Well, we got Mandy and Erika safely back to us here at the hotel, however, this is not really where I want them to be. But we can watch over them easily here, I think. I asked Sky to go pick up Kat and bring her back here again too, she had gone back to the chateau. But I sent Kristina back to the chateau, so she and Carine are the ghosts over there right now, all others are here.

I am expecting trouble from Adamson, especially when he realizes that I got to Mandy and Erika before he did. Meanwhile, off to Australia. Adamson had his men watching the schools and were told to pick up the girls when they came out after school classes were finished for that day. But, they did not see the girls come out, so they went to check with each principal and discovered the girls had been picked up already.

When the men told Adamson, he was furious that I had spoiled his plans! Then Tina, who had left us earlier to go back to Miss Hanson, told Adamson that Irene had gone over to our side. Then Adamson got a call from the man that works at the mainland cemetery and he told him that we had gotten a court order to exhume the body of Geraldine.

Now Adamson was yelling and shouting at everyone! “If they do that, then they will find out it’s not Geraldine!” he yelled, “Then the police will come out here and start looking around. We need to hide all of the photography equipment and get rid of any kids that are here.” “Oooo, can I do that part?” asked Tina. “You like killing, don’t you?” asked Miss Hanson.

“Yep, I would like to kill Summer too,” she said, “but I could never get close to her now.” “Well, if my men can get their hands on her,” said Adamson, “then she will be all yours.” “Thank you so much dear uncle!” she exclaimed. Adamson laughed heartily. “Yes indeed, you are wonderful great niece of Toledo,” smiled Adamson, “wish my kids were as diabolical as you my dear.”

“Aww, thanks uncle!” she said smiling. Adamson then sent some men over to the Spider House to watch for Irene and to kill her when she came outside. But Charlie, one of the men from the village, saw them coming and warned Irene and she told the girls I left to guard her. Misty then called to tell me and I sent Sky and Angel back over there to help.

“Um, if they are real ghosts,” said Summer, “how come they are solid? I mean, like, I can touch them and they feel like real people, but they can disappear. Kinda confusing, sort of, I think.” “Well, some ghosts can make themselves solid when they want to be,” I said, “so they don’t scare people.” “Oh, yeah, that makes sense,” she said, “kinda anyway, sort of, I think.

And why do they eat, and sleep, and shower, and wear makeup? I thought ghosts didn’t need to do that sort of thing.” “Well, even ghosts like to be clean and look pretty,” said Jennifer, “at least, girl ghosts do anyway.” “Oh, yeah, that makes sense,” said Summer, “kinda anyway, sort of, I think.”

Back to the Spider House. “I just can’t think of any reason why Adamson and Miss Hanson are so interested in this old house,” said Irene, “I have spent a lot of time searching around in here and haven’t found anything of interest. Except for that trap door in the basement which I couldn’t open.” The girls were ready to go outside until Irene said that last sentence.

Soon they were in the basement looking at that trap door. It was locked, but Misty had it open quickly. However, the door was too heavy for any of them to lift it. Sky asked Irene to turn around and when she turned back, there was a huge lion in the basement which scared Irene. “Don’t worry,” said Sky, “this is my friend Courage. He helps when we need some strength.”

They made a makeshift harness and Courage pulled open the trap door easily. “I still don’t understand how that big lion…” that was as far as Irene got and she looked all around, but Courage was gone and Angel was back. Sky and Kitty jumped into the hole in the floor under the trap door. Sky came jumping back up in a few minutes with a small wooden jewelry box.

When she opened the box it was full of diamonds, emeralds and rubies. “Oooh, look at these rubies!” exclaimed Misty, and she went on to explain all about them and that they were part of an important collection that was stolen 18 years ago from a Paris exhibition.

She detailed the theft and how many people were involved, but only 2 got away with the jewels. She said what they were worth at the time and what they would be worth now. Everyone was looking at Misty. “Steve is right, you only sleep 4 hours a night, maybe just 2 hours,” said Sky, “no other explanation for how you can learn so much.”

“I sleep just as much as Cristy,” she said. “That isn’t saying much,” said Sky, “Cristy never sleeps, she’s always awake whenever Steve calls her.” “She just sounds awake,” said Misty, “she wakes up fast, takes me a whole hour to wake up.” Sky just looks at her.

“That’s because you only sleep for 2 hours,” she said. Misty sighed. Then Kitty jumped up with another box like the first and said there was a lot of gold in there as well. “That’s why Adamson wants this house,” said Irene, “his gang must have hid that in here years ago. Geraldine likely knew about it but wouldn’t tell him, that is why she was killed.”

Sky let me know what they found and I told her to shut the trap door, but bring the jewels back with them. So, that is what they did, then they all left the house and once far enough away Misty pressed a button and several packages from Catalina exploded into flames inside the house. But those men Adamson had outside began to shoot…

To Be Continued.

©2025 Steve McLeod.