We were just eating our lunch when more of Whitaker’s men showed up, 5 of them in all. I should have realized they might have a tracker on Celestine’s car, that way they can follow without being close to us. “Wow, Steve, did you see how big that one guy is?” she asked me, “He’s like 4 men in one.” I almost burst out laughing when she said that. “Yes, he’s even bigger than Mr. Fats,” I said. “Mr. Fats?” she asked, “Are you talking about the chubby guy that works for Whitaker?”

“Yep, that’s the name he uses,” I said, “and he is very strong even though he looks fat. He comes from New York originally. Whitaker has a nightclub there too and that is where he worked before coming here.” “How did you find out?” she asked. “My wife told me when I called her last night,” I said, “you were asleep and I couldn’t sleep, so I called her. I found out a few things about Whitaker and his friends. He is going to get a big surprise soon, and I don’t think he’s going to like it either, but that’s what he deserves for allowing Mr. Fats to hit my Queen.”

“You be careful with calling me your Queen, my King,” she said, “or you might let it slip when you get back home.” “You mean when ‘we’ get back home, little sis,” I said, smiling at her. That’s when those 5 men came over and said they were taking my girlfriend from me. I told them to leave us alone before they get hurt. That’s when one of them pulled out a gun and put it against Celestine’s head. Fortunately I was holding her hand at the time so she was safe.

“Leave us alone!” I said firmly and loudly. I did that on purpose to alert Rock and John that we needed help. Rock was the man Celestine was talking about in being so large. They followed us on this hike deliberately in case we needed some help. They got up now and came over. “Is there a problem over here?” asked John. “Yeah, these guys want to take my girlfriend from me,” I said. That’s when Rock pounded the man with the gun right on the head.

His legs crumpled under him and he fell to the ground. Then he picked up two others and banged their heads together a couple of times which knocked them out. John was busy with the remaining two men and handled them quite easily. “Thanks guys,” I said, “I want you to meet Celestine. (then I turned to Celestine) This is Rock and John, two of my best friends. They also work on my team. I deliberately had them follow us, just in case we needed help.”

Celestine looked at me blinking the way she does, just like Misty and Cristy. “And what other surprises do you have?” she asked. “Well, there is also Sky and Angel,” I said. “Did you call for us?” asked Sky, “Looks like we are too late for the party.” Fortunately they appeared behind Celestine. “Hey, they’re the twins you were watching at the beach!” said Celestine, “You have been lying to me! I don’t want a friend that lies to me!” Then she slapped me, rather hard.

That’s when Sky and Angel took her aside to talk with her. “I think I messed up again,” I said to Rock and John. “Yep,” said Rock, “that’s normal.” “Thanks Rock,” I said, “I appreciate that.” “Oh, you’re welcome,” he said. “I think Steve was being sarcastic Rock,” said John. “Oh, he was?” asked Rock, “What a strange thing.” I just sighed. I went over and told the family that it might be a good idea for them to leave now. They agreed and headed back the way they came.

That’s good, that way we will be behind them, and these guys will be behind us. We took the gun and the knives that each man had with them. Odd that only one of them had a gun, perhaps Whitaker doesn’t trust these guys enough to give all of them guns. That’s good for us anyway. The girls have finished talking with Celestine now and she came over to me and gave me a nice hug. “Is it okay for the Queen to kiss her King still?” she asked.

“I would be hurt if you didn’t,” I said, “and honestly, Jennifer won’t mind.” Meower!= “Oooooo, another long one!” “You be careful Sir Night,” said Celestine, “or you won’t be introduced to any of those pretty girl cats at our new home.” His ears went straight up. Meower.= “Ooopsy, me be quiet now.” We got back to our cars and John found the tracker on Celestine’s car and gave it to Rock. He then threw it at a passing bus going the opposite way and it landed on the roof.

“That should keep them busy for a while,” said Rock. We got in Celestine’s car and drove off and the others followed behind us. “Sorry I slapped you again,” said Celestine. “I’m getting used to it now,” I said, “but apology accepted.” We got back home without problems and our 4 friends stayed with us to help with this next clue. “I hope there isn’t too many more of these riddles,” I said. Celestine looked at me. “Did you forget your promise already?” she asked me.

“Promise, what promise?” I asked in return. Meower.= “You promise my human this be last clue you look.” “Oh, that promise,” I said, “but you want to find that, um, whatever we’re looking for, don’t you?” “After all we have been through,” she said, “I can honestly say NO. Well, maybe no anyway.” “Aha! That’s it, don’t give up,” I said, “now, where is the clue?” She took out the latest clue for our big riddle and read it to us,

“Now the Queen must kiss her King, or she’ll not see a thing. Sitting round on the chair, gently blowing in her hair. Reading now beneath the cat, then in his tummy, think of that! This is half of what you need but now you must move with speed. Where you sleep with your King, underneath you’ll find a thing. Open wide, reach inside, feel around, till you have found. It will not work to rush ahead, follow clues just right instead.”

“I don’t understand why I need to kiss you to see something,” she said. “Well, try it and see,” said Sky, “I want to know why too.” “But we need to do it right,” I said, “first we need this round chair by the window, with the window open to blow your hair around.” Celestine looked at me. I opened the window and there was a nice breeze, then I sat on the chair and Celestine sat on my lap and kissed me. She then opened her eyes and on a small shelf on the wall, was a ceramic cat which Rock got down and handed to Celestine.

It was hollow and there was a hole in the bottom and something rattled inside. She shook it a few times and out dropped a key. “Hey, we’re getting close,” I said excitedly. “Yes!” exclaimed Celestine, “Now, off to bed!” We went but didn’t find anything underneath of it which was disappointing. “Maybe those fake ghosts found it already,” said Celestine. “Was the bed always in this spot?” asked John. “No, it was over here,” she said, “but when I took over the house 3 months ago I moved it over here.”

John looked at the old place and there on the hardwood floor was a lock, very easy to miss since it was just a spot to put a key. I let Celestine unlock it, but she wanted me to feel around inside, in case there were spiders in there. I reached in and pulled out a cloth bag filled with gems of various kinds. “Alfred will be able to help us with these,” I said, “some, or all, of them may be stolen gems.”

“That would be my luck,” said Celestine, “all this searching and we find stolen gems.” “Well, they may not be,” I said, “but we have to be ready for that possibility.” Meanwhile, “Someone named Aari is here to see you Mr. Whitaker,” said a woman, “he said you will want to talk with him.”

To Be Continued. ©2025 Steve McLeod.