Katja remained at her fiancé's side through out the night. She hadn't
actually intended to stay that long; it just happened that she fell
asleep. Of course that made her look more the concerned, suffering.
no, she decided not suffering- tragic. That was the better word. It
made her look tragic, after all who would suspect her as the villain;
she looked more the part of the victim.
"Frau James," said the nurse entering the room to check on the patient, "Have you been here all night?"
"Yes, I was so concerned. I must have fallen asleep. What time is it?" She ran her fingers through her wavy blonde hair and stood to straighten out the crumpled skirt of her princess costume.
"Eight in the morning. You should go home and get some rest," said the nurse resting her hand on Katja's shoulder. "The Count will be fine."
Katja looked at Andreas' sleeping form. The tubes that had been helping him breathe were removed sometime in the middle of the night, for her that wasn't good news. "Fine but I'll be back when visiting hours begin." She angrily left the room, nearly slamming the door. "How did everything go so wrong," she asked herself. "I thought of everything, planned everything so neatly." She stormed down the hallway when she heard someone call her name.
"Frau James," called a gruff male voice.
She turned and saw the police chief. Katja tried to relax. "Letting him see you upset isn't going to help matters," she told herself. "Chief, good morning."
"Is it," he asked. "You seem a bit tense."
"Well Andreas no longer has machines helping him breathe, I would say that makes for a good morning and if I am tense it is because the last two days have been very stressful. I should be getting ready to get married and my fiancé is here."
"I wanted you to know that the butler, Michael was arrested last night."
"Was he the one who poisoned my Andreas?" she asked with fake concern.
"No, but he did try to kill the detectives you hired. That will put him away for awhile. I thought I should also inform you that the Count's secretary is also deceased."
"Karl? W-what? W-who," she stammered. She figured that Michael would get himself arrested. He was a great lover but a thinker he wasn't. Karl on the other hand she had hoped that he would finish off the angels now it seemed that it was up to the Thin Man and herself.
"He was killed by his own gun,"
"Suicide?" she asked. "Karl didn't seem the type."
They continued walking down the hall towards the exit. "Actually Karl tried to kill the detectives, the one young lady, I believe her name is Dylan, tried to wrestle the gun away from him and it went off shooting him in the stomach. Unfortunately he died."
"Unfortunately," she asked as he held open the heavy glass door.
"I would have loved to question him. So many things are unexplained. I hope to speak to you later Frau James."
"Perhaps after I had some sleep, Herr Kommissar." She slapped herself mentally; she had completely forgotten that she didn't have anyway home. Helmar must have gone home when she didn't come out of the hospital last night. That was fine. She would check on her hired assassin instead.
"Do you need a ride, Frau James?" asked the chief.
"No, I think ill take care of some personal business first here in town then go home, but thank you."
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony didn't leave the night before as he planned. He had fallen into a deep sleep and awoken the next morning to the sun streaming in the window of his gingham plaid room. He had fallen asleep in the blood covered shirt and pants from the night before. He cringed as he unbuttoned his shirt to peel the stuck on cloth off his chest and arm. He had forgotten about the bullet grazing his arm in the maze and that is where the shirt stuck. Anthony carefully pulled the cloth off the wound trying not to reopen it when there was a knock at the door. He pulled the shirt back on but didn't button it as he opened the door to the owners little girl. She stood there with a plate of hard rolls and cheese for his breakfast. He took it from her and went to shut the door but she looked at him with pleading eyes. He understood that she wanted a tip like before and sighing he gave her his change.
"Wasn't that sweet," said a seductive voice. He looked at the stairway and standing there in her princess dress from the night before was his boss, Katja James. "We have a problem," she said coming forward and pushing her way past the child into his room and shutting the door. "Actually we have several problems. Michael, as you know was the third man hired for the job. He was arrested last night, but you know that seeing that you helped in that little feat." She clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "But I suppose that is okay. He wasn't that great of a lover anyway and since no one can pin this little caper on me, I think you still have a chance to earn your money and help me earn mine."
"Andreas is still alive," she continued. "He was much tougher than he seemed. That poison should have worked quickly." She paced his room, "He will be a problem. I admit that is my fault. I was feeling over confident last night and I told him that I did it." Anthony raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes, I know that was foolish. I suppose there is a chance he won't remember but still that leaves me engaged to a man I can't stand and his money that I adore. Plus that doesn't take care of the angels."
This time Anthony wrote a note, "Why the angels?"
"Why? Why not? But seriously I don't think that is information you need to know. So here is the new plan. You kill the Count and I'll take care of those meddling bimbos. Believe me I would love to get rid of Andreas myself but I think they suspect me. You I don't think they do. I saw the way that little Dylan looked at you." He looked at her with unreadable eyes. "She trusts you. I- I mean we can use that to our advantage."
She looked Anthony over then walked up close to him. "You know you are sort of cute when you are all rumpled like that. Very sexy actually," she purred placing one manicured finger against his injured lip. "I think if you do this right and leave no clues I might be persuaded into giving you an extra little reward for a job well done, maybe in Majorca." With that she leaned over and pressed her lips against his.
Anthony stepped away. Katja just laughed and said, "Keep in mind all work and no play makes my silent assassin a dull boy," and left the room. He sat back down on the bed, and reached into his pocket to take out the lock of hair Dylan had willingly let him take. It smelled heavenly, so soft; he pulled the silky strands across his face trying to decide what to do kill the count and get paid or protect them all from the woman who hired him.
*-*-*-*-*
Bosley had called the bed and breakfast in the town of Buchholz and made arrangements for four rooms first thing that morning. It wasn't going to be easy doing their job away from the house but they had little choice. As Alex was packing she felt something in the pocket of the jodhpurs she was preparing to return to Helga. She reached in and pulled out the ring that the count had choked on at the fox hunt dinner. She hadn't taken the time to look at it before, but it was beautiful.
Natalie and Dylan were already packed and knocked on Alex's door. "Hey guys come in," she said. Her two friends entered, Dylan plopped down on the bed but Natalie was attracted to the ring. "Oooh, two carats set in," she took the ring from Alex and looked at it, "platinum."
"Platinum," asked Dylan. "We were told it came from one of the cooks. Which cook can afford a two carat diamond engagement ring set in platinum?" She crawled across the bed and knelt on it peering between her friends to see the ring. Natalie held it out to her and she took it. Dylan noticed something the others didn't; in the band were two sets of initials with an infinity symbol. "Hey did you guys see this? CT KJ infinity."
"Well we can assume that the KJ is Katja James," said Alex taking the ring and looking at the band, "but CT?"
"Cicely Tyson," giggled Natalie.
"Chris Tucker," said Dylan
"Conner Trineer," suggested Alex, but the other two looked at her blankly, "you know plays the engineer on `Enterprise'". She was given more blank looks. "The character's name is Char." Alex suddenly realized who the initials belonged to. "My God, CT is Charles Townsend."
"Charlie," asked Dylan surprised. She swung her legs around and sat on the foot of the bed.
"Do you think," asked Natalie unbelieving. "Charlie would have said something to us if he had a personal involvement with Katja." The other two didn't say anything, "Wouldn't he?"
Bosley knocked on the door. "Hey girls, Helmar has the car ready to take us to town. You all finished packin' yet?"
"Yeah, hang on," said Alex placing two shirts in and shutting the suitcase. She slipped the engagement ring into her pocket. "Once we get to the B&B we'll need to talk to Charlie again."
"Sure no problem but it's only about," he looked at his watch, "one o'clock in the morning there. He swung his bag over his should, "Okay let's get moving."
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony had just gotten out of the shower when he heard the sound of voices in the hallway outside his room. Those were the first sounds he had heard made by other guests since he arrived two days before. He walked over to the peep hole in the oak door and looked out.
"I think you will like the accommodations," said Frau Krause, the owner. "They rooms are small but clean and they have their own bathrooms." "They'll be just fine," said Dylan happily.
"If you need anything let me or my husband know. If our daughter bothers you send her back down to me. She is fascinated by the guests we have."
"Do you have many," asked Natalie.
"Most summers yes but the economy is bad so we only have two other than you," she replied. "I'll let you get settled in," and with that she left the angels by themselves.
Anthony was surprised. This would make his job harder, the angels staying at the same inn as he was.
"Frau James," said the nurse entering the room to check on the patient, "Have you been here all night?"
"Yes, I was so concerned. I must have fallen asleep. What time is it?" She ran her fingers through her wavy blonde hair and stood to straighten out the crumpled skirt of her princess costume.
"Eight in the morning. You should go home and get some rest," said the nurse resting her hand on Katja's shoulder. "The Count will be fine."
Katja looked at Andreas' sleeping form. The tubes that had been helping him breathe were removed sometime in the middle of the night, for her that wasn't good news. "Fine but I'll be back when visiting hours begin." She angrily left the room, nearly slamming the door. "How did everything go so wrong," she asked herself. "I thought of everything, planned everything so neatly." She stormed down the hallway when she heard someone call her name.
"Frau James," called a gruff male voice.
She turned and saw the police chief. Katja tried to relax. "Letting him see you upset isn't going to help matters," she told herself. "Chief, good morning."
"Is it," he asked. "You seem a bit tense."
"Well Andreas no longer has machines helping him breathe, I would say that makes for a good morning and if I am tense it is because the last two days have been very stressful. I should be getting ready to get married and my fiancé is here."
"I wanted you to know that the butler, Michael was arrested last night."
"Was he the one who poisoned my Andreas?" she asked with fake concern.
"No, but he did try to kill the detectives you hired. That will put him away for awhile. I thought I should also inform you that the Count's secretary is also deceased."
"Karl? W-what? W-who," she stammered. She figured that Michael would get himself arrested. He was a great lover but a thinker he wasn't. Karl on the other hand she had hoped that he would finish off the angels now it seemed that it was up to the Thin Man and herself.
"He was killed by his own gun,"
"Suicide?" she asked. "Karl didn't seem the type."
They continued walking down the hall towards the exit. "Actually Karl tried to kill the detectives, the one young lady, I believe her name is Dylan, tried to wrestle the gun away from him and it went off shooting him in the stomach. Unfortunately he died."
"Unfortunately," she asked as he held open the heavy glass door.
"I would have loved to question him. So many things are unexplained. I hope to speak to you later Frau James."
"Perhaps after I had some sleep, Herr Kommissar." She slapped herself mentally; she had completely forgotten that she didn't have anyway home. Helmar must have gone home when she didn't come out of the hospital last night. That was fine. She would check on her hired assassin instead.
"Do you need a ride, Frau James?" asked the chief.
"No, I think ill take care of some personal business first here in town then go home, but thank you."
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony didn't leave the night before as he planned. He had fallen into a deep sleep and awoken the next morning to the sun streaming in the window of his gingham plaid room. He had fallen asleep in the blood covered shirt and pants from the night before. He cringed as he unbuttoned his shirt to peel the stuck on cloth off his chest and arm. He had forgotten about the bullet grazing his arm in the maze and that is where the shirt stuck. Anthony carefully pulled the cloth off the wound trying not to reopen it when there was a knock at the door. He pulled the shirt back on but didn't button it as he opened the door to the owners little girl. She stood there with a plate of hard rolls and cheese for his breakfast. He took it from her and went to shut the door but she looked at him with pleading eyes. He understood that she wanted a tip like before and sighing he gave her his change.
"Wasn't that sweet," said a seductive voice. He looked at the stairway and standing there in her princess dress from the night before was his boss, Katja James. "We have a problem," she said coming forward and pushing her way past the child into his room and shutting the door. "Actually we have several problems. Michael, as you know was the third man hired for the job. He was arrested last night, but you know that seeing that you helped in that little feat." She clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "But I suppose that is okay. He wasn't that great of a lover anyway and since no one can pin this little caper on me, I think you still have a chance to earn your money and help me earn mine."
"Andreas is still alive," she continued. "He was much tougher than he seemed. That poison should have worked quickly." She paced his room, "He will be a problem. I admit that is my fault. I was feeling over confident last night and I told him that I did it." Anthony raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes, I know that was foolish. I suppose there is a chance he won't remember but still that leaves me engaged to a man I can't stand and his money that I adore. Plus that doesn't take care of the angels."
This time Anthony wrote a note, "Why the angels?"
"Why? Why not? But seriously I don't think that is information you need to know. So here is the new plan. You kill the Count and I'll take care of those meddling bimbos. Believe me I would love to get rid of Andreas myself but I think they suspect me. You I don't think they do. I saw the way that little Dylan looked at you." He looked at her with unreadable eyes. "She trusts you. I- I mean we can use that to our advantage."
She looked Anthony over then walked up close to him. "You know you are sort of cute when you are all rumpled like that. Very sexy actually," she purred placing one manicured finger against his injured lip. "I think if you do this right and leave no clues I might be persuaded into giving you an extra little reward for a job well done, maybe in Majorca." With that she leaned over and pressed her lips against his.
Anthony stepped away. Katja just laughed and said, "Keep in mind all work and no play makes my silent assassin a dull boy," and left the room. He sat back down on the bed, and reached into his pocket to take out the lock of hair Dylan had willingly let him take. It smelled heavenly, so soft; he pulled the silky strands across his face trying to decide what to do kill the count and get paid or protect them all from the woman who hired him.
*-*-*-*-*
Bosley had called the bed and breakfast in the town of Buchholz and made arrangements for four rooms first thing that morning. It wasn't going to be easy doing their job away from the house but they had little choice. As Alex was packing she felt something in the pocket of the jodhpurs she was preparing to return to Helga. She reached in and pulled out the ring that the count had choked on at the fox hunt dinner. She hadn't taken the time to look at it before, but it was beautiful.
Natalie and Dylan were already packed and knocked on Alex's door. "Hey guys come in," she said. Her two friends entered, Dylan plopped down on the bed but Natalie was attracted to the ring. "Oooh, two carats set in," she took the ring from Alex and looked at it, "platinum."
"Platinum," asked Dylan. "We were told it came from one of the cooks. Which cook can afford a two carat diamond engagement ring set in platinum?" She crawled across the bed and knelt on it peering between her friends to see the ring. Natalie held it out to her and she took it. Dylan noticed something the others didn't; in the band were two sets of initials with an infinity symbol. "Hey did you guys see this? CT KJ infinity."
"Well we can assume that the KJ is Katja James," said Alex taking the ring and looking at the band, "but CT?"
"Cicely Tyson," giggled Natalie.
"Chris Tucker," said Dylan
"Conner Trineer," suggested Alex, but the other two looked at her blankly, "you know plays the engineer on `Enterprise'". She was given more blank looks. "The character's name is Char." Alex suddenly realized who the initials belonged to. "My God, CT is Charles Townsend."
"Charlie," asked Dylan surprised. She swung her legs around and sat on the foot of the bed.
"Do you think," asked Natalie unbelieving. "Charlie would have said something to us if he had a personal involvement with Katja." The other two didn't say anything, "Wouldn't he?"
Bosley knocked on the door. "Hey girls, Helmar has the car ready to take us to town. You all finished packin' yet?"
"Yeah, hang on," said Alex placing two shirts in and shutting the suitcase. She slipped the engagement ring into her pocket. "Once we get to the B&B we'll need to talk to Charlie again."
"Sure no problem but it's only about," he looked at his watch, "one o'clock in the morning there. He swung his bag over his should, "Okay let's get moving."
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony had just gotten out of the shower when he heard the sound of voices in the hallway outside his room. Those were the first sounds he had heard made by other guests since he arrived two days before. He walked over to the peep hole in the oak door and looked out.
"I think you will like the accommodations," said Frau Krause, the owner. "They rooms are small but clean and they have their own bathrooms." "They'll be just fine," said Dylan happily.
"If you need anything let me or my husband know. If our daughter bothers you send her back down to me. She is fascinated by the guests we have."
"Do you have many," asked Natalie.
"Most summers yes but the economy is bad so we only have two other than you," she replied. "I'll let you get settled in," and with that she left the angels by themselves.
Anthony was surprised. This would make his job harder, the angels staying at the same inn as he was.