I am having trouble sleeping tonight, not sure why, but I just cannot get my thoughts settled down. It has been a week since the end of our last case chasing those crazy clues and no other cases have come our way. But that is not it. I am alone. And I really felt it the last few days. “Hi Steve, are you awake?” said a familiar voice. I sat up quickly and there was Kat standing, looking right at me.

“Surprised to see me?” she said. “You are not my wife, who are you?” I demanded. “I have not been gone that long, have I?” she answered, “I am your wife, Kat, and I have come to warn you.” I pressed my alarm buzzer on the table beside my bed. “That alarm will not work Steve,” she said, “not until I leave.” “This alarm will work,” I said firmly. Then I grabbed the gun under my pillow and shot the bedroom door 3 times.

Carine and Sigurbjorn have a bedroom right across the hall from mine, but I will still amazed how quickly they arrived. “What is wrong Steve?” asked Sigurbjorn. I pointed over to Kat. “I do not believe in ghosts,” said Carine. “Neither do I,” added Sigurbjorn, “who are you?” “I am Kat, surely you can see that,” she answered, “and I have come to warn Steve that by midnight next Monday he will be dead.

Stay with him at all times girls, do not let him out of your sight. Never leave him alone…never leave him alone…never alone…” Then she was gone and Carine was standing at the spot that Kat had been standing. “Stay there Carine, I want to mark that exact spot,” I said and went over to put a mark on the floor. “Why did you not press the alarm button?” asked Sigurbjorn. “I did, but it did not work,” I said, “let me try it now.”

I pressed it and it worked just fine. “Rock, wake up, Steve is in trouble!” yelled Annelie. Rock was out of bed, grabbed his gun and was running up the stairs fast! For a big man he can run fast, even up stairs, good thing he is in such good physical condition. “What is wrong?” asked Rock as he burst into the bedroom. “Kat was just here,” I said. “What?” he asked in surprise, “are you feeling okay?”

“He is telling the truth”, said Carine, “but it was not Kat, likely a hologram of some kind.” “And she was here to warn Steve that someone was going to try and kill him,” said Sigurbjorn as she returned to the room. “Not quite,” I said, “she told me I would be killed by midnight Monday, not that someone would try to kill me.” “Oh, that is true, sorry,” she said, “I think I am still a bit asleep.” Right then Baldwin phoned to find out what was going on. Annelie had called him.

“I was just warned by Kat that I would be killed sometime between now and midnight next Monday,” I told him. “Kat!” he shouted, “are you okay?” “Yes, I am okay,” I said, “Carine and Sigurbjorn saw Kat as well. But it was not her, just a hologram, but I want to know how that happened.” “So do I!” he yelled again, “tomorrow I will have that room torn apart!” “Yes, that would be a good idea,” I agreed, “the interesting point though is she said I would be killed, not that someone would try to kill me.”

“You will not be alone at any time for the next week,” said Baldwin, “Jennifer, Sigurbjorn, Carine and Kristina will take turns staying with you 24 hours a day.” “Why…” I began. “Because I trust them completely!” he yelled again. He is going to give me a headache with all this yelling. I told the girls what Baldwin said, except the trusting part, I did not want the other girls thinking he did not trust them. I know that is not what he was saying anyway.

“That should not be so bad,” said Carine, “that is only 8 hours each.” “I think your adding is a bit off,” I told her. “Not if we overlap the time we guard you,” said Sigurbjorn. “Oh, I see, that makes sense then,” I said. Now how will I sleep? Someone is going to kill me, or try to anyway, and Chung still wants me to relax. This is not going to work. Jennifer took the first shift guarding me, along with the cats, all 3 of them. Angel insisted that Storm help out too, which was okay with me.

“It will be okay Steve,” said Jenny, “really, all of us will be guarding you.” “Yes, I know, but they still got in here without us knowing,” I said, “that gives them one win already.” “Hmm, you have a point,” said Jenny, “but that will be their only win.” I am glad she is so confident, and I must admit, I do feel more relaxed knowing she is in the room. But who is this new adversary… I was soon asleep.

To Be Continued.

©2022 Steve McLeod.