After Friskie identified herself, then I could understand why I didn’t recognize her. People change a lot over the years and since she was only 10 years old back then when I used to babysit her and now she’s an adult, that’s a big change. It was 12 years ago and she was just 17 when her daughter was born. “What is your daughter’s name?” I asked. “You should know the answer to that,” said Friskie, “don’t you remember what I told my big superhero?” That is what she always called me. “That would mean her name is Steffie,” I said smiling.

“Yes!” she exclaimed, and gave me a kiss, “Now, you have all the information, you know where to find me and it’s time for you 3 to go back to sleep. Please don’t tell anyone I was here.” “I have to tell my team,” I said, “they will want to know how I got this information.” “Yes, guess that’s true,” she said, “but please don’t let Jazzy’s men know, they work for Mr. Schultz.” “That’s good to know,” I said, thank you, and don’t worry, we’ll get Steffie.”

“Please be careful Steve,” she said, “I want my daughter back, but I want my superhero to come back as well.” Then she opened the bedroom door and left. I still don’t understand how she got into Jazzy’s house, which is locked, and into our bedroom, which is also locked. And what about my bodyguards? They just slept through all of this? I looked over at them, it certainly looked like they were sleeping peacefully. I tried communicating with Jennifer, though I figured she would be sleeping too, after all, why not? I still don’t understand why our ghosts need to sleep, but, there are a lot of things I don’t understand.

Amazingly, she answered me right away and asked what was wrong. So I told her about my visitor and how she somehow managed to get in here undetected. Jennifer then told Kat who was staying with her tonight. Apparently Kat wasn’t too happy about my bodyguards sleeping through all of this, so she told me what to do about it. Oooo, so sneaky, but fun! I whispered to Snow and Sir Night and their little heads were bobbing up and down with delight. Snow has the loudest screech, so she led the way. SCREECH!!

That definitely worked! Celestine was awake and had her gun out remarkably fast! Sky and Angel were up and standing, looking around. “What happened?” asked Celestine, “Why did Snow screech like that?” Meowser= “To wake up sleepy guards of bodies.” Meowy= “Yep, everyone sleep through intruder time.” “What? What intruder?” said Sky, “Where did he go?” “He, I mean, she, left already,” I said, “but she was here for 20 minutes and no one woke up, except Snow and Sir Night.”

“And why didn’t you wake me my darling Sir Night?” asked Celestine. Meowser= “Intruder cemetery ghost not want us to wake up sleepyheads.” Meowy= “It cemetery waitress ghost now.” Meowser= “Oh, that right, me forget.” Meowy= “That okay, easy mistake.” “Um, may I say something?” Celestine asked the cats. They look at her nodding yes. “Thank you, now, since when do you listen to intruders?” she asked, “You wake us up, just like you did now or no more treats for a month!” “Now that’s not nice,” I said, “the intruder was the waitress, she had arranged to come and visit me.”

“And you expect us to believe you?” asked Sky, “How could anyone get in here with the bedroom door locked, and without waking Angel and I?” “Steve is right,” said Angel, “the waitress was here, I can smell her perfume.” “I don’t smell anything,” said Sky sniffing. “Neither do I,” said Celestine. I then told them what Friskie had said to me. “That Schultz better not hurt that little girl,” said Sky, “or he will certainly regret it and I will be the one to make sure he does!!” Then she suddenly disappeared, but she returned quickly with Kat and Jennifer.

“Where are those other two miserable guards?” asked Kat. “Kristina is on duty guarding Jazzy like I told her,” I said, “since Jazzy’s bodyguards are working for Schultz. And Kitty is guarding the other cats, plus her roommates, like I told her. I don’t want to lose anymore cats.” “Oh, okay,” said Kat, then looking at the others, “and Celestine is off the hook too since her role is being Steve’s wife, not his bodyguard. As for you two, what is your excuse?” “Um, we didn’t hear anything?” said Sky, trying to produce a weak smile.

“It’s not their fault either,” I said. “Hey, you’re not supposed to help them,” said Kat, “they messed up big time, that waitress could just as easily killed you as talk with you.” “But somehow she was able to get in here, through locked doors,” I said, “and make sure that no one heard her or heard us talking together. How did she do that? Unless she is also a ghost.” “Right,” said Angel, “that must be it, she’s a ghost, and that’s one of her abilities!” “Makes sense to me,” I said. “Me too,” said Celestine.

“But if she’s a ghost, and can go wherever she wants,” said Jennifer, “then why does she need us to get her daughter back?” “Well, it’s possible that she can’t pass on her abilities to her daughter like you ghosts can,” said Celestine, “like Sky here can take anyone flying all over, but the rest of you can’t do that.” Kat and Jennifer were silent for a few minutes. “What was the little girl’s name?” asked Jennifer quietly. “Steffie,” I said, “and I think we need to get her quickly before Schultz hurts that little girl, if he hasn’t already.” “If he has hurt Steffie,” said Jennifer, “then he will die, and I will personally take care of that!”

“I’m first in line for that duty,” said Sky. Then Jennifer stared at her, or is it glared at her? “Right after you, I meant,” said Sky. Since Sky had not been to Mr. Schultz’ place of residence before, they needed Sherry to drive them, and they were soon on their way. “They” referring to Sherry, Kat, Jennifer and Sky. Oddly enough, Mr. Schultz actually lived here in Bremen even though his main business was in Berlin. Well, that was his legitimate business anyway, although in this instance I don’t think any business of his could be rightly called legitimate.

It still took them about half an hour to get there. Arriving, they discovered a high stone wall around his house with a big, iron gate blocking the driveway. They decided to leave the car on the street with Sherry, while the three ghosts jumped over the wall. Jennifer took the others through the door and upstairs they went, invisible so they wouldn’t set off any alarms. They went to the room that Steffie should have been in, but she wasn’t there, so they went to Friskie’s room and she, likewise, was not in her room.

So, they just went from room to room finding most empty, but some had people though not who they wanted. Back downstairs they went thinking they had been sent on some wild chase, but why do that? Then they heard a scream which sounded like it came from the cellar, but where is the cellar door? Sky suggested it was likely in the kitchen, so they went to look and the cellar door was open, so down they went. They couldn’t believe what they saw!

Schultz was there with an old fashioned, and very hot, branding iron, which he was about to use on the little girl! Two men were holding Friskie who was pleading with Schultz not to do it. Suddenly Schultz couldn’t move his arm, Jennifer was holding it. Then Kat took the branding iron from him while Sky appeared behind the two men holding Friskie and electrocuted them. “Little boys shouldn’t be playing with such dangerous things,” said Kat, “you might get burned.”

Jennifer turned him around and bent him over while Kat used the branding iron on him. It burned right through his pants easily and he yelled loudly! “That’s where you planned to brand this little girl,” said Kat, “now you know what it feels like.” Sky then grabbed Friskie and Steffie and disappeared while Kat and Jennifer ran back to the car and off they drove, fast!

To Be Continued. ©2026 Steve McLeod.