Well, she said, I guess we need to get those papers to the police now. I got up and came back with the papers and showed them to Karin. They’re just blank paper! Yes, that’s right, I thought she gave them to me much too quickly considering she never hired me. I’m not sure I understand all this, said Karin. Well, they are insurance papers, but not for Katharina, they are for Karl. Something must have gone wrong, so he faked Katharina’s kidnapping so she could hide out somewhere and protect these valuable papers. But that would mean Katharina is working for Karl too, said Karin. More like working with him, I said, and so is Hannah, Katharina’s mother, they are all in it together.

What about the other PI that was killed? He was hired by Anna to get me over here so she could kill me. It really has nothing to do with Katharina, but it was a good case to lure me over here. I’m not sure how Anna knew about all our cases though, but the other PI might have been able to find out all that information. Once his part was over then Anna killed him. That other group that was hired by Hannah are not after Katharina either, they were just meant to stop us from finding her. Then I told them about the key. I think those papers really are hidden here somewhere so we need to find them quickly and get out of here. Good idea, we’ll all look around and it will go faster, said Karin. I would prefer that you and Muffin rest some more and Mr. Cat and I can look around.

Meow, meow!=No, I help look too, I feeling better now after eating, all ready to go! Same here, said Karin, and I will take it easy, I promise. Okay, I said, you stay downstairs, you cats check upstairs and I’ll take this area of the house and garage. If you see anything or someone comes along, let me know right away. Look behind things for a safe. If they are in a safe we won’t be able to get them, said Karin. We might be able to, I said, and off I went. After an hour we still haven’t found anything at all. Then I stand at the door with the key and remember our first clue, it was to look out the window to find the key. Except the key wasn’t out the window, it was beside…hmm, I start looking to the side of the door. There was one step up from the garage floor into the house. I clear away some junk sitting there and sure enough, on the side of the step is a lock which the key fit. Inside was a soft leather case full of papers, which of course I couldn’t read.

I took them in to Karin, the cats were already with her, and showed the papers to her. Wow, this is amazing Steve, lots of names, contacts, locations of deliveries, all kinds of things. Good, now we can leave, quickly. I wish I could get cleaned up a bit, said Karin. Hmm, I told them all to stay inside while I went back to that cottage. I found a dresser full of clothes from either Sofia or Katharina and brought them back for Karin. I had extra clothes in my backpack. It didn’t take long and we were ready to go. It’s almost dark now and that is perfect. Meow.=We not hired, so we go home now, I pack. Meow, meow.=We have nothing to pack, everything was in car except our backpacks. Meow.=Even better, we go home, not need to pack. Meow, meow.=I agree, let’s get in car, go home. Wait you two, we are not going home just yet, we have to get Karin somewhere safe first, then we can leave. Without me?, asked Karin. Well, you wouldn’t be able to leave with us. Meow!=People outside with guns!

To be continued.

©2020 Steve McLeod.