does it relate to our current dilemma?”
“What do you mean?” Heidi asked.
“How does it help us find out where Scott and Howard are hiding?”
“It plays right into what I was working on,” Malcolm said. “I’m looking for a historical site in Ohio. We know Chet was from this world, and any trips he took or associations he had with other suspects are likely to be connected to murders. We need to search property records in Cleveland for this other suspect’s name. Rupert Smith.”
“We’ll work on that,” Heidi said, looking at Trish.
“Okay,” Malcolm said. “I’m still looking at sales records on older houses. I’m just about done with Cleveland, but found nothing, so this new set of clues might really save our bacon.”
“Hey,” Jane said, looking over. “See the news?”
“No, what?” George asked.
“Body found outside of St Louis,” she said. “It’s the other missing coed. Amanda Smith.”
“Oh, shit,” Malcolm said, heading for the door.
“Where are you going?” George asked.
“Back to my laptop. I’m on that workbench in the barn.”
“Okay, be there in a minute,” George said.
***
Terry climbed up on the roof of the barn. Jackson was up there.
“Hey, Jackson, I’m here to relieve you,” Terry said.
“Oh, cool,” he said. “Mind if I hang around for a little while?”
“Sure, no problem,” Terry said, sitting down next to him. “Looks like Jake and Jerry are already getting those motion sensors set up.”
“Oh, that’s what they’re doing,” Jackson said. “I was wondering.”
“Cool idea, actually,” Terry said. “They’re rigging some of those auto-door motion sensors up to old cellphones. We’ll get a signal if anybody goes by.”
“Sounds like something Frank and Jerry would cook up,” Jackson said, chuckling.
“Exactly,” Terry said. “I was down there when they came up with the idea.”
“What’s Trish up to?”
“She’s helping Heidi track down those serial killers.”
“Oh, she’s into that?” Jackson asked.
“Yeah, big time. I thought that dungeon would be the end of this place for her. It shook her up at first, but now she’s fascinated by it all.”
The sound of a diesel engine started under them.
“What’s that?” Jackson asked. “The tow truck?”
“Sounds too loud for that,” Terry said. “Look, it’s Gabe on his backhoe.”
“Oh, forgot about that thing,” Jackson said. “Looks like he’s heading for the gate. What’s he gonna do? Dig a new moat?”
Both of them cracked up as they watched. He continued past the front of the park, and out into the field.
“I know what he’s doing,” Terry said. “He’s going to drag the hulk of that semi-truck out of there.”
“Good idea,” Jackson said. “We don’t need cover out there for the bad guys to hide behind.”
“Yeah, that lead lining makes the trailer hard to shoot through, that’s for sure.”
“Maybe I ought to go help him,” Jackson said.
“Suit yourself,” Terry said. “I’m sure he’d appreciate it. Maybe we ought to drag it in here and use it for a fortification.”
“I’ll suggest that,” Jackson said, putting his rifle sling over his shoulder. “Later, man.”
“Have fun,” Terry said. He scanned the horizon in all directions.
***
“Let’s go, Howie,” Scott said. “It’s dark enough now.”
“Wish we had a smaller vehicle,” Howard said. “That damn class C is a bear to drive around here, and it’ll get noticed.”
“Wouldn’t it be harder to use a car?” Bailey asked.
“Yeah, a car would be tough, but a van would work,” Howard said.
“We’re just gonna have to make do,” Scott said. “It’ll be okay, at least for another time or two.”
“It’s hard to see it in the backyard, at least,” Bailey said.
“Yeah, a couple of times should be okay, unless enough eyewitnesses catch it,” Howard said. “Then we’re liable to have police helicopters looking for it.”
“If we
“What do you mean?” Heidi asked.
“How does it help us find out where Scott and Howard are hiding?”
“It plays right into what I was working on,” Malcolm said. “I’m looking for a historical site in Ohio. We know Chet was from this world, and any trips he took or associations he had with other suspects are likely to be connected to murders. We need to search property records in Cleveland for this other suspect’s name. Rupert Smith.”
“We’ll work on that,” Heidi said, looking at Trish.
“Okay,” Malcolm said. “I’m still looking at sales records on older houses. I’m just about done with Cleveland, but found nothing, so this new set of clues might really save our bacon.”
“Hey,” Jane said, looking over. “See the news?”
“No, what?” George asked.
“Body found outside of St Louis,” she said. “It’s the other missing coed. Amanda Smith.”
“Oh, shit,” Malcolm said, heading for the door.
“Where are you going?” George asked.
“Back to my laptop. I’m on that workbench in the barn.”
“Okay, be there in a minute,” George said.
***
Terry climbed up on the roof of the barn. Jackson was up there.
“Hey, Jackson, I’m here to relieve you,” Terry said.
“Oh, cool,” he said. “Mind if I hang around for a little while?”
“Sure, no problem,” Terry said, sitting down next to him. “Looks like Jake and Jerry are already getting those motion sensors set up.”
“Oh, that’s what they’re doing,” Jackson said. “I was wondering.”
“Cool idea, actually,” Terry said. “They’re rigging some of those auto-door motion sensors up to old cellphones. We’ll get a signal if anybody goes by.”
“Sounds like something Frank and Jerry would cook up,” Jackson said, chuckling.
“Exactly,” Terry said. “I was down there when they came up with the idea.”
“What’s Trish up to?”
“She’s helping Heidi track down those serial killers.”
“Oh, she’s into that?” Jackson asked.
“Yeah, big time. I thought that dungeon would be the end of this place for her. It shook her up at first, but now she’s fascinated by it all.”
The sound of a diesel engine started under them.
“What’s that?” Jackson asked. “The tow truck?”
“Sounds too loud for that,” Terry said. “Look, it’s Gabe on his backhoe.”
“Oh, forgot about that thing,” Jackson said. “Looks like he’s heading for the gate. What’s he gonna do? Dig a new moat?”
Both of them cracked up as they watched. He continued past the front of the park, and out into the field.
“I know what he’s doing,” Terry said. “He’s going to drag the hulk of that semi-truck out of there.”
“Good idea,” Jackson said. “We don’t need cover out there for the bad guys to hide behind.”
“Yeah, that lead lining makes the trailer hard to shoot through, that’s for sure.”
“Maybe I ought to go help him,” Jackson said.
“Suit yourself,” Terry said. “I’m sure he’d appreciate it. Maybe we ought to drag it in here and use it for a fortification.”
“I’ll suggest that,” Jackson said, putting his rifle sling over his shoulder. “Later, man.”
“Have fun,” Terry said. He scanned the horizon in all directions.
***
“Let’s go, Howie,” Scott said. “It’s dark enough now.”
“Wish we had a smaller vehicle,” Howard said. “That damn class C is a bear to drive around here, and it’ll get noticed.”
“Wouldn’t it be harder to use a car?” Bailey asked.
“Yeah, a car would be tough, but a van would work,” Howard said.
“We’re just gonna have to make do,” Scott said. “It’ll be okay, at least for another time or two.”
“It’s hard to see it in the backyard, at least,” Bailey said.
“Yeah, a couple of times should be okay, unless enough eyewitnesses catch it,” Howard said. “Then we’re liable to have police helicopters looking for it.”
“If we
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