Two o’clock rolled around, and just on time was Emily. She came inside, and I offered her a seat. Tracy was in a different room, listening in. If she was seen, the whole plan would be ruined. I had figured that with the reappearance of the tenants, this kidnapping was either for blackmail or brainwashing, and I was going to find out which. “Emily, I would like to know where you were on the night of August 12, 1980 at about nine?”

“Let’s see. Oh, yes. I was turning in early. You see, I work at Nano Building and Loan. I had been notified that I was to work the morning shift, and that I would have to get up extra early.”

“Oh. What happened when you went to bed?”

“I fell asleep. The next morning I got up and did my job.”

“So where were you when my cousin Dan was in your room?”

“I was coming home from work.”

“I see. Well, thank you for your time.” I stood and showed her to the door. Tracy came into the room.

“She never came to her apartment until the other day.”

“I believe you, but she thinks she is telling the truth as well. I think I’ll have Tricia chat with Jeanette.” I picked up the phone and dialed Tricia’s number. “Tricia?”

“Yes?”

“Could you go find out where Jeanette thinks she was on August, let’s see, fifth.”

“Sure. What am I looking for?”

“I don’t know yet, but I think there’s something strange going on here.” I stated.

Tricia went and talked to Jeanette. She then drove out to my house and came into the room Tracy and I were in. “I don’t know what you’re looking for, but Jeanette claims that she lived in her room all this time, and that nothing strange happened on the night in question.” Tricia said.

“That’s odd.” Tracy replied.

“Yes, where does she work?”

“She claimed she worked at someplace called Nano Business and Loan.”

“That’s where I work.” Tracy said.

“That’s also where Emily claims she works. This is very peculiar. I think I’ll pay a visit to the Building and Loan.”

“Jacie is down there now.”

“Fine. Tracy, what’s her job there?”

“I was still a secretary while I was there.”

“Okay.” I said. “Tracy, you and I will try the old husband and wife want a loan maneuver.”

“Gotcha.” Tracy said.

“I wouldn’t take the chance, but it’s getting close to the deadline, and I need to keep you in my sight. You’ll need to put on a wig and some makeup. Tricia, could you help her?”

“I’ll see you in a half an hour.” I got up and walked to Electric Bouquet. Going inside, I found the section containing transistors and browsed around, trying to find the right one.

Meanwhile, in the women’s store, Tracy was browsing among some lingerie. As she was looking, along came a little girl, who dashed underneath the stand. A big man was headed toward her. The little girl grabbed onto Tracy’s leg and said. “Help me, please. That man is after me.”

The man came over to Tracy and said, “Have you seen a little girl. Her parents are very worried.”

“A little girl, I don’t see one. Are you her father?”

“No, but I’m a friend of the family and we’ve been looking for quite a while.”

“Well, if I see her, I’ll tell her that you’re looking for her.”

“Thanks.” He replied. He left the women’s store and went left.

“The coast is clear, little girl.”

“Thank you miss. . .”

“Call me Aunt Tracy.”

“Aunt Tracy.”

“What’s your name?”

“My name’s Tiffany.”

“Well, Tiffany, I think you and I should find your parents.”

“Parents? I’m here by myself. I ran away from home.”

“Oh. You did, did you?”

“You’re not going to turn me over to that man, are you? My parents sent him to find me.”

“Well, I don’t know. Let’s go find Uncle Adam.” She replied. She took some of the merchandise off the hooks, paid for it, and came to find me in Electric Bouquet.

Tricia, on the other hand, was about to have a more serious problem. Coming out of the store with her friend, she was talking. “. . .and you know, Christine, I think that Adam will end up marrying Tracy.”

“Really? For a while there it look like you two were going to be an item.”

“Naw, we were just good friends. . .” Tricia said. At that moment, a short man bumped up against her, stealing Christine’s purse.

“STOP, THIEF!!” She shouted. “What are we going to do?”

“I’ve got an idea.” Tricia said, going to the counter and getting the building sealed off. She then went to RB’s, our rendez vous point. Tracy, Tiffany and I joined them and Tricia explained the situation. “Christine’s purse was stolen. Do you think we could get it back?”

“Unless the thief got away.”

“I doubt it, they shut all the doors.”

“Okay, Tracy, Tiffany, and I will pose as a family and search the mall. Tricia, you and Christine are too visible. I want you to stay put.”

“But I want to help!” Tricia said.

“You’ll be more help if you stay put. Now I’ll go find out where the cops are, and tell them that I’m here.” I went to the front desk with my ‘family’, told them the location of the crime, what the crook looked like, and told them I would check the immediate area. We proceeded in that direction. Many people were fleeing to and fro, throughout the place. We saw a person dart into the bathroom and I proceeded to follow. I went inside, and tried to talk the guy into giving himself up. “It’s not worth it buddy. All she’s got in there are twenty bucks. Is that worth going to jail for?”

“Twenty bucks?!”

“That and some lipstick, a nail-file, and a bunch of cred. . .pictures.”

“Oh, boy! Here,” he said, handing me the purse, “this is no way to make a living.”

“What’s your name?”

“The name’s Albert.”

“Well, Albert, I’ll pretend that I just found it, if you go strait.”

“Go strait! All right.” I had this hunch in the back of my head that he probably wouldn’t, but if he didn’t, he would really get it. I took the purse and returned it to Christine. The cops unlocked the building and we finished our shopping.

“What are we going to do with Tiffany?” Tracy asked me.

“Well, she has to go home sometime. Where do you live, Tiffany?” she proceeded to give me directions and I returned her to her parents, and gave her my number, in case she ever needed me, again.

“Okay, Dan, this will be like capturing a hostage. Which once should we take?”

“I like Emily.” He said.

“Then Emily it shall be.” I said. We went to the apartment and knocked on Emily’s door. She came to it.

“Excuse me miss, but are you Emily?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I am a private detective, and I need your help on a most baffling case.”

“Anything I can do to help.”

“Could you come to my house tomorrow. Here is the address. I need to ask you a few questions.”

“Sure.” She said. “I’ll be there around three, if that’s okay”

“Fine.” I said, going to the elevator.

“I thought you said we were going to play like capturing a hostage.”

“Yes, just like I captured you. I want you to stay here, and if she leaves, tail here. Don’t let her out of your sight until she comes to my house.”

“Gotcha.” He responded. I left, and he borrowed the uniform of a security guard and stationed himself in Emily’s room’s hallway. I arrived back at my house, and we went to sleep, Tricia staying at my house for her last night.

The next morning, we got up and ate breakfast. Dan left early this morning to return to his acting troop. Tracy and Tricia were discussing going to the mall. “Tracy, with all these disappearances, and reappearances, I can’t let you go to the mall with Tricia today.” I stated.

“Why not.”

“I need to keep my eye on you.” I said.

“I’m in no danger. You said yourself that the disappearance wasn’t to happen until Wednesday.” Tracy replied.

“True, but I don’t want to take the chance that whomever’s doing this decides to change his work days.”

“Awe. I don’t suppose that you could come with us?” Tricia said.

“I don’t like shopping.”

“I know, but for me.” Tracy pleaded.

“Oh, all right.” I gave in. We went outside and to the car. Getting inside, I drove them to the mall, parking close to the doors. I got out and let Tracy out. Tricia got out herself. We went inside the mall, entering in the Kay-MART part of the mall. We started to pass the main desk when Tricia saw someone she knew, and decided to talk with her. Tracy and I said we meet her at the in-store RB’s in a half an hour. We went through most of the sections, some of which I let her go through alone. Exiting Kay-MART, we went and sat by the fountain. “Tracy, what are we here to get?”

“I don’t know. I’m just here to see what they’ve got.”

“You mean you don’t need anything.”

“Nothing that you would want to pick up.”

“Fine. I think I’ll go take a walk to Electric Bouquet. I need a new transistor for my electronics set.”

“Okay, I’ll be in the ladies store over there.” She said, pointing to the store.