Knight Moves: Bishop's First Strike

Location: Camel's Hump Area,Vermont

They had made good time getting to the old farmhouse from the airport. The driver had assured her they would not get stopped when she mentioned how fast they were going. Stepping from the car, she headed straight to the front door. As she reached the top step, it opened and Garthe stood there smiling at her.

"You have the files?"

"Yes. All of them." He stretched his arms out to her. She practically jumped into them, hugging him tightly. He tilted her face upwards.

"I've missed you my dear." Then he kissed her. Her heart soared. When he pulled back, he saw it in her eyes. Smiling, he guided her into the house.

"We will have dinner in two hours. Why don't you go upstairs and get some rest. I'll wake you when it is ready."

"Thank you Garthe, I am tired from my trip." She got halfway up the stairs when she paused. Turning, she looked down to him and asked, "Will they be there?"

"No, my love. Just dinner for the two of us. But do not worry, we will see my guests for desert."

"Good. I can't wait." With that she continued up the stairs to her room.

Garthe turned and moved back out the front door. He took the briefcase from the driver and got into the car. The driver closed the door behind him and got in as well.

"Take me to the barn," he directed. "I need to speak to my guests."

Location: Burlington International Airport, VT

Wil stared at the name on the screen. He could not believe what he was seeing. Could it really be her? No, it must be some kind of mistake. Coincidence. That had to be what it really was, nothing more. He closed his eyes. He knew it wasn't. His instinct told him so, and he had come to learn that his instinct is almost never, ever wrong.

"Give me a hard copy and find out where the others are," he instructed KARR.

"Michael and Mike are in Williston. They have checked into a hotel," came the reply. "Zoe and Billy are on their way. Their current position puts them an hour outside of West Lebanon, NH."

"I need to get out of here. I need to think. Show me a map of the area." The screen was immediately replaced with a map of the surrounding area. "Let's head out east. I need someplace where I can get some air and think." KARR revved his engine, then pulled out of the parking area with a squeal of tires.

Location: Lebanon, NH

"Miriam seems to have no criminal background. Or anything for that matter," Billy sighed.

"From her files at Knight Industries, It says she was born in 1972. I don't think she looked that old," Zoe told him. "And, Devon went over her background information. And you know how he is about that sort of stuff."

"So, Garthe must have gotten to her after she was hired. But how? Her file reads like a plain jane novel. She has no criminal record, no debt of any kind and nothing in any data base to show she ever did anything wrong. How did Garthe get to her?"

"Well, it wasn't through her family. She was an only child. Both parents died within a couple of years of each other. She was married, but divorced in 2002. She's had no communication with the ex-husband since. And they had no children. So whatever Garthe used, it had to be good," Zoe said. "I bet it was-"

"Money?" Billy interrupted.

She shook her head no. "I was going to say love. I bet he conned her into thinking he was in love with her. Once she believed him, she'd do anything he asked."

"That never happens to me," Billy mumbled.

"And it won't, because that's dishonest Billy. You fall in love with someone not to be duped into doing things," she told him hotly.

He threw his hands up. "I know, I know! That's not what I meant. I just want someone to fall in love with," he told her. "Besides, I'd be the one being 'duped'."

"Oh Billy, I won't let that happen to you," she giggled. "Now, keep looking in the files for anything else that might help us."

"Hey, here's something," he said a few minutes later.

"What?" Zoe asked.

"I found a picture of Miriam from the early nineties, when she was in college. Look." He waived her over to his monitor. She slid her chair over to see it.

She gasped when she got a good look at it.

"If that's Miriam, then who are we looking for? It's not the same person."

They looked at each other with shock, mixed with confusion. Then it came to them. At the same time they spoke, "Imposter!"

"We need to get a hold of everyone, right now," Zoe said urgently.

Location: Vigilante Rd, Duxbury, VT

"My dear, dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes," he whispered softly into her ear. Mumbling, she rolled over and opened her eyes to see Garthe leaning over her. Stretching, she sat up slowly.

"Give me ten minutes to take a quick shower and get dressed," she said sweetly to him. He smiled and nodded, turned and left the room, closing the door softly behind him. She got up and headed for the bathroom. Grabbing a towel, she turned the water on and switched it to the shower head. She draped the towel over the sink counter top and looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled wickedly at herself, knowing what a shock it would be to at least two of the 'guests'. She undressed quickly and stepped into the shower, still grinning.

Meanwhile, down in the basement portion of the house, a table was being set for four. Devon, Bonnie, Sarah and April were seated around it. There were two guards at the door leading to the barn and two more at the bottom of the staircase leading up. Garthe had been to see them that afternoon. He had told them he had a few surprises for them and let them leave early from their work. They had been separated into their own quarters. Until thirty minutes ago, when they had been allowed to be seated at the table. The head guard had told them no talking. They heard footsteps on the stairs, and all turned to look. There was Garthe in a silk shirt and dress slacks.

"My, my, my," he said wolfishly. "Don't we all look sad. Let me give you your first gift of the evening." He paused for effect, "I will not be joining you for dinner." He let that rest on them for a moment. "But will be here for dessert. And I expect you to be on your best behavior as I will be bringing a guest with me."

"And who would that be?" Devon asked tersely.

"Someone, that at least two of you know," he said slyly. "Please feel free to talk amongst yourselves." He bowed politely. "Until later." He gave them a little wave as he walked back upstairs, grinning the whole time.

"Devon, I am very nervous," Bonnie said. "He's acting cocky. Like he knows he has us dead to rights."

"Yes, Bonnie, I quite agree," Devon said quietly.

"But what's changed? That's what I want to know," Sarah told them.

"Apparently something that makes Garthe believe he has the upper hand," Devon replied. "I wonder who his guest is." It was more of a statement, than question.

"I don't know, but that makes me nervous as well," Bonnie answered. They grew quiet again as footsteps came down the stairs. This time it was the chef and waitstaff carrying their food. They were each given a covered silver tray in front of them. The chef and his staff retreated back upstairs. Devon grabbed the handle and pulled up the cover.

"Now I know we're on borrowed time. Steak, potatoes, vegetables, salad and bread," he said. "We will eat like royalty with this. But I fear we may not make it through the night."

An hour later, Garthe once again appeared. Smiling he stood in front of the stairs. "Ladies and gentleman, I present my special guest." With a grand flourish of his arm, he stepped to his right. A lady came down the stairs, her face hidden behind a dark veil. When she reached the bottom, she halted. Her arm came up and she slowly pulled the veil away.

"No," April whispered.

"I don't understand," Devon said. "Miriam? What on earth are you doing here?"

She laughed. "Sorry Devon, wrong name. But I'm not surprised. You haven't seen me in a long time. Not like April." Everyone turned to April, who looked frozen in a mixture of fear, surprise and confusion.

"Cat got your tongue, April?" she hissed at her. The shock of it all hit April and she started to faint. Bonnie and Sarah reached out to grab her.

"Who are you?" Devon demanded.

"My name is Rebecca Philips. But you can call me Becky."