I'm finally back with another chapter! Forgive me, it has taken months to get this chapter written and revised. I look forward to hearing what you guys have to say in the comments section & without further ado, I present the very very long-awaited chapter 8...

PS. stay tuned for the "question of the chapter" (this is what it's called now) at the end of the chapter:)

Lastly, the address that I asked you guys about in the previous chapter will henceforth be revealed in this chapter! *wink* *wink*

Chapter 8 (Meeting Denton Mills)

"How much longer till we reach the school?" Celia, who was walking beside Sallie, asked.

"School not far, one more turn, we reach." Uncle Ned replied.

"So what exactly is the plan?" Jonathan asked, mostly to Uncle Ned

"We go to address, find Denton guy, and ask if he see Joe boy." Uncle Ned replied, turning the corner.

"New Orleans College? That's Joe's college!" Mandie exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock, "Wait! What? Why on earth would the address be Joe's college?"

"This is getting stranger and stranger by the minute," Celia agreed.

"This Denton guy who supposedly knows Joe, knows us too, I suppose," Jonathan observed, "and speaking of that Mills guy, I wonder if he's one of Joe's teachers?"

Suddenly a distinct Louisiana accent could be heard 2 meters away, everyone turned around and sure enough there was a well-dressed middle-aged gentleman, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a tan fedora hat walking towards them.

"Yes, I am," The voice answered.

"Woah! Who on earth are you?" Jonathan exclaimed, taking a fighting stance.

"Why, I'm professor Mills, Denton Mills, you must be Jonathan Lindall Guyer the third,"

"How did you know?"

"You're Joe's friend, are you not?" The man turned to greet the rest, "ah, you are Miss Amanda Shaw? I presume," He looked directly into Mandie's eyes for a brief moment before turning to Celia & Sallie, "And you must be Miss Celia Hamilton and Miss Sallie Sweetwater?"
Celia and Sallie nodded their heads, like Joanthan they were very much aware of the suspicion of the stranger's countenance.

"And who is this wrinkled face, old man? Miss Sweetwater, your grandfather?" The man narrowed his eyes at Uncle Ned as if he was preparing for a fight. His tone undertaking the purest form of altruism and detest.

"Yes he is my grandfather, and before you try anything funny, let me warn you, you do not want to mess with him." Sallie held her grandfather's hand whilst giving the man a disapproving look.

"I suppose you're here for more information on Joe's whereabouts?" Are you not?" The mysterious man now named Denton Mills assumed.
Mandie folded her arms and stomped her foot impatiently, "Why else would we be here?" Mandie asked, annoyed at the professor's lack of urgency. As it seems.

"To attend one of your lectures?" Jonathan added, grinning

"I see I've met the joker, the one who never takes anything seriously," Denton smirked

Jonathan was about to punch the man, when Celia gently nudged him, "not right now," She whispered in his ears, "he may have some valuable information that can help us locate Joe."

"Quit your nice talk, and just tell us what you know," Jonathan glared at him

"What I know? What I know is many things, but what do you want to know?" If this was his way of acting smart, he was doing a better job of pretending to be dumb.

"Don't play smart," Mandie warned, "Tell us what you know about Joe's disappearance."

The man put his hands up to calm everyone, "alright, alright, you win," He sighed, "thought perhaps we could get better acquainted with one another, seeing how dear you are to my top student."

"Sir, we mean you no disrespect, but I think we are very much well acquainted, besides we have a more pressing matter that needs our attention, I believe?" Celia, always the peacemaker, politely objected.

Just then an all too familiar face made its way to the group, her face was much much more tear-stained than when she had met Mandie. "Oh Mandie! I am so glad to see you, I fear something bad has happened to Joe," She heaved, trying to explain the situation. "There was a fire… a cottage fire at the back…back of the co…college," thanks to Joe…oh Joe, a little girl was saved, but..but after the fire was put out, he ran back to investigate. She wiped her tears with her handkerchief as she resumed the story. "I was sche…scheduled to meet with erm him for erm some extra study at half past four, you know with finals and…and all, but…but as the time approached, I went to the scene of the crime and I found…I found…."

Mandie placed her arms on Isabel's shoulders, with worry and fiery intensity, she asked, "What did you find?"

"I found…I found," Isabel sobbed, "Oh Mandie, I found blood, lots of blood, it was the most horrifying sight I have seen in all eighteen years of my life! I fear he has been kidnapped!"

"But how can you be certain the blood belongs to Joe?" Professor Denton, who was still unnoticed by Isabel, as was everyone else except Mandie, inquired. "Did you see the attack with your own eyes?"

"Oh professor! I am so sorry, I did not notice you," Isabel apologized, by then she was more composed and the red in her face was slowly making its disappearance. "Oh but, Joe was out there, right at the scene of the crime, and at that specific time of the day,"

"And so was Daniel Jenkins, was he not?" Unless I might have heard wrongly?"

"Regardless who it was, we ought to find him, he's obviously in danger, and we aren't doing much just standing around, are we?" Jonathan reasoned, folding his arms and rolling his eyes.

"We don't even know where to start," Mandie grumbled,

"Let's start with what you know about Joe's kidnapping, assuming he was kidnapped and the blood actually did belong to him," Sallie spoke directly to Professor Mills, "Is there any sought of information that could possibly give us some answers?"

Professor Mills rubbed his forehead back and forth, until he suddenly remembered something, "Yes, yes…I have something, but I'm not even sure if it's linked to Joe's case, it could be an entirely different matter, but we have to start somewhere right Follow me," He gestured for them to climb up the stairs to the main entrance of the college.

The young people and Uncle Ned wasted no time in following the professor, eager for some sought of information that would help them. However, under the pretense of the astute professor, a sinister grin quite concealed at the moment would reveal itself in just a matter of hours, or perhaps minutes.

Meanwhile, an entirely different situation will be taking place right at the New Orleans College Library. What Mandie and her friends were unaware of was right in the midst of all the historical autobiographies and scientific theories was the beginning of a rather unpleasant chapter and a very rude awakening. Will the five of them be ready to face their biggest possible challenge yet?

Hope you enjoyed, and I look forward to presenting you with chapter 9!
Question of the Chapter: What are some of your favorite books? (other than the Mandie Series, obviously haha!)