Thanks to all who reviewed the previous chapters! I'll update as often as I can, but it might not be too often as I'm still working on this story. Sometimes I have to backtrack and fix something that doesn't fit quite right. For example, just now I realized that I had Joe and Mandie and Celia (yes, spoiler!) locked in a room after dark with no heat and no light-in the middle of winter. Oops! That's part of the reason I didn't get this chapter posted quicker. :) So, anyway, I appreciate all the positive reviews. Thank you! And I'll try not to kill you with the suspense! ;)

Enjoy!

John Shaw paced the parlor, his brow creased with worry. Elizabeth was seated in a chair, her hands clasped anxiously.

"John." she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "They should have been back long before now."

John nodded. "Maybe Jake invited them in to visit."

Elizabeth shook her head, unconvinced. "It shouldn't have taken this long." she repeated.

Her husband tried to allay her fears. "You know Mandie, Elizabeth. She probably found a mystery somewhere."

"John." Elizabeth insisted. "There's something wrong. I just know it."

The door opened, and Dr. Woodard entered. "Aunt Lou told me you wanted to see me, John." he went to stand by the fire and began unbuttoning his heavy winter coat.

"Yes, doctor. What time did Joe and Mandie and Celia leave the Burns' house?"

The doctor's fingers stilled, and he looked from John to Elizabeth. "They didn't come today." he said.

Elizabeth's face paled, and she grasped at the arm of her chair.

"Are you sure, Dr. Woodard?" John prodded. "They left soon after breakfast this morning."

The doctor frowned, a twinge of concern showing in his face. "I've been with Jake and Ludie since early this morning. My son and the girls couldn't possibly have come without my knowledge. Is something wrong?"

"We're not sure." John let out a big sigh. "It's been hours since they left here, and no one's seen them since." he turned and took his coat off the rack. "I'm going to look for them."

"I'll go with you." Dr. Woodard said, re-buttoning his own coat.

They started out on the walking path that Joe and Mandie had used, and tramped along in silence for several minutes.

"John." Dr. Woodard said at last. "Joe's old enough to take care of himself. He's proven he knows how to use his head, but something doesn't feel right about this, and I confess I'm worried."

John Shaw nodded. "Mandie's always sticking her nose into mysteries. They probably just took a detour and lost track of time."

The doctor shook his head. "I don't know, John."

"Look!" John Shaw said, pointing to the path ahead. The marks in the snow indicated a struggle had taken place there. He bent down to examine them, and picked up something, handing it to the doctor.

"Mandie's hair ribbon?" Dr Woodard asked.

A nod confirmed his suspicions.

"Here are tracks." the doctor pointed to several sets of footmarks in the snow, leading into the woods.

The two men left the path and followed the trail. The footsteps led to a nearby road, and up to a pair of wagon marks.

John and Dr. Woodard observed it carefully, then backtracked to the place where the young people had been attacked.

"They must have turned off and gone to that wagon." Dr. Woodard concluded.

John Shaw shook his head, deep in thought. "No." he said, pointing at the snowy ground. "Mandie and Celia both have small feet. These are their footprints here and here," he pointed to the path, " but all of the ones leading toward the road are definitely bigger—men's footprints. Three pairs." his eyes narrowed. "Either Mandie was injured and Joe had to carry her—" he left the sentence unfinished.

"In that case, where is Celia?"

John shook his head slowly.

"You think they've been kidnapped? It seems ridiculous to even consider that. Who? and why?"

"I don't know." John said, his lips tight.

"Mandie?"

Mandie tried to raise her heavy eyelids, but it was too much of an effort. Celia must be up early this morning, she thought.

"Mandie." the voice came again. It sounded a lot like Joe. But it can't be. Mandie argued with herself.

"Mandie, can you hear me?" Yes, it was definitely Joe's voice. Mandie opened her eyes and moved her head to look up. Her head spun with pain, and she closed her eyes again briefly, biting her lip.

When she opened her eyes again, Joe came into focus. He was leaned against the wall opposite, concern etched on his face.

"Mandie." he breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you all right?"

"Where are we?" Mandie asked groggily. Her head hurt. "What happened?"

"It looks like we got kidnapped." Joe said grimly. "Mandie, have you been investigating a mystery lately?"

"No." Mandie replied. Her head ached so that she could barely think, but she looked around. Celia was leaned against the wall next to her, her hands tied in front of her. Their prison appeared to be a log cabin, with one window heavily boarded. At one end was a brick chimney gave off warmth. and that told Mandie that they were on the second story, the fireplace in the house being in the room below.

Joe sighed.

Mandie returned her focus to him. "Are you all right, Joe?" she asked.

"Considering the circumstances, I suppose I am doing fine." he said sarcastically.

Mandie winced.

"I'm sorry, Mandie." Joe apologized.

There was silence for a few minutes, and Joe shifted around. It was then that Mandie realized his hands were tied behind him.

"Is there anything we could use to escape?"

"I have a small pocketknife in my front coat pocket. We could use that to cut the ropes, but I don't think it would get us any further."

Mandie managed to stand, but pain shot through her ankle and she fell back to the floor.

"Mandie!" Joe and Celia exclaimed, concerned.

"It's just my ankle." she fought to keep the pain out of her voice, and rose to her feet again, this time balancing on the uninjured foot. She managed to hop the short distance to Joe and used her bound hands to burrow in his coat pocket. She found the knife and Joe turned so she could cut his hands free.

"Take your boot off." he instructed, cutting the ropes that tied her and Celia. "I need to see that ankle."

"But—"

"Do as I say, Mandie." Joe said, his voice firm.

Mandie sighed and began to unlace her boot. Joe felt her ankle, and she winced.

"I don't think it's broken," Joe sighed in relief. "At the worst, sprained, but you'll have to let it rest as much as you can until my father can look at it. Now, let me see your head."

Mandie bit her lip as Joe's fingers explored the wound on the back of her skull. He voice sounded worried when he spoke. "I can't tell how deep it is." he said, pressing his handkerchief to it. "I'll look at it later, when the bleeding's stopped."

Mandie forced a laugh as she reached up and held the makeshift bandage to her head. "Are you sure you aren't meant to be a doctor, Joe Woodard?"

Joe smiled and squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure." he glanced over at Celia. "Are you all right?"

Celia nodded. "When the man grabbed me I just pretended to faint. I'm fine."

Mandie stared at her friend. "You pretended to faint?"

Celia nodded. "They tied us all up and put us in the back of a wagon. They were talking very quietly most of the way here."

Joe stared. "What did they say?"

"I didn't hear much, but they did mention a cabin, and 9 o'clock, and somebody named Benjamin."

Mandie drew in a sharp breath. "That note we took back to the post office mentioned a Benjamin."

"Mandie," Joe sighed, running a hand through his unruly hair. "This has nothing to do with that note."

"But it might!" she insisted.

"Mandie," Celia interjected. "I really don't think it's a connection."

The three fell silent. It was then they heard the voices. Mandie limped over to the chimney and paused to listen.

Elizabeth was nervously pacing up and down in the parlor. Mr. Guyer was seated in an armchair near the fire, and Jonathan leaned up against the mantle. They all froze as the door opened and John and Dr. Woodard entered. Elizabeth searched their grave faces for news, and then flew to her husband's arms. He clasped her tightly.

"We're going to Deep Creek now, Elizabeth. If anyone can find Amanda, the Cherokees can." he murmured. "Stay here in case she finds her way home."

Elizabeth nodded as he released her. The doorbell rang. The adults heard Liza answer the door and speak. A moment later they heard the sound of the door closing, and Liza appeared in the parlor doorway.

"Envelope fer Missy 'Manda." she announced.

John took it and glanced at Dr. Woodard. Could this be a clue to Amanda's whereabouts? he wondered as he ripped open the envelope and took out several pictures.

Jonathan came to look over his shoulder, and uttered an exclamation of surprise.

"What is it?" John inquired.

"That's a picture of the note that Mandie received this morning, the one signed E. Y. Edwards. She and Celia and Joe were going to take it to the post office this morning before they went to the Burns'."

Lindall Guyer started, and rose from his chair beside the fire to look at the picture in John's hands

"Son, you say that Mandie received this note this morning?" he asked tersely, his voice containing a hint of excitement.

"Yes, sir." Jonathan confirmed. "I didn't actually see it, but Joe read it aloud."

"Please excuse me for a moment." Lindall Guyer said, and he left the parlor.

"John, please understand that what I am about to tell you is completely confidential—even top secret." Mr. Guyer said seriously. After his request for a private talk with John Shaw had been granted, the two men had made their way to John's office. John lit the lamps and the two men sat down at the desk.

John nodded. "I need to get to Deep Creek soon." he reminded the New Yorker.

"I've just finished a telephone call to a friend of mine in Washington. The sender of the note, E. Y. Edwards, is also known in Washington as 'Big Eye'. He is suspected of being the mastermind of several crimes in Europe, including the rebels that kidnapped Jonathan in Paris, and a jewelry theft in Rome, both of which Mandie and Celia were involved in thwarting." Mr. Guyer lowered his voice, "There are rumors that Big Eye is now in America, planning something. Your daughter and her friend may be in danger. Two agents are already on their way here."

John Shaw's eyes had widened in surprise and shock, but now he nodded grimly, his jaw set. "I'll alert our Cherokee kinspeople immediately. We have to find Mandie."

I hope that the mystery is satisfactory so far. :)

Any thoughts? Characters you'd like to see come back?