For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Hi everyone! Well, I decided to bring back some oddities and beauty found in nature. Sometimes we overlook the beauty that surrounds us because we look for something big or fantastic.
But those oddities and beauty of nature can sometimes be quite small and perhaps things we normally would not look at. The oddity of something can be it’s beauty, so that’s what I will be looking for once again for this series.

Old seed pods from a lilac flower.
I hope you will enjoy it. Have a great weekend everyone and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2025 Steve McLeod.
When Sky and myself returned to the island we were told that Irene had disappeared. How could that happen? She was in jail after being arrested by our friendly police who also helped Austin and Ava get Summer again. Things are not going well here. The police had Irene in a separate cell than the girls where she couldn’t be seen by our girls.
Plus they were unable to communicate with her as well. Aari and his boys had the police station surrounded, so they would have seen anyone coming in to get Irene. Only the police chief had left and returned half an hour later. Apparently he went out to get food for himself and the other two officers that were on duty at the station.
I believe the police chief is a good man, he just doesn’t understand the seriousness of the situation. The other two officers will need to be checked. Sky was with me, along with Muffin and Storm, and we were looking for an escape tunnel in Irene’s jail cell. Muffin quickly found one, then Storm found another.
Meow,meow!= Me find maybe tunnel here. Meowr.= No, me find maybe tunnel over here. The two of them switched sides and sniffed around. Meow, meow.= Nope, no tunnel here. Meowr.= Nope, no tunnel here. Meow, meow!= Is so tunnel over there!
Meowr!= Is so tunnel over there, not here! Muffin went over. CHOMP! MEOWR!= AAAAAA, my tail! Suddenly Muffin and Storm came running to the cell I was checking. EEEEEEEK! They both screeched and they hid behind me. Sky was nearly right behind them. “Where did those two fur balls go?” she asked, “Aha! There you are! Steve can’t help you with this one you furry headaches!”
“Um, is there a problem?” I asked calmly. In retrospect that was probably not the best thing to say. I’m sure that slap could be heard across the street. “Good thing I’m a ghost now,” I said, “or that might have knocked my head right off.” That was probably not the best thing to say either. One of these days I must learn to keep my mouth shut.
Maybe Misty can help me with that, she has learned everything else there is to learn. “Oh look,” said Sky, “a bucket of water.” There was a big splash and I was soaked. “Why didn’t you go ghosty?” asked Cynthia, “Then the water would just go right through you and you wouldn’t get wet.” She smiled.
“I’m not fast enough yet,” I said, “of course Jennifer won’t hear about this, will she? We do need some new volunteers for kitchen duty for the next 60 days.” “She won’t hear about what?” they all said together. Perfect. Anyway, back to possible escape tunnels. There were two of them, one under each bed.
I found a switch that unlocked the beds which allowed them to be moved easily revealing a tunnel entrance under each. One ended up going across the street to a store, the other was short, going to the vacant building next door. I had followed the tunnel to the vacant building with Muffin and Storm, Sky went to the store across the street. The cats and I went to the second floor of our building.
I was not ready for what I saw. The cats sat down and lowered their heads. They had left a knife in Irene’s body, it had been used numerous times. There was also a note. “You’re next PI” It was signed Austin Davies. “I dare you to try it Austin,” I said out loud, though I knew he couldn’t hear me. Then I started to feel very strange and I fell to the floor.
“Sky,” I said weakly. “Steve, what’s wrong?” she asked. “I, I, think I’m dying,” I said. “What?” she exclaimed, “That’s impossible, you already died.” She held me and we disappeared. Sky contacted Angel, who then got in touch with Aari and he handled things from that point on. Austin was long gone, unfortunately and he won that round by killing Irene.
However, we won too by rescuing Summer and she is now safe with us at the chateau. Rossana’s boss got our girls out of jail after learning we had been looking for Rossana. Irene’s body was brought back and she was buried in our cemetery. Apparently I needed another transfusion from Sky.
I was supposed to get a second one after getting home that first time, but it never happened since I was doing so good. But it was necessary and now things should be okay, but I will need some time to recover from it. Then it seems I went into shock after that while Jennifer and Misty were in the room with me.
Jennifer was about to call Samantha but Misty said she knew all about what to do, Bridgette had been teaching her some medical things she said. Jennifer just looked at her while Misty smiled. “Well, what are you waiting for, do it!” exclaimed Jennifer. Misty and I were now alone.
“One of these days I must learn to keep my mouth shut,” said Misty to herself, “hey, maybe Steve could teach me that one, he’s had lots of experience with that.” She then looked at me and smiled. “Maybe one day I will know as much as you Steve,” she said, “you always seem to know so much about everything. It’s because of you I keep wanting to learn more, you’re my hero big brother.”
Well, Summer has asked to stay here with us, she and Mandy are about the same age and are getting along very well. We also have a new girl that is presently going through our training program and is doing quite remarkable so I’m sure she will pass everything quite easily.
Her name is Valeria and she is from England. Well, guess that wraps up this case which wasn’t even supposed to be a case. Not quite what we had hoped either, but that happens sometimes too. I hope the next case will be more normal. I think I said that last time too.
The End. A new case will come along soon.
©2025 Steve McLeod.