Well clear of the McMillan property and as they started their long drive back to London, Annie was quiet, thinking about all that had happen in the old place. Maybe a little too quiet for Eyal's sake as Annie had a tendency of chatting endless when she was trying to figure out something or edgy and by all right she should be jumping out of her skin with nervous.

"Are you okay Neshema?"

"Eyal, I know you don't agree with me but you have to admit that there were some pretty strange things going on in that house tonight." Annie wide awake from all the nerves tingling because of her Halloween cellar tour of a haunted mansion. "I don't believe in ghost but things just don't add up about the footsteps and the extreme cold and I swear that cat..."

"What about cat?"

"Nothing... Just a strange cat that's all." What Annie didn't say was the cat look at her the same way Blair would look at her, with sharpen daggers for stares.

After reaching London, Eyal had wanted to drive Annie back to her hotel but she had refused. She insisted they at least make a start on the box of information they had collected. Though she didn't say it, the truth was, she really didn't want to go back to the hotel alone but stay with Eyal.

So, here they sat in Eyal's hotel room, looking at the papers in front of them and arguing about whether there were ghosts in the house or not.

Eyal took a deep breath and wearily nodded his head. "Okay, yes, I do agree there were some strange things going on, but like I told you, that house is old. There could be any number of reasons for the noises we heard."

"And the door?" Annie prodded. "And the footsteps? And the cat? Thinking about that cat makes me question if it is a stray or someone's pet. The animal looked too well feed to be a stray. Could someone be living there and not wanting us to go snooping around - no, that can't be... The house is in too bad of condition... But again we never looked in the watch tower part of the ..."

"Neshema." Eyal was valiantly trying to hang onto his temper.

Annie recognized the tone and dropped the issue for the moment. Besides, the newspaper clipping she had been looking at was rather interesting. "Eyal, look at this." She handed the paper over to him.

"What?" Eyal asked as he scanned the paper, not seeing anything overly important.

"Right there." Annie pointed at a small article on bottom of the page.

"Malcolm McMillan attends premier of new movie with niece Blair." Eyal read. "Malcolm McMillan and niece Blair were out on the town last night for the premier of the newest movie. 'I promised Blair a night on the town and I'm just keeping my promise.' McMillan said."

Eyal looked from the clipping with a confused look on his face. "So, what's so important about this? From what I've heard, McMillan was a publicity hound when he got into political affairs. He liked having his picture in the papers as much as possible."

"Um, huh." Annie nodded as she sat several more clippings down on the table in front of Eyal. "He sure did. And just about every time, he had his niece Blair with him. I mean there are no pictures of her with her mother, but plenty with him."

Eyal looked down at the different clippings and saw a much younger Blair in almost all of them. "So?" He shrugged. "McMillan loved his niece. I mean he never had kids of his own so apparently he showered her with his affections."

"That would work," Annie said, "except he didn't like kids."

Eyal gave her a confused look. "What do you mean he didn't like kids? How do you know how he felt about kids?"

Annie placed another clipping in front of him. It was interview he had given when he was just starting out in politics. Eyal quickly scanned the article, stopping on a paragraph near the end. "To be honest," Malcolm McMillan told this reporter, "I'm not cut out to be a family man. Children and I don't often get along."

Eyal sat thoughtfully for a moment but finally shook his head. "This interview was done when he was young, Annie." He told her. "Just because he felt that way then, doesn't mean he couldn't have changed his mind. Besides, what's the significance of all this? I mean, all we're looking for is anything McMillan may have squirreled away down in his basement that could lead to an agent, which we haven't found that information as yet. We don't care whether he liked kids or not."

"I know, Eyal." Annie nodded, a little frustrated. "But that's not all. There are also clippings here about Blair's wedding and her husband's death, which by the way was suspicious according to some of these. Look here's a picture of her and him on their wedding day. Boy, you weren't kidding when you said he was a lot older than her. I mean these papers contain just about anything you could possibly want to know about Blair and Deputy Chief of Defense McMillan, but only about them. There's nothing in here about Blair's mother or dad or…"

"Well, Annie, that's not really unusual." Eyal tried to stop her rambling. "I mean the newspaper usually only covers major events and people. They'd have no reason to mention Blair's parents."

Annie sighed as she crossed her arms in front of her. "Well, maybe you're right. But I can't help but feel there is something important about this. I mean, didn't you say that that box of clippings kept getting in your way? What if the ghost wanted us to find it? What if…"

"Ghost?" Eyal's eyebrows rose sharply. "Neshema, I told you there are no such things as ghosts. These clippings were just there. No ghost shoved them in my hands. Besides, they're unimportant. They won't help us get what we came after. What will help, we haven't found so far. Those papers I found weren't what I thought they were. They are interesting but not what we needed. Neither were those newspaper clippings."

"Then why did you take them?" Annie asked pointedly.

"Well…" Eyal stopped. Truth was; he didn't know why he'd taken them. Something had just impressed him to do so. But looking at Annie's arched brow, tilted head and smirk, he was determined he wasn't going to tell her that.

"It doesn't matter." He said as he pushed back from the table and got up. "Look, Annie, it's late and we're both tired. Sun should be coming up soon, what do you say, I take you back to your hotel and we finish looking through all of this tomorrow, huh I mean later today.

Wearily, Annie nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I am a little tired. Tell you what, I'll meet you at the Blackpatch Pub for lunch early tomorrow afternoon and we'll finish going through all of this stuff then. Think I might be sleeping in a little late." Annie with heavy eye lids and yawns.

Eyal smiled. "Good, plan."

After Eyal dropped her off, Annie trudged into her room. She was exhausted but something kept nagging at her. There was something in those clippings but her tired mind just couldn't figure out what it was. Shaking her head, she quickly changed into her pajamas and slipped into bed, asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

When Eyal returned to his hotel room, he too was tired but what Annie said kept bothering him. Something about… Dropping his jacket on the back of the chair, Eyal stood looking at the pile of papers on the table. Suddenly a thought came to him. Going over to the coffee maker, he started a fresh pot of coffee and then went back to the table. He thought he just might know what he was looking for.

When Annie arrived at the Blackpatch Pub later that afternoon Eyal met her with a big smile and Annie quickly guess he has found something. Annie looked over at Eyal. "What did you find?"

Eyal nodded as he got up as she walked to the table and handed her the file he had been looking at. "Remember those clippings we were looking at last night?"

Annie nodded as she opened the file and began to look at the papers inside. "Um, huh."

"Well, I got to thinking about them and some of the things you said, so I dove into that box again when I got back to the hotel last night. And then this morning I did a little more checking on Blair Vogel and her uncle and her husband. I'm still not ready to say that a ghost helped us last night, but I do believe the information we found will."

Annie didn't respond as she read the scant information in the file before looking up at Eyal with confusion.

"I don't understand. This is about Malcolm McMillan and some woman named Anna, what little there is of it. What does this have to do with Blair Vogel and getting us access to that house?"

"It has to do with leverage. I checked all available data on Anna Golubev. There isn't much known about her. She was born in 1945 to Russian immigrant parents and went to work for Malcolm McMillan's family as a maid in 1962. In 1964 McMillan started his law practice and he moved to a flat in London and took Anna with him. After that there's really no official mention of her anywhere."

Instead of clearing things up for Annie, Eyal's little background on Anna Golubev left her even more confused. "I'm sorry, Eyal." Annie shook her head. "But I still don't understand."

"It's simple, Annie." Eyal spoke as he handed her a small book with a latch on it.

Annie looked down to see a diary. The name on the front was Anna Golubev. Opening to a page that was marked, she read an entry that claimed… "Malcolm McMillan was Blair Vogel father and Anna was her mother?"

"Well, not officially. At least not anywhere but in that diary. On all official transcripts, Blair Vogel is the daughter of Mae McMillan Stewart and her deceased husband Montgomery Stewart. Of course I can't find anything on Montgomery Stewart before or after he supposedly married Mae who died about ten years ago of a heart attack. And Anna disappeared completely after Blair was born. I don't know how McMillan did it, but somehow he managed to hide every trace of Anna other than that diary. But it doesn't change the truth. Blair Kristine Vogel is McMillan daughter not his niece."

Annie's mind now working in high gear, "And unless I miss my guess, her husband found out about it. Probably why he married her. Figured he could use that information to get McMillan to throw lots of classified intel his way, there by becoming an unwilling spy for Russia."

"Only it didn't work for but for a few years. McMillan life seemed to take a turn for the unscrupulous side, hoards of women and he later became deep into gambling and it wasn't long before he left office in scandal." Eyal still filling in the blanks.

It was now making even more sense to Annie. "So that's what you meant by leverage? You think if we tell Blair Vogel that we know who her real mother and father were, she'll grant us full access to search that house completely?"

"Well, not exactly." Eyal sighed. "Blair Vogel' doesn't intimidate easily. It'd take more than what we currently have to get her to help us anymore than she already has. But I think there's more to this. I want us to go talk to anyone, you think, might be able to give you the lowdown on Blair Vogel and her 'uncle'."

"Like who?" Annie asked with a frown. "Not too many people have too much to do with her and those who do are usually too afraid to say much either for or against her."

"Not if you talk to the right people. Blair Vogel has maids and gardeners and other employees that I'm sure could tell you plenty if you approach them right and you have that knack."

"Where should I start?"

"A trip to see her live-in maid at the Chelsea flat and then the summer place in Dorchester. I know there are several employees there."

"And what about you? What are you going to be doing?"

"Headed back to Seaford and snoop around more, maybe have a talk with the caretaker, what was his name... Oh yeah, Busby Ferguson, I'm sure he knows plenty. May have another look around the old place I'm still looking for the documents pertaining to Russian double agents and any other agent information. You know that was our mission in the first place."

"Then why to do I have to go to Dorchester if you going back in the house."

"Leverage. He own another house in York, England that no one has searched as all attention has been on his coastal estate and the London home place."

"I never heard of the York house. How do you know about it?"

"Privileged information I found out back with my previous time with Blair. The home he inherited from his mother who was from York. The home is listed in his mother's name and later transferred to Blair Stewart but she seldom goes there. Hates the place for some reason."

"You want me to check out the York homestead, see what information I can find."

"With you persuasive way yeah, go talk with the distance cousin that lives there and see what you can find. Her name is Susan Matthews and she is a fifth or sixth cousin to Malcolm McMillan on his mother's side of the family. Blair didn't seem to like her for some reason and could be why she doesn't go to York often."

"Fine, I'm on my way. See you back here in a couple of days." Annie getting up from the table not really wanting to go but she must, it was also part of her mission and with both of them working together, unofficially, would mean getting the job done faster.

"Wait a second Annie."

Annie turning, "What?" Only to see Eyal had stood and was very close to her. He effortlessly took her face in both of his large hands and gave her a sweet gentle kiss. Automatically her hands moved to his side and she returned the kiss.

"Hope I didn't step out of line but been wanting to do that ever since you landed here in England."

"Not at all out of line, I enjoyed it."

And with that Eyal took it as an invitation to once more kiss her, this one a bit more deeply and holding her close to him. She feeling the warmth of his body and responded with passionate kiss, then slowly stepped back with her hand on his arm. With a loving smile place two fingers to her lips and then to his lips just before she turned to leave. Eyal watched as she walked out of sight, 'Yeah' he thought, 'he made the right move and now had to wait until her return'.

Annie's first stop, York and a friendly chat with Susan Matthews. York, England is one of the most fascinating and historical places to visit, dating back to medieval period and the occupation of the Romans. The city is known as the wall city because of the miles of ancient walls built to protect the inhabitants during many different advances throughout history. Three main gateways lead into the old city where Susan Matthew's home is near the Bootham Bar (one of the gateways). The name "bar" refers to the simple bars which were leveled across the gates to restrict traffic in and out of the city. The bars also acted as toll booths during the medieval period.

Annie finding the house located in the older city and was shocked at the simplicity of the row type home. Maybe she was expecting a grand mansion or at least the chic of the homes Blair seem to process but his house gave a warm friendly welcome feeling. Annie standing at the door noticed a black cat sitting on the window sill, quietly purring and watching her, certainly not the monster of a cat she had encountered at the old castle. The sun shown in shades of deep purple on his solid black coat and beautiful gold color eyes, slowly blinked at Annie. "And what is your name?" speaking softly to the cat.

"Geoffrey Chaucer but we call him Geoffrey and he only answers when he is hungry." A young woman appeared in the open door with a bright smile.

"The author of The Canterbury Tales how clever." Annie turning away from her conversation with the cat to see Susan Matthews. "I'm Annie Walker, we spoke over the phone."

"Yes of course. I'm Susan and please come in."

The interior reflected the sociable pleasant nature of it occupant with cheerful colors of light gold almost a wheat color and piles of rose, pink, lavender and creams to rich deep reds much like walking through a rose garden.

"Please have a seat and would you like a cup of tea? I have some already brewed."

"Thank you kindly, yes that would be nice."

Friendly chatting over tea before Annie got to the reason for her visit. "As I explained over the phone, I'm with the United States government investigating a report concerning national security of both my country and the UK. While there is still little proof of the existence of a file containing certain documents we still have to investigate and follow all leads to the end."

"Yes I'm sure and how my I help?"

"Malcolm McMillan once lived here and it is believed he may have hidden this file some place within this house."

"The house is in his mother's family ... uh my family and yes he stayed here quite often. I had the place refurbished not long ago, electrical and plumbing and some walls removed and during that renovation there was nothing found. However the attic hasn't been touched in years, I hate going up there, strange but it gives me the creeps."

"If you don't mind, I would like to have a look around your attic."

"You are welcome to have a look about." Susan standing, "This way."

Susan leaving Annie alone in the attic to search for whatever she could find and as she look around there were the usual things one might expect to find in an attic. Two old trunks, a broken chair and old dresser with missing handles. A few boxes, a wooden crate of old toys, certainly once belonging to Malcolm and several family pictures all frame and hanging from beams. There in a corner, behind a dressmakers form Annie found a crudely made cabinet with two locks. Lock picking may not be one of greatest skills but with enough time she picked both locks. There inside the cabinet was a metal box with another lock, Annie was being put to the test. Again she picks the lock and this one was reasonably easy. Bingo, inside the metal box was three brown envelopes all neatly tied with cord and a wax seal on the knot. Not touching the envelops but picking up the box, Annie returned to the main floor where Susan was waiting.

"I think I have found what we are looking for. I need to call in some of Briton's officials and have them give you a receipt for the box."

"By all means." Susan didn't want anything that could be of national security stay in her home. Her face now showed concern and couldn't help but ask the pressing question on her mind. "Could I be in any trouble for have that box?"

"Not at all. You had nothing to do with hiding this box." Annie reassured her as she made the call to MI6, CIA and Mossad, the last being extremely covert.