Meanwhile…Lena was racing around that curve and saw the bridge out, but too late…the car went flying over the stream crashing into the bank on the other side. Amazingly Lena wasn’t hurt much except for some minor cuts and bruises, and a twisted wrist. She was able to climb out the window of the car and up to the road. It wasn’t raining at the moment and she started walking down the road. She saw lights coming toward her, she hoped it was someone friendly. Soon a police car pulled up beside her and she explained what happened. They went back to see and then called for someone to come and put up more signs and a barrier again. Then they took Lena to the nearest hospital where she was checked and released. She called Rossana again and they talked a bit. Someone had clearly tampered with the brakes, they wanted her to die in an accident. After this Lena went to the airport and got a flight to a secret location where she was met by the police and taken away to safety. At no time did Lena mention me or my case to the police, she knew I wouldn’t want that.

Meanwhile, back with me and the cats…There was more stairs from the cellar that went up to a locked door, by the location I would say it was a door to the kitchen. We went back to the third floor to look around some more. Every room was locked, but I had keys for them so that was okay, I just couldn’t figure why this floor was locked and off limits for everyone. Before continuing I wanted to read that one part in the book, but…the book was gone! But how could that ‘ghost’ get back up here without us seeing him? There was only the one way leading up here from the cellar, unless the person came from Calanthe’s room. Perhaps he hid there and never did go to the cellar, and then came back up here. That means he is still here, or, back in Calanthe’s room!

“Come you two,” I said excitedly, “Calanthe is in danger!” Down we went to her room and when we got into her closet she said, “Okay, come out, or I will shoot!” Out we came, and the look on her face, both shock and relief together. She came over and threw her arms around me and started to cry. I took her to her bed and we sat down. Sobbing she told us that a ghost had come into her room from the closet and ran out her door. He was holding his side and groaning. Then she heard us, that’s when she took out the gun Linnea had given her a few days ago because of all that was going on. I told her she shouldn’t stay by herself so she quickly got dressed and came back with us upstairs. We checked a couple more rooms, but nothing.

Meow!=Check this room, human in here. Meow,meow.=He right, it human for sure. “Okay Calanthe,” I said, “stay off to the side.” I took out my gun and unlocked the door. I went in carefully and the cats darted in hiding in the shadows. There. On the bed. I went over and Calanthe peeked in the room. “It’s Giselle!,” exclaimed Calanthe. It certainly was Giselle, laying on the bed with a knife in her. Meow,meow.=It look like your knife. It did actually. I check my backpack and sure enough, my knife was missing. Hmm, this is not good at all. “It’s my knife, but how?”, I asked, “this backpack is always with me.

Wait, the first night in the cottage when someone came in and left those notes. He could have taken it then.” “What can we do now?”, asked Calanthe, “we can’t even call the police, my phone has disappeared.” “And my phone is dead, and since there’s no electricity I can’t charge it,” i said. I take Calanthe out of the room, it was obvious she was having a hard time, I’m certain now that I can trust her and we will have to stay together from now on. “Is Henri a big man?”, I ask her. “Yes, he is taller than Karl, and big, a very strong man,” she answered, “do you think he did this?” “Well, there is no one else out here that could, so he must be our ‘ghost’, and now a murderer too,” I explained, “but why is he doing this?

To Be Continued.

©2021 Steve McLeod.