(A/n l I think this chapter is better than the last. I hope you all like
it. Next chapter is the costume party. Once again thank you for reviewing
and I own none of the angels, Bosley or Anthony aka the Creepy Thin Man)
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony hated walking away from the sound of her voice. It was soothing to his ears like a gentle hand on a fevered brow. It calmed and soothed him. He looked at the rapier in his hand covered with blood of the person he killed. He thought of his employer and cringed. When had he come to care so much for someone he couldn't do a job properly? Caring had never stopped him before. When he worked for McCadden he was intrigued by the beautiful red-headed angel but not enough to help her, or turn his back on his employer, as she hung dangling out the window held only by a small shard of glass through the cotton sheet. His employer had specifically said to harm the detectives and he had readily agreed but that was before he knew who the detectives were.
He reached into his pocket and fingered the lock of hair. It wasn't enough to ease his worried mind so he took it out and inhaled the scent it still carried. He tried to decide what to do, whether to return to the hotel or not. He looked at the way the hair shone and decided not to. He still wasn't sure what Mill's assignment was but what if he was supposed to kill the angels as well. He wasn't going to let Mills come to hurt Dylan or her friends, he didn't care about her friends but if they were hurt so was she and thus he felt it his responsibility to protect them as well.
Then he heard the scream from the house and saw the three detectives and the countess run out of the stable. He followed cautiously and decided to go inside. There were at least seventy guests, one extra he doubted would be noticed.
*-*-*-*-*
The angels and Katja arrived back at the house just in time to see Bosley attempting to give the Count the Heimlich maneuver. Bosley stood behind the man his hands one over lapping the other against the Counts stomach and thrusting upward. There was no response. "He is turning blue," yelled a guest.
Katja put her hand to her face and started crying. "Hit him on the back Bos," called Dylan. Anthony stood in the doorway watching the commotion unseen by the angels. Bosley hit Andreas' back with the heel of his hand between the shoulder blades. Just then a small object flew out of his mouth and hit the wall. The count closed his eyes. "Danke," he said softly.
Katja dramatically ran up and threw her arms around him. "Oh Andreas," she sobbed.
"I'm fine Katja thanks to Mr. Bosley."
Dylan crossed the floor and looked at the object that had been coughed up, it was a ring. She wrapped it in a napkin and brought it over to the couple. "This is what you swallowed, or couldn't swallow," she said.
"A ring;" asked Katja puzzled.
"May I see that," asked Andreas holding out his hand. "I suppose the cook lost it in the pudding. I was so busy talking I never even noticed it."
"Who brought you the pudding," asked Alex.
"I don't see why that would matter," said Katja giving Alex a deadly glare. Alex ignored it and continued. "It possible that it was placed in the pudding on purpose."
"Well Karl brought it to me, but he has no reason to want to kill me."
They all looked at Karl Mills. He was blushing and drops of perspiration broke out on his forehead, "I got the bowl from the cook and brought it in. There weren't anymore on the table and the Count said he didn't get any so I was just being helpful."
"I think Katja has something she needs to talk to you about, in private," said Dylan.
"No, it can wait."
"Can it?"
Andreas watched the exchange. "Kat is there something you are keeping from me?"
She looked at the four detectives and Andreas looking at her. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders in defeat, "Fine all of you come we will talk about this in Andreas's study. Everyone", she said to the other guests, "enjoy, dance, and have fun."
Mills watched the group going into the study. His employer was right, the detectives, the angels, "what a stupid name for them," he thought with irritation, were going to have to be taken care of. They were nosy and good. Why the hell had Katja even hired them, they were just a monkey wrench in the works as far as he was concerned. He decided to follow and listen.
*-*-*-*-*
The office of the Count was in a room without windows, large shelves of books lined every wall. In the middle of the room was a massive mahogany desk, there was also a small couch in brown leather with gold colored rivets holding the material in place, and two chairs of the same. The light in the room was given off by a traditional styled banker's lamp. Andreas entered and went to his side of the desk.
"So what is going on here?"
Katja just looked at her hands not really knowing where to begin so Dylan began. "Graf, we aren't friends of Katja's. We are detectives from Los Angeles, The Townsend Agency."
"Why would you call detectives Katja?"
Katja still sat in silence so Dylan continued, "There were threats on your life and she came to us for help."
"Is this true?"
"Yes," answered Katja meekly. "I didn't want you to worry so I didn't tell you. I thought it would be better if they found out who was plotting to kill you and take care of the problem before it could get any worse."
"But it has gotten worse," said the count matter-of-factly. "Hasn't it? You think that my choking wasn't an accident."
The angels looked at each other, "It's possible it wasn't an accident," stated Alex simply. Bosley pulled the four letters out of the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket and handed them to Andreas. He removed the ribbon and read each one out loud.
"And you didn't think I had the right to know this Katja? That I didn't have the right to know my life was being threatened? I thought we told each other everything." The happy man from earlier in the evening was replaced by a sad weary one that looked much older than his thirty five years.
"There is more," said Dylan. Katja flashed her a look not to continue but she did anyway, "Natalie was attacked in the barn tonight, hit in the head by someone with a large rock."
"Meine Güte," exclaimed Andreas, "can this be any worse?"
"Actually it can," proceeded Dylan, "She was attacked by your sister."
"Helene? Where is she now? I want to speak to her," Andreas stood with his hands on his desk.
"You can't someone killed Helene. She was stabbed with a sword," said Natalie.
He sat defeated in his chair, silent. The five others just watched him. "We have to call off the wedding."
"NO!" yelled Katja, then more calmly, "that is what the killer wants. We can't let that happen."
"What do you think," he asked the angels.
"I hate to say it," said Alex, "but I am going to have to agree with Katja. You keep the wedding plans on schedule and we will catch the creep who is trying to stop it."
"Do you think you can keep him safe, you can't even keep yourselves safe," she said nastily glancing at Natalie and her blonde hair with drying blood.
"Yes, and now that the Count knows, he can keep an eye open for himself as well," responded Natalie.
By the time the meeting between the Count, his fiancé and the angels was over the ballroom was deserted. Michael explained that most of the guests had gone to bed and a few of the older gentlemen were in the winter garden with brandy and cigars. Andreas and Bosley decided to go deal with the body of his deceased sister and the police would be called in the morning.
The angels didn't go straight to bed they had a meeting in Alex's room. "I guess we have Helene off the list of suspects," said Nat.
"I suppose, but Mills is looking mighty guilty, did you see the way he was blushing and perspiring when he admitted he brought the pudding," asked Alex, "but all that says is he is hired help for whoever the mastermind of the operation is. And what about the sword," Dylan had been thinking about the sword as well, but it wasn't possible that he was alive. Surely there were other people out there that used swords; heck she supposed that most of the people at the hunting party tonight we skilled in fencing.
"I don't know," said Natalie, "It's a strange choice of weapon, the only person who I know of that would have used a sword is dead," she glanced at Dylan. She hated to bring up the Creepy Thin Man but she knew they were all thinking it.
"Might be dead," said Alex. "You both know as well as I that there were no bodies recovered that night and he did survive the blast at the mission."
"So are we adding Anthony to the list of suspects," asked Dylan sarcastically, "because if we are then we might as well add Knox too and how about Wood and Emmers?" She stopped herself and apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm a bit tired."
"No Dylan, I am sorry. I know whatever happened that night up on the roof is a tender spot with you. I shouldn't have brought it up."
"No you are right, how many people just go around carrying swords and stabbing people?"
"Whoever it was did save me," said Nat. "I don't think that Helene would have stopped at hitting me just once."
"Well," began Alex, "Suspects are: Karl Mills, Michael, and Helmar."
Dylan went to her room and removed the green evening gown she was wearing and slipped into a pair of blue plaid boxers and a Megadeth T-shirt. She slid between the cool Egyptian cotton sheets and laid there awake playing with the medallion that had belonged to Anthony, or The Creepy Thin Man, as Alex liked calling him. Once she had heard his story from the Mother Superior she couldn't think of his as that anymore, he was Anthony pure and simple. "Are you still out there," she asked "If you are do you think about the kiss?" the air didn't reply and she fell into as quiet slumber.
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony crept through the halls of the schloss careful not to be seen. He had been spotted by Karl earlier and didn't think he could count on the large talkative man not to pin everything on him. He had found which rooms the angels had while they were discussing their case with the Count. Now he stood outside Dylan's door contemplating the temptation of entering. Once again his heart had won out over his head.
He couldn't understand how Dylan had gotten to him. He had prided himself on his coldness, he was untouchable in every way, but Dylan Sanders had found a chink in his armor. They stood on the roof top that night and she let him kiss her. Usually women found him weird because of his hair fetish and wouldn't come near him once they found it out; not only did she let him kiss her but she took his hair as well. His weakness was needing someone to understand him for who he was and she had tried, she was the only one who had ever tried. He didn't only fall off a building with his sword though his chest that night but it she had pierced his heart with something less tangible and he fell in love.
He opened the door slowly and it gave a moan, he stopped and looked at the woman sleeping in the large old fashioned bed. She looked like a child almost it dwarfed her so. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed near her. She turned her head and let out a small whimper; she was dreaming. He took his hand and stroked her hair, her whimpering stopped and her breathing more steady. Just then the moon came out from behind a purple-grey cloud and shined into the room; that is when he saw it, his medallion that was given to him so many years before hanging around her neck. He couldn't understand why she wore it, he was afraid to even dare think that she could feel the same way about him but he decided then and there that it didn't matter what his assignment was, he had a new assignment, and he was going to save the angels from Mills. Any doubts he had about doing the right thing were gone.
He watched her until the sun began to rise, he sniffed her hair, kissed her rosebud lips and silently exited the room. He walked down the hall as though his feet didn't touch the floor, not a board creaked. "Hey there silent man."
He turned to face Karl Mills. "Saw you last night, and heard the countess was stabbed. Good work according to the boss lady. Come on in we need to talk." Anthony was surprised followed the balding man into his room. "Thought you'd be in trouble for that one huh? She thought it was creative and said she wishes you would have gotten rid of the blonde girl too. I'm looking forward to killing them off as is the third man."
Anthony cocked his eyebrow in question to the third man. "You don't know about him huh? Well let me tell ya, apparently she is afraid we can't do the job so she has another sucker on her payroll. Told me that tonight, herself."
The Thin Man pulled out a piece of paper and wrote, "Who is it?"
"That's just it buddy I haven't a clue. Maybe it's the Bosley guy. He seems chummy with the babes but who knows maybe he needs the dough. Could be some old fart from the party too, ya n ever know with the boss-lady do ya? So what I figures is if something changes she'll be telling me and you 'course but till then we play it the way she wants."
Anthony nodded and reached for the door knob. "By the way my silent friend, I saw you exiting the cute redhead's room. Ya bump her off?"
He shook his head "no" his eyes cold. "Why not that would have earned you extra moolah?"
He thought fast and wrote, "She started to wake up."
"Yeah," said Karl knowingly, "No fun if they scream before you can get them. Bet the cow last night didn't know what hit her." Karl laughed like it was the funniest thing he had heard in ages. "Whatcha coming as tonight?"
"Zorro," wrote Anthony on his piece of paper, "You?"
"I'm gonna be the guy in the monkey suit. See ya later." Anthony just nodded and left the room. It was going to be a long day for sure.
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony hated walking away from the sound of her voice. It was soothing to his ears like a gentle hand on a fevered brow. It calmed and soothed him. He looked at the rapier in his hand covered with blood of the person he killed. He thought of his employer and cringed. When had he come to care so much for someone he couldn't do a job properly? Caring had never stopped him before. When he worked for McCadden he was intrigued by the beautiful red-headed angel but not enough to help her, or turn his back on his employer, as she hung dangling out the window held only by a small shard of glass through the cotton sheet. His employer had specifically said to harm the detectives and he had readily agreed but that was before he knew who the detectives were.
He reached into his pocket and fingered the lock of hair. It wasn't enough to ease his worried mind so he took it out and inhaled the scent it still carried. He tried to decide what to do, whether to return to the hotel or not. He looked at the way the hair shone and decided not to. He still wasn't sure what Mill's assignment was but what if he was supposed to kill the angels as well. He wasn't going to let Mills come to hurt Dylan or her friends, he didn't care about her friends but if they were hurt so was she and thus he felt it his responsibility to protect them as well.
Then he heard the scream from the house and saw the three detectives and the countess run out of the stable. He followed cautiously and decided to go inside. There were at least seventy guests, one extra he doubted would be noticed.
*-*-*-*-*
The angels and Katja arrived back at the house just in time to see Bosley attempting to give the Count the Heimlich maneuver. Bosley stood behind the man his hands one over lapping the other against the Counts stomach and thrusting upward. There was no response. "He is turning blue," yelled a guest.
Katja put her hand to her face and started crying. "Hit him on the back Bos," called Dylan. Anthony stood in the doorway watching the commotion unseen by the angels. Bosley hit Andreas' back with the heel of his hand between the shoulder blades. Just then a small object flew out of his mouth and hit the wall. The count closed his eyes. "Danke," he said softly.
Katja dramatically ran up and threw her arms around him. "Oh Andreas," she sobbed.
"I'm fine Katja thanks to Mr. Bosley."
Dylan crossed the floor and looked at the object that had been coughed up, it was a ring. She wrapped it in a napkin and brought it over to the couple. "This is what you swallowed, or couldn't swallow," she said.
"A ring;" asked Katja puzzled.
"May I see that," asked Andreas holding out his hand. "I suppose the cook lost it in the pudding. I was so busy talking I never even noticed it."
"Who brought you the pudding," asked Alex.
"I don't see why that would matter," said Katja giving Alex a deadly glare. Alex ignored it and continued. "It possible that it was placed in the pudding on purpose."
"Well Karl brought it to me, but he has no reason to want to kill me."
They all looked at Karl Mills. He was blushing and drops of perspiration broke out on his forehead, "I got the bowl from the cook and brought it in. There weren't anymore on the table and the Count said he didn't get any so I was just being helpful."
"I think Katja has something she needs to talk to you about, in private," said Dylan.
"No, it can wait."
"Can it?"
Andreas watched the exchange. "Kat is there something you are keeping from me?"
She looked at the four detectives and Andreas looking at her. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders in defeat, "Fine all of you come we will talk about this in Andreas's study. Everyone", she said to the other guests, "enjoy, dance, and have fun."
Mills watched the group going into the study. His employer was right, the detectives, the angels, "what a stupid name for them," he thought with irritation, were going to have to be taken care of. They were nosy and good. Why the hell had Katja even hired them, they were just a monkey wrench in the works as far as he was concerned. He decided to follow and listen.
*-*-*-*-*
The office of the Count was in a room without windows, large shelves of books lined every wall. In the middle of the room was a massive mahogany desk, there was also a small couch in brown leather with gold colored rivets holding the material in place, and two chairs of the same. The light in the room was given off by a traditional styled banker's lamp. Andreas entered and went to his side of the desk.
"So what is going on here?"
Katja just looked at her hands not really knowing where to begin so Dylan began. "Graf, we aren't friends of Katja's. We are detectives from Los Angeles, The Townsend Agency."
"Why would you call detectives Katja?"
Katja still sat in silence so Dylan continued, "There were threats on your life and she came to us for help."
"Is this true?"
"Yes," answered Katja meekly. "I didn't want you to worry so I didn't tell you. I thought it would be better if they found out who was plotting to kill you and take care of the problem before it could get any worse."
"But it has gotten worse," said the count matter-of-factly. "Hasn't it? You think that my choking wasn't an accident."
The angels looked at each other, "It's possible it wasn't an accident," stated Alex simply. Bosley pulled the four letters out of the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket and handed them to Andreas. He removed the ribbon and read each one out loud.
"And you didn't think I had the right to know this Katja? That I didn't have the right to know my life was being threatened? I thought we told each other everything." The happy man from earlier in the evening was replaced by a sad weary one that looked much older than his thirty five years.
"There is more," said Dylan. Katja flashed her a look not to continue but she did anyway, "Natalie was attacked in the barn tonight, hit in the head by someone with a large rock."
"Meine Güte," exclaimed Andreas, "can this be any worse?"
"Actually it can," proceeded Dylan, "She was attacked by your sister."
"Helene? Where is she now? I want to speak to her," Andreas stood with his hands on his desk.
"You can't someone killed Helene. She was stabbed with a sword," said Natalie.
He sat defeated in his chair, silent. The five others just watched him. "We have to call off the wedding."
"NO!" yelled Katja, then more calmly, "that is what the killer wants. We can't let that happen."
"What do you think," he asked the angels.
"I hate to say it," said Alex, "but I am going to have to agree with Katja. You keep the wedding plans on schedule and we will catch the creep who is trying to stop it."
"Do you think you can keep him safe, you can't even keep yourselves safe," she said nastily glancing at Natalie and her blonde hair with drying blood.
"Yes, and now that the Count knows, he can keep an eye open for himself as well," responded Natalie.
By the time the meeting between the Count, his fiancé and the angels was over the ballroom was deserted. Michael explained that most of the guests had gone to bed and a few of the older gentlemen were in the winter garden with brandy and cigars. Andreas and Bosley decided to go deal with the body of his deceased sister and the police would be called in the morning.
The angels didn't go straight to bed they had a meeting in Alex's room. "I guess we have Helene off the list of suspects," said Nat.
"I suppose, but Mills is looking mighty guilty, did you see the way he was blushing and perspiring when he admitted he brought the pudding," asked Alex, "but all that says is he is hired help for whoever the mastermind of the operation is. And what about the sword," Dylan had been thinking about the sword as well, but it wasn't possible that he was alive. Surely there were other people out there that used swords; heck she supposed that most of the people at the hunting party tonight we skilled in fencing.
"I don't know," said Natalie, "It's a strange choice of weapon, the only person who I know of that would have used a sword is dead," she glanced at Dylan. She hated to bring up the Creepy Thin Man but she knew they were all thinking it.
"Might be dead," said Alex. "You both know as well as I that there were no bodies recovered that night and he did survive the blast at the mission."
"So are we adding Anthony to the list of suspects," asked Dylan sarcastically, "because if we are then we might as well add Knox too and how about Wood and Emmers?" She stopped herself and apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm a bit tired."
"No Dylan, I am sorry. I know whatever happened that night up on the roof is a tender spot with you. I shouldn't have brought it up."
"No you are right, how many people just go around carrying swords and stabbing people?"
"Whoever it was did save me," said Nat. "I don't think that Helene would have stopped at hitting me just once."
"Well," began Alex, "Suspects are: Karl Mills, Michael, and Helmar."
Dylan went to her room and removed the green evening gown she was wearing and slipped into a pair of blue plaid boxers and a Megadeth T-shirt. She slid between the cool Egyptian cotton sheets and laid there awake playing with the medallion that had belonged to Anthony, or The Creepy Thin Man, as Alex liked calling him. Once she had heard his story from the Mother Superior she couldn't think of his as that anymore, he was Anthony pure and simple. "Are you still out there," she asked "If you are do you think about the kiss?" the air didn't reply and she fell into as quiet slumber.
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony crept through the halls of the schloss careful not to be seen. He had been spotted by Karl earlier and didn't think he could count on the large talkative man not to pin everything on him. He had found which rooms the angels had while they were discussing their case with the Count. Now he stood outside Dylan's door contemplating the temptation of entering. Once again his heart had won out over his head.
He couldn't understand how Dylan had gotten to him. He had prided himself on his coldness, he was untouchable in every way, but Dylan Sanders had found a chink in his armor. They stood on the roof top that night and she let him kiss her. Usually women found him weird because of his hair fetish and wouldn't come near him once they found it out; not only did she let him kiss her but she took his hair as well. His weakness was needing someone to understand him for who he was and she had tried, she was the only one who had ever tried. He didn't only fall off a building with his sword though his chest that night but it she had pierced his heart with something less tangible and he fell in love.
He opened the door slowly and it gave a moan, he stopped and looked at the woman sleeping in the large old fashioned bed. She looked like a child almost it dwarfed her so. He walked over and sat on the edge of the bed near her. She turned her head and let out a small whimper; she was dreaming. He took his hand and stroked her hair, her whimpering stopped and her breathing more steady. Just then the moon came out from behind a purple-grey cloud and shined into the room; that is when he saw it, his medallion that was given to him so many years before hanging around her neck. He couldn't understand why she wore it, he was afraid to even dare think that she could feel the same way about him but he decided then and there that it didn't matter what his assignment was, he had a new assignment, and he was going to save the angels from Mills. Any doubts he had about doing the right thing were gone.
He watched her until the sun began to rise, he sniffed her hair, kissed her rosebud lips and silently exited the room. He walked down the hall as though his feet didn't touch the floor, not a board creaked. "Hey there silent man."
He turned to face Karl Mills. "Saw you last night, and heard the countess was stabbed. Good work according to the boss lady. Come on in we need to talk." Anthony was surprised followed the balding man into his room. "Thought you'd be in trouble for that one huh? She thought it was creative and said she wishes you would have gotten rid of the blonde girl too. I'm looking forward to killing them off as is the third man."
Anthony cocked his eyebrow in question to the third man. "You don't know about him huh? Well let me tell ya, apparently she is afraid we can't do the job so she has another sucker on her payroll. Told me that tonight, herself."
The Thin Man pulled out a piece of paper and wrote, "Who is it?"
"That's just it buddy I haven't a clue. Maybe it's the Bosley guy. He seems chummy with the babes but who knows maybe he needs the dough. Could be some old fart from the party too, ya n ever know with the boss-lady do ya? So what I figures is if something changes she'll be telling me and you 'course but till then we play it the way she wants."
Anthony nodded and reached for the door knob. "By the way my silent friend, I saw you exiting the cute redhead's room. Ya bump her off?"
He shook his head "no" his eyes cold. "Why not that would have earned you extra moolah?"
He thought fast and wrote, "She started to wake up."
"Yeah," said Karl knowingly, "No fun if they scream before you can get them. Bet the cow last night didn't know what hit her." Karl laughed like it was the funniest thing he had heard in ages. "Whatcha coming as tonight?"
"Zorro," wrote Anthony on his piece of paper, "You?"
"I'm gonna be the guy in the monkey suit. See ya later." Anthony just nodded and left the room. It was going to be a long day for sure.