Chapter Two: Familiar Faces
Jo and Tootie drove to Peekskill the next morning.
"So, do you think they'll be happy to see us?" Tootie asked next to Jo in the front seat. Jo shrugged while looking at the rode.
"Yeah, but we haven't seen any of them in so long." Jo answered. The two arrived at their old house and walked up to the front door. Jo rang the door bell and waited for someone to answer. Finally a young man in his early twenties answered the door.
"Andy? Is that really you? I haven't seen you since you were sixteen!" Tootie said as she hugged him.
"Yeah, you must have heard about Blair. We were really worried about getting notice to you, we don't have any of your phone numbers or addresses. Wait, let me go tell Beverly Anne, Natalie, and Snake that you're here." Tootie and Jo sat on the couch while Andy ran upstairs.
"This old house hasn't changed a bit!" Jo said as she looked around the living room.
"Jo, Tootie!" The two women turned around and saw Beverly Anne at the top of the stairs. Beverly Anne ran down stairs and gave both of them a hug.
"Hi Beverly Anne. We came down to see how you guys are doing about the Blair thing. Actually, we've come to ask you some questions." Tootie said.
Beverly Anne gave Jo and Tootie a confused look. Suddenly Natalie and Snake ran down the stair. Jo and Tootie ran over to Natalie and hugged her.
"Where have you two been for the last six years? We've missed you like heck!" Natalie said still hugging both of them.
"Job, you know how it is. You moved back here and more importantly you married Snake?" Jo asked as she pulled back from Natalie's grip.
"Oh, yeah. Blair still does live here too. Well, if she isn't dead, she still does live here." Natalie good mood dropped. Jo put a had on her shoulder.
"That's what we've come to Peekskill for. We want to ask you some questions." Tootie said.
Jo bit her upper lip. She knew that it was a big risk to blow their cover to their friends, but they had to get some info.
"What are you, cops or something?" Beverly Anne asked. Jo took a deep breath.
"We're, um, private investigators. We're trying to get info on the kidnapping of Blair Warner. Can you help us?" Jo asked. Everyone looked a little shocked.
"Ok, ask away." Andy said as she sat on the big chair. Natalie gave Andy a questioning look.
"Before questions, I would like you two to tell us why we haven't heard this news before. Were you too busy to tell your best friends what your job is?" Natalie asked angrily.
"I'm sorry Natalie, but we're private investigators, we're supposed to keep it private." Tootie answered. Natalie rolled her eyes and then she and Snake sat down on the couch.
"Ok, first question. When was the last time any of you saw Blair?" Jo asked sitting at the table.
"Well, she was kidnapped when she was shopping at Tiffany's a week ago, and I saw her right before she left." Beverly Anne answered as she sat next to Andy on the big chair.
"Ok, so can you tell us anything else?" Jo asked.
Natalie nodded, got up and walked to the desk. She pulled out an envelope and handed it to Tootie. Tootie opened it up, and it was a letter. It read.
Friends of Blair Warner,
As you know, I have taken Blair. I'm asking for one hundred thousand dollars, or else your friend will be killed. I'll give you a clue to where I'm keeping her:
It's where the kangaroos jump, and the Aussies live.
If you can figure this out, you may have a chance of finding her. I'll also give you this. Dyneys Straualia.
Tootie nodded and gave the letter to Jo. Jo read it and looked up from the letter.
"Your regular riddler. It has to be Sydney, Australia. I think Tootie and I should check it out." Jo said as she stood up.
"But how are we supposed to know where in Sydney, Australia?" Andy asked. Jo and Tootie gave each other a little smirk.
'We have connections." Tootie said as she walked toward the door. Natalie stopped her.
"That's it? You came just to get information out of us? If you're going to Australia, we're going too." Natalie said.
"Sorry guys, but this could get dangerous. We need you not to get involved." Jo said as she opened the door.
"No, remember the good old days when we were a team? Please, Blair's our friend. Even former friends like yourself should know that we're not going to give up until we get to go with you." Natalie said with a small frown on her face. Jo looked at Tootie, Tootie nodded.
"Ok. Get tickets for the first flight to Australia and meet us at the airport tomorrow." Jo said as she left the house.
TO BE CONTINUED
Jo and Tootie drove to Peekskill the next morning.
"So, do you think they'll be happy to see us?" Tootie asked next to Jo in the front seat. Jo shrugged while looking at the rode.
"Yeah, but we haven't seen any of them in so long." Jo answered. The two arrived at their old house and walked up to the front door. Jo rang the door bell and waited for someone to answer. Finally a young man in his early twenties answered the door.
"Andy? Is that really you? I haven't seen you since you were sixteen!" Tootie said as she hugged him.
"Yeah, you must have heard about Blair. We were really worried about getting notice to you, we don't have any of your phone numbers or addresses. Wait, let me go tell Beverly Anne, Natalie, and Snake that you're here." Tootie and Jo sat on the couch while Andy ran upstairs.
"This old house hasn't changed a bit!" Jo said as she looked around the living room.
"Jo, Tootie!" The two women turned around and saw Beverly Anne at the top of the stairs. Beverly Anne ran down stairs and gave both of them a hug.
"Hi Beverly Anne. We came down to see how you guys are doing about the Blair thing. Actually, we've come to ask you some questions." Tootie said.
Beverly Anne gave Jo and Tootie a confused look. Suddenly Natalie and Snake ran down the stair. Jo and Tootie ran over to Natalie and hugged her.
"Where have you two been for the last six years? We've missed you like heck!" Natalie said still hugging both of them.
"Job, you know how it is. You moved back here and more importantly you married Snake?" Jo asked as she pulled back from Natalie's grip.
"Oh, yeah. Blair still does live here too. Well, if she isn't dead, she still does live here." Natalie good mood dropped. Jo put a had on her shoulder.
"That's what we've come to Peekskill for. We want to ask you some questions." Tootie said.
Jo bit her upper lip. She knew that it was a big risk to blow their cover to their friends, but they had to get some info.
"What are you, cops or something?" Beverly Anne asked. Jo took a deep breath.
"We're, um, private investigators. We're trying to get info on the kidnapping of Blair Warner. Can you help us?" Jo asked. Everyone looked a little shocked.
"Ok, ask away." Andy said as she sat on the big chair. Natalie gave Andy a questioning look.
"Before questions, I would like you two to tell us why we haven't heard this news before. Were you too busy to tell your best friends what your job is?" Natalie asked angrily.
"I'm sorry Natalie, but we're private investigators, we're supposed to keep it private." Tootie answered. Natalie rolled her eyes and then she and Snake sat down on the couch.
"Ok, first question. When was the last time any of you saw Blair?" Jo asked sitting at the table.
"Well, she was kidnapped when she was shopping at Tiffany's a week ago, and I saw her right before she left." Beverly Anne answered as she sat next to Andy on the big chair.
"Ok, so can you tell us anything else?" Jo asked.
Natalie nodded, got up and walked to the desk. She pulled out an envelope and handed it to Tootie. Tootie opened it up, and it was a letter. It read.
Friends of Blair Warner,
As you know, I have taken Blair. I'm asking for one hundred thousand dollars, or else your friend will be killed. I'll give you a clue to where I'm keeping her:
It's where the kangaroos jump, and the Aussies live.
If you can figure this out, you may have a chance of finding her. I'll also give you this. Dyneys Straualia.
Tootie nodded and gave the letter to Jo. Jo read it and looked up from the letter.
"Your regular riddler. It has to be Sydney, Australia. I think Tootie and I should check it out." Jo said as she stood up.
"But how are we supposed to know where in Sydney, Australia?" Andy asked. Jo and Tootie gave each other a little smirk.
'We have connections." Tootie said as she walked toward the door. Natalie stopped her.
"That's it? You came just to get information out of us? If you're going to Australia, we're going too." Natalie said.
"Sorry guys, but this could get dangerous. We need you not to get involved." Jo said as she opened the door.
"No, remember the good old days when we were a team? Please, Blair's our friend. Even former friends like yourself should know that we're not going to give up until we get to go with you." Natalie said with a small frown on her face. Jo looked at Tootie, Tootie nodded.
"Ok. Get tickets for the first flight to Australia and meet us at the airport tomorrow." Jo said as she left the house.
TO BE CONTINUED