Matt and Mac began their questioning of Layne and Lance while the girls stayed off to the side with their guns ready. ”Now,” said Matt, “we can do this easy, or hard, the choice is yours. But, if you are smart you will choose the easy way. The hard way is painful, very painful.” ”Yeah?” asked Layne, “All we have to do is scream and the cops will be here quick.” 

“My, my, you do not understand how things work, do you?” asked Matt, “there is one officer in this town and he is now sleeping peacefully in his own jail cell. The hotel owners are enjoying a nice nap as well. And, there is no one else staying at the hotel tonight, so it is just the 6 of us. If you cooperate, then you live and make a great deal of money working for us, you do not even need to inform that Lauren woman.” 

“Yeah Layne,” said Lance, “let this guy take care of Lauren and instead of small cash, we can make some serious money.” ”You use your brains big boy,” smiled Cinnamon, “and you get to work with me too, like that idea?” ”Yeah babe, I like that part a lot,” he responded. ”You know nothing about Lauren, she is not easy to deal with,” said Layne defiantly, “she would cut us in pieces and toss us in the river for fish food.” 

Then Matt started telling some things they knew about Lauren. Even the girls gave some details, but it was when Cinnamon mentioned Lauren’s association with Dawn’s property that it really got the brothers attention. ”How did you know about that place?” asked Lance nervously. 

“I like to make it my business to know my enemies,” he replied, “now, some answers from you. Why does Lauren want some vacant property in the mountains? I know she has been there and even has things out there. And that stupid fake ghost, so childish.” ”Ghost?” asked Lance, “She has no one out there looking after the place. Someone else is in on this deal, or Lauren has cut us out.” 

“Shut up you idiot!” yelled Layne, “she isn’t going to tell us everything.” ”But that place is important,” said Lance, “we should know what is going on out there. I don’t like this, she is cutting us out is what I say.” Then Mac gave Layne a hard back handed slap, nearly knocking him off his chair. ”Answer the question,” said Mac. 

“Yes, why does she want that place?” asked Matt again, “I am not a man with much patience, now, answer!” Mac then pulled his knife out and shaved part of Lance’s beard. ”Wait, wait!” he exclaimed, “She uses that little cabin to hide her money and other stuff, there is gold, silver, some jewelry, lots of stuff!” 

“That place is hardly a little cabin, it is a large house,” said Aoife. ”No, no, not the house,” he said, “further back there is a small log cabin, well hidden.” ”Shut up you idiot!” yelled Layne and he jumped from his chair landing on his brother and choking him. Mac hit him hard, then picked him up and slammed him back onto his wood chair. Then there was a knock at the door. 

Meanwhile, back at the house in the mountains where another storm has descended on our teams meaning there will be no possibility of getting help to them anytime soon. But they need it soon. Aari was outside and called Aasta to see how she was doing. He was worried about her knowing that Lauren was close by. She would want Aasta, just like she did two years previously. 

Aasta reassured her dad that she was okay and I was looking after her carefully. He knew I would do that, but he just wanted to hear it from Aasta. He then told her how things were really going out there, and none of it was good. They had to get Crystal out soon, or she would die, she needed a hospital and proper care. 

Chantelle was doing the best she could, but she is a nurse, not a doctor, and this is certainly not a hospital. Then he told her that Sky had collapsed, likely from too much stress and exhaustion from not sleeping properly out there. Sky had been under a lot of stress because I was and she was worried about my health after the heart attack. 

Now she was even more worried knowing that Lauren was close to us, plus she was very worried about Crystal, they are very close and love each other like sisters. And now another storm. Poor Chantelle had her hands full too, but she seemed to be holding up very well. 

Aasta had the “fun” job of relaying this information to me. Somehow we need a chopper in there, and fast! It was now night again at the cabin with the wind howling through the broken part of the house making horrible noises which made it hard to sleep. 

The cats were watching, two at a time, the guys had brought Tiger with them, so now there were four cats. Storm and Ginger were watching first when they saw a small glowing object flying around outside. Storm moved quickly and fired one of his little ‘missiles’ at it causing an explosion and bright flash…

To Be Continued.

©2024 Steve McLeod.