First Afternoon
It was half past one in the morning when the Avengers drove up to the wrought iron gates of Penney Estate. They all took one look at their newest predicament and moaned.
Steed scowled fiercely at Mrs. Gale as he hissed, "Since we can't use the telephone in the red booth to call the house to have someone open the gates for us, how do you suggest we get inside?"
"Well, you haven't come up with any brilliant ideas tonight, so why don't you use your minute brain to think of something?" barked Cathy.
"Certain people in this car are in desperate need of sleep," Tara hinted delicately.
Emma merely ignored the many insults her husband and Dr. Gale were espousing and stepped out of the vehicle. She lazily placed one slender hand on the gates. Not to her surprise, the gates swung wide open, their rusting hinges creaking with every inch.
The deafening noise brought Steed and Gale's arguing to a complete standstill. "Somebody forgot to lock the gates," Mrs. Peel explained to her thunderstruck companions.
"I have the vaguest suspicion that the unlocked gate was no accident; it's has to be a trap," Steed declared crossly.
"Do you have a better idea?" Cathy retorted.
Steed remained in a silent sulk, indicating he had not the slightest notion what to do. They approached Penney Estate, each hoping that Mother would not notice four predators outside his office.
Cathy spoke first, "There's an entrance in the back of this house that leads into the kitchen. I think that would be the safest place to enter."
The other spies didn't ask any questions, but willingly followed their friend's actions. Once they were safely in the kitchen, the tension eased off a tiny smidgen. They took in their surroundings carefully, once again praying nobody would notice anything.
Suddenly Tara opened the kitchen cupboard and then the refrigerator. "Would you have a look at this, Steed?" she nearly shouted. Her companions almost strangled her out of fear for their lives. Why was Tara talking so loudly making it easy for Mother or some other agent to discover them?
"I suggest we take cover!" Dr. Gale hissed urgently to the Steeds as she ducked behind the kitchen counter. Mrs. Peel found shelter in the large pantry Tara had found, while John Steed dove under the kitchen table. But Tara stood where she was, peering into the lit refrigerator.
"It's all right; the door I opened leads to the icebox." Miss King smiled triumphantly while gesturing toward the open door.
"And why should that make us happy, Tara?" Mrs. Gale asked almost inaudibly. She gazed around in the darkness, wondering if each large bulky object she saw was Mother. Her eyes were still not accustomed to the darkness that hovered over them all like a heavy shroud.
"There is no food in the fridge, so obviously Mother has moved to a new office." Tara slammed the door for emphasis, and then, before her associates' horrified eyes, she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Someone come into the kitchen and arrest me!"
Cathy, Emma, and John made a madcap dash for the door to the outside, but after several minutes of complete silence, they realised that either Mother was dead or not there. To help them investigate better, Miss Tara flipped on a light switch.
Mrs. Gale motioned to her fellow accomplices to follow her into the dining room. Once they were assembled, she pointed to a spot on the rug and whispered, "This is where I found the corpse." Dr. Gale took them through all the rooms she had been in on that fateful day, explaining what occurred in each. Tara King managed to flip on every light switch she found until the whole house was illuminated.
After she finished the tour, Cathy Gale announced, "I'm going to search some of the rooms I haven't been in before. You examine the rooms I've already been in, in case I overlooked an important clue." Without another word, she dashed down the hallway.
Emma scratched her head thoughtfully as she surveyed the formal parlour. "I would investigate that candlestick for one thing. I mean, why did Fran even bring it out?"
Steed shook his head in relative amusement at what he deemed was a ridiculous question. "She got the candlestick so she could protect herself from the people who were coming to kill her." He lifted the candlestick from the little table it had been perched on. "See, she said that she was going to dust it, but what respectable spy performs such a menial task?" Tossing the candlestick to Mrs. Steed, who he was sure was competent to catch it, he turned to gaze at the fragmented mirror, a clue much more vital to solving the case, or at least in his opinion.
Tara outstretched her arms toward Emma. "May I look at it, please?" Mrs. Peel shrugged and handed it over to the young woman.
Miss King inspected the item, fascinated by the gold-plated silver. She wondered why such a large, elegant, and clearly expensive piece should way so little. She turned the stick upside-down to scrutinize the base. After a brief observation, Tara realised that the candlestick was hollow.
Tara excitedly remembered how she had discovered a note in the bottom of Mrs. Peel's lamp when she was trying to Steed with a mystery. Maybe something very similar was tucked away in the candlestick! She attempted to remove the base so she could have a look inside, but try as she might she could not. Before Steed or Emma could stop the impetuous spy, Tara rammed the candlestick against the marble floor.
"Tara, in all my days of working with you, I have never witnessed anything quite as idiotic as what you did now!" Steed cried in annoyance over the cacophony of silver clattering on the hard, shiny floor.
After the terrible clamor subsided, Tara retrieved the candlestick. Just as she had hoped, the bottom fell off into her slender hands. Without saying a word, Miss King pointed to the inside of the candlestick.
Emma finally grabbed it from her silent and impulsive friend. She stared at the inside in evident astonishment, but she regained composure to turn the candlestick right side up. A wrinkled piece of paper fluttered onto the floor.
Steed gaped incredulously and whistled. "I guess I misjudged you, Tara, and I hope you'll forgive me."
"Your apology is accepted, Steed," proclaimed the beaming Tara King.
"I wonder what this letter says?" Mrs. Peel mused aloud, excitement surging through her veins. She was about to read the letter but checked herself to gaze at Miss King. "You read it, for after all, you discovered this secret."
Tara couldn't suppress the wild grin that spread across her youthful face. The note read as follows:
To Whom It May Concern:
I know why Basil was framed for murder, and why Mrs. Gale is about to have the same fate. It seems this agent wants revenge on John Steed and certain other persons for undisclosed reasons. It's not very helpful information, I'll admit. I wish I knew more so that I could help whoever is reading this note.
As it is, my knowing this little has put me in grave danger. He wants to kill me! He has my sister on his side, too! She fell for his charm, just as many girls before her d *
I cannot write anymore! I hear their footsteps coming closer. If I die, I hope it is nobly like any death of a spy should be. I pray someone finds my letter and solves this mystery. I know I would, if I had the chance . . .
Fran Minolta, Agent 114
"She didn't have a chance to tell us who is behind the murders," Tara concluded.
"I don't know about you, but I've got to go to sleep. If I don't nap, I will be useless in hunting out clues." John Steed plopped onto an ornate sofa, beckoning for Emma to join him. Emma Peel shook her head, so Tara took this as an invitation for her to sit down by him. Steed seemed surprise, but he made no comment.
"You're just going to let Mrs. Gale investigate for clues by herself?" Mrs. Steed demanded.
"She's a very smart and capable woman. Why do you think I asked her to help me with my cases?" Steed thought that answer was sufficient, but Emma did not.
"As soon as the night watchman and the guard inside the jail revive, they will start looking for her, and this will be the first place they'll search!" Before anyone could answer her, Mrs. Peel flounced out of the room.
She peered in every corner of the dining room with no luck. She returned to the parlour to check on the two tired spies. The sound of peaceful breathing floated over to Emma, indicating that they were asleep.
Mrs. Peel sighed, running her hand through her shoulder length, brown hair. She sat down next to the reposing duo and shut her eyes. The baby and she were in desperate need of sleep. She'd only rest for a moment then she would help Cathy. She kept repeating this to herself to stay awake, but her weathered body soon won over her strong mind.
Poor Mrs. Gale, searching thoroughly in every room, did not know her friends were napping. She continued her investigation, assured that the three other Avengers were looking in the other rooms.
Unlike Tara, Mrs. Gale did not turn on every light she came upon. Instead she carried a torch she had found in a large broom closet. Cathy cautiously sneaked into Mother's study, and what she saw made her blood run cold. Sitting at an exquisitely carved desk was a man, who appeared to be very much awake! Since the light from the torch was not ample enough to distinguish any features on the man, Catherine wasn't certain if she knew him or not.
Dr. Gale tried not to cry out in frustration, but her attempts seemed futile. Would she ever be able to prove her innocence if she was sent back to prison by this stranger? Cathy approached the person at the desk silently. Maybe she could sneak up and knock the person out, but he most likely already saw her. It wouldn't be much of a surprise attack.
Mrs. Gale backed out of the room, hoping she had not been noticed. Unfortunately, the minute her back was turned, a light was turned on, temporarily blinding her. Once her eyes were adjusted to the brightness, Cathy perceived Rhonda walking slowly over to the desk where Mother sat!
"Mrs. Gale, you've finally arrived," Mother commented serenely.
Though she was petrified beyond comprehension, Cathy tried to make her voice sound tranquil as she exclaimed, "You were expecting me to break out of jail with the help of Steed?"
"Well, I know you aren't the criminal just like they do. Naturally, you would come to the scene of the crime to find evidence that would prove your innocence."
"We thought you had found a new office. Tara discovered that the icebox was empty, so was naturally concluded that you had left."
"That's exactly what a wanted you to think! Tara fell for my trap as planned."
"Miss King will not be too appreciative of that remark," Dr. Gale coolly told the obese man.
"She did her job as a secret agent superbly; she can't help it that I'm more devious than she. I'm not the head of the ministry just for my age or disability!"
"So the gates being unlocked were not just a coincidence," Cathy deliberated.
"That is a most adept observation. I can see why Steed occasionally uses you as his partner." Mother wheeled around the desk in order to talk directly to Ms. Gale's face. "Have you found anything of vital importance?"
"If I had, do you think I would still be here?" was the blunt reply.
"Well, you may not have unearthed anything, but Tara and the Steeds have."
"How do you know that?" Cathy demanded skeptically.
"I have security cameras in every room that I can look at in the security office. It's located next door to this study, if you're interested." Mother commanded Rhonda to push him into the adjoining chamber.
As Mrs. Gale followed him, she asked, "Why haven't you been searching for clues?"
"As the chief of the agency, I must remain neutral in cases, not helping either sides gather evidence."
"You could turn me in, though, couldn't you?"
"I could, but only if I had seen you at Penney Estate. And I'm pretending I haven't seen you." Mother stopped his explaining to point at a television screen. "It looks as if your friends are taking a nap."
Cathy gazed at the three other Avengers, sleeping soundly on a plush couch. She sighed in exasperation, thanked Mother for not turning her in, and returned to the parlour. "Are you that bored at the prospect of my being executed?" she snapped as soon as she was in the room.
Emma raised an eyelid slowly, as did Tara, but John remained in a deep slumber. "Who's being killed?" Mrs. Peel garbled sleepily. She yawned and stretched upward like a supple cat. Suddenly the experiences of earlier that night seemed to dawn on her.
She abruptly jumped up and began explaining, "I didn't mean to fall asleep, Mrs. Gale! I kept saying to myself, 'Emma old girl, stay awake. A friend's life is in mortal danger, and if you happen to rest for a moment, she might never be proven innocent.' I-"
"It's all right, Mrs. Steed," Cathy reassured her flustered comrade, softening considerably. "What is this clue you discovered?"
"Oh, you mean the letter I found?" Tara asked in evident surprise. "How did you know about that if you were in another part of the mansion when I found it?"
Mrs. Gale briefly explained her encounter with Mother. "May I please read the letter?" Once she was given the note, she perused it with genuine interest. When she finished, she cogitated aloud, "I've already determined that the colour of Fran's eyes changed because someone who looked considerably like her took her place. The woman who took Fran's place had to be a double if I didn't notice a change in her features. Tell me, what is another name for double?"
"That would be twin!" Emma Peel cried in revelation.
"So Miss Minolta had a twin sister," Tara worked out, "but that doesn't explain why she killed her! Twins are not only very close in appearances but also in their minds and souls. Why would she murder Fran if they had such a connection?"
"In the letter, Fran states that her sister fell for a certain, charming man, an agent who wants to avenge himself or somebody for some wrong we've done," Emma Peel reminded Tara.
"What have we done to incur somebody's wrath?" Tara questioned. "We just follow the law like normal citizens."
"Perhaps the man Fran's twin fell in love with is an enemy agent," Emma suggested.
"Mrs. Steed, could you please wake your husband and ask him if anything suspicion happened while he was at Department S?" Cathy requested. "I've already come to the conclusion that the woman, who called herself Miss Minolta, that Steed saw at Department S was actually Fran's twin. But I need to know if anything else occurred that could link to this murder."
"Well, I know that he was almost blown to bits by the land mines," Mrs. Peel responded.
"That couldn't have been an accident!" Tara exclaimed, recalling her experience with Department S.
Emma went over to nudge Steed, but he would not stir. She asked him gently, "Steed, we need to know what happened at Department S that one day." There was no answer, so she said louder, "John Steed, who was at the D-E-P-A-R-T-M-E-N-T?"
"All the invalid spies," he retorted, obviously barely awake.
Cathy devised a wicked plan, which she immediately put into action. Still clutching the electric torch, she put the bottom up to Steed's head. His eyes popped open at the feeling of the cold object. He turned to see what it was and was greeted with what he assumed was the end of a gun. John Steed sprang to his feet without delay. "What the-" He spotted Mrs. Gale in her light blue skirt and jacket with the white blouse underneath.
"Now, will you please tell us who was at Department S and what occurred? Cathy inquired through clenched teeth.
Steed described the whole event in detail, starting with his conversation with Fran's sister and ending with his discussion with Mrs. Parker, Mitchell, and the conspicuous Harrod. "I'm certain those bombs were set off by Harrod!" Steed concluded.
"And Fran's twin is in league with him," Miss King added.
"Of what age would you take this Mr. Harrod to be?" Cathy inquired, deep in contemplation.
"I'd say around forty years of age with greying hair and round spectacles."
"Was he debonair, amusing, and amiable?" Dr. Gale queried.
"No, he was a nervous man, and Mrs. Parker seemed quite annoyed with him."
"If this is an accurate description of him, how could he possibly be the Man WE'RE LOOKING FOR?" insisted Cathy Gale in a tone that was anything but patient.
"People find love in the strangest places," Steed protested.
"How do you explain this line in the letter?" Cathy snapped. She showed him the sentence, which read, "She fell for his charm, just as many girls before her . . ."
At that moment Mother entered the room, saving Steed from further embarrassment. "The agents from the jail just called me from the red phone booth. They're looking for you, Mrs. Gale. I haven't opened the gate yet, but as soon as I do, they will see Steed's car, and realise you're here. I suggest you take your auto, Steed, and hide it in the back yard. Then come back inside to open the gate for them. Once you've completed that task, join us upstairs."
Steed immediately followed out Mother's proposition. Mother addressed Cathy, saying, "Being a spy with many suspicions, I have a secret room I can hide you four in."
The three women followed Mother and the ever-present Rhonda down the hallway and up a lift that had been installed for Mother's convenience. As she waited for the elevator to reach its destination, Cathy wondered if there really was any clue in the estate, or if she should have given up from the beginning. She knew for certain that she was tired, and it really was time for bed, not investigating.
Now on the second floor, the spies ventured into the first room. It was a bedroom, with a feminine canopy bed. Cathy thought of her comfy bed in her cozy flat, and the idea almost put her to sleep. Then she envisioned the harsh cot in the grungy jail cell. She must follow Mother and hide in the appointed place even if she died of exhaustion. Any death was preferable compared to execution by gunshot or living in a disgusting jail for the rest of her days!
Despite her motivating thinking, she stumbled tiredly into Mother's wheelchair. Mother was scolding Ronda, "Why did you push me into your room? You know the secret passage isn't in here!"
Mother and the four women walked into another bedroom. A plain, hard bed stood before them, a sight that made Cathy wish even more fervently that she could return to her warm and welcoming apartment. The room was the exact same layout as Rhonda's bedroom, except there was different, more masculine furniture. Also there was a fireplace that didn't seem to have a chimney. Finding this extremely suspicious, Mrs. Gale wondered if that was where the secret room was located.
Her suspicions proved valid, for Rhonda wheeled Mother over to the hearth.
He began moving the red bricks around it, pushing at some, prying at others, until suddenly, the fireplace gave way to reveal a dark passageway.
"I thought you said that you couldn't help either side since you have to remain impartial," Cathy remarked to Mother.
"I said I couldn't help either side hunt for clues. I never said I couldn't help one side escape." Mother smiled briefly for a moment before continuing, "Go now, before you are discovered!" Tara impulsively kissed the plump cheek of the aging man, a gesture that seemed to please him exceedingly.
Torch still in hand, Cathy flipped it on and ducked into the room. Tara, Emma, and Steed, who had finished following Mother's instructions, followed. As they crept down the tunnel, they heard the entranceway shut behind them.
Soon they came to a small, tidy room with two cots, blankets, and enough provisions for a year. A square table stood in the center of the room, and in the corner was a personal bar. Steed sighed in relief, glad that he could have his late night, medicinal drink.
Tara spotted a long string coming down from the ceiling, which she pulled accordingly. A bare bulb immediately illuminated the room, causing the Avengers to blink several times until they became accustomed to the light. There was a crude door to their left that undoubtedly led to a washroom.
"Was Mother expecting World War III to start?" Tara asked as she surveyed the dismal setting.
"Why was Mother being so kind to us after brainwashing us several times?" Emma pondered aloud.
"He feels guilty because he knows the reason we're being targeted is because one of his loyal agents doesn't like the fact that we're trying to leave this ministry," Steed pragmatically replied.
"If that's the reason were being framed for murder," began Cathy, her dark eyebrows knitted together, "then Harrod definitely can't be responsible."
"Just out of curiosity, why is that?" Tara asked.
"Because he must be a new recruit, or Steed surely would have recognised him. How can he be angry with us if he wasn't even around when we were defying Mother?" Cathy let this question sink into the tired brains of her colleagues.
"I can't mull over any more puzzles tonight," Miss King moaned.
"Did anyone notice if we were ascending or descending as we went through the tunnel?" Emma inquired, changing the subject in her smooth manner. After receiving shakes of the head from everyone, she continued, "I observed that we were gradually moving up. Mother couldn't have stairs, so he just added a very long ramp. I think we're on the third floor somewhere."
"I was wondering how it was possible to have skylights if we were still on the second story and there was another floor above us." Steed pointed at the two windows in the ceiling.
"I'm sure in the morning it's quite cheery," Cathy began meaningfully, "but maybe we should worry less about our surroundings and more about being caught because we're speaking so loudly."
The four spies thought it would be in everyone's best interest if they just slept. Since there were only two cots, Steed and Emma shared one, while Cathy and Tara shared the other. However, the cots were meant for only one person, so the four spies had to sit upright in order to all fit.
Meanwhile, Mother was tranquilly informing the two incredibly embittered guards from the jail that the escaped convict had not been at his mansion that night.
"Where else would she have gone?" despaired the outside watchman who was in control of the prison's gates.
"Send men to check her flat and the airport to see if she's leaving the country," Mother suggested authoratively. "Now, go back to your posts unless you want everyone in the penitentiary to escape."
The two men cowered before their superior, protesting that they had left two other guards in charge. Mother would have none of their sniveling and had Rhonda push them out the door.
To Be Continued!
It was half past one in the morning when the Avengers drove up to the wrought iron gates of Penney Estate. They all took one look at their newest predicament and moaned.
Steed scowled fiercely at Mrs. Gale as he hissed, "Since we can't use the telephone in the red booth to call the house to have someone open the gates for us, how do you suggest we get inside?"
"Well, you haven't come up with any brilliant ideas tonight, so why don't you use your minute brain to think of something?" barked Cathy.
"Certain people in this car are in desperate need of sleep," Tara hinted delicately.
Emma merely ignored the many insults her husband and Dr. Gale were espousing and stepped out of the vehicle. She lazily placed one slender hand on the gates. Not to her surprise, the gates swung wide open, their rusting hinges creaking with every inch.
The deafening noise brought Steed and Gale's arguing to a complete standstill. "Somebody forgot to lock the gates," Mrs. Peel explained to her thunderstruck companions.
"I have the vaguest suspicion that the unlocked gate was no accident; it's has to be a trap," Steed declared crossly.
"Do you have a better idea?" Cathy retorted.
Steed remained in a silent sulk, indicating he had not the slightest notion what to do. They approached Penney Estate, each hoping that Mother would not notice four predators outside his office.
Cathy spoke first, "There's an entrance in the back of this house that leads into the kitchen. I think that would be the safest place to enter."
The other spies didn't ask any questions, but willingly followed their friend's actions. Once they were safely in the kitchen, the tension eased off a tiny smidgen. They took in their surroundings carefully, once again praying nobody would notice anything.
Suddenly Tara opened the kitchen cupboard and then the refrigerator. "Would you have a look at this, Steed?" she nearly shouted. Her companions almost strangled her out of fear for their lives. Why was Tara talking so loudly making it easy for Mother or some other agent to discover them?
"I suggest we take cover!" Dr. Gale hissed urgently to the Steeds as she ducked behind the kitchen counter. Mrs. Peel found shelter in the large pantry Tara had found, while John Steed dove under the kitchen table. But Tara stood where she was, peering into the lit refrigerator.
"It's all right; the door I opened leads to the icebox." Miss King smiled triumphantly while gesturing toward the open door.
"And why should that make us happy, Tara?" Mrs. Gale asked almost inaudibly. She gazed around in the darkness, wondering if each large bulky object she saw was Mother. Her eyes were still not accustomed to the darkness that hovered over them all like a heavy shroud.
"There is no food in the fridge, so obviously Mother has moved to a new office." Tara slammed the door for emphasis, and then, before her associates' horrified eyes, she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Someone come into the kitchen and arrest me!"
Cathy, Emma, and John made a madcap dash for the door to the outside, but after several minutes of complete silence, they realised that either Mother was dead or not there. To help them investigate better, Miss Tara flipped on a light switch.
Mrs. Gale motioned to her fellow accomplices to follow her into the dining room. Once they were assembled, she pointed to a spot on the rug and whispered, "This is where I found the corpse." Dr. Gale took them through all the rooms she had been in on that fateful day, explaining what occurred in each. Tara King managed to flip on every light switch she found until the whole house was illuminated.
After she finished the tour, Cathy Gale announced, "I'm going to search some of the rooms I haven't been in before. You examine the rooms I've already been in, in case I overlooked an important clue." Without another word, she dashed down the hallway.
Emma scratched her head thoughtfully as she surveyed the formal parlour. "I would investigate that candlestick for one thing. I mean, why did Fran even bring it out?"
Steed shook his head in relative amusement at what he deemed was a ridiculous question. "She got the candlestick so she could protect herself from the people who were coming to kill her." He lifted the candlestick from the little table it had been perched on. "See, she said that she was going to dust it, but what respectable spy performs such a menial task?" Tossing the candlestick to Mrs. Steed, who he was sure was competent to catch it, he turned to gaze at the fragmented mirror, a clue much more vital to solving the case, or at least in his opinion.
Tara outstretched her arms toward Emma. "May I look at it, please?" Mrs. Peel shrugged and handed it over to the young woman.
Miss King inspected the item, fascinated by the gold-plated silver. She wondered why such a large, elegant, and clearly expensive piece should way so little. She turned the stick upside-down to scrutinize the base. After a brief observation, Tara realised that the candlestick was hollow.
Tara excitedly remembered how she had discovered a note in the bottom of Mrs. Peel's lamp when she was trying to Steed with a mystery. Maybe something very similar was tucked away in the candlestick! She attempted to remove the base so she could have a look inside, but try as she might she could not. Before Steed or Emma could stop the impetuous spy, Tara rammed the candlestick against the marble floor.
"Tara, in all my days of working with you, I have never witnessed anything quite as idiotic as what you did now!" Steed cried in annoyance over the cacophony of silver clattering on the hard, shiny floor.
After the terrible clamor subsided, Tara retrieved the candlestick. Just as she had hoped, the bottom fell off into her slender hands. Without saying a word, Miss King pointed to the inside of the candlestick.
Emma finally grabbed it from her silent and impulsive friend. She stared at the inside in evident astonishment, but she regained composure to turn the candlestick right side up. A wrinkled piece of paper fluttered onto the floor.
Steed gaped incredulously and whistled. "I guess I misjudged you, Tara, and I hope you'll forgive me."
"Your apology is accepted, Steed," proclaimed the beaming Tara King.
"I wonder what this letter says?" Mrs. Peel mused aloud, excitement surging through her veins. She was about to read the letter but checked herself to gaze at Miss King. "You read it, for after all, you discovered this secret."
Tara couldn't suppress the wild grin that spread across her youthful face. The note read as follows:
To Whom It May Concern:
I know why Basil was framed for murder, and why Mrs. Gale is about to have the same fate. It seems this agent wants revenge on John Steed and certain other persons for undisclosed reasons. It's not very helpful information, I'll admit. I wish I knew more so that I could help whoever is reading this note.
As it is, my knowing this little has put me in grave danger. He wants to kill me! He has my sister on his side, too! She fell for his charm, just as many girls before her d *
I cannot write anymore! I hear their footsteps coming closer. If I die, I hope it is nobly like any death of a spy should be. I pray someone finds my letter and solves this mystery. I know I would, if I had the chance . . .
Fran Minolta, Agent 114
"She didn't have a chance to tell us who is behind the murders," Tara concluded.
"I don't know about you, but I've got to go to sleep. If I don't nap, I will be useless in hunting out clues." John Steed plopped onto an ornate sofa, beckoning for Emma to join him. Emma Peel shook her head, so Tara took this as an invitation for her to sit down by him. Steed seemed surprise, but he made no comment.
"You're just going to let Mrs. Gale investigate for clues by herself?" Mrs. Steed demanded.
"She's a very smart and capable woman. Why do you think I asked her to help me with my cases?" Steed thought that answer was sufficient, but Emma did not.
"As soon as the night watchman and the guard inside the jail revive, they will start looking for her, and this will be the first place they'll search!" Before anyone could answer her, Mrs. Peel flounced out of the room.
She peered in every corner of the dining room with no luck. She returned to the parlour to check on the two tired spies. The sound of peaceful breathing floated over to Emma, indicating that they were asleep.
Mrs. Peel sighed, running her hand through her shoulder length, brown hair. She sat down next to the reposing duo and shut her eyes. The baby and she were in desperate need of sleep. She'd only rest for a moment then she would help Cathy. She kept repeating this to herself to stay awake, but her weathered body soon won over her strong mind.
Poor Mrs. Gale, searching thoroughly in every room, did not know her friends were napping. She continued her investigation, assured that the three other Avengers were looking in the other rooms.
Unlike Tara, Mrs. Gale did not turn on every light she came upon. Instead she carried a torch she had found in a large broom closet. Cathy cautiously sneaked into Mother's study, and what she saw made her blood run cold. Sitting at an exquisitely carved desk was a man, who appeared to be very much awake! Since the light from the torch was not ample enough to distinguish any features on the man, Catherine wasn't certain if she knew him or not.
Dr. Gale tried not to cry out in frustration, but her attempts seemed futile. Would she ever be able to prove her innocence if she was sent back to prison by this stranger? Cathy approached the person at the desk silently. Maybe she could sneak up and knock the person out, but he most likely already saw her. It wouldn't be much of a surprise attack.
Mrs. Gale backed out of the room, hoping she had not been noticed. Unfortunately, the minute her back was turned, a light was turned on, temporarily blinding her. Once her eyes were adjusted to the brightness, Cathy perceived Rhonda walking slowly over to the desk where Mother sat!
"Mrs. Gale, you've finally arrived," Mother commented serenely.
Though she was petrified beyond comprehension, Cathy tried to make her voice sound tranquil as she exclaimed, "You were expecting me to break out of jail with the help of Steed?"
"Well, I know you aren't the criminal just like they do. Naturally, you would come to the scene of the crime to find evidence that would prove your innocence."
"We thought you had found a new office. Tara discovered that the icebox was empty, so was naturally concluded that you had left."
"That's exactly what a wanted you to think! Tara fell for my trap as planned."
"Miss King will not be too appreciative of that remark," Dr. Gale coolly told the obese man.
"She did her job as a secret agent superbly; she can't help it that I'm more devious than she. I'm not the head of the ministry just for my age or disability!"
"So the gates being unlocked were not just a coincidence," Cathy deliberated.
"That is a most adept observation. I can see why Steed occasionally uses you as his partner." Mother wheeled around the desk in order to talk directly to Ms. Gale's face. "Have you found anything of vital importance?"
"If I had, do you think I would still be here?" was the blunt reply.
"Well, you may not have unearthed anything, but Tara and the Steeds have."
"How do you know that?" Cathy demanded skeptically.
"I have security cameras in every room that I can look at in the security office. It's located next door to this study, if you're interested." Mother commanded Rhonda to push him into the adjoining chamber.
As Mrs. Gale followed him, she asked, "Why haven't you been searching for clues?"
"As the chief of the agency, I must remain neutral in cases, not helping either sides gather evidence."
"You could turn me in, though, couldn't you?"
"I could, but only if I had seen you at Penney Estate. And I'm pretending I haven't seen you." Mother stopped his explaining to point at a television screen. "It looks as if your friends are taking a nap."
Cathy gazed at the three other Avengers, sleeping soundly on a plush couch. She sighed in exasperation, thanked Mother for not turning her in, and returned to the parlour. "Are you that bored at the prospect of my being executed?" she snapped as soon as she was in the room.
Emma raised an eyelid slowly, as did Tara, but John remained in a deep slumber. "Who's being killed?" Mrs. Peel garbled sleepily. She yawned and stretched upward like a supple cat. Suddenly the experiences of earlier that night seemed to dawn on her.
She abruptly jumped up and began explaining, "I didn't mean to fall asleep, Mrs. Gale! I kept saying to myself, 'Emma old girl, stay awake. A friend's life is in mortal danger, and if you happen to rest for a moment, she might never be proven innocent.' I-"
"It's all right, Mrs. Steed," Cathy reassured her flustered comrade, softening considerably. "What is this clue you discovered?"
"Oh, you mean the letter I found?" Tara asked in evident surprise. "How did you know about that if you were in another part of the mansion when I found it?"
Mrs. Gale briefly explained her encounter with Mother. "May I please read the letter?" Once she was given the note, she perused it with genuine interest. When she finished, she cogitated aloud, "I've already determined that the colour of Fran's eyes changed because someone who looked considerably like her took her place. The woman who took Fran's place had to be a double if I didn't notice a change in her features. Tell me, what is another name for double?"
"That would be twin!" Emma Peel cried in revelation.
"So Miss Minolta had a twin sister," Tara worked out, "but that doesn't explain why she killed her! Twins are not only very close in appearances but also in their minds and souls. Why would she murder Fran if they had such a connection?"
"In the letter, Fran states that her sister fell for a certain, charming man, an agent who wants to avenge himself or somebody for some wrong we've done," Emma Peel reminded Tara.
"What have we done to incur somebody's wrath?" Tara questioned. "We just follow the law like normal citizens."
"Perhaps the man Fran's twin fell in love with is an enemy agent," Emma suggested.
"Mrs. Steed, could you please wake your husband and ask him if anything suspicion happened while he was at Department S?" Cathy requested. "I've already come to the conclusion that the woman, who called herself Miss Minolta, that Steed saw at Department S was actually Fran's twin. But I need to know if anything else occurred that could link to this murder."
"Well, I know that he was almost blown to bits by the land mines," Mrs. Peel responded.
"That couldn't have been an accident!" Tara exclaimed, recalling her experience with Department S.
Emma went over to nudge Steed, but he would not stir. She asked him gently, "Steed, we need to know what happened at Department S that one day." There was no answer, so she said louder, "John Steed, who was at the D-E-P-A-R-T-M-E-N-T?"
"All the invalid spies," he retorted, obviously barely awake.
Cathy devised a wicked plan, which she immediately put into action. Still clutching the electric torch, she put the bottom up to Steed's head. His eyes popped open at the feeling of the cold object. He turned to see what it was and was greeted with what he assumed was the end of a gun. John Steed sprang to his feet without delay. "What the-" He spotted Mrs. Gale in her light blue skirt and jacket with the white blouse underneath.
"Now, will you please tell us who was at Department S and what occurred? Cathy inquired through clenched teeth.
Steed described the whole event in detail, starting with his conversation with Fran's sister and ending with his discussion with Mrs. Parker, Mitchell, and the conspicuous Harrod. "I'm certain those bombs were set off by Harrod!" Steed concluded.
"And Fran's twin is in league with him," Miss King added.
"Of what age would you take this Mr. Harrod to be?" Cathy inquired, deep in contemplation.
"I'd say around forty years of age with greying hair and round spectacles."
"Was he debonair, amusing, and amiable?" Dr. Gale queried.
"No, he was a nervous man, and Mrs. Parker seemed quite annoyed with him."
"If this is an accurate description of him, how could he possibly be the Man WE'RE LOOKING FOR?" insisted Cathy Gale in a tone that was anything but patient.
"People find love in the strangest places," Steed protested.
"How do you explain this line in the letter?" Cathy snapped. She showed him the sentence, which read, "She fell for his charm, just as many girls before her . . ."
At that moment Mother entered the room, saving Steed from further embarrassment. "The agents from the jail just called me from the red phone booth. They're looking for you, Mrs. Gale. I haven't opened the gate yet, but as soon as I do, they will see Steed's car, and realise you're here. I suggest you take your auto, Steed, and hide it in the back yard. Then come back inside to open the gate for them. Once you've completed that task, join us upstairs."
Steed immediately followed out Mother's proposition. Mother addressed Cathy, saying, "Being a spy with many suspicions, I have a secret room I can hide you four in."
The three women followed Mother and the ever-present Rhonda down the hallway and up a lift that had been installed for Mother's convenience. As she waited for the elevator to reach its destination, Cathy wondered if there really was any clue in the estate, or if she should have given up from the beginning. She knew for certain that she was tired, and it really was time for bed, not investigating.
Now on the second floor, the spies ventured into the first room. It was a bedroom, with a feminine canopy bed. Cathy thought of her comfy bed in her cozy flat, and the idea almost put her to sleep. Then she envisioned the harsh cot in the grungy jail cell. She must follow Mother and hide in the appointed place even if she died of exhaustion. Any death was preferable compared to execution by gunshot or living in a disgusting jail for the rest of her days!
Despite her motivating thinking, she stumbled tiredly into Mother's wheelchair. Mother was scolding Ronda, "Why did you push me into your room? You know the secret passage isn't in here!"
Mother and the four women walked into another bedroom. A plain, hard bed stood before them, a sight that made Cathy wish even more fervently that she could return to her warm and welcoming apartment. The room was the exact same layout as Rhonda's bedroom, except there was different, more masculine furniture. Also there was a fireplace that didn't seem to have a chimney. Finding this extremely suspicious, Mrs. Gale wondered if that was where the secret room was located.
Her suspicions proved valid, for Rhonda wheeled Mother over to the hearth.
He began moving the red bricks around it, pushing at some, prying at others, until suddenly, the fireplace gave way to reveal a dark passageway.
"I thought you said that you couldn't help either side since you have to remain impartial," Cathy remarked to Mother.
"I said I couldn't help either side hunt for clues. I never said I couldn't help one side escape." Mother smiled briefly for a moment before continuing, "Go now, before you are discovered!" Tara impulsively kissed the plump cheek of the aging man, a gesture that seemed to please him exceedingly.
Torch still in hand, Cathy flipped it on and ducked into the room. Tara, Emma, and Steed, who had finished following Mother's instructions, followed. As they crept down the tunnel, they heard the entranceway shut behind them.
Soon they came to a small, tidy room with two cots, blankets, and enough provisions for a year. A square table stood in the center of the room, and in the corner was a personal bar. Steed sighed in relief, glad that he could have his late night, medicinal drink.
Tara spotted a long string coming down from the ceiling, which she pulled accordingly. A bare bulb immediately illuminated the room, causing the Avengers to blink several times until they became accustomed to the light. There was a crude door to their left that undoubtedly led to a washroom.
"Was Mother expecting World War III to start?" Tara asked as she surveyed the dismal setting.
"Why was Mother being so kind to us after brainwashing us several times?" Emma pondered aloud.
"He feels guilty because he knows the reason we're being targeted is because one of his loyal agents doesn't like the fact that we're trying to leave this ministry," Steed pragmatically replied.
"If that's the reason were being framed for murder," began Cathy, her dark eyebrows knitted together, "then Harrod definitely can't be responsible."
"Just out of curiosity, why is that?" Tara asked.
"Because he must be a new recruit, or Steed surely would have recognised him. How can he be angry with us if he wasn't even around when we were defying Mother?" Cathy let this question sink into the tired brains of her colleagues.
"I can't mull over any more puzzles tonight," Miss King moaned.
"Did anyone notice if we were ascending or descending as we went through the tunnel?" Emma inquired, changing the subject in her smooth manner. After receiving shakes of the head from everyone, she continued, "I observed that we were gradually moving up. Mother couldn't have stairs, so he just added a very long ramp. I think we're on the third floor somewhere."
"I was wondering how it was possible to have skylights if we were still on the second story and there was another floor above us." Steed pointed at the two windows in the ceiling.
"I'm sure in the morning it's quite cheery," Cathy began meaningfully, "but maybe we should worry less about our surroundings and more about being caught because we're speaking so loudly."
The four spies thought it would be in everyone's best interest if they just slept. Since there were only two cots, Steed and Emma shared one, while Cathy and Tara shared the other. However, the cots were meant for only one person, so the four spies had to sit upright in order to all fit.
Meanwhile, Mother was tranquilly informing the two incredibly embittered guards from the jail that the escaped convict had not been at his mansion that night.
"Where else would she have gone?" despaired the outside watchman who was in control of the prison's gates.
"Send men to check her flat and the airport to see if she's leaving the country," Mother suggested authoratively. "Now, go back to your posts unless you want everyone in the penitentiary to escape."
The two men cowered before their superior, protesting that they had left two other guards in charge. Mother would have none of their sniveling and had Rhonda push them out the door.
To Be Continued!