Well, we had a nice quiet night in our hotel room, but Jennifer and I were a bit late for breakfast, which is not good. We have a busy schedule for today, this is the first day those gems will be on display at the museum and we want to be there. Plans work good on paper sometimes, but then comes the real test of carrying out those plans. I don’t want any problems to develop, so we will go take a first hand look at the set up at the museum, we just might have to make some minor changes to our plan.

Hopefully no major changes will need to be made. I was sitting on one of the chairs in the room, daydreaming again, and Sky was suddenly sitting on my lap, smiling at me. She then gave me a kiss and said she was glad I was getting more involved in the case. “That is very important Steve,” she said, “you are doing too much daydreaming lately and that is not good.” “Yes, I know, it might mean resigning from The Investigators,” I said, “since I am quickly becoming a liability.”

“No, you are not, stop thinking that way,” she scolded me, “you are still much needed on this team. After all, you have the most experience of anyone on this team. And I will stick around to help you out.” “I don’t know if you are real, or part of my daydreams,” I said, “and everyone is getting worried about that. At least those who know.” “Touch my face, and my hair,” she said, “do I feel real or am I just a dream?” “You feel very much real,” I said, “but how is that possible?”

“Don’t worry about that right now,” she said, “but for now, trust me and those I mentioned before. Trust all of the Bad Girls on their new team.” Just then Jennifer came into the room from the bathroom. “What am I going to do with you Steve?” she asked, “Every time my back is turned you have another girl on your lap.” She then smiled. “Welcome Sky,” she added, “so nice to see you again.” Then there was a knock at the door and Jennifer went to see who it was.

She let Amerie come in and she told us we were late for breakfast. But half way through her sentence she stopped as she noticed Sky sitting on my lap. She just stared. “Amerie,” said Jennifer, “you look like you just saw a ghost.” Amerie looked at Sky, then me, then Jennifer, then back to Sky. “Hello Amerie,” said Sky, “I am so glad to meet you finally. Thank you so much for saving Steve’s life back in Montreal, you are a very brave woman. And so are your friends.

That is why I knew you would make perfect bodyguards for Steve.” Amerie walked closer, looking at Sky. “I do not know how you do this,” she said, “but Sky looks so real.” “We are not doing anything,” said Jennifer, “Sky is real.” “But, but, how can that be?” asked Amerie, “You said she had been killed.” “For now it must remain a secret,” said Sky, “can you keep a secret?” “Yes, certainly I can,” she said. Sky then talked to us all for a few minutes and then disappeared.

“I, just do not understand,” said Amerie, “why did she allow me to see her, but not others?” “As she said, some things must remain secret for now,” Jennifer reminded her, “I do not fully understand this either. You need to contact Carmen again Steve and have a good serious talk with her, before she gets killed.” “Yes, I agree,” I said, “I will get Kat to contact Trapper and hopefully I can see Carmen today.” We then went down for breakfast in the hotel restaurant.

I had just finished eating when I got a phone call from an unknown number, but I answered anyway. Glad I did, it was Carmen, asking if we could meet at the same spot in 20 minutes. I told her it might take a bit longer to get there from our hotel, so we made it 35 minutes instead. She was already sitting on the bench when we arrived, and with her were two very large cats, wild cats called Caracal. I got out and sat down beside her. “Very beautiful cats,” I told her, “apparently Caracals make good pets.”

“They do indeed,” she replied, “I wanted you to see my cats just to show I’m not all bad. I’m surprised your car drove away, leaving you here and defenseless.” “Well, that was the deal yesterday, I was to be alone,” I answered, “so I figured the same rules applied today.” “You don’t need to worry, I will not hurt, kill or kidnap you,” she said, smiling, “so, you think I could change? There are arrest warrants for me in 5 countries, including this one.” “Have you ever killed anyone?” I asked her.

“Only people like myself, never any innocent people,” she said, “and I know what you are thinking, but that little girl was not my doing, it was Brielle. She has no conscience and has killed children before. To be honest, I am afraid of her. These men with me are the only ones left that are loyal to me. Perhaps you do not believe me, but I do want to change, I’m tired of this Steve. I know having me with your team would give you a bad name since I am a criminal. The police would be hunting me, and you too, I guess.

I can change completely, and I want to do so. I can work under you, I can take orders, I’m sure I can be of help to you. Is there possibly a way it could work Steve?” “Yes, there is a way it can work,” I said, “and you won’t have to worry about the police, or Brielle. But there is still a little matter that is very important to me.” She smiled and had one of her men open a secret compartment behind the back seat. Out crawled Mandar, a little stiff from being in that small space, but otherwise he was looking good.

“I decided to bring him with me now or it would be difficult to get him back from Brielle,” said Carmen, “you were right, Brielle wants me dead, sooner rather than later. If you do not wish to take me, then I surrender to you and you can hand me over to the police.” Right at that moment a white van drove by, the side door opened and two men began shooting.

Two of Carmen’s men fell and so did Carmen. “White van heading north, stop it!” I exclaimed. Two of our vans stopped it not far down the road and all 5 men in the white van were killed. As Carmen laid on the ground, bleeding, she said weakly, “Please look after my cats for me Steve.” The Bad Girls were here by this time and stood around me. “She almost made it,” I said, “we will stop Brielle for this…”

To Be Continued.

©2024 Steve McLeod.