Katie Spencer - Invitation to Peril




CHAPTER ONE

Katie Spencer reclined on the soft leather seat of the limousine as it drove
quietly through the darkening countryside. It was her first time riding in one
of these luxury vehicles that she felt almost like a big celebrity or VIP
attending some extravagant gathering. However, tonight's festivities was of a
more sleuthing nature as Katie was given the rare opportunity to attend the
prestigious Towne Murder Mystery, which was held annually at the famed Towne
Estate located on the outskirts of the Berkshires.

Katie's invitation held an even more prominent status, as she was the youngest
person ever to attend. The players had always consisted of more middle-aged
individuals who were influential in the mystery and detective fields. Katie's
reputation as a detective was now finding its way into the mainstream mystery
genre. Lila would be so jealous ...

Her father, of course, at first objected to the invite for he wasn't confident
of its authenticity""being the parent of a teenage girl, one can't be too
careful of bogus advertisements submitted by perverts ... or worse. Katie
eased his fears as she showed him the official website of the game, noting how
esteemed it really was.

Being in the company of some rather older important figures, Katie wanted to
look as adult as she possibly can""and not seeking Stacey's 'expert' fashion
advice this time around. It was actually her stepmom, Karen that assisted her
by suggesting a more smart business look. Since Katie doesn't own a suit,
Karen thought it would appropriate that she finally did, given that her chosen
career in the FBI would warrant one anyway. The junior sleuth sported a crisp
navy blue pinstriped jacket and matching skirt, resting just above the knees.
Underneath the jacket she wore a lovely red silk blouse (Karen's favorite
color). And to finish off the stylish ensemble, Katie's shapely legs were
sheathed in simple nude pantyhose, and her feet were clad in classic red pumps
with a tapered four-inch high heel""Karen loaned them out to her, figuring the
red shoes would add a bit of pizzazz since Katie was still a teenager.

Even though she was thrilled to take part in this rare opportunity, deep down,
Katie was a bundle of nerves as her hands felt a bit clammy. Taking some deep
breaths, she relaxed her jittery self, remembering the advice from her 'dojo'
at the self-defense classes she took as he told her to become one with
yourself and to release all external anxieties for they poison the mind as
well as the body.

Calming down now, Katie caught site of the massive building resting on a hill
in front of the picturesque mountain range in the distance. Reading from the
website, the mansion had been around since before the Revolutionary War and
had seen numerous renovations in the centuries since. It is no longer
occupied, but the host uses it for various functions such as this game.

The elongated vehicle stopped in front of the entrance, and the door opened.
Grabbing her purse first, Katie reached out with her hand and grasped the
clean white-gloved hand of what appeared to be the butler of the house. He
assisted Katie out of the limo as she climbed herself up to her feet.

The evening air was a bit cool for mid April""the combination of her suit
jacket and long-sleeved blouse provided adequate enough warmth.

"Miss Spencer ... " the butler spoke in a clean British accent, " ... Mr.
Towne has been expecting you. I trust your drive here was a pleasurable one?"
he asked rather kindly to her.

"Yes, it was. Thank you ... " Katie replied happily.

"This way please, Miss ... " he spoke again, raising his bent arm over to her.
Katie grasped it and he walked with her up the wide stone steps leading to the
large front doors. Noting the rather high footwear she wore, he didn't want to
risk their guest to stumble and injure herself.

Reaching the massive opened door, he released his hold on her and motioned her
to enter. Katie stepped inside and marveled at the ornate foyer she was now
in. After the door was closed, the butler again spoke, "This way, please ... "
and he began leading her through the expansive house. The pointy heels of her
shoes clicked audibly against the polished marbled floor as it produced a
noisy echo over the spacious rooms they walked through.

Gazing all around her, she saw so much history present for there were numerous
paintings of people who no doubt had lived here, various colonial-era items,
and other antique-looking objects. She wished she could get a tour of this
place before the game begins for this "house" was more like a museum.

Of course, this manor was an ideal setting for a little murder mystery, and
Katie was certainly going to enjoy what was in store for this evening ...

CHAPTER TWO

The butler soon opened a set of double doors and on the other side of them,
Katie could make a small group of people sitting around a large fireplace,
with a roaring fire kindling. A handsome youngman dressed in a black suit and
tie quickly approached her with his hand extended out.

"Miss Spencer ... it's good to finally make your acquaintance," the man said
cheerfully and gently kissed her dainty hand. Katie blushed a bit at that
gesture for she wasn't used to being treated quite like that. Jake was
certainly romantic when he wants to be, but being charming in the proper sense
was not one of his stronger suits.

"Mr. Towne ... thank you very much for inviting me. I'm so honored to be
here," Katie said a bit nervously, but maintained her cool.

"Oh, nonsense ... the honor is all mine," he replied in somewhat awe of her.
"Never have I encountered a person such as yourself with all you have
accomplished in sleuthing at such a young age ... and a very attractive one at
that if I may say."

This time Katie really blushed at that comment. He was certainly very charming
and he looked handsome like an Hollywood star. "Thank you, Mr. Towne ... "

"Please ... call me Jonathan. For you're now in the presence of like-minded
peers here." He then motioned her to where the others sat quietly. Katie took
an empty chair and smiled modestly at the assembled gathering""a couple of
faces she actually recognized. An attractive blonde woman dressed in a maid's
attire approached, placing a glass of what appeared to be a soft drink on the
small end table next to Katie. She smiled graciously at the servant for the
beverage.

"I would like to first introduce Mr. Peter Howarth, former inspector with
Scotland Yard ... " the speckled aged man nodded appreciatively at the teen
girl. "Ms. Laura Francis, the renowned author of several bestselling crime
mystery novels ... " The elegant-looking woman gave Katie a sneer as if she
didn't approve of her being here. "Dr. Walter Reed, criminologist and
forensics expert hailing from Cornell University ... " The friendly-looking
bearded man smiled graciously at the now tense young lady. "Ms. Bethany
Williams, historian and novice detective herself from Akron, Ohio ... " The
kindly-looking older woman smiled warmly at Katie, easing her rising anxieties
a bit. "And Charles Burlington, detective with the St. Louis Police Force ...
" The rugged-looking middle-aged man gave Katie a grin and a wink. "Ladies and
Gentlemen, I present to you Miss Katherine Spencer ... I'm sorry, Katie
Spencer ... from Schenectady, New York. Miss Spencer here intends the join the
FBI as her career."

Detective Burlington whistled softly upon hearing that. "You sure a cute girl
like yourself can handle the likes of the FBI? ... I hear their training is
kinda rough."

Katie gave him a slight smirk in response as her confidence had now returned.
"I can hold my own just fine ... " she said evenly, but not haughtily.

"Is it true that you have violated laws in order to solve your cases?" Laura
Francis spoke up with a condescending tone in her proper British-accented
voice.

Katie was about to answer her when Dr. Reed chimed in, "Give the girl a break
... she's only a kid still""no offense ... " Katie smiled at him in gratitude
for she wasn't very fond of Ms. Francis ... she never even read any of her
books anyway.

"This gathering is for seasoned professionals, not some detective wannabees or
groupies ... " Laura said even more disdainful now.

"Now, now ... " Jonathan interjected calmly. "I think Katie here has proven
herself more than adequately, and lest not forget that she represents the
future. And isn't it refreshing that someone from her rather fickle
generation""again no offense ... has devoted her young life in the cause of
justice. I find that extremely commendable, and that alone warrants her being
here tonight."

"I agree ... " Peter Howarth concurred. "I've read about some of your
exploits, and I must say I'm very impressed. If you weren't already committing
to the FBI, I would offer my recommendation for Scotland Yard." Katie didn't
know if he was serious or not with that proposal, but she was extremely
flattered by all this attention she was receiving. Of course, it could just be
the case of older men gushing over a young girl, which makes her job at having
people take her seriously that much more difficult. It still is a man's world
deep down ...

The butler then arrived and whispered something into Jonathan's ear. After he
left, Jonathan spoke evenly to his guests, "I've just been told that a body
has been discovered in the Library."

Everyone seated suddenly stood up as the game was now afoot ...

CHAPTER THREE

The "body" lay completely motionless on the dark brown-carpeted floor of the
massive Library. A large metal candlestick holder was situated next to the
body""presumably the murder weapon. Each of the players were now standing
around the "deceased" older man with watchful gazes. Katie felt a thrill of
excitement charging through her body for she was eager to solve this mystery
and prove herself to her new peers.

Dr. Reed stood next to her, studying her reactions. "A good detective is
someone who can find what is not readily apparent ... " he spoke softly to
her. Turning to face him, Katie nodded slowly in acknowledgement. "I
understand you have worked with Dr. Jennifer McNeil before," she said to him.

He looked back at her now, caught off guard by her unexpected inquiry. "Yes
... we go way back, Jennifer and I ... " he responded quickly.

"She was a novice detective herself when she was my age ... and look at what
she's accomplished in her life," Katie added, trying to make a point to the
professional.

"I understand where you're coming from ... before I went in business I was an
idealistic young boy at one time, dreaming of solving cases too." Katie smiled
kindly back at him, as she was a getting a small glimpse of what her life will
become like in the years to come.

Everyone else then began to spread out in the spacious room, no doubt
searching for potential clues. Dr. Reed also left to join them, taking out a
small note pad and pen from his tweed jacket pocket. Katie, however, remained
at the immediate crime scene as she was taking some of Reed's advice and paid
stricter attention to the faux corpse in order to gain some insight as to how
he may have actually "died."

Studying around him, she spotted something close by on the floor that caught
her interest""a couple of small black dots that almost blended with the
carpet. Touching it gently, it felt sort of damp. Bringing her hand up
carefully, she noticed the tips of her fingers had a blackened residue on
them. She sniffed the foreign substance and detected the distinct odor of
motor oil. Figuring that the killer must have left that behind, she decided to
check out this new lead.

Rising back up, she quietly exited the room without anyone noticing her, as
they were too engrossed with finding something that obviously wasn't there.
And these people are supposed to be among the best ...

Once she reached the hallway, Katie took off her pumps first before
proceeding. The loud tapping sounds her stilettos make on the stone floor
would likely alert her competitors should one of them wish to follow her, and
not to mention her tender feet could use a rest in these stylish, but
impractical shoes.

After she was far enough away, Katie halted for a moment to get her bearings
on where she was, and where she needed to go. The presence of motor oil
suggested that the garage would be the best place to start, but where was it
in this immense house? ...

The sounds of someone approaching alerted the junior detective and she quickly
hid behind a large armored suit in a corner. Katie then saw the maid coming
into view and noticed that she was alone. Knowing the staff cannot interfere
with the game, she felt relieved to see her. Stepping out from her little
hiding spot, she headed for the pretty servant, who also spotted the teenager
as well.

"Miss Spencer ... is everything alright?" she asked attentively.

"Yes ... " Katie responded quickly. "Could you please tell me where the garage
is located?"

"It's a little hard to describe to someone who doesn't know this place well,"
she said, which soured Katie's mood a bit. "Come with me, I'll show you ... "
the maid said happily, and began to lead the teen sleuth further into the
shadowy mansion ...

CHAPTER FOUR

The trek to the garage took Katie to the lower levels of the manor where it
began feeling chilly""even the floor was getting a bit too cold for her
nyloned feet, and she placed her shoes back on. Katie still couldn't believe
she was actually here in the Towne Estate taking part in its famed Murder
Mystery. She hoped that this potential lead would yield some kind of results
for you don't leave motor oil conveniently next to a body.

The maid then stopped in front of a door. "Here it is ... " she said, and
opened it. Katie stepped through first into the dark cold room. A light
suddenly flicked on, and her green eyes scanned carefully through the immense
garage. She saw five fancy sports cars parked in front of her. Is every room
in this house so big? ... Looking down on the concrete floor, Katie's brow
furrowed a bit as she saw no sign of any motor oil present, as she was half
expecting to see some.

Without any warning, Katie suddenly felt a cloth clamp itself firmly over her
face. Surprised by the sudden attack, the teen detective grabbed the slender
arm holding the cloth with both hands in a frantic effort on removing it from
her. Time was of the essence for Katie got a real good whiff of that cloth as
it was doused in chloroform!

The maid held a tight grip on the alarmed girl as she successfully withstood
Katie's desperate struggles. Trying to hold her breath for as long as she
could to stay awake, Katie jabbed her pointy heel into the maid's nyloned
shin. The woman cried out in pain, and Katie quickly followed suit by
thrusting her elbow harshly into her attacker's abdomen.

The combination of both assaults caused the maid to relax her grip on the
teenage girl, and Katie again didn't waste any time as she broke free of her
grasp and ran for the exit door. Even though she was still conscious enough,
she inhaled enough of the drug to slow her movements somewhat. Katie grabbed
the doorknob but to her suprise it was locked.

"nowhere to run now snoop" the maid said with a wicked voice.

Katie turned around as the maid moved towards her. Katie shook her head to
ignore the effect of the chloroform and dropped in a fighting stance.

The maid moved at her aiming a quick punch to her face. Katie stepped to the
side and send a hard kick straight into the gut of the maid.

As the maid grunted in pain Katie aimed a punch for her cheek to knock her
down. However the maid clearly had some experience at fighting.

She ducked low and as Katie missed she grabbed Katie by the shoulders and
slammed her knee straight between her legs.

Katie screamed in pain and the maid quickly used the moment to trip her to the
floor.

In an instant, the maid was straddling the waist of of Katie, pressing the
damp cloth over her face again. Katie continued to fight with every last bit
of strength she had left, but the chloroform finally overcame her, and she
soon drifted off into a deep, deep sleep ...

CHAPTER FIVE

Her senses slowly returning, Katie began to rouse from her forced slumber. As
soon as she was fully awake, panic began to overcome the teen detective as her
surroundings were less than hospitable, to say the least ...

She was hanging fully upright with her hands tied behind her back, and her
ankles lashed together as well with rope. The clothing of her upper body had
been removed and a rope was tightly wrapped above and below her naked breasts,
Katie noticed the rope was looped around a ring in the ceiling and kept her
suspended a few foot above the floor in perfectly upright position. Her mouth
was stuffed with a wad of cloth, held securely in place by another strip
between her lips. And if that weren't enough, a second, thick strand of rope
was placed snugly around her slender neck, tethered tightly to a chandelier
high above her. Katie noticed a stool was placed just below her feet and she
could balance on it with her toes to relieve some of the pressure of the rope
that was bound around her naked waist and painfully dug in her skin.

What made this terrifying situation so troubling was the motive ... was this
death trap part of the game? If so, Katie did not find this one bit amusing.
Just then, she saw the maid that assaulted her, looking up at her with a smug
look on her face""she also noticed the felonious woman was wearing her red
pumps. The maid calmly walked towards her and made sure Katie was balancing on
her toes on the stool. She pulled out a small pocketknife and began to trace
it along Katie's exposed mid drift Katie attempted to look defiant as a lump
grew in her throat. She felt the icy coldness of the razor sharp blade along
her skin. Katie drew in her breath and attempted to remain perfectly still.
The maid continued to trace the blade across Katie's muscular tummy slowly
moving the cold metal towards her breasts. Katie's face reddened as her
nipples uncontrollably hardened. Katie gasped as the devious maid placed the
razor sharp tip of the knife on to Katie's right nipple.

The maid then smiled and with a quick flick of her wrist she cut the rope
wrapped around her chest. With a few more cuts the rope around her chest fell
to the floor. Katie was now balancing on her toes rather precariously on the
stool with the other rope attached to the chandelier around her neck. Katie
knew full well if that stool were to fall over, she would be hanging by her
neck like in those old western movies.

Then another person entered the room ... it was Dr. Reed!

"Hhhhhhmmmm ... " Katie mumbled wordlessly through her efficient gag, hoping
that he was there to rescue her. Instead, she saw him smiling back at her as
he seemed to be enjoying seeing her like this! Okay, now I'm really confused
here ...

"Very good work, Tiffany ... " he said appreciatively to his 'partner.' He
then stepped right next to Katie, stroking her stocking leg softly with the
tips of his fingers. The ticklish sensation caused her to loose her balance a
bit, but she tried her utmost best not to tip over.

"Oh, don't worry, I don't want you dead just yet ... " he said more menacingly
now. He could clearly see the utter confusion in her distressed green eyes
staring right back at him. "I guess I should offer you a sensible explanation
as to why you're all trussed up ... "

Katie saw him grab his thick graying hair, and pull it cleanly off his head""a
wig! Then he took off his glasses and removed something off his nose. Looking
back at her now, Katie felt an awful chill run right up through her spine as
she recognized him even with the faux beard on ... Lars Beckert!

"Surprised to see me again?" he said all melodramatic. "I almost didn't make
it out alive from that building crashing down on me. Fortunately, one of the
metal support beams rested just on top of me, cushioning the tons of debris
that would've otherwise killed me." Looking closer at him, Katie could make
out some faint scarring on one side of his face. "I thought about tracking you
down afterwards, but since I was the one that activated the bomb in the first
place, that was the result of my impulsive action for I would rather choose
death than go to prison." He walked around the fidgety girl as he continued
with his enlightening monologue. "You can imagine my surprise when I heard
that you were attending this game. I guess I was given a second chance at some
payback. Funny how fate works sometimes, don't you think?" he smirked
devilishly at his frightened captive.

He then returned back to his lovely associate. "Being a detective, I'm sure
you're wondering in your pretty little head what I'm doing here in the first
place, since you probably concluded it wasn't just to finish you off." Katie
just looked at him in contempt as she was beyond fear now. "As you already
know, I'm a person-for-hire, and I do all sorts of things for the right price.
I'm here at the Towne Mansion to retrieve an extremely rare book that my
client wants very much""the secret journal of General George Washington, which
was believed to be lost, but my client was able to prove its existence right
here in this manor. Since gaining access to this place is like trying to break
into Fort Knox, I figured the best way to infiltrate it was to impersonate a
player in this game. The real Dr. Walter Reed has suffered an unfortunate
accident, I'm afraid."

After placing the wig back on, he finished applying the prosthetic on his
nose, looking like the good doctor again. "Getting you away from the crime
scene I thought would've been problematic, but you played right into my hands
better than I could've planned when I planted that oil spot. You really are a
curious character, aren't you?" All the while he was talking, Katie kept
twisting her bound hands in an effort to loosen the thin ropes holding them,
but they gave no slack at all""Lars wasn't taking any chances this time. She
cursed at herself for falling right into his grasp like that even though there
was no clue to suggest any foul play.

"Well, I must be off now to fetch that book. I guess you'll just be 'hanging'
around here while I take care of the other guests," Lars laughed delightfully
at Katie's dire expense.

"Thanks for the cute shoes ... " Tiffany then said to her, "I think they look
much more suitable for a mature woman." And with that snide comment, the two
villains left the room, closing the door behind them.

Katie continued to struggle to free her hands for that was her only way of
getting out of this insane fix she was in. Looking around the dimly lit room
she was trapped in, a sense of hopelessness came over her for there was
absolutely no way she was going to free herself, and Lars was making sure that
no one comes to her rescue, which meant that it was only a matter of time
before her legs would give out from the constant strain of standing on her
toes.

CHAPTER SIX

Jonathan was walking through the hallways, checking each room as he passed by
them with a very concerned look on his handsome face. He then spotted Dr. Reed
in the distance and hurried over to him. "Excuse me, Dr. Reed ... Have you
seen any of the staff?" he asked in a whirlwind of angst for this was highly
irregular that his entourage would suddenly vanish.

"Yes, I believe I saw them heading for the study ... " Reed responded quite
surely.

"The study, but why would they all go there?" Jonathan asked in aghast.

"Perhaps we should go there to find out ... " Reed suggested and walked with
Jonathan to that room.

Upon entering it, Jonathan's face registered genuine surprise and alarm as he
saw his staff, along with the players all seated around in various chairs ...
tied up and gagged! The maid was the only one not held prisoner as she stood
there with a wicked smirk toward her 'boss.' Before Jonathan could do anything
else, he suddenly felt a pointed object pressed firmly against the small of
his back, and knew right away what that was""a knife!

"What's the meaning of all this? ... " he asked in a controlled voice, despite
his rising anxiety.

"Just sit down like a good host ... " Lars motioned him to an empty plush
chair. Sitting down reluctantly, Tiffany went over to him with some rope in
her hand and began binding Jonathan's hands behind his back, while Lars held
tip of the knife pressed against his inner thigh. "Listen, if this is a
robbery of some kind, you'll never get away with it ... " Jonathan tried to
sound forceful in a desperate attempt.

"Oh, spare me the idle threats ... " Lars said arrogantly.

Tiffany went over to bind his ankles now, when Jonathan noticed the red shoes
she was wearing. After recognizing them, he quickly looked around the cadre of
hostages and noticed someone was not accounted for. "Where is Miss Spencer ...
what have you done with her? ... "

"Miss Spencer and I have a little history together ... and she is trying to
stay on her toes now, you might say ... "

* * *

Katie's lower legs were burning with searing pain now as she was beginning to
sway back and forth from her rigid posture. She tried to maintain her strength
for as long as she could hold out, but was fighting a losing battle ... one
that would claim her young life!

And as expected, the stool did finally tip over, and the teen sleuth was now
dangling a couple of feet from the hardwood floor. The scratchy rope around
her neck began to tighten considerably now as her breathing was being
restricted by the second. With nothing to lose now, Katie began to flail
wildly in her hanging state in a last ditch effort to somehow escape from
certain death, as it approached rapidly!

CHAPTER SEVEN

Coughing pitifully through her cloth-filled mouth, Katie began to feel
lightheaded as her brain was being deprived of oxygen""it would be all over in
a few moments now ...

Just then, she heard a sound and felt a lurch. Looking up, Katie saw that the
chandelier was breaking apart from the ceiling""no doubt the aged light
fixture was not strong enough to hold her weight. In what seemed to be her
only hope now, Katie jerked herself harder towards the floor to finish what
gravity had started. Of course, this course of action was extremely risky for
she was exerting more force to her strained neck, thus quickening her eventual
demise ... but the risk was certainly worth it.

Another lurch was felt and Katie's pointed toes were now mere inches from the
precious floor. She began to black out as the strain was just too much to
take, but still had a spark of energy for one more pull, and with that, the
chandelier finally broke free. Falling straight down, the heavy light fixture
fell just inches from where she was now sprawled on the wood flooring, gasping
for whatever air she could breathe through her nostrils.

Katie just lied still for a few minutes as her strength was slowly returning
... she was only seconds away from death. Once she felt strong enough, she sat
herself up, thankful to still be alive. Adrenaline began rushing through her
fatigued body now as the task of stopping Lars from getting away took
priority.

She positioned her bounds hands to the metal chandelier, and used one of its
protruding decorative features to cut through the strong ropes holding her.
After a couple of attempts, she was able to easily saw through them, and her
hands were finally free!

Not wasting anymore time, Katie first removed the lethal noose from around her
sore neck, then extracted the loathsome gag from her mouth""she took in a
really deep breath to help ease her starved lungs ... that felt good.

After her ankles were freed, Katie stood up a bit weakly at first. She needed
a few moments to clear her head for she didn't want to risk blacking out
still. Near the door, she spotted a pair of shiny black maryjane shoes on the
floor and realized that they belonged to that vile maid before she made off
with Karen's pumps. Katie placed the more practical footwear on her feet.

With her senses and strength finally returning to full normalcy, the junior
detective exited the room she was held in, to try and stop a dangerous
criminal from escaping twice the arms of justice ...

CHAPTER EIGHT

Leaving his lovely assistant to watch over their "guests," Lars (with his
disguise off now) went through the task of finding that elusive journal. He
did ask Towne where it might be, but the stuffy Brit adamantly denied its
existence in his manor. No matter ... he would end up finding it one way or
another for he had all evening if necessary.

Searching through the Library, Lars figured it was the most logical place to
start being that he's looking for a book. The man that hired him to retrieve
it did provide a very old snapshot of it presumably taken sometime during the
Civil War. The manuscript in question was small in size so that did make
finding it a bit easier, since most of the texts in the expansive reading room
were larger in size.

While rummaging around, his thoughts drifted back to Katie for a moment, for
it was such a pity that someone so young and beautiful had to die so
prematurely. Being a professional rogue, Lars doesn't get personal when it
comes to his business, but the incident in which he came into unexpected
contact with the teen detective two years ago was unlike any other situation
he had ever faced""he was beaten ... and by a kid at that!

Of course, he doesn't feel incredibly guilty for leaving her in his rather
ingenious death trap. After all, despite her age, she is a detective
nonetheless, and needs to pay the price for the consequences of her actions
just as if she was a seasoned adult. That's how he looks at things in life ...
very black and white.

After going through nine long shelves of endless books by knocking them down,
Lars' hand came upon something on the surface of the shelf""a slight dip in
the wood. Getting a closer look at it, he saw that it was a small partition
that had been cut out and then re-sealed in place. He grinned knowingly,
figuring that he found it ... or possibly some other hidden treasure in this
museum of a house.

Taking out his Swiss army knife from his pants pocket, Lars dug the small
blade into the thin crevice of the panel, and after several seconds of digging
and scraping, the aged piece of wood popped off! Reaching in, his hand touched
a smooth surface, like leather. He grasped it and pulled it out""his chocolate
brown eyes widen with delight as he gazed upon the journal of George
Washington!

CHAPTER NINE

Tiffany sat on the remaining empty chair, sipping a glass of Merlot while she
watched arrogantly at the captives seated near her ... especially Jonathan.
She fixed her icy gaze at her now former employer. Since she started working
here a year ago, Tiffany had dreaded the profession she was undertaking""the
life of a mere servant was just so demeaning to her, but was trapped
financially speaking from pursuing more loftier goals like following her
dreams of becoming an actress or model.

When Lars had approached her at town two weeks ago, he promised to fulfill
everything she desired and even more. Desperate to escape this dismal
existence she was trapped in, Tiffany readily agreed to the debonair man's
generous offer ... just help him steal some book from the mansion.

However, when a last minute change to their plans required the disposal of
someone, Tiffany at first resisted, but the charming man was very persuasive,
offering an even larger chunk of the money to be collected. Besides, after
that little brat had injured her with those killer stilettos, which by the way
she enjoyed seeing them on her feet, she had no problem after at seeing her
all tied up like that.

Taking another sip of the fruity wine, Tiffany wanted nothing more than to get
the hell of there so she could begin her new life where anything was now
possible.

The sound of the door opening broke her out of her daydreaming and she saw
Lars trotting in with a smile on his face. "You got it?" she asked all excited
as she rose up to greet him.

"Pack your bags, sweetie ... " Lars embraced her, giving her a hungry kiss on
the lips.

Turning to get her glass she placed down, Lars swiftly reached into his jacket
pocket and pulled out a white handkerchief. Palming it in his large hand, the
rogue came right up behind an unsuspecting Tiffany and pressed the cloth over
her face.

The pretty blonde writhed and twisted in his tight grasp on her, but the
chloroform-soaked cloth was beginning to take affect on her as shortly after,
she fell limply in his arms in a deep slumber. The others watched silently in
shock at the treachery of this vile person.

"Sorry, babe ... " Lars said to his sleeping beauty with mock remorse, " ...
but I travel alone."

Sitting her down on the chair she sat before, Lars went through the task of
binding the unconscious woman's wrists and ankles with rope, and gagging her
mouth tightly with another handkerchief. She looked so peaceful sleeping very
still, but that will change dramatically once she wakes up and realizes she
had been duped. Lars didn't take much pity on her, for Tiffany wasn't the
first woman to fall for his charismatic demeanor, and likely won't be the last
one either.

"Now, if you'll excuse me ... I'll be making my exit with a certain automobile
that's caught my attention down in the garage," Lars directed his attention to
his captive audience, in particular, to Jonathan with a devilish smirk on his
smug face.

CHAPTER TEN

Making her way back to the main floor, Katie had thought on the way over there
what the first course of action she should take was. The first seemed to be to
check on the well being of the other people. Lars may be a person without any
scruples, but he was not a bloodthirsty killer""unless in the case of a
certain teen girl that almost caused his untimely demise two years ago""so
with that knowledge, Katie was hopeful that the others were safe ... at least
for the time being.

Katie deduced that the likely place they all may be was in the study, at least
it was a good place to start. Arriving there, she peered through the slim
opening in the door, and sure enough saw all of them as prisoners, of course
...

With the coast seemingly clear, Katie entered and gasped as she saw Tiffany
bound and gagged as well. Guess it looked as though Lars was not interested in
sharing the wealth ... typical male behavior. Katie was at least glad to see
that nasty woman was going to get what she deserved. She then made a dash over
to Jonathan who had a look of absolute relief on his gagged face. Reaching
him, she pulled the white cloth from his thin lips""he spat out another pieces
of cloth from his inside his mouth. "Are you alright? ... " he asked the
junior sleuth with concern, even though he could see that she was.

"I'm much better now ... " Katie replied candidly, not wanting to get into
what she went through right now. "Where's Lars? ... "

"If you're referring to 'Dr. Reed,' you just missed him ... " Jonathan replied
with utter disdain for being fooled by him. "He's heading for the garage as we
speak, stealing one of my cars for his getaway."

Without thinking first, Katie bolted for the door in a hurried frenzy, leaving
a distraught Jonathan helpless to stop her. "Wait ... it's much too
dangerous!" he yelled out to no avail as the sounds of her footsteps from
outside the room were growing fainter by the second.

Katie figured she could use Jonathan's assistance to help nab this dangerous
offender, but time was critical if she stood any chance of stopping Lars""he
wasn't going to get away again this time!

Remembering exactly where Tiffany had led her earlier, Katie made it to the
lower level in no time flat. She was thankful for the comfortable footwear
Tiffany "provided."

Approaching the garage door, Katie heard loud noises come from the other side
and wondered with dread if she had arrived too late! Entering through, she
spotted the taillights of a car moving away speedily from the large open
garage door.

Looking defeated at the moment at seeing him escaping, Katie searched
frantically around the spacious room and saw something in a corner that caught
her interest""a couple of motorcycles! Sprinting over there, she also noticed
to her delight a wooden pegboard fixed nearby on the wall with keys dangling
from it!

Grabbing one, she deduced that they were in fact for the cycles. She had
driven one back last summer when Mike Pulaski was giving basic lessons to her
and Stacey on his Harley, but these bikes were much more streamlined, like for
racing. Not stopping to think again, Katie hopped on one of them""her skirt
was short enough that she was able to get her legs well enough across the
seat""and started up the sleek machine with a roaring hum.

Recalling what Mike had shown her before, Katie was relieved to see that the
controls on the handlebars seemed to be the same as his bike. With a momentary
pause of trepidation, Katie put the throttle in gear and raced out of the
garage in hot pursuit ...

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lars eased into the soft leather seat of the Jaguar XF as he cruised down the
winding single-lane road. He considered getting one of these after he collects
his considerable sum of money for this rather easy job. Glancing at the empty
seat beside him, he imagined for a moment Tiffany sitting there for the blonde
beauty would surely compliment the sleekness of this fancy sports car, but in
the end she would've been more of a liability to him. Pity ... she was
certainly a nice piece of ass ...

A flicker of light was suddenly shown off the rearview mirror, and Lars gazed
at it carefully. He definitely could tell that someone was following him!
Reacting in aghast at this unexpected revelation, he was bewildered at who it
could be? All of the staff and guests were accounted for he made sure of
that""and then it hit him ... Katie Spencer!

If it was indeed her tailing him, Lars was extremely impressed that she
somehow made it out of that foolproof trap of his. This girl was even more
resourceful than he gave her credit. Judging by the single light shown, he
deduced that she was riding a motorcycle, which made him feel more confident
for there was no way she could stop him with riding such a flimsy vehicle.

He pressed down harder on the gas pedal, seeing how well that teen detective
can handle a motorbike.

* * *

Racing down the narrow road at over 50mph in mid April temperatures made
Katie's body chilly""her suit was not meant to provide adequate warmth of this
kind. With the cold wind whipping at her face, Katie tried her utmost best at
keeping her eyes open as they were stinging like crazy. She did not have time
to think this through on how to stop Lars, so she was basically making this up
as it goes along. Her best bet on accomplishing that would be while they still
traveling on this driveway of a road as the hazardous conditions of it
prevented him from really speeding away.

It wasn't long before what she learned came back to her as she was now getting
comfortable riding this bike. Twisting the gas more, she began to accelerate,
and was now dangerously close to the rear bumper of the fancy car. Just then,
the car suddenly breaked, causing an imminent collision! Katie tried her best
to swerve out of the way, but couldn't turn that quickly, and the front wheel
slammed right into the rear fender of the car.

The bike began to stumble from the force of the impact, and Katie was thrown
off! She landed solidly in a thicket of brush nearby, which fortunately
cushioned her landing somewhat.

* * *

Lars gazed again in the rearview mirror with a grin on his face at seeing
Katie falling from the bike. Good riddance to her ...

Looking back ahead on the road, Lars suddenly gripped the steering wheel in
absolute panic as he speedily approached a sharp bend in the road. He
immediately hit the breaks and turned the wheel hurriedly to the left, hoping
to avoid a collision with the guardrail.

The Jaguar just kept sliding straight on and smashed right through the metal
rail, then disappeared over the steep embankment.

Katie was soon hobbling over there in stiff pain as she suffered some cuts and
bruises from her little tumble, but otherwise was not seriously injured.

Reaching the edge of the bend, she peered over the side of the road and gasped
at seeing that it ended at the edge of a tall cliff! She couldn't recall
hearing any sounds of a crash from below as her head was ringing loudly from
her own plunge, but it was dead silent now.

By all accounts, nobody would've been able to survive a fatal descent like
that, but she had thought that he perished once before as well. Standing there
with an ominous look on her grimy face, Katie wondered disturbingly if she had
seen the last of Lars Beckert ...