Ghost Detectives Bk. 01: Discovery

John packed away the video into the box, the rest was to be left. "As soon as that car moves, I'll phone the police and we get the hell out here." The car moved and pulled up directly outside the house.

John made the phone call. "We need to go, the police will be here in a few minutes."

"A minute, John just to be sure."

Two people sat in the car looking at the house. The person in the passenger seat opened his door, stood, picked up a parcel and walked towards the house wearing gloves. He gestured to the girl to come over showing her his parcel as the front gate was locked. She didn't hesitate and ran toward him. Dropping the parcel, he grabbed her over the gate and shuffled her in the back of the car, jumped in beside her, placing a rag over her nose and mouth. The car quickly moved off down the street but it wouldn't get far. Sirens blared, John and James' cue to be away post-haste. They walked briskly in the opposite direction carrying their tool box and into the public toilet where they changed and discarded their working clothes and were soon on their way home. Their alibi, should it be needed, they were together at James' house.

The car was stopped within a few minutes of them hearing the police sirens. The two people were a man and a woman who had associations to a paedophile ring and had been watching the house and the mother's movement for several weeks. The car proved to be stolen. Upon searching their home, a whole raft of other evidence came to the fore. They had already prepared a secured room for the child complete with video to share with their sick depraved friends. If the police hadn't arrived when they did, the child would be lost and everyone praised them for their quick response. Later it came to light that the emergency call happened before the abduction took place and despite extensive investigation they were still no nearer in knowing who made that call. A few of the local people came forward stating that two men were surveying the area at the time of the aborted abduction but no trace of them or their company was found. Even the detailed description the two men gave to the police proved futile. The Press started calling them the ghost samaritans and their action came into the orbit of the team set up to track them down. The question on everyone's lips was who were they. It was picked up by the national press and the story ran for several weeks attracting far too much attention.

Carolyn was called into several high-level meetings and every aspect of anything associated with the ghost detectives, as they became known, came under the microscope, especially so when the video of the abduction turned up. They were called heroes, terrorists, aliens, futurists; one school of thought classified them as vampires. John was right about security and anonymity, and added a raft of extra precautions. The house was wired inside and out for sound and movement, the basement transformed into a research centre and a second study for James who mostly worked from home, surveillance equipment purchased, different disguises bought. The large attic room, already set up as an astronomy room, with a large revolving glass window and telescope doubled as a spy, counterfeit and forging centre. Carolyn kept them up to date on what was happening with her team but they were no further forward than when they started.

John wined and dined Courtney and she reciprocated. They ended up in bed together, but despite his best effort he failed to get even a minuscule amount of information from her. He didn't think she was a thoroughly evil person; manipulative, controlling, used to getting her own way, unfaithful as a wife, unfaithful to all her lovers, lied to get her own way, lesbian tendencies if that could be classified as a negative, but his thoughts remained ambivalent when it came to murder. It didn't fit her profile, and after several lunches and the odd dinner, his sister was inclined to agree with him, but he still held that she may well be the black widow hiding under a cloak of respectability and privilege but that was purely conjecture on his part.

The trial of Ellis had still not taken place, something about psychiatric reports, evaluation of his mental and physical health and a host of other delays stopped the trial from moving forward. James had another two meetings and Carolyn had three with Ellis but only one of those meetings was when they met him together. His mental and physical health had deteriorated that couldn't be denied, and at Carolyn's last visit even she had to conclude he was not fit to stand trial and eventually he was housed in a metal institution for the criminally insane.

Courtney introduced Carolyn, over a lunch meeting, to doctor Debra Roach and the police woman Jennie Thompson, and surprisingly, she found the meeting proved not in the least unpleasant despite her entering the lunch with a negative attitude. She remained cautious throughout the lunch waiting for them to drop the hammer on her to take part in some lesbian encounter, but not a word or gesture came forth suggesting that to be the case. Her conclusion, they were going to let Courtney soften her up a bit first and it had got her wondering if they were aware of the relationship between Courtney and John.

The conversation concentrated around the recent video and aborted snatching of the young girl and how it was stopped by the telephone call to the police before the actual abduction took place. Jennie showed a keen interest in this, and in the other warnings given, and asked Carolyn how close she thought they were to catching the group responsible for giving out these warnings and what her take was for their reasons. She answered in a neutral tone, saying a lot but giving nothing away that was not already known.

Carolyn tried to bring the Ellis case into the mix without making it obvious. Her two new friends did admit, after a direct question from her, that they had met Sandra on several occasions at various charity functions, the doctor even admitting they had several lunches together, and then Courtney, who didn't like the turn of the conversation, tried a few times to change the subject without success. Morris, they had never met, and when Carolyn enquired of Debra if she had even been at Sandra's home, the three of them answered as if harmonising in a choir, no, which was an obvious lie. Carolyn soon held the measure of these three before the lunch concluded, but despite her misgivings, and being truthful to herself, to her chagrin, whilst recognising the danger, she had to admit she liked the three of them and needed to be careful she didn't inadvertently let her guard down.

After lunch, she headed home and when still in her car, Courtney phoned asking when she was available for dinner. She was wasting no time in closing the net around her new friend. Carolyn smiled to herself. She knew how this woman thought. She had roped her brother and now it was her turn to be brought into the circle.

At home John and James were busy testing out all the new technology they had recently purchased. John had cut back on his university work, devoting most of his time setting up security processes to protect their identity. James was planning a brain storming session for the three of them to help him in identifying potential danger areas while in the other dimension, and of ways to counteract these threats.

"How was lunch?" James asked.

"Nothing new came out."

"Courtney still trying to get into your knickers."

"Her and her brother, both," she laughed.

"I shall have to buy you steel pants."

John snorted. "Courtney is one of the cleverest, manipulative and calculating women I have ever met." Giving his sister a smile. "I take that back," he grinned, "not true, after you I should say."

"Hold on there, you take that back."

"She in a bad way, you in a good way."

James smiled, "you two leave off the bantering, we have too much work to do."

"I've almost completed the set up," John answered.

"I should hope so, we're already half a million out of pocket."

"Money well spent James, all for the cause. Is there anything we should know about from your end?"

"They are no closer than they were at the start, but you were both caught on three different cameras after you left Maple Street. The team are analysing your walking patterns, weight and faces but have no clear facial pictures, the photo profiles they have developed are mostly idiosyncratic and look nothing like you two so we have little to worry about in that area.

"On the Ellis case, we are no closer and with all that has happened there's not a lot more we can do. At my last meeting with Simon, he said they had closed their file. I think we need to put this on the shelf until something positive shows up.

"I agree, but we still need to maintain contact with them. I'm loathe to let that go after spending so much time on the case," said James.

"I have a provisional dinner arranged with Simon for next week. I will ring him to say you have asked me to invite him and his wife to dinner. I need to put a little damper on his ardour."

James chuckled. "I think a hosepipe would be more appropriate and give Courtney a douche when you're at it." He chuckled, "invite John, Courtney, her husband and the two witches, that will surely put the fox in the hen house."

She couldn't help herself from laughing. "We need to keep them on an even keel not at each other's throats."

"The saying keep you friends close but your enemies closer is an appropriate fit with them."

She looked at her brother. "In your case, you're taking the saying to extreme and keeping one of them in your bed."

"Enough word-bandying, I'll get dinner sorted and later we need to get the brainstorming session underway, I intend to pay another visit shortly."

James always enjoyed cooking and this meal evidenced no exception. Beef sautéed in a red wine sauce, roast potatoes, roast whole carrots in honey, baby peas, a toffee flavoured dessert with a bottle of red wine. Dishes away in the machine, table cleared, they sat around for the brainstorming session.

John started. "I will mention the weak spots first and what I have done to minimise them. The main snag is how do you survive financially. The currency here looks very like the currency there, but there are differences, so I suggest you take small gold bars, gold chains, or any other item of value and sell them in one of the many pawn and gold shops. You stay inside the law so no comeback to worry us later.

"I have the equipment to forge and have been practising for the last few days and can produce documents that are all but perfect. Passport, driving licence, birth certificate I have no problem producing. You do need to go on the internet when at the library and print off copies of these documents for the years in question so I can see exactly what they look like and compare them to the ones we have here. I expect, from what I have seen so far, to find subtle differences which I need to apply for authenticity.

You also need a location, an address I can use and for you to apply for a bank card so you will need to rent a flat and car, pick a profession where you need to travel, that way when you are not around no questions will be asked as to your whereabouts. Think of ways how you are to disguise yourself, nothing too elaborate. We can do that here before you go through the window, but there must be consistency and match the picture on any documents I produce. The last thing you need is to meet your look alike where questions are asked."

"All you have said so far I have on my list, so we agree. I think glasses and dress differently would be enough. The longest time I envisage spending there will be a day with maybe the occasional night."

"I'm not happy with you spending a night there."

"I said maybe and only if it becomes unavoidable. I cannot always have access to the window."

"I see, I never thought of it that way. What else do we need to do so our backs are covered this end?" she asked looking towards her brother.

"We are very much there I think. I would like to expand the basement and build a hidden room down there so if anyone happens to go down and look nothing suspicious will show other than bookshelves filled with your technical journals, a few computers and screens and any other tools you and James need to carry out your normal work. Our main equipment will then be hidden and accessed through a hidden door. The attic I have disguised with the telescope and other paraphernalia. The surveillance equipment and software are hidden under my astrophysics tools, and password protected."

"What about the gang of four, should we consider distancing ourselves from them now the Ellis case is on the shelf? The four of them are no fools so they do pose a threat to us."

"Providing they think they are playing us and not the other way around, we are safe," said John. "We need to keep it that way. They are good contacts to have so we need to keep them happy and feign friendship."

Carolyn got angry with her brother. "You are happy being in Courtney's bed but I have neither an inclination to go there with her or her brother, and James feels the same way, but the friendlier we are the harder it gets for me to keep batting against them. These people are not used to being continually rejected, James help me here."

"She has a point John. I'm not the jealous type and I think under certain situations you can separate love and trust from the actual sex act. I do trust Carolyn and she would never break our trust, still, if she wanted to make out with another woman and lets me know first, and I agree with it, the trust and love stays intact." He turned to Carolyn, "you told me you had a few of those workouts when in college. But, John, we are placing her in a difficult position and we are both not happy about it."

John hadn't thought of it that way. "What do you want to do, sis?"

"I will do nothing that will damage my marriage, that is sacrosanct; if we carry on down this route, and we wish to keep the three witches on board, sleeping, at a bare minimum, with Courtney grows into a distinct possibility. What's your take on that, John?

"She rules the roost in her house and she knows her way around the bed. I can vouch for that, but I can take it or leave it, it matters little to me with Courtney, she certainly isn't the jealous type. I think that even stretches as far as her husband is concerned. What about her brother?"

"I can keep him at arm's length indefinitely by bringing James into the mix and meeting with his wife. He's already told me he's into the swinging scene but his wife is not and that doesn't compute correctly but I'm not sure I believe him. As you know, John, James and I tried that a few years back and it was fun but I'm in no hurry to go back there. For one thing, it's so darn time consuming and can be emotionally draining with the wrong couple or group. James what's your impression?"

"I had very little out of it then and I can't see me getting a lot more from it either now or in the future. I did it last time mainly for you but if I had to play along to get information I'll run with it, providing you are in full agreement."

"Let's leave those decisions for a later date and play it by ear; if it gets too hot for you, love, we'll revisit it and see where the coin drops. I'll organise the building work for the basement tomorrow and any other alterations that are needed to the attic. I can't see it taking longer than a few weeks to complete the work."

Chapter Eleven

James organised the building work, which took almost twice as long than initially anticipated while John finished what he needed to complete. The house looked the same but judiciously disguised under the veneer of their respective professions, they had installed surveillance, tracking equipment and numerous other paraphernalia associated to their new trade. They were so confident of a job well done even if they rented out the house, the new tenants would have no way of finding either the hidden basement room or any of the hidden surveillance and tracking equipment secreted in the walls and garden.

Carolyn had met Courtney for dinner as arranged and they spent a pleasant evening together. A little flirting took place but nothing that could be described as overtly blatant. Most of their discussion centred around their respective careers and what she thought of Debra and Jennie, and of course John. Carolyn knew she was being sounded for a potential replacement for Sandra and played along. She said nothing negative about them but nothing overtly positive either. She was not going to make it easy for Courtney to move her forward to the next stage. She frequently mentioned James and how he was looking forward to meeting with her husband until Courtney had little choice but to set up a dinner, but it was obvious she wasn't enthusiastic and asked her to not mention John, and asked if James knew they were having an affair. When she lied, and answered in the negative, Courtney's face brightened and it was obvious to Carolyn her pessimism considerably diminished which helped in strengthening the bond growing between them.

The dinner proved a success, James liked Brian far more that he'd anticipated. He was knowledgeable about the arts and on many other subjects and showed a keen interest in both their professions and asked many questions. It was obvious he was totally in love with his wife and she reciprocated that feeling by little knowing smiles and touches, either that, or she was a consummate actress. Many happily married couples took lovers purely for the sex, and providing both accepted and were honest about it and shared their experiences that was down to them, but that wasn't the situation here. Her husband had no idea about her extra dalliances or the flat she owned, which became obvious as the evening progressed and when he proudly mentioned that the bedrock of their marriage was built on honesty, trust and faithfulness. Courtney looked lovingly into his eyes agreeing with his every word. Yes, James concluded, sure now that she was indeed a fine actress of champagne quality.

"What's your take on the evening?" Carolyn asked him when in the car on the way home.

"I like him; as for her, the prima donna of lies, she has likable qualities in spades, with looks and body to match, but trust, She's no Fides or Pistis. I think the deity Dolos fits her personality far better."

She burst out laughing. "I see her husband's classical training has rubbed off on you. He's convinced she's a role model for the first two deities you just mentioned."

"He's into love blindness and blinkered by her brightness. I think John will give us a better profile."

"He's already given her a pet name, Lilith."

He burst out laughing, "appropriate."

"On a serious note, I am getting into an awkward position with her and Simon, with the other two witches waiting in the wings. We need to take control."

"I have an idea, but not sure how to run it past you."

"Not like you, say it as it is."

"We already have Courtney compromised, John has seen to that. Most of his trysts with her were at his house and he has videos as our insurance policy, I've seen them."

"We need to catch the three women together, they're obviously into some sort of lesbian tripartite and they are trying to make it into a quartet."

"You've always been partial to a little female one on one."

She knowingly smiled at him. "If we can get the three together on video in the act, we could hold it over them should they try and attack us in the future."

James was miffed. "A dirty act that they'd rather hide. We are not into extortion or blackmail."

"James, what do you take me for, I know that and annoyed you even mentioned it. I'm thinking more as insurance. Still, it's not as dirty as murder and setting up someone who is innocent to take the fall."