The rest of Rock’s team came around back to help in the search. I was surprised to see Storm and Tiia come running around back too however. But it seems the rest of the team, led by Annelie, had come to help out as well, and their timing had been perfect. They were fresh and ready to help so that Toledo’s men outside had surrendered quite quickly when they saw that they were outnumbered.

Annelie had also brought extra security personnel from Baldwin Corporation. Kat and Sky came out too, but sat on chairs by the door. Sky was too weak to help out and Kat wanted to stay with her. Finally we heard Storm call out over among some trees along the border of the property. We ran to see and there was Muffin lying on the ground.

I picked her up, she was still alive! She must have been far enough away, but the blast still knocked her flying. Saranna had been tending to Sky, but Sky told her to check on Muffin right away, so she took her and gave her a checkup, to make sure she was okay. Storm and the kittens stayed close by the whole time. “Well Sky,” said Kat, “Toledo will not be able to hurt anyone again.”

Sky just smiled. “I do not understand why Toledo, or his men, never tried to shoot you Kat,” said Rock shaking his head. “They did try,” she responded, “but their guns would not work.” “Why is it that no one has been able to shoot you, but they can shoot others?” asked Rock. “Hey, we ghosts need to have some secrets you know,” answered Kat with a smile.

Everyone just stared. Thanks Kat, I thought to myself, you are just making this harder to explain. But then, how do I explain a ghost anyway? Kat stayed with Sky and they talked while I took everyone else over to where the gold had been hidden. I had set up my phone for Sky so she could talk, she just typed and the phone spoke the words for her.

Once we get home I will program it with her actual voice. Although I do hope that Saranna can help Sky to get her voice back. It seems Toledo used some sort of electrical device on her tongue which has prevented her from speaking. It may wear off on its own, but there may also be permanent damage. Saranna will do more tests once we get Sky back to the clinic.

I hope that Kat and Sky get along well, this is the first time they have met. Crystal was supposed to come along and pretend to be Kat, but at the last minute we switched them and the real Kat came along instead. Crystal has been in hiding since then so no one would know. I had to do it this way so there was no chance of a slip up, this was a trap to catch Toledo, and it worked thankfully.

“This is where the gold was hidden,” I said, “in the fountain, or really, it was the fountain. It had been melted down and made into this woman holding a jug of water, then covered with a hard type of plaster. Amazingly, all this time no one discovered it. It was done to hide the gold before the Civil War broke out. But there was a small chip in it and I noticed the nice shiny gold underneath.”

I had told Kat, Muffin and Snow, but no one else. Sometimes it is best that few people know about these things, then if Toledo captured anyone, they would not be able to tell him anything. “This thing has been blown to tiny pieces now,” said Rock, “it would not be easy to pick it all up.” “I think that is what Muffin had in mind,” I said, “since this gold has cost us much trouble and death.”

I went back to Sky and Kat went over to see Muffin since she had wanted to talk with Kat. Meow,meow?=You stay with us now? Please. “Well, I would like to Muffin,” she answered, “but Sky might not like having me around, so I should probably just leave quietly and go back to my new “home”. “Why not let Sky decide about that,” said Galyna, “you might find she is very much like you.

I think the two of you would make wonderful friends.” Meow,meow.=See? Me ask for you if you too scared. “I am a little scared Muffin,” said Kat, “it would hurt a lot if she said no, better to just leave my precious.” Kat was crying now and Sky had noticed. She asked me to bring Kat back to her, which I did. It would certainly be different having a ghost on the team, if Kat is a ghost.

I am not sure yet and she never gives a straight answer. However, it is odd that guns are useless against her. I left the two of them alone and stayed with Muffin. Storm had his paw on top of Muffin’s paw. I smiled. A new romance has begun. I looked over at Sky and Kat. Will Sky say yes…

To Be Continued.

©2023 Steve McLeod.