“I can take you anytime Jenny!”, she yelled. “Try it then!”, yelled Jennifer. She got the first kick, hitting Jennifer in the side and knocking her to the floor. She laughed. As Jennifer was getting up she tried for another kick but Jennifer caught her leg giving it a twist and she went crashing to the floor. She got to her feet quickly but Jennifer kicked her in the stomach, then to her head, knocking her against the wall. She just kind of slid down to a sitting position on the floor. “Now, your thumb please,” said Kat.

“Never!” Just then Baldwin and Rock came in. “What is going on in here?”, asked Baldwin. “We found our traitor,” said Annelie, “she has been giving this to Bernard, but we don’t know what is in the bottle.” Baldwin took the needle and bottle and told Rock to go get me. “We need to take Bernard to the clinic right away for a check up, this could be poison,” said Baldwin. “Your thumb,” repeated Kat. She just sat there and looked at Kat.

“Here Kristina, hold the phone,” said Kat, “Jenny, you and I will help Melanie give us her thumb.” “Gladly,” said Jennifer. A couple hard slaps from each of them convinced Melanie to cooperate, although not exactly willingly. Rock came running down the stairs carrying Bernard. “I cannot wake him up boss,” he said. “Take him to the car right away, Kat and Carine, you come with us,” said Baldwin. Off they went quickly after picking up their guns. It was true, Melanie had been giving me poison, just small amounts so it would not be easily detected, but it had built up quite a bit now.

Annelie called to see how things were going and mentioned there was a phone number that showed up quite a bit on Melanie’s phone. “It is a French number,” said Annelie, “but no one answers.” “What is the number?”, asked Carine. Annelie told her. Carine quickly handed the phone back to Kat and ran outside. Kat could tell she was scared of something. “Put everyone on alert Annelie,” said Kat, “I will call you back.” Kat went outside and found Carine sitting on one of the benches crying. “What is wrong, what is that number?”, asked Kat.

“It is no use, they want me back,” said Carine, “I only bring trouble to you, to everyone. If I do not go back, maybe they will kill one of you, or more. I do not want that.” “No more talk of going back Carine,” said Kat softly, “you are part of this team now, and we fight for each other if we have to, but we do not ever give up.” “You are most incredible woman Kat,” said Carine, “but I still…” “And no more worrying about that either,” said Kat, “maybe you should talk with Jenny, you are both the same.” Kat smiled.

Poor Carine was still shaking, “that number, it is Benji, he is the leader, he is the one that owns me, or, did own me.” “That’s better,” said Kat, “because he does not own you anymore, and never will.” Baldwin was standing there quietly listening. “It was poison,” he said, “but we got Bernard soon enough, so he will be okay. And we will take care of this Benji too, but first, there is something locked away in Steve’s head and it has to do with that first case, some kind of secret that seems to be important.

Why it never bothered Steve before is a puzzle, but once he can travel again we need to make a trip back to that old house and look around again. Do we know what happened to the young woman in that case?” “Yes,” said Kat, “she died in a fire at her art gallery a year afterward. Steve always thought it was John who started the fire, but no evidence could be found linking him to it.” “Hmm, that makes me think there is still something hidden at that house, perhaps more wealth that what was originally discovered and with that woman out of the way, he could claim it for himself, especially now that he owns the house,” said Baldwin.

“Was there no other family?”, asks Carine. “No,” said Kat, “apparently Lydia was the only living relative.” Meanwhile, back at the chateau, Jenny, Kristina and the cats were in the kitchen, Annelie and Melanie were in the library. Unfortunately Annelie was distracted with her laptop and Melanie quickly grabbed a gun from the wall rack where they were kept. She swung around and pointed the gun at Annelie…

To Be Continued.

©2022 Steve McLeod.