone is in here,” said Kristina, “what about your transmitters?” Meow.=We try, but not work. Sky checked her phone, it was not working.

“That means Lavina!” she said, “she can put a dome around places and stop transmission.” “Get your backpacks cats,” said Sky, but she left Muffin to guard the kittens in the playroom while they went to look around. Meow.=Someone upstairs, we hear noise, odd noise. “Someone is upstairs,” Sky told Gerald. He and one man went ahead, then the girls and then the other 2 men.

MC and Storm went ahead to check around the corner at the top of the stairs before the men. It was clear, so they continued to my bedroom, that is where the noise came from. EEEEEEEEEK! screamed both cats at what they saw. The men jumped in, guns ready! But they were not ready for what they saw. “Grab him!” yelled Gerald.

Two of the men grabbed my legs and Sky jumped high off of Kristina’s hands and with one swipe of her knife she cut the rope tied around my neck. I had been hanging from the ceiling. Meow!=Muffin in trouble! MC ran with Kristina and two men down the stairs. There were 3 women trying to get out the door, which was locked.

They turned to shoot, but the men shot first with their automatic weapons, killing two, but deliberately missing the third. She quickly dropped her gun though, and Kristina went over, kicking her, then hitting her. The woman fell to the floor, in pain, but okay. Kristina had cuffs on her quickly so she could do nothing. “Who are you working for?” Kristina demanded after picking her up.

The woman just spit at Kristina, who then hit the woman again, knocking her back to the floor. “Muffin, why are you out here?” asked Kristina, “you are supposed to watch the kittens.” Meow,meow=Me watch kittens, but they escape and come out here, they very scared, so I follow and see human women. Kittens hide in library. Soon everyone was back at the clinic.

I was still alive, apparently they hung me carefully so that it would take longer for me to die. Good thing the cats heard the noise. It was also good that they came looking for the cats, or it would have been too late. Now the girls knew how the women got inside, they had knocked me unconscious and used my hands to open the door. They knew what needed to be done, and also knew about the cats.

“I agree, it is Lavina,” said Mandar, “she is so like her mother, but worse in some ways. She is a well organized enemy, but she has made mistakes now, and she will make more.” “What mistakes?” asked Kristina, “she seems to be winning.” “Yes, she has had early successes,” said Mandar, “and that has made her overconfident. She made the mistake of silencing the cats so we would look for them and find Steve.

She also did not realize the door of the chateau locks automatically so her women could not leave. They may have done something in the chateau, so it will have to be checked thoroughly. Do you have security cameras?” “Yes, we do,” said Kristina, “some are in the open, easy to see, they can fool people into thinking that if they disconnect those, they will be safe.

Then we have very well hidden cameras that cannot be disconnected easily.” “Ah, very good indeed,” said Mandar, “another mistake by Lavina, not anticipating such a thing.” Sky had rejoined them by this time, the doctor said it would be better for her to be with Mandar and Kristina right now. “Now to find Lavina if we can,” said Mandar, “and we will use bait for that.”

To Be Continued.

©2022 Steve McLeod.