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For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
We were in Ireland right now for the funeral of Aoife’s father. He supposedly died of a heart attack, but after looking at his chest, I doubt that very much. I called Dr. Jorgenson right away, he is our main doctor and surgeon. He also is licensed to do autopsies. I explained this to him and he said there was no way that had to do with any autopsy.
He suggested looking at the back of the body too, but for that we will need legal permission. Sienna had a lawyer here with us already, just in case. She knows us very well already, and with us, things are never normal. He quickly had the paperwork done which gave us permission to look at the body more closely and do our own autopsy.
Dr. Jorgenson arrived that day and the body was transported to the nearest hospital, with us guarding it all the way. Unfortunately a problem came up, apparently Aileen, Aoife’s mother, needed to give her permission which she had agreed to do, but when she arrived at the hospital to sign the papers, she changed her mind and said no.
Aoife, Beryan (she is Aoife’s best friend and well known to Aileen as she used to live just down the street from them), Sky and Misty tried talking to her, but she still said no. Then I tried, along with Aoife. I told her she did not need to be afraid of anyone. I then explained who I was and what our organization is all about.
“We can provide you with protection,” I told her, “someone killed your husband, we want to find the people who did it or they will keep doing this to other people. Please help us, give us your permission.” She thought for a little while, then went over to the desk and signed the papers. Dr. Jorgenson was soon doing the autopsy and found that Aoife’s father had been shot three times, once right in the heart.
He pulled the bullets out to show us. Aileen told us later that after her husband had been shot she received a phone call from a woman who told her not to say anything or Aoife would be killed next. Strange that the woman would not threaten the two sons instead, since they are close at hand and Aoife is not.
The fact that she was a woman was not lost on me either, especially in light of what had happened already back home. I asked Aileen if the woman had left her name, but she said no. It could be a coincidence, but with us nothing seems to be coincidence. But what could possibly be the relationship between Aoife’s father and us?
It just doesn’t make much sense to me. Finn and Garrett don’t seem to be much concerned by the death of their father. However, Aoife said they never got along with their father. I told Aoife she needs to stay with her mother, along with some of the other girls in order to protect her mother. Aileen insisted I need to stay at the house too, she did not like the idea of us being separated.
The police were out looking for the original doctor who supposedly did the original autopsy but have been unable to find him. That is kind of strange. He hasn’t booked off sick or anything, so he should be around. They phoned him, but no answer. They went to his home, but no answer there either. And it didn’t look like anyone was home either, even his car was gone.
I thought that was kind of strange. After everyone was asleep, I left the house and Sherry picked me up in the car, along with Sky, Misty, Milena, Aasta, Carine and Brandy. We also had Storm, Azura and Jewel with us. I left Muffin and Tracker with Aoife. We went driving down the street and up to the doctor’s house, without the car lights on.
There were no street lights along that street either, which was helpful. We went in the side door of the house, Sky going in and unlocking the door for everyone else. We looked around the house but we were not finding anything unusual. Brandy turned on the laptop and figured out the password quickly so she was soon looking around at things.
However, she couldn’t find anything unusual there either. We are not doing so good. He had a small office in his house so I spent my time looking around in there. He had a couple old style filing cabinets in one corner and I noticed a couple of curved scratch marks on the floor, barely noticeable. The cabinets would not move though.
Then I spotted a small button under the shelves over the cabinets and pressed it. The cabinets moved out of the way, like a door. Behind them was a safe. Hmm, this is when we need Mac, but he isn’t here. So, I tried something that Sky showed me and soon the safe was open. “Well done, my twin,” said Sky from behind me. I could not believe all the money in that safe.
“Well, what now Steve?” asked Sky. “Quite simple, we take that money with us,” I said, “someone will notice it gone eventually and they will want it back. Then they will likely contact us.” “How will they know who took it?” she asked again. “I will leave a note,” I said, “but not a normal note, that would be too easy.” I asked Misty to write a note to our friends, in a fun sort of way.
She wrote, “Dear friends, a cat chased a squirrel, a dog chased the cat, a human chased the dog, a ghost chased the human, the wind chased the ghost and the money blew away. Your friend, Miss Tee.” She showed it to me. “That’s perfect Misty,” I said. “It doesn’t make sense,” said Sky. “That’s the point,” said Misty, “it’s just to make them think that it makes sense.”
“I don’t get it,” said Sky. “Neither will they,” I said, “and that’s what we want.” “It is?” asked Sky, “How will they know what it means when it doesn’t mean anything and they won’t even know who wrote it.” “That’s the point,” I said, “it will keep them busy trying to figure out what it means.”
“I still don’t get it,” said Sky. I put the note in the safe. “Hey, don’t lock it yet,” said Misty, “are you not going to look in the back?” She reached in and removed a false panel at the back of the safe. “How did you know about that?” I asked.
“This model of safe always has a false panel at the back,” she said, “I have been studying about safes with Mac.” She smiled. She also pulled out a small box from behind that panel. “Wow, look at these beauties!” she exclaimed…” Before she finished we heard a noise outside.
To Be Continued.
©2025 Steve McLeod.
Well, we are getting a good rest from our last case and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Sienna is back to normal, though she still has not found out who punched her, Misty or Cristy. I can’t tell her since I have too much trouble telling those two apart. Sienna doesn’t seem to believe me. She says I can tell Kat and Jennifer apart and they are identical twins.
I told her I have a secret way to tell them apart, simply by kissing them, and I can’t do that with Misty and Cristy. She doesn’t seem to believe me. One morning while I was having my coffee and donuts, she came and sat on my lap. “And what are you doing?” I asked. “The other girls sit on your lap,” she said, “so why can’t I? You are an older brother and even a boyfriend to the girls at times, so why can’t I?”
“She has a point,” added Jennifer, while continuing her crossword puzzle. I looked at her. “You take the other girls on dates,” Sienna continued, “but you never take me on a date.” “Well, I need permission from Jennifer for dates,” I said, and…” “Granted,” said Jennifer, still continuing with her crossword puzzle. I looked at her.
“Perfect!” exclaimed Sienna, “How about tonight?” “Well, I…” “Granted,” said Jennifer. I looked at her. “Trouble!” I said. Just then the alarm sounded, Code Red C, Code Red C! “The cats!” I shouted, “Where are they?” “Out back!” yelled Cristy. We began to run out the back door, but the first two girls out the door fell to the ground immediately.
They had been shot! I held everyone back while Jennifer and I went outside. “Sky,” I said, and she was by my side. The cats had all scattered in different directions to their safety spots. All but one. King, one of Hannah’s caracals, he lay on the ground bleeding. I checked him. “He’s dead,” I told the girls, “the shooter likely picked him because he was the biggest target.”
We continued on to the back fence while Kat and Angel brought the two girls inside who had been shot. They were taken through the underground tunnel to the clinic by other girls so Kat and Angel could join us outside. “Steve,” said Cristy, “there is a call for you.” I answered my phone, but said nothing. I then called to the cats to go inside, which they did very quickly.
I told the girls to come back inside too, the shooter was gone. Hope and Abigail were the two girls that were shot, but their wounds were not serious. “What was that call Steve?” asked Jennifer. “Oh, nothing serious, just a prank call,” I said. Then I went upstairs to our bedroom where Jennifer and Sky were already waiting for me. “A prank call?” asked Jennifer.
“I didn’t want the others to know about it,” I said, “not yet anyway.” Then I called Dawn. “Make sure all exterior doors are sealed shut and no one goes outside for any reason,” I told her. “Right Steve, good as done,” she replied. “Aari,” I said, “are you guys up yet?” “Well, um, getting there Steve,” he said, “we’re having kind of lazy days lately.”
“It’s a Code Orange,” I said, “no one goes outside for any reason. But get those guys ready to fight.” I then told him what happened. He got the guys up fast and filled them in. “What was the phone call?” asked Trapper. “Steve didn’t say,” replied Aari, “but he will tell us later.” “Okay, enough stalling Steve,” said Jennifer, “what was the call about?”
“I really don’t know,” I said, “it was just a mixed up garbled message, but I couldn’t understand one word. It must have meant something though or why do it?” Cristy then brought up the recording of the message which we all listened to, but none of it made sense. “Let all of the ghosts listen to it Steve,” said Kat, “maybe one of us can figure it out.”
So I called all of them and as soon as I began playing the message, Kitty began talking. “Hello Steve, remember me? I hear you have ghosts living in your chateau, well, I’m here to haunt you and to warn you. This morning was just a test, though I almost hated to kill that weird looking dog. I could have killed those 2 girls as well but I wanted to give you a fair warning.
I plan to kill 2 of your precious girls each day until there are none left. Unless you plan to keep them locked up inside all the time, but really, how long can you do that? But perhaps we can make a deal Steve, what do you think? I will be in touch again. Your friend, Major.” “It was a woman’s voice Steve,” said Kitty, “but the last word wasn’t quite clear, but it sounded like Major.”
“Do you know any other majors Steve?” asked Kat. “No, none at all,” I said, “so that part is a real puzzler.” “Steve,” said Galyna, “we need you down here please.” We all went downstairs to the library. Aoife was sitting on a chair crying so I told her to join me on the couch. “She just got word that her father died,” said Galyna, “it was a heart attack.”
Later we began to make plans to send Aoife home for the funeral, along with some friends to guard her. That is just standard practice for us now. Aoife’s father was only 50 with no prior heart problems, however, heart attacks can hit anyone. I have had a couple myself and I’m even younger. I was lying down thinking about our present problem when Jennifer came and lay down beside me.
“Aoife needs a husband to go with her,” said Jennifer, “her family thinks she is married.” “Why do they think that?” I asked. “That is what Aoife told them,” replied Jennifer, “so they would stop pestering her to get married.” Naturally. “Where do we get her a husband?” I asked, “None of our guys really fit for Aoife.” “There is one that fits perfectly,” she said.
I looked at her. “And who might that be?” I asked. She looked at me and smiled. I was afraid of that. “But I can’t go right now,” I said, “I’m needed here.” “Why?” she asked. I hate those hard questions. I insisted on more people coming with us now and that was okay, there was a nice hotel not far from where Aoife’s mom lived.
Her 2 younger brothers lived close by as well, both were single. We drove up to Aoife’s mom’s house in our limousine, that got the neighbors looking out their windows and some even came out to sit on their porches to watch us. Aoife, Sky, Angel, Misty and I got out of the back, while Sherry and Beryan got out of the front. Aoife’s mother, Aileen, met us at the front door and she hugged Aoife for a long time.
Aoife introduced me, Aileen gave me a quick hug and we all went inside. Aoife introduced me to her two brothers, Finn and Garrett. “Kinda short,” said Finn. “Doesn’t look too strong,” said Garrett. Aoife’s family is sort of tall and kind of strong. After dinner we went back to our hotel and had a nice quiet night. The next morning we went to the funeral home to view the body, however, they were rather reluctant to show us.
Finally they did, and it was her father’s body. But I was curious and began to unbutton the shirt. The director was quite upset and tried to stop me but Aoife pushed him away. “But it’s not legal for you to touch the body,” he exclaimed. When I opened the shirt I discovered why he didn’t want me to look…
To Be Continued.
©2025 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 