“NOT SO FAST!” The sheriff shouted. Pat turned around just in time to get shot in the stomach. He fell to the ground. “You see, law and order prevails again.” He returned Tricia to our booth. Two men came in and dragged Reddish and me outside. A minute after we left, the sheriff joined us, then we went in and bowed while the diners clapped. I rejoined my party and finished dinner.
“That was fabulous!” Dan said.
“Thank you. Did you get anything from Matt and Noelle?”
“Plenty!” Dan said. “Heidi recorded it!”
“Good! Let’s go back to the apartment, and see what we’ve got. We all got up, and were applauded again. “We oughta come here again sometime. That is, if you want to?”
“Sure, I love being held at gun-point over and over again!” Tricia said. We went back to the complex.
“You know, Adam, you really should join the Cincinnati Express. We could use a good actor like yourself.”
“I’m sorry, but I have a case, maybe some other time.” I went on to explain all the previous events. We sat down and listened to the tapes. We heard that Michelle was being held in the ground. I deduced that it must be the cellar of the house. That’s all we could make of them. “You know, your arrival is going to help, somewhat.”
“How so?”
“Well, we can have you two occupy our apartments while we’re out tonight! That way if Matt and Noelle have spies, they’ll think that we’re here!”
“By Jove, I think he’s a genius! We don’t perform tonight because we are supposed to be sightseeing, so we can stay here!” The time came for dinner. Noah and Laura arrived at the apartment. I introduced everyone to everyone. We talked and played games until it was time to go. Dan and Heidi put black make-up on Tricia’s and my face. (By now, make-up began to feel just like our normal skin.) We picked up our gear and were off. We stopped within a mile of the house and got out. We snuck through bushes and tall grass to get within viewing distance of the house.
“Phase 1, in position,” I said in a whisper. Laura drove up, with Noah hiding in the back. She got out and rang the doorbell. Tricia and I went to the cellar door. I opened it with a crow bar and lowered Tricia in. Once inside we looked around. I walked around a bit, but could not find anyone. I turned around and whispered, “Where is she?” I took a step back, and fell into the deep end of a large pool. “HELP! ! !” I shouted. The cellar door shut. Tricia dove into the water and fished me out. I gasped for breath. I told Noah to get Laura out of there. Too late.
“I’m going to have to leave you.” The signal started breaking up. “Come back . . . tomorrow. . .SWAT team. . .Over. . .out.” The signal was terminated. I figured that he had gone out of range. I sat on the edge of the pool, coughing up water. The lights came on.
“Tricia, quick, hide over there in the corner.” She quickly obeyed, and just in time. Matt and Noelle came down.
“Well, if it isn’t old Adam C.!!” Matt said. “Didn’t I warn you not to try to rescue Michelle?” While he talked, Noelle came and bound me in thick rope. She also gagged me. “All right, get up.” They led me through the house to a sofa, where Laura was sitting in the same condition. They set me down. I looked, and saw Tricia around the bend.
