Chapter 6:

The first signs of trouble

Katrina glanced around. She had seen this place before, but where? She walked toward a beautiful house that sat on a green hill. When she reached the front door, and turned the handle, she sensed that some one was behind her. Too frightened to move, Katie stood still, allowing the stranger to turn her around. She soon found herself looking up into her father's eyes. He smiled warmly at her, and Katrina ran into his arms.

"Daddy," she whispered, "Please don't ever leave me again. I feel so out of place in America. Please don't make me go back. I don't want to leave England!"

Katie was surprised to hear her Uncle Marks's voice when her Father spoke to her. "Katie, Katie, wake up love."

"What?" Katie asked. Her eyes flew open, and her heart sank. It had only been a dream.

"You must have been having a good dream. You slept for a long time," he said.

"Oh, Uncle Mark, I'm sorry. I didn't hear my alarm, and I was supposed to help you with breakfast."

"It's not that late, so you can still help me. What are you going to do today? You do have the day off you know."

"I'm not exactly sure yet. I guess, I'll decide while I'm out on the beach."

"It's nice to have the house on the beach isn't it?"

"It sure is."

"Steve has a surprise for you downstairs."

"Really?"

"Go down as find out what it is."

"Katie quickly pulled her tangled hair into a ponytail, and walked down the stairs into the living room. At the doorway, she stopped and starred into the room. Steve sat on the couch holding two dog leashes, each attached to a Siberian husky. Katrina squealed with delight and ran to her cousin. She hugged him around the neck and then sat down to pet the dogs.

"Someone was trying to sell these beauties at work. They were moving to an apartment, and couldn't keep them. I know you've always wanted a husky." Steve said.

"Thank you so much! What are their names?"

"This is Duke, and the other is Duchess."

"Oh, thank you, thank you." Katie said again as she hugged Steve again.

"You're welcome."

Katie took the dogs out into the back yard so they could play while she had breakfast with her family.

During breakfast, Katie asked Steve if he had found out anything about the man who had almost hit her the day before.

"I did find out that the car is stolen. But other than that, nothing," Steve said.

"Okay, thanks."

"I got to go to work. Talk to you later Trina."

"Steve, if you call me that one more time I'll..."

"Got to go Trina. Bye." With that, he walked out of the house and closed the door.

"If he wasn't my cousin, I'd have to hurt him for that."

After breakfast, Katie grabbed her cell phone, and called her beautiful huskies to her. "Duke, Duchess, are you two ready to go?" Katie told her uncle good bye and ran out the door. She took the dogs to the beach and let them run for a while. She discovered that they were very well trained, came when called, and knew some basic commands. "Emily would have loved you two." Katie told them.

After running her dogs for a while, Katie's cell phone rang.

"Hello, Katrina Sloan speaking."

"Katrina Evangeline, where are you? I've been calling your house for the past hour, and you weren't there," Amy said.

"Hi, Amy, I'm on the beach with my dogs."

"You have dogs?"

"I do now. Steve surprised me this morning, and gave me two Siberian Huskies. He got them from a co-worker who was moving and couldn't keep them. They are so friendly, and very obedient."

"Well, can I come join you?"

"Sure. How far away are you?"

"I'm at your front door! I'll be around in just a second. Bye."

"So, did you here anything from, Peter?" Amy questioned, as she joined Katrina.

"No, why would he contact me? I did hear from Mary. She actually called me and told me that Peter is moving here! Then I found out that he's working at Community General. Now, you are going to think that this is crazy, but last week, I told myself that he would have to move out here and work at the hospital to win my love back. He's not getting me easily."

"Well, looks like he's accepted the challenge without even realizing it."

"Yeah, I guess so," Katie said, trying to sound irritated. In reality she was thrilled that Peter was coming, but if he proved to still be a jerk, he would really have to work hard to win her love again.

"So what time did you come out here this morning?" Amy asked, changing the subject.

"About seven o'clock. It was so nice out here then. What time is it now?"

"Nine. You've been out here a while."

"Yeah, I need to take the dogs in now," Katie said.

As soon as the girls walked in the house, the phone rang. "I hope that isn't Mark telling us that he changed his mind about giving us the day off," Amy said with a grin.

"Oh, he wouldn't do that. Amy, will you answer it, I have to give Duke and Duchess some food and water," Katrina said as she walked into the kitchen.

"You want me to answer your phone? Are you crazy?"

"No, now hurry before it goes to the answering machine."

"Hello Sloan residence. This is Amy Bentley speaking," Amy said timidly.

"Amy? This is Mrs. Wood from church. You've got to help me!"

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Haven't you seen the news? They've arrested him!"

"Him who?"

By this time Katrina had come back. Amy handed her the phone and whispered, "It's Mrs. Wood from church. I can't understand a word she's saying."

When Katie finally calmed her friend down, she was able to hear the whole story clearly. Mrs. Wood's son Jacob had been dating a girl in the youth group for a long time. A few days ago, he had proposed to her and they had planned to get married. They had decided to go to Moral Bay for the day to plan their wedding.

"Apparently, last night Jacob and Christine got into an argument, and Jacob came home. At one o'clock this morning, police found Christine dead a Moral Bay," Mrs. Wood sobbed, "and now they've arrested my baby for her murder! I know he didn't do it. Please, Katrina, help me."

"I'll see what I can do. I'm only a police consultant, but I'll call Steve, and try to get permission to investigate."

"Thank you, Katrina. I just had to have someone to help me."

"I'll do everything I can, Mrs. Wood. I'll call Steve, and we'll get on it right away. I have to go now. Bye," Katie said, and hung up the phone.

"Wait a minute. What are you getting me into?" Amy asked, "What's going on?"

"Jacob's been arrested. He's accused of murdering Christine."

"What? That's crazy!"

"She was found dead at Moral Bay at one 'o clock this morning. They arrested Jacob, and Mrs. Wood is sure that he didn't do it, and I know she's right. We just have to prove it."

"Okay. What do you mean 'We'll get on it right away?' What are you getting me into?" Amy questioned again.

"Amy, we have to help Jacob."

"No."

"Come on, Amy!"

"No! I told Mandy that I would be home early this evening. If you think for one minute that you're going to drag me out to Moral Bay to get shot, or worse, you're wrong! Mandy told me to watch out for you Sloans. She said that Mark was constantly getting into detective work, and she said that you would no doubt be the same way."

The two girls argued for ten minutes, but Amy stayed firm.

"Fine, Amy," Katrina snapped, her gray eyes flashed, and her red-headed temper began to show, "If you won't come, than I'll go by myself."

"Kat, you can't do that!" Amy let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine I'll come. If I get killed... This is only for Jacob; and his family," she added as and after thought, "If you get killed-"

"Don't say anything!" Katrina broke in, "Come on. Let's get Annetka and head to Moral Bay!"

Little did Katie realize that with her last name, which she carried with pride, came a slew of mysteries, danger, and excitement. Her life was about to change drastically, and be filled with excitement.

Amy complained all the way to Annetka's house about "being dragged into things that she never volunteered for," but by the time they had reached their friend's apartment, Katrina had Amy thoroughly convinced that nothing would happen, and that they would have fun.

Katie called Steve at work, and tried to get as much information as she could about the murder and the people in suspicion, besides Jacob. Steve transferred Katie to a friend of his who was working on the main part of the case, and she supplied Katrina with information on the boat Christine was last seen on.

"Well, Katie, all I have is that she was seen on the Dolphin."

"Who does that boat belong to?" Katie asked.

"A man by the name of Richard Maxwell."

"Any relation to Christine or Jacob?"

"I've been told he's a family friend of Christine's. I guess he told Jacob and Christine to borrow his boat the night they went out on the Bay."

"Were they alone on the boat?"

"As far as I know."

"Do you want me to head out there and see if the boat is still there? I might find some evidence."

"That would be great. Thanks, Katie."

"Anything else?"

"Not until the autopsy report comes in. I think your friend Amanda Bentley is in charge of that."

"Okay. Let me know if anything else comes up."

"Sure thing. Katie, one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Will you swing by the office on your way out to the bay? You'll need the search warrant for the boat. I wouldn't want you to do any of this illegally."

"Oh, sure! See you in a few minutes," Katie laughed.

"Bye."

Katrina and Amy soon arrived at Annetka's apartment, and walked up to the main door. Amy rang the doorbell for Anya's apartment. Annetka answered on the intercom system, and told them that the door was opened and that they could come right in.

Amy and Katrina went up to their friend's apartment. Once inside, Katie explained to Anya what had happened to Christine and the situation they were now investigating, and Annetka agreed to go with her friends to help the Woods.

The three friends walked out to Katie's ice blue Saturn LS II and got in, and they were soon on their way to Moral Bay for an adventure that none of them would have ever dreamed of. They talked excitedly about all that they hoped to find at the bay, and how they could become famous, just by solving what they hoped to be a simple mystery.

"Katie, how did you happen to get this mystery?" Annetka asked.

"I don't know. It just seems to have found me," Katrina replied.

"Amanda warned me that Mark has that happen to him all of the time. It seems to be true of all Sloans," Amy said.

"What could possibly go wrong?" Annetka asked.

"Plenty!" Amy replied, glaring at Katrina.

"I gave you the option of not coming," Katie laughed.

"Do you know how awful I would feel if something happened to either one of you and I wasn't there?" Amy asked.

"Well, nothing's going to happen I'm sure," Katie laughed again.

"Never say never," Annetka warned.

"Oh, what are you two so worried about?" Katie asked.

"All I'm saying is that I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't know what I would do without you, and..." Amy started to say.

"Amy," Katie interrupted, "you sound as if we're going on a suicide mission! Now let's change the subject for a while okay?"

After stopping by the police station to pick up the search warrant, the girls headed out for the bay. They were soon talking about their latest finds at the mall, news from friends at home, and anything else that they could think of. The three friends actually found themselves enjoying the trip, in spite of what they had set out to accomplish. The worries of the mystery at Moral Bay were almost forgotten until about an hour later when Katie turned off onto the exit for the bay.