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For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Sky was back with me again. While she was gone, I figured out how she was able to get in and out of here without walking through walls or doors. “I figured out how you do it,” I said. “How I do what?” she asked. “Get in and out without walking through walls,” I told her. “Is that all you have been thinking about?” she asked, “You should be thinking about something important, like, how to get out of here.” “I have been doing that too,” I said, “you go out through that vent in the ceiling, whatever it is used for.
After seeing you jump, then seeing that hole in the ceiling, it wasn’t hard to figure things out,” I said smiling. She giggled. “Yes, you are absolutely right,” she said, “it seems to be some kind of air vent, likely not used anymore as it ends in a closet. The closet door doesn’t lock, not that it matters, but it does make it easier and faster to get in and out. The closet is right above us and just has a loose cover over it.” “By the way, how come you can open this door, but not the door into the restaurant?” I asked her.
“No idea actually, but for some reason it doesn’t work,” she said sighing, “otherwise I would take you out of here. Although, it might actually be safer for you down here.” “Not very comfortable though,” I said, “and the bathroom doesn’t have a shower.” She giggled again. “Why can’t I go out through that hole in the ceiling like you?” I asked. “How will you get up there?” she asked in return. “Well, I, could stand on your shoulders,” I said smiling.
“That would get you to the ceiling, but what would you hold onto once you are up there?” she asked again. “Details, always details,” I said sighing, “by the way, I wonder why it is so far up to the closet? Can you tell if there is anything in between?” “Nothing that I could see,” she said, “but all I can see is the inside of that vent. It is about 10 feet up to the closet, plus about 4 feet going off to the side at about the 5 foot level.”
Meanwhile, earlier Sky had warned Jennifer that Nicole would be bringing some new listening devices to the rooms later, so the girls were waiting for her. Nicole knocked on the door of Jennifer’s room and Dawn answered. “I was told to bring clean towels to all the rooms,” said Nicole, a bit nervously. But as she came inside the room Katresa said she would take the towels. “Oh, um, but I am supposed to do that,” she said, even more nervous now.
“You seem nervous,” said Suzette, “would you like to sit down?” “Uh, no, I must continue delivering the towels,” she said, as she put the listening device in among some flowers on the dresser. She then headed for the door. “Wait Nicole,” said Dawn, “you seem to have forgotten something.” Nicole turned and Dawn was holding the listening device in her hand. “Don’t worry,” said Dawn, “it doesn’t work in here, so no one can hear you. Who told you to plant this device in here?”
“It was…my boss,” she said with a very worried look, “if he finds out I failed…” She put her head down and started to cry. “Granger, he will hurt my family if I don’t do what he says,” said Nicole, “I am afraid, I am not like you, I am just an ordinary woman.” “So are we,” said Dawn, “but we have been trained, that is the only difference. We want to help you, if you will let us.” “I would like to go back to my family,” she said, “but that would be too dangerous for them, so I stay here and do whatever they tell me.
Some things are normal. Some things they require me to do are…terrible. But if I don’t do it, they will hurt my family, maybe even kill them.” “Galyna”, said Jennifer, “check up on Nicole Rousseau’s family for me, and let me know what you find.” “Sure thing Jennifer,” she said, “glad you asked me something I can actually do. Not having Annelie around is hard.” Jennifer told Nicole to put the other listening devices in the rooms and not to worry. She then called everyone and told them to let Nicole leave the devices behind.
Meanwhile, back in the dungeon. “I am going to visit Granger for a few minutes,” said Sky, “if anyone comes in here, just say my name and I will be back quickly.” “Do I have to yell?” I asked. “No, just say my name in your normal voice,” she said, “I will hear you and come right away, don’t worry.” Off she went and suddenly appeared in Granger’s office. “How did you get in here?” he yelled. “I live here, this castle is my home,” she said calmly, “and you are intruding, so you must leave.”
Granger and Conrad laughed. “Shoot her Conrad,” said Granger as he turned back to his desk. Conrad pulled out his gun and tried shooting, but nothing happened. “My gun isn’t working,” said Conrad. “Naturally,” said Sky, “I don’t want it to work. I am a ghost, you can’t kill a ghost because I am already dead.” “Listen to her,” said Conrad, not believing what he just heard, “she sounds like she actually believes what she is saying.”
“I do believe it,” said Sky, “I am the one that killed your 3 friends before, and I will keep killing you until you leave my home.” Then Conrad dropped his gun, yelling about it being too hot. “Men are so stubborn,” she said. Just then two more men came into the office, not knowing Sky was there and since they turned to talk with Granger right away, they didn’t notice her behind them. “Hi guys,” she said. They turned, and jumped when they only saw her head in front of them.
They then backed up until they were beside Granger and Conrad. “Hey, it’s just her head now boss,” said Conrad. “I can see that,” said Granger, “nice trick lady, but not convincing enough.” Her body returned. “Then tell me how it was done, if you are so smart,” said Sky. “She isn’t even there,” said one man, “it’s some kind of projected image, that’s all.” “Then come and touch my hand,” said Sky, as she held out her hand to him. He walked over and touched her.
“She is real,” he said. He then screamed and fell to the floor, dead. “Oh, it was me that stopped your cameras from working,” she said, “now, I will tell you again, get out of my castle.” She then disappeared and came back to me again. “You were gone a long time,” I said, “I was getting worried.” “Sorry Steve,” she said, “I will not stay away so long next time. Granger is not going to be easy to scare.
We need to find another way to get his attention. He has many businesses around the US and is starting to add more to his little empire here in Europe. Maybe we could slow his expansion plans and make him lose money in the process.” “Hmm, that is a good thought,” I said. So, I contacted Jennifer and told her about Sky’s idea. She thought that would be a good job for the Knight Riders and I agreed…
To Be Continued.
©2024 Steve McLeod.
While everyone was having lunch, Matt called Mac and asked him about Armand. “One of the best hit men there is,” said Mac, “he does not usually miss, no matter who he is after, why?” “Granger put out a contract for Annelie and Armand got her today,” said Matt. Dawn had put one of our scramblers on the table so it would be safe for everyone to talk, something we do all the time now, unless we want to be heard. There was silence at the table when they heard the news.
“Is she alive?” asked Mac. “Machines are keeping her alive right now,” said Matt, “turn off the machines and she dies. Kat is coming back to see what she can do, but the rest of her Wildcats should be there very soon.” “I will get Armand once this is over,” said Mac. “You mean, ‘we will’,” said Matt. “Only way to get near Armand is for one man to go,” said Mac. “Hmm, I see your point,” agreed Matt, “but for now we want to get Steve free and stop Granger.”
Meanwhile, back to the dungeon. After Bob died Tom punched me hard in the stomach, twice. The second one really hurt, even though it was my stomach, it was right at the spot where my spine causes so much pain. I really groaned and fell onto the straw again. “Hey, don’t blame me when your men die,” I said, “I certainly can’t kill them. Granger, if you want our assistance for anything, tell your men to stop using me for a punching bag.
Maybe you should start believing those haunted castle stories. I mean, guys don’t just suddenly scream and drop dead.” “Tell me how you get out of those shackles,” demanded Granger. “Those things are old,” I said, “they don’t hold properly after a while of jiggling them. No big secret there.” “Could be true,” said Conrad to Granger. “Leave him loose,” said Granger. “Thanks,” I responded, “any chance for some food? Even a sandwich and some water would be nice.”
A few minutes later, that is what I got. Sky and I were sitting on the straw when I frowned. “There is some trouble upstairs,” I told Sky. She disappeared, but said she would not be long. She then appeared next to Jennifer, so Jennifer excused herself and went back to the room where they could talk. She told Sky what had happened and said Kat was on the way home to see if she could help Annelie. Sky was very angry at the news.
“We need to teach Granger a lesson,” said Sky, “so far he has had the upper hand, we must change that.” “You need to watch Steve carefully Sky,” said Jennifer as she started to cry, “please look after him… for both of us.” “I will, so I must get back to him,” said Sky. “Here, take our regular communicator, then you won’t need to keep coming up here,” said Jennifer. Right then Amerie came into the room with two lunch specials for Sky to take with her.
Sky thanked her and disappeared again. I was lying on the straw, still hungry, when Sky returned with lunch. “It is from Amerie,” she said, “your younger sister loves you.” “It certainly was nice of her to think of me,” I said. “That is not what I meant,” said Sky. I sighed. “People always like to talk in riddles,” I said. After we finished eating Sky told me what had happened with Annelie. Now I was angry and wanted to shout at Granger!
“No, don’t do that,” said Sky, “how would you explain knowing about this?” “Yes, I guess you are right,” I said, “we don’t want him to know what we can do.” “Exactly,” said Sky, “but we will start doing some things to get his attention. Which is why two of his men died, though that didn’t seem to disturb him much. But, I will keep at my ghostly ways which hopefully will get his attention soon. Hmm, maybe that will help.” She then jumped up in the corner where the camera was located and soon large sparks were flying out from the wiring.
“Whoa, what happened?!” exclaimed Conrad. “What are you talking about now?” asked Granger. “It would seem all the cameras in this place are no longer working,” said Conrad, “must have been a major short in the wiring.” “Oh, that’s great,” said Granger, “just what we need when a bunch more people are coming in here to snoop around. How could that happen?” “I have no idea,” said Conrad, “I would have to look at all of them until I found the one that caused the problem.”
“Well, you certainly don’t have time to do that,” said Granger, “Emerick just let me know that the other guests have arrived.” “Well, if we have an opportunity, we do have some listening devices we could put in the rooms,” said Conrad, “better than nothing.” “Good, get that Nicole to do it for us,” said Granger, “just let her know it is health insurance for her family.” “Hope she doesn’t find out about her family,” said Conrad. “If she does, we get rid of her too,” said Granger, “rather simple really.”
They both laughed. Back in the cell. “That was some nice jump Sky,” I said, smiling. “Wish I could have done that before,” she said giggling, “and now…” She went over to the door and there were more sparks and the door opened easily for her. She walked down to where the two guards were sitting, drinking and talking. Her head then appeared, but it looked horrible and she laughed at them. They both screamed but were too terrified to move! Then a hand appeared and Sky touched the one man’s heart area.
There was a large electrical shock and the man fell off his chair, dead. That is when the other man took out his gun, but it became too hot for him to hold, so he dropped it and ran! The man reached Granger’s office but was too terrified to talk at first. Once he settled down, four other men went with him to their guard spot and found the other man dead. They checked on me and found me sleeping, but the door was unlocked. They locked it again and left to report back about what they had found.
Granger was not too happy about any of this. “Armand has arrived boss,” said Conrad. “Good, tell him I want the PI’s wife and two sisters dead by tomorrow,” said Granger, “at least he is getting things done.” Sky was listening to their conversation and relayed the information to Jennifer. Although Jennifer was in no danger, Katresa and Amerie definitely were. The owner was supposed to try out the new fire alarm system just before dinner which would send everyone outside.
Armand was positioned in one of the towers where he could see everything perfectly. Three shots were all he needed, he told himself. Just then he felt something sharp against his neck. “Back away from the rifle Armand,” said Mac, “then turn around slowly.” Armand did so and when he saw Mac, he gasped! “Carver!” he exclaimed, “but you are dead!” “Never believe everything you hear Armand,” said Mac, “that is one of the main rules in our business.” Armand then fell to the floor…dead.
To Be Continued.
©2024 Steve McLeod.
Steve`s Country 