We are all back at the hotel now, where we are trying to relax for a bit before heading back over to Elenore’s house. There are 6 girls, 5 cats and Angel guarding her at the moment so I asked Sky to take Kitty back there and bring 2 of the girls back to the hotel for a break. Then Jennifer asked to go as well so that 4 of the girls could take a break since those 4 have been guarding Elenore the longest, so I said okay to that. They took 4 cats with them too and Sky will bring the other 5 cats back as well. Apparently there have been no problems at Elenore’s house while we were gone.

It’s possible that Swann will try to lay low for a while hoping that we will leave if nothing else is happening. Therefore, we will have to make sure that something happens. “Don’t forget about the plan to get you charged with murder Steve,” Friskie reminded me. “Hey, wait a minute,” said Jennifer, “I don’t remember that.” “Oh, that was something I told them,” said Venus. She was lying on the bed now and one of the girls was putting ointment on her many bruises.

“Friskie, you stay close to Steve at all times,” said Jennifer, “you’re his wife remember, so where he goes, you go. And I mean everywhere!” “But…” was as far as she got and Sky took her and Kitty away. Friskie gave a big sigh. Then Sky and Angel returned. “Jennifer said to bring Angel back with me,” said Sky, “she figures you need more protection than Elenore right now.” Then she disappeared, returning twice more with the other four girls and the cats. Celestine came over to me and sat on my lap and kissed me. “I’m so glad you were not hurt Steve,” she said, “or even worse.”

“Hey, wait a minute,” said Friskie, “he’s my husband, not yours.” “Well, you weren’t sitting on his lap,” replied Celestine giggling. Friskie sighed again. Meanwhile, back at the chateau. “A limousine and van have driven up,” said Dawn to Kat. “Oh, company, let’s see what they want,” said Kat. A man got out of the front seat of the limousine and Dawn called out to him. “Please remain by your car, state your name and business,” she said, “no one else is to get out of either vehicle until proper identification is given. This machine gun works very well, don’t make me use it please.”

The man gave his name and the name of his boss, which was Christopher and he stated that Christopher would like to come in and talk. Kat communicated this with me and Jennifer. “Tell Christopher he may come in with 2 others, but no weapons and no one else is to leave their vehicle,” said Kat. Christopher and two men came up to the door and were checked by our x-ray machine and no weapons were found on them. Then they came into the inner entry where Dawn brought her cat Ginger to sniff the “guests” for any other threats.

They were clean, however, so she led them into the library where Kat was waiting for them. “Well, well, Jennifer,” said Christopher, “it has been a while since we last saw each other, just before you ran away.” “I don’t recall running,” said Kat, “I just left, I don’t need to run from you.” “Is that so,” he replied, “do you remember this ring?” He then pointed it at Kat, still thinking she was Jennifer. Kristina recognized it must be some kind of weapon. He was sitting on a chair and Kristina grabbed his arm and broke it over her knee!

He yelled in pain and she then pulled the ring off his finger, causing him to yell even more. “You made a big mistake wearing that ring,” said Kat, “didn’t you think I would recognize it? Now watch this Christopher.” Kat then split in two. “Like what I can do now?” asked both of them together, “Now I can be double the trouble for you.” They both laughed together. “Hello Christopher,” I said, “remember me?” “What? You, you’re supposed to be with Fiske,” he said, “he told me you had been kidnapped.” “I was in his possession briefly,” I said, “along with my wife.”

“But Jennifer is here,” he said, “how could she have been kidnapped too.” “I wasn’t kidnapped,” said Jennifer, “Steve’s wife was kidnapped.” “Don’t look so surprised Christopher,” I said, “you should know I can’t marry a ghost. Now, you will spend a lot of time in prison, or the grave, it’s your choice.” He then stood up in front of me. “You have nothing on me to keep me here,” he said, “and killing me would be murder.” “You are completely wrong about that,” I said.

Then I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and that is the last thing I remember. “You lose Steve,” said Christopher laughing. But Jennifer came over and kicked him twice, killing him. “Destroy those vehicles out there Sky!” yelled Kat, then she came to me. Kristina and Carine took care of the other two men, killing them both. Sky went out onto the steps and shot two lightning balls at the van which caused a huge explosion which also destroyed the car and all the men in both vehicles. “Wow, there must have been explosives in that van!” exclaimed Dawn.

Sky then took me and Kat to the clinic emergency room. Unfortunately Samantha was at the pool for her break so Jennifer pressed the emergency button, “Clinic Emergency, Steve Down” was broadcast around the chateau and Samantha came running. “Sky, take me back to Canada please,” she said. “Are you sure sis?” asked Kat. “I can’t help here, but you can,” she said, “I can be more help over there. We need to get rid of the others too.” Back at the hotel. “Well, did you get that Christopher man?” asked Amerie. “Yes, and all the men he brought with him,” said Jennifer. “But he got Steve,” added Sky.

There was silence in the room. “He is still alive,” added Sky, “now I have to go, that’s why I brought Kristina along, Steve might need my blood again.” She then disappeared, arriving back at the clinic. “Anymore news from Swann?” asked Jennifer. “Not a thing,” said Melanie. “I hacked into his computer,” said Akila, “but he hasn’t used it all day. On his schedule for tomorrow is a meeting with Gordon and another with W, followed by a third with Betty. But I can’t find anything telling who those two new people are and the W is likely Williams.”

“Hmm, that means he has gone to the city,” said Jennifer, “so that is where we will go, right now. Get in the vans everyone, except for those guarding Elenore and Venus. Friskie, you stay here with Venus along with 6 girls and 4 cats. Angel and Kitty will be with Elenore along with 4 girls and 6 cats. Why is my bag moving?” Out pops a little white head. “Meowy.= Me want to help guard Venus girl too, Cristy say it okay with her, I even have catpack.” Catpack is what we call the cats backpacks now. “Okay, but you have to stay close to Venus then,” she said as she put Snow on the bed with Venus.

Snow began to purr nice and loud. “Oh my, what a cute kitty!” exclaimed Venus. “And there are clothes for you in this bag,” said Jennifer. “Steve is going to be okay, isn’t he?” asked Venus. “Yep, he’ll be okay,” she replied, “he’s been hurt worse than that.” Jennifer decided to only take Sky’s Bad Girls with her, so that left 6 more girls to stay behind, so three stayed at the hotel and 3 went to Elenore’s house. Elenore was watching out the living room window as the three girls came up the steps. “Oh my, those girls fell down!” yelled Elenore. Angel jumped quickly toward Elenore as two bullets came through the window, hitting her in the back…

To Be Continued. ©2026 Steve McLeod.