Stockdale Avenue

By H.F. Beaumont

The expansion of Stockdale Landscape Construction—generated by
Remodeling magazine’s successful opening of branch offices in Oregon, Utah, and
Texas—has inspired the Stockdales and Albrights to take up an offer to have
homes built for them in Oregon.
Fred Stockdale has met Jessica and Mickey Dunley and uncovered some of
the secrets relating to the murder discovered during the remodel of the Albright
residence. The FBI has been called to the Dunley residence to investigate another
crime scene.
John and Fred teach the girls how to fish at the Whispering Pines Resort.
There is an event in Texas where another vision becomes a once-in-a-lifetime
event at a Western Outfitter store. Marie and Delores conclude their first class
with ladies using the Kentucky Derby theme.
There are more twists and turns for your reading pleasure. I hope you enjoy
Stockdale Avenue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781984581488

Book preview

Stockdale Avenue

95992.png

H. F. Beaumont

Copyright © 2020 by H. F. Beaumont.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Rev. date: 05/28/2020

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

811254

CONTENTS

Preface

Abduction

•   Chapter One

•   Chapter Two

•   Chapter Three

•   Chapter Four

•   Chapter Five

•   Chapter Six

•   Chapter Seven

•   Chapter Eight

•   Chapter Nine

•   Chapter Ten

•   Chapter Eleven

•   Chapter Twelve

•   Chapter Thirteen

•   Chapter Fourteen

The Show Must Go On

•   Chapter Fifteen

•   Chapter Sixteen

•   Chapter Seventeen

Back to Normalcy

•   Chapter Eighteen

•   Chapter Nineteen

•   Chapter Twenty

•   Chapter Twenty-One

The Restoration of Dunleys’ Dwelling

•   Chapter Twenty-Two

•   Chapter Twenty-Three

•   Chapter Twenty-Four

•   Chapter Twenty-Five

Derby Day Graduation

•   Chapter Twenty-Six

•   Chapter Twenty-Seven

•   Chapter Twenty-Eight

•   Chapter Twenty-Nine

Teaching the Girls to Fish

•   Chapter Thirty

•   Chapter Thirty-One

•   Chapter Thirty-Two

Bomb Shelter

•   Chapter Thirty-Three

•   Chapter Thirty-Four

•   Chapter Thirty-Five

•   Chapter Thirty-Six

Forensic Investigation

•   Chapter Thirty-Seven

•   Chapter Thirty-Eight

•   Chapter Thirty-Nine

•   Chapter Forty

Stockdale Avenue and Albright Way

•   Chapter Forty-One

•   Chapter Forty-Two

•   Chapter Forty-Three

•   Chapter Forty-Four

Whispering Pines Resort

•   Chapter Forty-Five

•   Chapter Forty-Six

PREFACE

T he expansion of Stockdale Landscape Construction—generated by Remodeling magazine’s successful opening of branch offices in Oregon, Utah, and Texas—has inspired the Stockdales and Albrights to take up an offer to have homes built for them in Oregon.

Fred Stockdale has met Jessica and Mickey Dunley and uncovered some of the secrets relating to the murder discovered during the remodel of the Albright residence. The FBI has been called to the Dunley residence to investigate another crime scene.

John and Fred teach the girls how to fish at the Whispering Pines Resort. There is an event in Texas where another vision becomes a once-in-a-lifetime event at a Western Outfitter store. Marie and Delores conclude their first class with ladies using the Kentucky Derby theme.

There are more twists and turns for your reading pleasure. I hope you enjoy Stockdale Avenue.

stockdale%20ave-1.jpgstockdale%20ave-2.jpg

CONSTRUCTION LEGEND

1. Turf parkway

2. City sidewalk

3. Planter

4. Steel paver edging with stakes

5. Belgard Dublin Cobble pavers, owner selects color

6. Turf

7. City street tree

8. Circular entry steps with bull-nosed brick border and herringbone infill over four-inch subbase concrete

9. Colored and stamped driveway

10. Six-foot-tall block wall with brick fascia and cap; pilasters arched with redwood arched gate, both sides finished; and Mediterranean hanging light fixture with matching sconces

11. Double-entry doors to match arched gate

12. Twenty-seven-inch-tall concrete block raised planter seat wall with precast concrete cap with rock fascia

13. Thirty-six-inch-tall split-faced tan concrete block with thirty-six-inch-tall wrought iron fence atop pilasters spaced at ten feet on center with split-faced cap

14. Existing fireplace

15. Spa, gunite poured in place in ground with jets, lounge seats, bench, and salt water

16. French doors to match arched gate

17. Twelve-foot-diameter circular raised seat wall planter, precast concrete cap, rock fascia, wall washer lights

18. Four-inch layer of stabilized, decomposed granite, compacted pasture pathway

19. Eight-foot cattle gate with posts and latching hardware

20. Barbecue island with rock fascia poured in place, concrete and steel countertop to match barbecue (owner provides)

21. Belgard Dublin Cobble paver infill with rectangular border, base, and leveling layers, steel paver edge

22. Six-square-inch rough-sawn cedar posts for the patio decks and tunnel posts

23. Existing three-floor elevator

24. Six-foot waterfall with basin and spillway to the stream

25. Six-foot-long Chinese red bench with backrest

26. Stream feature with return vault

27. Chinese red footbridge with railings

28. Twenty-seven-inch-tall circular seat wall, firepit to match raised planters

29. Smokehouse

30. Six-inch raised hardwood dance floor with benches

31. Eight-square-inch rough-sawn cedar playhouse posts per detail

32. Octagon playhouse with cone roof

33. Two-by-six-inch clear redwood or cedar patio deck with frame

34. Access canopy from the house to the playhouse

35. French doors to match arched gateway finish

36. Thirty-six-inch-tall handrailing with one-inch square pickets to match staircase handrailing

37. Access tunnel from one playhouse to the other

38. Playhouse staircase with handrailing

39. Playhouse porch with access door, barn light

40. Tunnel access door to match French door color and finish

ABDUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

T he next morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at the waterfall and stream feature. My eyes were welling up; I had to go sit on the bench. Something drew me to it. I sat down and watched the water falling when I heard a small faint voice. Fred, you don’t know me. We need to talk.

I turned around, looked in all directions, and saw nobody. I said, Lord, is that you? Forgive me, Lord. I was not prepared. I closed my eyes again, and the voice returned.

Fred, what happened?

I opened my eyes, looked around, and still saw no one. I said again, Lord, is that you? Please, I need you. I put my head in my hands and stared at the ground, tears falling onto the decomposed granite.

A few minutes passed, and the voice again said, Where are my girls? I looked again; still, no one was in sight.

My little darlings were crossing the bridge, came and sat beside me, saw me crying, and then hugged me. It’s okay, Daddy, you can cry. We’re here to help you.

Girls, this is the toughest day in my life. I miss your mommies so much it hurts inside.

We know, Daddy. We are all hurting inside.

Please, Lord, bring Mommies back to our homes. We love them so much. Lord, please protect them. Don’t let anyone hurt them. Please, Lord, please.

We heard Mama say, It’s time for breakfast. I hope you’re all hungry.

We all went into the house and sat at the kitchen table; the girls helped Grandma serve breakfast to everyone. The doorbell rang. John looked out the peephole. It was Diane and three other people. He opened the door and hugged Diane. She introduced the three others; all were her assistants.

The girls ran and gave Diane a huge hug; everyone started crying. Mama asked if they were hungry and if they would like to eat with the girls. Diane and her staff accepted her invitation. We gave up our chairs for the girls and their guests. John and I went out to the patio and sat at the table.

I told John about the voice I heard while sitting at the bench. John said, It was probably just the falling water. I hear things sitting out there as well when the stereo is not playing.

I asked John, Like what?

I think it may be a bird or squirrel moving around, that type of noise.

The voice asked me, ‘Where are the girls? What is happening? You don’t know me. We need to talk.’ It was very plain in a very soft voice.

John said, You saw no one, and the stereo is off, so it wasn’t that. Maybe a neighbor was on their cell phone, and you overheard their conversation.

That is a possibility. Never thought of that. John, what are we going to do? These are the love of our lives. The girls are heartbroken. I feel so helpless.

John just shook his head and shrugged. I don’t know. I really don’t know. I have never prayed so hard in my life as I did last night. I prayed myself to sleep.

Papa joined us at the table; it was a full house inside. "Good morning, gentlemen. To keep you both updated, I’m meeting with the governor this morning at his mansion. That is all you need to know at this time. We have over three hundred people staged everywhere. The cabin is surrounded. Even a mouse could not make it past the boundaries.

"We had two of our best agents deliver food to the cabin in the grocer’s truck, and they had on the grocer’s uniforms. They know the layout of the cabin and saw two bedroom doors closed, so they believe the ladies are being kept in the bedrooms. There is a crawl space under the cabin. We have two guns under the bedrooms, keeping track of the movements. There is a microphone under each bedroom to monitor conversations. We have heard both girls’ voices.

"Gentlemen, this conversation never happened, you understand? Your lives are in just the same danger as the girls and my granddaughters. I’m prepared to nail everyone involved with this crime.

The governor is sending a limousine with three armed guards. There will be three chase vehicles, and all units are on notice, in a hush-hush operation. You two do not leave the house for any reason. If you need anything, send one of the security men to fetch what you want.

The doorbell rang, and two of security officers went to the door. They escorted him to the limousine. Papa was on his way to meet with the governor.

CHAPTER TWO

D iane and her staff followed the girls up the staircase to their house. Everyone sat on the benches, and the girls got chairs for the three staff members. Everyone was quiet for a few seconds when there was a soft voice saying, I missed you.

Diane nearly jumped out of her skin. What was that? Girls, did you hear that voice? Staff, did you hear the voice?

Everyone said, Yes, we heard the voice.

Leslie said, Diane, that is Annie.

What are you saying?

Her name is Annie. She is our friend. She plays with us, talks with us, cries with us, hugs us when we are sad, warns us if someone is coming. She is our best friend. Annie likes you and the governor. She mentions you all the time. She has to be happy to see you like we are happy to see you.

Diane and her staff were dumbfounded by the situation. Diane asked, How long have you been friends with Annie?

We met Annie the day our house was finished.

Were you ever afraid of Annie?

No. Annie told us not to be afraid. She would never hurt us.

Where does Annie stay?

She stays with us. Wherever we go, she goes along with us.

Have you ever told your moms about your friend Annie? Who else knows about Annie?

Just you and your staff. Annie doesn’t want lots of friends, just us.

Diane told her staff, You all may have to leave us alone. I would love to talk with Annie. Do you think Annie would talk to me if my staff were not in the house?

Leslie paused for a few minutes and said, She would talk to you, no staff.

The staff went downstairs and sat at the patio table. Mama came out to the patio table with a pitcher of lemonade, plastic cups, and some cupcakes for hunger pain medication.

Diane asked Leslie, Can you call to Annie?

A small soft voice said, What do you want?

Diane introduced herself as one of the girls’ best friends. I would like us to become friends.

Annie said, Not now.

Leslie asked Annie, Are you unhappy?

Where is your mom? said Annie.

Leslie started to cry. We don’t know. Someone kidnapped her and Delores yesterday.

You poor dears, said Annie. I have to go.

Diane said, Girls, Annie is a spirit. Very few people know a spirit. How often do you talk to Annie?

The girls said, Always, every day. We love her. She treats us with respect, kindness, and love.

Mama called up to the girls, I brought lemonade and cupcakes for you and your guests. Come and get it.

They all were now at the patio table. Diane’s staff asked her, Did you talk with Annie?

Somewhat. I have to gather my thoughts for a little while. Let’s have some lemonade and cupcakes, said Diane.

The girls wanted to say a prayer before they ate. Leslie asked, Diane, could you say the prayer for us? We are all pretty upset right now.

Diane said, I’d be so honored to say a prayer for the food. She started out asking God to please watch over Marie and Delores. Protect them from this ordeal, watch over my precious girls, give them the strength to endure this without their moms, and help their dads as well. Protect all the ladies and their families. Have Annie return to us so we can protect her as well. You have made these families so special to the world. Many eyes are full of tears today. Hearts are broken. So many whys are being asked around the world. There is so much more for all of us to learn from the family. The governor and I have changed our lives, viewpoints, trying to adopt the girls’ teaching into our lives. We are so humbled by what we have learned. Thank you, Lord, for the lemonade and cupcakes that Mama has set before us. We say these things in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The girls and her staff all said, Amen. Mama brought out three boxes of tissues on her next visit to the patio table.

They all returned to the playhouse after their snacks. The girls started asking Diane questions regarding the abduction. Why? Our mommies did nothing to harm anyone. They are warm and loving moms.

Diane was full of tears; the boxes of tissues were going fast now. "Jealousy is the only reason I can think of right now. Someone or some group is very jealous of what you girls and your moms bring to the world. Girls, some people are so focused on trying to change the way we think about life that you and your moms show the world that their way of thinking is not how we think.

Seeing your moms and the other ladies having simple fun, bringing joy and happiness to others, is very upsetting to a selected few. I have been surprised to see the women’s movement not out in force protesting all the events. We are doing our best in the governor’s office to practice what you have taught us. The governor and I pray for you and your family every night, protect them, help them spread the word by example on how to have fun and live your life to the fullest."

Diane asked the staff, Girls, how has coming to work improved?

Leslie, her chief of staff, gave a high five to her namesake. "We’re sisters now. Coming to the office before was a turmoil. Every day we were all looking over our shoulders, not certain how to please all the various groups we deal with. ‘Hey, how about us?’ ‘No, us over here.’ ‘No, us over here.’ We barely had time to get our regular work finished, trying to please all the loud voices screaming at us. There is so much hatred out there for all those who don’t believe in their ideology. After you visited the girls for the first time, I was with you in the shadows.

"I stomped my foot hard on the floor and told my husband today, ‘We are changing, living a more loving life right now. Don’t even question me.’ I told him just how we are changing, told him about what I had witnessed from four very young but very wise girls, showed him a video of you girls, stopped and started the video many times, and asked him what he just saw. We took more than two hours going through the video, replaying some parts over and over again.

"Girls, you changed my life. We play your video in our office. We encourage our staff to watch it daily, if necessary. We don’t want the ugly head of the world on our way of life. We have values as well as those who try to push a way of life we don’t want. We’re not saying ours is better. We are saying no to theirs.

"Coming to work every day now is so joyful. We actually talk about how it has changed our lives, our families. It is contagious. Friends look at me now and ask, ‘What happened to you?’ I have shared your video to so many friends. Some have asked for a copy to show others.

What has happened is devastating. My heart is aching so bad right now. If we had whoever is behind the dastardly crime here in front of us and the judge gives them the death penalty, the heavy burden on my heart would be lifted.

The other staff members agreed with everything that Leslie told the girls. They were all hugging the girls, telling them, Everything will be all right. There are so many people looking for your moms. It is unbelievable.

Diane said, Girls, my phone is ringing off the hook in the governor’s office, with people all over the state offering to help find your moms.

The girls were all starting to cry again. We want our mommies back. This hurts us too much.

Annie said, Be calm, my loves. We are looking for them. God is directing us in a soft, warm, and loving voice.

The girls thanked Annie. We love you so much. Thank you for being our friend and secret mom.

Diane said, Annie, we all love you. Thank you for being the voice for these wonderful, gracious girls.

CHAPTER THREE

P apa arrived at the governor’s mansion. He met with the governor for a few minutes and explained what he had uncovered. Papa told the governor what his real job was. I am the legal counsel for a very large underground organization.

The governor said, The mob?

Papa said, Governor, that is your term. That is the world’s terminology. We have moved away from most of the worlds of sin. We have been tracking the whereabouts of the girls. They have my daughters. I won’t tolerate that type of behavior from anyone. We have shot down three drones who were helping those on the ground keep the hideout secret. We have the location surrounded. We don’t need any outside force distrusting the operation. Is that perfectly clear?

The governor said, You know where they are?

We need your assistance.

I’m glad to help as long as it is in accordance with the current laws.

Governor, you have a staff member, a high-ranking staff member, who owns the cabin where they are holding my daughters. I want you to call a special meeting with his entire staff right now. All hands on deck, so to speak. I want every person who is watching over the developer and his partners to be questioned. Someone inside the prison system is getting information to the outside.

Who is the ranking official? asked the governor.

William McGuiness, your chief financial officer. We want everyone in a meeting room. We want all cell phones out on the table. We want every computer terminal and their home computers confiscated, including iPads, and all accounts for social media shut down now. Pull the plug on all outside communications. Then you have to shut down all other computers, and we will have technicians scan the entire network until the real leader of all this is disclosed and dealt with.

The governor said, You know this is going to take a lot of work. There are some employees who are on vacation or on medical leave. Fine, we will pull their plugs as well.

‘Governor, there is a network of people trying to undermine and control everything. This has to stop. It is unhealthy. Ask yourself, Who is next? Is it you? Is it Diane? Who? They get away with this, even if my daughters are home safely, for how long? They are trying different things to see how well it works. How much does the government control? What mechanisms are in place and working well?

"They abducted two ladies out shopping in a clothing boutique in broad daylight and being monitored by the FBI local agencies. They changed vehicles with four other ladies of the same size, same clothes, same vehicles. Your people followed the wrong vehicles. It was the old shell game. If you actually were following the right vehicle, they would continue to do that until you failed. You failed on the first switch.

"The drones were telling the central computer that all is clear, to continue to the final destination. You still do not know where that destination is located, do you? We do this type of work daily, not when a crisis occurs.

Call Mr. McGuiness. Get him and his entire staff to a special thank-you get-together. Call the local caterer and make it appear like a thank-you party just for them, a surprise they will never forget. I have to have you give our people access to make this happen.

The governor looked very perplexed. So many what-ifs were buzzing through his head. Can I call and talk with a couple of my staff?

No, Governor, you don’t know who they associate with. They could alert the key player, the whole thing gets aborted, and my daughters will be killed. To let you know, we already have one of the captors in our custody, waiting to nail a couple of more. There were eight involved. We don’t know who else was in the cabin before the eight arrived. The cabin had a fireplace going when we arrived, seconds behind the vehicle.

Just then, Papa’s cell phone rang. Hello … uh-huh … uh-huh … I see. Thanks. Bye.

The governor said, Can I have an assistant make some calls to get this operation moving forward?

Have them come in the office, sit right here, make the calls, stay in the office until the event starts, and surrender their cell phone to you.

The governor summoned his personal secretary into his office. She came in, and the governor introduced them. She sat down on the other chair. The governor told her to make a couple of calls—one to the caterer, one to Diane. I have to contact some department heads to arrange a party. Get me the time the caterer can have the event center set up. She got up to leave the office.

My dear, sit down. Make the calls here on the governor’s phone. Give the governor your cell phone, please. He will return it to you before the end of the day. Shut it off before you hand it to the governor.

She was very hesitant. Governor, what is this all about?

Precaution, purely precaution, said the governor.

The secretary called the caterer; he could have the event center up and ready in two hours. The governor said, Do it.

The secretary told them, Please start as soon as possible.

The governor called the person in charge of the event center, allowing access for the caterer.

The secretary called Diane. She answered, Is there a problem?

Diane, please hold for the governor, said the secretary.

Hello, sweetheart. We are having a party for all the staff. Could you return to be the hostess? Tell the girls you will return tomorrow morning. Give them my love. Hug them hard for me. God, I wish this never happened. See you soon. Love you.

The secretary said, Can I return to my desk?

No, ma’am, you have to stay with us.

Why, may I ask?

Security purposes, said Papa.

The governor said, We should tell her something, correct?

Papa asked her, How long have you known the governor?

I think at least five years. Worked as an assistant office girl and then got promoted to be his personal secretary.

How loyal are you to the governor?

I believe very loyal, right, Governor?

Papa asked, Do you socialize with other department personnel?

I have a very close friend in the finance department.

How long have you two been friends?

Well, about a year or so, said the secretary.

Papa asked, What do you talk about mostly?

The secretary asked the governor, Am I being interrogated for something?

The governor said, My dear, answer the question you have been asked.

Should I wait for legal counsel? asked the secretary.

The governor asked her, Why are you so hesitant to answer that question?

Papa said, She needs to stay with that staff. She may be a connection.

The secretary said, Governor, I don’t like what is being done right now. I want to go home.

The governor said, Sorry, we cannot allow that. Do you understand there are two ladies who were abducted and being held captive? There are lives at stake. You could be charged with accessory to the crime. Do you understand the position you are in?

Why? What did I do? I didn’t answer a question regarding a friend?

Let me explain, said Papa. The head of the finance department owns a cabin the ladies are being held in. You are friends with a finance employee. Coincidence, I say not. You will be detained with the rest of his staff. All others affiliated with this operation could face criminal charges, do a long time in prison, or get the death sentence if the girls are killed. Do you understand?

I’m a little confused right now. My friend in finance may not have been my friend after all.

Tell us what you talked about on every meeting. Here is a yellow pad. Write down everything you know. We want her name. She gave the governor her name.

Papa said, Summon her to your office right now.

The governor called to the department to have the lady come to his office. He called in two security members to escort her. Do not let her use her cell phone.

The security members left immediately to escort her. The head security member called ahead to the security team to escort her to the front door. They did as directed; they brought her to the front door, and the other two members escorted her to the governor’s office.

When she arrived, she was not in a happy mood. How dare any of you do this to me, embarrass me in front of my coworkers? What is this all about? What is she doing here?

The governor summoned the security personnel. Get all that department staff along with Mr. McGuiness to the event center now. They had an armada of vehicles, including a couple of buses, dispatched to that department.

Papa said, No more smoke and mirrors, huh, Governor?

The finance personnel said, Who is this jerk?

Papa said to her, Madam, you have the right to remain silent. And he read her the Miranda rights.

What is the charge?

Kidnapping for right now. Could be murder. Please sit down and say no more, said Papa.

She said to the secretary, What did you tell them?

Papa said, Do you now understand English?

She said, I have my rights.

Papa said, And so do my daughters, which you have taken away.

The governor said, Shall we go and join the festivities? He had a team of security guards escort them to the event center.

Upon arrival, the caterer was starting to set up the tables, getting the event center ready for the event of a lifetime. The first member of the finance department was arriving. The blabbermouth started yelling at them to run. Papa told her, How deep of a hole are you digging for yourself? This is all being recorded and filmed. Keep it up. Each word could get you years in captivity.

They were all in the event center. Mr. McGuiness was cuffed as he entered. He too was using his voice as an incriminating tool. The organization had twenty well-trained personnel interviewing the entire department; all cell phones were placed on the tables. They told the caterer to please leave the room now. Out of the finance department, more than two dozen were put into separate rooms for further interrogation.

Now the FBI was summoned to the governor’s event center to interrogate the entire department. When they arrived, many of the department employees wanted legal representation. The FBI acknowledged their rights and allowed them one call; it was monitored and recorded.

Papa was questioned by the FBI, wanting to know what he knew about the kidnapping. The employee was singing that tune to the investigators. Papa told them he was the legal adviser for an organization. They weren’t sure if they knew that organization. They checked out his story. One lesser agent returned to the interrogator and confirmed that the organization existed. "They are worldwide. He is listed as one of the higher echelons. We questioned your authority of reading a suspect their Miranda rights. You told her she could be charged as a coconspirator to this case, correct? How did you know that William McGuiness owned that cabin?"

Papa said, Are you defending Mr. McGuiness? Instead of talking with me, talk to him. County documents show he is the owner of the cabin, has owned it for many years.

How do you know he’s involved in the kidnapping?

I don’t know if he’s involved. When we arrived at the cabin just seconds behind the vehicle that had our daughters, the cabin had a fire going in the fireplace. The logs were red hot, not a fire just started. We checked the doorjamb, all the windows. Nothing was damaged. Could a window be left unlocked? Maybe. We saw no signs of that type of entry.

You can go. We have enough information. We’ll be in touch.

Papa left the state event center and was escorted to the limousine awaiting him. Papa’s phone rang; it was the governor. Have you heard anything new?

"No, I was being interrogated by the FBI. Your state employee—you know, the friend of your secretary—told them I read her Miranda rights, asking, ‘Under what authority does he have to do that to me?’ That lady needs to be replaced along with your secretary."

The governor agreed. That is on my notepad, to complete by the end of the day, along with McGuiness and most of his staff, if all goes the way it appears. Thank you for taking the time to keep me informed. I had nothing from our security team.

Diane arrived at the governor’s office. What is going on? All sorts of cars in the parking lot that appear to be police.

Honey, Papa gave me information regarding William McGuiness. He owns a cabin where the girls are being held.

Diane asked, Just who is Papa?

He’s the legal counsel for the syndicate. Honey, please sit down. This will floor you. Marie is a defense attorney for the syndicate. These fools kidnapped the wrong girls.

The FBI official entered the governor’s office. Mr. McGuiness claims he sold the cabin last month to an investor. We are checking out his story. Even if he is correct, we have a telephone date to put him away for quite some time.

Numerous calls to a Fifi Malone. Do you know with whom she is affiliated? Your developer. She was his call girl, so to speak. She would set up customers for blackmail. We are comparing the calls to the dates of the missing persons reports. If any match, he will be charged as a coconspirator.

The governor said, Thank you, Papa.

The lady who was a friend of your secretary was McGuiness’s office squeeze. She was his go-to girl when he needed some assurance of his manhood, so to speak. She too will be charged as a coconspirator.

Diane said, So she literally worked undercover?

CHAPTER FOUR

P apa returned to the house; Mama was preparing dinner with the girls’ assistance. John and I were just totally lost without our wives; nothing seemed to matter. I received a telephone call from Silvia. She and her father-in-law-to-be were flying into Denver Airport in the morning. They would be escorted to the airport during the flight and to our house. She was a nervous wreck and can’t stop crying, constantly looking over her shoulders. Even Abby and Sally came to visit her to help her settle down. They both spent the whole day with her, cried with her, and took her for meals; nothing was working.

Papa got another phone call from someone. Great news. That only leaves six more in the house … food delivery in the morning, even better. Let’s talk later. I have an idea.

Mama had dinner ready, and the girls were setting up the kitchen for everyone to eat. They were starting to cry again; now they were hugging one another, crying harder. Where are mommies’ plates? Why, Grandma? Why did they take our mommies?

Mama and all of us were hugging the girls and weeping. It hurts so bad, we all said. This is not how life is supposed to be.

Mama said, We better eat. Our dinner is getting cold. We all sat down and said a long and loving prayer, hoping Marie and Delores were having a nice meal as well. We thanked God for what we had, even though it meant nothing without the moms.

Dinner was delicious, and our dessert was excellent. While we were all doing dishes, our doorbell rang. John looked thorough the peephole; it was Susanne and Phyllis. John let them in and hugged them both; the girls heard Susanne’s voice and ran into the living room and hugged her. I gave them two boxes of tissues to help mop up the tears.

Susanne gained some composure and asked the girls if they would like to film tomorrow’s show right in their home and playhouse. She said, It might help us all with our grief.

Leslie said, What if we start crying on television? We are all so sad we cry all the time.

Phyllis said, We will be your guests. We heard that Diane will also be here, and she too can be you guest.

Papa came into the living room and said, They just arrested the owner of the competitor magazine and four of his employees. Their phone numbers were on the phone records of McGuiness, calling nearly daily.

Susanne asked Papa, Do you feel these kidnappers are professional?

No, they are not professionals. My men feel they may have answered an ad or an Internet request, earn-big-money type of hype. The food they are ordering is kid foods, mostly snack foods, something you would bring to a party. The one we captured is in his twenties. He has been in trouble with the law before. They now have a second captive. He too is young, not sure of the remaining men and women.

Susanne asked Papa, What do you think of the girls shooting tomorrow’s show here at their home?

Not a good idea, not until we know we have all the players. The home could be an easy target. Remember, we have some, maybe all, of the key players. We won’t know until people start talking. The closer we get to the mastermind, the more radical they become, no safety net, no one to do the dirty work. You may have money but no guts.

The girls wanted to play a board game to have something else to think about for a while. Their eyes were getting sore from all the tears shed. Everyone agreed. What shall we play?

We can play Annie’s favorite game, Uno.

Phyllis said, "Girls, that’s a card game.

We know, but Annie loves to watch us play.

Susanne asked, Girls, who is Annie?

She is our secret mom. She plays with us in our house. We love her.

Susanne said, I have never met Annie. Have I seen her?

Leslie said, No, she only allows us to see and talk to her.

Phyllis asked, Girls, it’s okay to have an imaginary friend. We all have one of those during our lifetime.

Sarah was shuffling the deck of Uno cards. The girls agreed to have a quick meeting. Sarah put the cards on the table; all the girls got up and went into the kitchen. They talked and returned to the dining room table. Susanne asked, Girls, what was that all about?

Leslie said, We talked about Annie. We have to ask Annie if we can tell you more about her. She is not our pretend friend. She isn’t imaginary. We promised to keep her secret. We don’t break promises, we don’t lie, we don’t swear, we try to be as truthful as possible. You both know that of us. We all are very sad right now. We want our moms home. They mean everything to us. We are lost without them. We want to stop crying and start laughing again.

Susanne said, We won’t ask any more questions. You let us know when Annie says it is okay to talk about her.

Let’s play some Uno, said Phyllis.

Sarah dealt the cards. The first hand went pretty well; the second hand was a little better. On the third hand, Kim and Rebecca started tearing up. The rest of the table followed suit. Now the box of tissues was being passed around the table.

Then a soft voice said, Please continue to play.

Susanne and Phyllis asked, Is that Annie? Then they remembered not to ask any more questions about her.

Sorry, said Susanne. I’m a scatterbrain since I heard what had happened.

Leslie said, It’s okay, Susanne. The answer to your question is yes.

It was Phyllis’s turn to deal. The fourth hand was being played, then the fifth hand, and then the sixth hand. They must have played for at least two hours. Mama came in with coffee and hot chocolate for the players; she had baked some cookies to go along with the beverages. She sat down at the table.

Susanne said, Mama, I feel awful. You should have asked us to help you.

Mama started to cry. I have to stay busy, or this happens to me. I want my family back to normal.

Papa came in and tried to comfort her. Sophia, my dear, this all ends tomorrow. Our daughters will be returned to our home. That is our plan. This has gone on long enough.

Papa said, All cell phones off, all computers off, no smart televisions turned on. Susanne and Phyllis, you will spend the night in our home. The girls will love the company. We can’t afford this to go outside to alert the kidnappers. We don’t know who the mastermind is, but this madness has to end before we all have a nervous breakdown.

Phyllis asked, Why can’t we go home?

"You are being followed by government security agents, local law enforcement officials. They lost our daughters in a shell game scheme, not just once but twice. They didn’t even know a drone was following each car, so the kidnapper’s bosses were keeping an eye on what type of vehicle was tracking their car, how many, and so on and so forth. We took down the drones. They launched two more drones trying to see who else was following the correct vehicle. We picked up on the drone signal and forced it to crash, both of them. We also located the drone pilots’ source. They are now in custody, ours. This is a well-thought-out scheme. We will, sooner or later, get the mastermind or minds behind all this.

"You see, ladies, there are layer upon layer of players. The kidnappers are rank amateurs. They may have some petty criminal records. I know there were requests for all of us, at one point, to be kidnapped. The main players wanted to know who the targets were. They knew the association of Marie and me. They refused the offer, did not want to get involved.

"We are all family. Do you understand? The drug lords can have the drug trafficking to the streets and petty users. We don’t need the publicity. We have this under control. We need three more guns from the cabin under our control. We know the routine of those watching the girls.

You ladies, get a good night’s sleep. Have fun with my beautiful granddaughters. I have a couple of calls to respond to, and I too will try to get a good night’s rest. I love all of you. God bless everyone. Then Papa said, Good night, Annie. Love you as well.

The girls wanted to play one more hand with Grandma. Leslie dealt the cards, saying, God, please help Grandpa save our moms. Love you and praise you for all you have done for our family and Annie. Amen.

They played the final hand. Grandma won, and the girls gave her a huge hug and thanked her for the hot chocolate and wonderful cookies. They were so good.

Phyllis and Susanne thanked her as well and hugged her. We’re all praying hard tonight. We do need this to come to an end.

Annie said in a soft voice, God will help.

Everyone told Annie, Have a great evening. Love you.

CHAPTER FIVE

T he next morning, everyone was up. The girls and Grandma were cooking breakfast. Susanne and Phyllis had the chore of cooking the bacon and sausage, the girls were making biscuits, and Mama was putting them in the oven. Leslie and Sarah were grating the potatoes for hash browns. Kim and Rebecca were making the hot chocolate. The coffee was perking. Kim and Rebecca were setting the table in the kitchen and dining room.

Breakfast was nearly complete, and the doorbell rang. It was Diane and two staff members, just in time for a breakfast fit for a queen. All three rolled up their sleeves and jumped in to help finish the breakfast. Papa had left earlier with a well-protected, special vehicle. They also shot down a drone with lasers; one of the vehicles was equipped to do that procedure.

We were all eating our delicious breakfast. The girls said the breakfast prayer a little more joyful this morning. They all had a restful night’s sleep. The additional company calmed them down a couple of notches. Papa left instructions on the kitchen table, reminding all of us to keep all electronic devices turned off. Be careful when you answer the doorbell. Have the security guards answer the door. If it is a law enforcement officer, see their badge, call their unit, and confirm the identity.

John said, I’m glad Susanne and Phyllis showed up last night, or I would have messed up big-time. Wait a minute, I did mess up. I let Diane in the house with her two staff members. Mama, send me to the corner and tongue-lash me for being pitiful.

As the breakfast was drawing to a close, Mama brought out from the oven a peach cobbler she made before everyone came down for breakfast. Diane had a belt around her waist and looked at everyone. No need to be uncomfortable. And she took the belt off. She looked very sincere; it was decoration only, holding nothing up. Heaven forbid, that would be the case. She mentioned, I don’t think anything has been held up by a belt since high school. All the ladies were laughing. So true was the general consensus.

Susanne was telling Diane, The girls play a mean game of Uno. Do you play?

Have you ever played Rook? asked Diane.

The girls said, No, we have never played that game. Annie likes Uno. That is why we play it. She loves watching us get excited if we win a hand.

Diane asked, Is Annie here this morning?

The girls said they weren’t sure. She hasn’t talked to us so far.

Mama asked the girls if they would like to make an Italian meal for their guests. Oh, Grandma, that would be so wonderful. It will keep us busy for at least an hour or so. Do you think we could teach Susanne, Phyllis, and Diane how to make one of your dishes?

Mama said, Well, ladies, are you teachable?

Diane said, I sure hope so. The governor would give me a week’s worth of loving if I produced a real Italian meal for him.

Susanne and Phyllis said, Our men would have to be supergood for more than a week for us to spend all that energy.

John forgot to tell all the ladies to shut down their phones when they entered the house. He just remembered, so the ladies all turned off their cell phones. Diane asked, Why?

John said, Papa’s orders. They all have GPS signals they could use to see our movements. He’s concerned that they may not have all parties in custody and that they could use the GPS to find more of us to kidnap. He didn’t like Mr. McGuiness. He didn’t like the idea that he was connected to the developer.

Diane said, The governor was not happy about that as well.

I asked, How was the state party after the riffraff was arrested?

Diane laughed. "Boy, they were not a happy bunch. They were screaming and calling people names, threatening to sue the pants off the governor. He wished them all well, told them their final checks would