Windows down, the morning air in his face, Josh drove toward Mixx 104.7, he had an interview to talk about the current album, and to begin the plugging process for the new film. They'd been back from Ireland for a little over a month now, Andi had stayed with him for the rest of the shoot, Susie holding down the fort at home. With Lindy volunteering her time as well, so Andi could stay with Josh. Between Kiley Williams sprained ankle, and Josh's broken ribs, and concussion(that's why he'd lost his memory) they had to delay filming for a month. Andi had stayed, never letting him out of her sight. Always quietly in the background, watching the filming, keeping her eyes open and her man protected. Kiley had learned to behave herself VERY quickly during a tantrum she had over a scene not going the way she wanted it too. Andi had interrupted pulling Kiley quietly to the side, she spoke to her, no one heard what she said, and Kiley never told, the movie company only knew that Kiley's eyes had gotten very large and round, but she was the perfect example of professionalism from that moment on. As a result, all the cast and crew had worshipped Andi, Kiley giving her a wide berth whenever they came close to each other.
On the long plane ride home, Josh had cajoled, teased, and tried to bribe the information out of her, but Andi had insisted it was between her and Kiley, "woman stuff".
"I thought you were going to smack her." Josh laughed.
"Now, Josh, you know I only smack people who are WORTH smacking." Andi said, sweetly.
"People who are worth saving?" He teased.
"Precisely." She leaned over giving him a little kiss, reaching up and smacking him on the head.
"Hey! What was that for?"
"Delayed payback for scaring me to death, you're better now, so I think you'll survive it."
He laughed, hugging her tightly.
When they'd gotten home, he knew what he wanted to do, he just had to decide where and when. It had been on his mind ever since their return, and he thought he'd found the perfect venue.
He'd called his mother the night before, she was meeting him on Rodeo Drive for lunch, then they were going to Montelongo's, one of the nicest jewelry stores on the Drive. He needed a woman's help for this, and he knew his mother was the only one to go to.
Excitement filling his soul, he could hardly wait, he didn't know how he was going to concentrate during the interview. He was ready for this, he only hoped Andi would be, too.
Turning into the driveway of Mixx 104.7, he saw Brian, and a crowd of Grobanites waiting. Ah, the Grobanites, the flood of concern and get wells on the boards after the news of his disappearance and injuries had come out had been heart-warming, and humbling, to say the least.
Waving, and smiling big, to the devoted ones, as cameras clicked away madly, he promised to give everyone a few minutes when he was done, as Brian hustled him into the studios before they were late.

 

After the radio interview Josh stopped off to chat with the Grobanites outside for a few minutes, signing autographs, and answering questions, everyone still concerned about his injuries, he assured them he was fine, pulling his shirt up just enough to show that the bruises were all gone. Several someone's snapped pics, and a couple of them nearly fell over, but everyone had a good time. He told them he was meeting his mother for lunch, and they all said to say hello. He was off again, parking in front of the jewelry store, his mother already there, he jumped out, kissing her on the cheek.
"You're late." She said, one eyebrow raised.
"I love you, too, Mom." He said smiling. He looked at the front of the store, shoving his hands in his pockets, suddenly nervous.
"Are we going in, or just admiring the architecture?" Lindy asked, in a dry tone. Her arms folded, amused sarcasm on her face.
"I...I've never done this before. With Justine, well,... we just went to the judge."
Putting her arm through his, Lindy ushered him through the door chuckling softly.
"Men!" She said.
A perky saleswoman, zeroed in on them, and inquired if she could help.
"I'd like to see some engagement rings." Josh said.
"Right this way, sir."
It was a large case, so many rings, who knew. A little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of potential finger declarations, Josh looked to his mother,"Help?" He whimpered.
"Do you know what you're looking for?" She asked her son.
When he opened his mouth and no sound came out, she shook her head.
"Close your eyes."
"What?"
"Just do it."
Closing his eyes, he teased his mother, "I think you've been watching a few too many talk shows, Mom. Is this one of those mind tricks?"
"Shut up. boy." She commanded softly.
An obedient son, he did as he was told.
"Now, I want you to clear your mind, and when I tell you, open your eyes, look at the case, don't think about how many there are, and stop on the first ring that catches your eye."
He was silent for a second, then his mother said, "Open your eyes."
He looked at the case, scanning the rings, when one to his left sparkled in the light. A pink diamond, heart shaped with two triangular diamonds on the side. He couldn't take his eyes off it.
"May I see that one?" He asked the salesgirl.
She smiled, pulling it out and handing it to him.
"An excellent choice. It's nearly 10 carats. She'd be crazy to turn this down."
Josh looked the ring over and over, it was even the right size.
Looking at the salesgirl, he made her day.
"I'll take it." He said, giving her his credit card.
As she scurried off like a happy, little mouse, with a hunk of stinky cheese, Josh turned to his mother.
"How do you do that?"
She smiled, serenely, "It's a mom thing. You wouldn't understand."
The salesgirl came back with his card, the slip, and the ring, boxed, bagged, and ready to go. Signing, he looked at his mother again.
"A mom thing, huh? Do I ever get to know things like that?"
"Only after you've lived many, many years, grasshopper."
The bag in his hand, he offered his mother his arm, and walked out of the jewelry store. They ate lunch at a trendy restaurant down the Drive. Lingering over coffee with her son, Lindy was enjoying the afternoon.
"Are you okay?" She asked him.
"I'm great, Mom." He smiled at her as he sipped his coffee.
"No, I mean Ireland, and all the things that..." she left it open.
"Yeah, I'm fine, Andi and I had a lot of time to talk and get things on the right track. I'm all better physically, I promise. I wouldn't lie to you, Mom, you know that."
"I know, I just worry sometimes, I'm a mother, I'm allowed. Are your reservations all set?"
He nodded, "We leave tomorrow morning. She's got us all packed, Miss Efficient." He smiled, thinking of her.
Andi had been bugging him for months before he'd gone to Ireland to film, she wanted to go on one of those mystery weekends. And avid mystery fan, she thought it would be fun. So Josh had decided to take her somewhere unique, and ask her to marry him. A perfect weekend, what could go wrong? Kissing his mother on the cheek as he held the door to her car for her, Josh was happy. Driving home, he sang with the windows open. A fan recognizing him he continued to sing, and waved. All was right with the world.

 

Heading for a small town up the coast called Taylor, they left Friday morning to be there for the get together and introduction of the plot. They would all go by their own names, and professions. They would each be assigned a secret, something to further the plot, with the hotel staff playing the majority of the roles. Pulling into the drive, they got their first view of the house. Like something from the pages of a Daphne du Maurier thriller, the drive was lined in rhododendrons, stone lions on either side of a majestic iron fence. The house itself a relic of times past, restored to a former glory, now to house and entertain visitors. White and ivy covered columns, on an old stone porch, framing the two red doors, now standing open to welcome road weary travelers, soon to be whisking them off to a fantasy of murder and mayhem, finished off with a chocolate mint on each pillow.
A wizened old butler type stood at the door, snapping his fingers, a young bellman ran out to the car, opening Andi's door for her.
"Welcome to Pageantry House." He said, a mysterious edge to his voice. Leaning close to Andi, he whispered. "I'd go home now, if I were you."
Smiling with delight, Andi took it all in, turning to Josh as he walked around the car, handing the keys to the bellman.
"This is ssoooo great!" She said, the excitement in her voice making him smile.
"I'll bring your luggage in after I secure your vehicle, sir." The bellman said, driving off in the Porsche.
Offering Andi his arm, they walked in together.
The entry hall was like the entrance to a grand ballroom, with a huge marble staircase directly opposite the doors, leading up to the rooms. Walking to the desk, Josh spoke to the receptionist.
"You have reservations for Josh Groban, and Andi Vasquez?"
She checked her book, looking down her nose through the reading glasses perched precariously on the tip.
"Yes, sir, please sign the book, and you have a message." She turned the book around, an envelope with Josh's name resting on it.
"You'll be in the Magnolia room." She said, laying a key beside the book.
Josh signed in for both of them, then handed Andi the key while he opened the envelope. Pulling out a single sheet of paper, written in impeccable penmanship, he read, his brow furrowing in confusion. Then relaxing.
"This must be part of the mystery." He said, giving the note to Andi to read.
"That wouldn't be part of the mystery, sir, we don't pass out anything until all the guests are in." The receptionist offered.
Andi looked at Josh, her expression grave.
"This isn't a joke, Brian didn't tell you about this, cause I asked him to wait til Monday when we got back. Someone has been sending threatening letters, and it looks like they followed us here." Looking around, stepping closer to each other, they scanned all the faces of the guests and staff who were already here, anyone of them could have been the author of the note. Anyone.

 

As they looked over the group of people a second time, the bellman entered with their luggage, followed by two spinster ladies and a precocious looking teenager. Walking up to the bellman, he looked at the key in Josh's hand.
"The Magnolia Suite, right this way, folks." Heading up the grand staircase, heading up the right side, he headed down the hall, stopping at the fourth door on his left. He opened the door and walked inside, leaving their luggage on the floor.
"There will be a cocktail party at 6 PM, with distribution of the instructions at 7PM sharp. You'll need to dress for dinner at 8." Holding out the key to the room, and his hand, palm up, Josh tipped him, closing the door behind him as he left. Turning to Andi, he took the letter from her.
"There have been more of these?"
Andi plopped down on the sumptious bed, the rooms as old fashioned and mood enhancing as the exterior of the house.
She sighed, "Brian said they've been getting a couple a week for about a month now."
"Are they all like this?" Josh asked, pacing nervously as he reread the disturbing missive.
"They started out kind of unusual, but they're getting more strange, more aggressive."
"You've seen them?!" He looked at her, eyes wide.
Andi stood up, coming over to him, slipping her arms around his waist. "Only copies. Brian sent them to the police, they're looking into it. All celebrities attract things like this Josh, we didn't want to worry you unless we had to. I'm sorry, I should have told you. Are you mad?" She looked into his eyes, her expression one of pained contrition.
How could he be mad at that face? It just wasn't in him.
"Do you have the copies?"
Sighing with resignation, she walked over to the bed, pulling them out of her bag. Together they plopped down on the bed, reading them all.
After finishing them, Josh turned back to the one that had been left at the front desk.
"This sounds like a man, " He observed, Andi nodding in agreement as she looked at it over his shoulder.
"What do you think it means?" He asked.
"Well, "You are the song", has to refer to your singing."
"I got that much. "We will meet soon" is pretty self explanatory, but what does he mean by "When I steal your heart, I will be the song"? Is he planning on killing me?"
Her brow furrowed in concentration, Andi leaned over and kissed him on the neck.
"Maybe he just means that if he can understand your heart, then he'll be able to sing like you?" She kissed his cheek.
Slipping an arm around her, he kissed her on the cheek.
"I guess it could be that, I've never had a stalker before, do you think I should worry?"
Andi unbuttoned his top button, and kissed him on the mouth.
"Well, it does worry me that they left the message here. We only told a few people where we were going."
Josh leaned back, still looking at the paper, he unbottoned the top button on Andi's blouse.
"Then the receptionist should have seen who left the note."
He said, as she unbuttoned his second button, kissing him on the mouth.
"I didn't think of that." She said, as Josh unbuttoned her second and third buttons.
"We can ask her when we go down for cocktails. When is that?" Josh said, as Andi untucked his shirt with one tug.
"At six oclock, not for two whole hours." She said, as Josh eliminated her top.
"What could we do for two hours?" He asked.
"We'll think of something." She answered.
Throwing the disturbing papers on the floor, they had a brainstorming session.

 

The brainstorming session a success, Josh and Andi got dressed for dinner. A little late, most of the guests were already in the bar. Stopping at the front desk, Josh smiled at the receptionist.
"The note you gave me when we came in, who gave it to you?"
Peering at him over the reading glasses, her expression stony, she answered, "It was left on the counter, I didn't see them."
Patting the counter, Josh sighed, "Thanks anyway." Shrugging at Andi, they headed for the bar, and the clues.
An attractive middle aged couple sat at the first table, nodding greetings as Josh and Andi entered the room.
The spinster ladies and the precocious teen were at the next table.
An angry looking older gentleman sat at the bar, not looking at anyone, nursing a beer.
Finally, what appeared to be a father and son, the father in his fifties, the son mid thirties, sat a table in the back of the room.
Spotting an empty table across from the bar, Josh held out the chair for Andi then went to the bar to get drinks.
"A gentleman, how cute!" The man at the bar said, his tone acidically sarcastic.
Glancing at him, Josh chose to ignore the comment, he ordered two beers. Carrying them back to the table, they waited, no one making a move to introduce themselves.
A tiny dynamo swept into the room, an olive skinned beauty, dressed in gypsy attire, waist length curly dark hair, dark brown eyes that sparkled with an inner fire. Her face beautiful, and exotic, as if she had just stepped out of a bazaar. She couldn't have been more than 5 feet tall, but her personal presence filled the room.
"What are you people doing here?!" She cried out, "Don't you know there is danger within these walls?!"
"Now Celestina," The bartender said, "Don't upset the guests, you know you're only allowed to offer your services on a one on one basis." He smirked at her, eyebrows lifted.
Glancing around the room, she zeroed in on Andi. Swishing and jingling she stepped beside her. Leaning closely, she looked deeply into Andi's eyes. Grabbing her left hand, she looked at the palm, narrowing her eyes, she spoke.
"You need to watch out for falling rocks. That's not nonsense, I'm serious. Falling rocks. Remember that, it could save your life." Her tone soft, Andi, not one to be taken in easily, found herself nodding in agreement, totally absorbed by the woman's demeanor.
A flamboyant middle aged woman swept into the room, flanked by two very large, very muscular, very blond Germanic looking twins.
The twins stopped at the doorway, folding their arms, looking...muscular.
"Good evening, and welcome to Murder at Pageantry House!"
She said.

 

Dressed reminiscent of the heroine of Sunset Boulevard, a flowing floor length, black, sequined and feathered jacket, over a simple black sheath dress, her hair turbaned, and the inevitable mile long cigarette holder, cigarette unlit, she commanded the attention of the room.
"I am Joanna Miles, your hostess for this weekend of mind-bending mysteriosa. We will go around the room in a few moments and let everyone introduce themselves. At the moment, our receptionist, Miss Gale, and our bellman Joey will be passing packets around to each of you. These are a copy of the rules, and your very own deep, dark secret." Somewhere behind the bar, dramatic organ music was playing, punctuating Miss Miles statements, almost on cue. The two passed amongst the guests handing out manila folders with instructions, copies of the rules, a round red token with the word "secret" printed on it, and a sealed envelope.
"Now, you can only reveal your secret to one person. And they must hand you their secret token, also included in your pack, to be able to hear it. You only get one shot at this, so don't waste it. The mystery will begin to unfold at dinner. You may compare notes, sleuth in teams or individually, however you wish. Now, let's introduce ourselves!"
She gestured to the middle aged couple at the first table.
"Carl and Jasmine Gill. I'm a contractor, Jasmine is an interior decorator."
Next the spinster ladies.
"I'm Liza Cambridge, and this is my sister, Camilla, the little one is our niece, Geneva. Our father left us more money than we can spend in this lifetime, so we took our darling Geneva in, her parents are no longer with us."
The angry little man at the bar, not even giving them the courtesy of turning around.
"Jacob Smalls, lawyer."
Nodding at Josh and Andi, Andi smiled, nodding her permission for them to introduce them both.
"Josh Groban and Andi Vasquez, I sing, and Andi is a director of a teen aid center."
"I TOLD you it was him!" Geneva whispered to her aunts.
"So you did, dear," Said Camilla.
"Now do be quiet, and don't interrupt again." Said Liza.
Finally the two men at the back.
"Aston Matthews, and my son Daniel, we're both in pharmaceuticals."
Smiling sweetly at all of them, Joanna gestured to the twins.
"These strapping hunks are Surge and George. They are our security against any foul tempers, and any other unpleasantries. Our bartender is Paul, you've met our fortune teller, Miss Celestina, you may consult her once a day, she is a font of information. She lives above the stables. We have a cook and two maids, but they are not part of the mystery, they are here for your comfort and convenience."
Looking around at them all, she smiled again. Lifting a hand to Paul.
"Paul, a little mingling music, please."
He put on some music, Miss Joana talking to the middle aged couple.
"This is kind of cool." Josh said, grinning. He was looking at Andi, thinking how beautiful she looked tonight.
"Should we try to find out anyone's secret yet?" She asked, taking in all the sights and guests.
"I think we should wait to see what happens at dinner."
"Of course, pace ourselves."
"Precisely."
"Elementary."
The angry little man at the bar turned around, Andi was taking a sip of her drink, she spewed it out as she caught sight of his face, narrowly missing drowning Josh in the brew.
"Andi." The evil, little troll lingered over her name with obvious satisfaction. "Long time, darling, long time. Changed professions have you?"
"Do you know him?" Josh asked, leaning forward.
"Yes, from a long time ago," she said, uncomfortably.
"How long?" Josh asked, dreading the answer.
"He's a former "client"." She said, raising her eyebrows, emphasizing the word.
"Oh, man," Josh thought to himself, understanding her meaning, this weekend was going downhill, fast.

 

"Hey, princess, are your rates still the same?" Smalls whispered in Andi's ear.
Without aiming, without looking at him, Andi tossed her beer in Smalls face.
His eyes flashing with anger and embarassment, he stood, raising his hand. Andi and Josh gaining their feet in the same moment, Josh stepping in between Andi and Smalls threatening fist.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He whispered to Smalls.
"What are you gonna do, Big Shot? Hit me? I'll have you so tied up in litigation your grandchildren will be paying me off."
Grabbing his arm, Andi pulled him away from the disgusting waste of skin.
"Let's just move, Josh."
"This isn't over, you little jerk!" Josh said quietly, his finger in Smalls face.
Dragging him with her, Andi moved to the table where the Gills were sitting.
"Don't let him get to you." Jasmine said to Josh as he sat to her left, Andi sitting beside Mr. Gill.
"Disgusting little parasite." Andi muttered under her breath. Josh leaned over, putting his arm around her shoulders.
"And that's being kind." Carl Gill said, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at the offending crap in a cheap suit.
"You know him, too?" Josh asked.
The Gills looked at each other, smiling, Jasmine patting Carl on the leg.
"He's the reason we're together." Jasmine said.
"That's a good thing isn't it?" Josh asked, puzzled.
"Not when he was the divorce attorney for both our previous spouses." Carl said, his tone bitter. Taking a sip of his drink he glanced Smalls way again.
"Ouch!" Josh said. "That bad, huh?"
"We met on the steps of his offices, I was going to shoot him, Carl was going to throttle the breath from his useless body with his bare hands. We compared notes, and decided it would be better to join forces. Two years later, here we are."
Jasmine told them.
"How do you know him?" Carl asked.
"I don't." Josh said.
"I had "business" dealings with him a couple of years ago." Andi said, shuddering.
Josh hugged her tighter. "It's okay, babe. He can't hurt us. I won't let him."
Doing their best to ignore the greasy, obnoxious little twerp, the guests all talked amongst themselves waiting for dinner.
Walking up to him, Geneva stuck a pen and paper under Josh's nose.
"Do you think I could have your autograph?" She asked. Not your typical 14 year old, she dressed like GI Jane on steroids.
"Sure thing!" Josh said smiling. "Are you a Grobanite?"
"Yeah, my board name is genex457." She said, no smile.
"Well, I don't think I've seen any of your posts." He said, trying to draw her out.
"I mostly lurk. I like to lurk, it suits me."
"Well, great," Josh said, keeping the smile firmly on his face.
"Thanks." She said, turning and walking away.
"What a genuine child." Andi said, sarcasm oozing out her pores.
"Yes, a future cheerleader if I'm not mistaken." Josh teased.
"Flight attendant." Carl offered.
"DMV desk clerk." Jasmine suggested.
The four of them looked at each other, slowly losing control, they burst out laughing.
The bellman came to the bar.
"Dinner is ready, Miss Miles." He said.
Smiling at Andi as the guests filed past him, he ducked out the front door.

 

Dinner announced, the guests and Miss Miles, Miss Gale, the receptionist, Paul, the bartender, George and Surge, and Celestina, the fortune teller made their way to the dining room. A long cherry oak, Queen Ann table and chairs, set with crystal and china, awaited them. The room was lit by two breath-taking crystal chandeliers dangling directly over the table. Miss Miles went to the head of the table at the far end of the room, the guests looked and found placecards at the table. The Gills were directly to Miss Miles left, then Smalls, next was to be Andi then Josh, but Josh sat next to Smalls, and last on that side, Celestina. On Miss Miles direct right, Liza then Camilla Cambridge, and the niece Geneva. Next Miss Gale, the receptionist, Paul, the bartender, then Surge, and at the other end, George. The bellman and the maids ate in the kitchen with the cook.
Dressed for serving, the two maids silently swept in with the first course, and Joey the Bellman, dressed up, poured wine.
Ignoring Smalls, Josh and Andi talked to each other, and to Celestina. As the dinner progressed, Miss Miles laid the foundation for the mystery.
"This house was built in 1888. Two brothers rivaled for the hand of the daughter of the governor of California. The girl unable to choose between them, was dismayed when they ended up fighting a duel over her. The elder brother shooting and killing the younger brother. Bitterness grew in him over time, even though he had the woman he wanted, he had had to kill his brother to gain her. He became cruel, the girl, now a woman tried to flee, but he caught her, and killed her, dropping her body in the well. He dismissed the servants, and wandered lost over the property, digging, for the next 20 years, until the ghost of his two victims came one night for their revenge. Pageantry House has been a tragic place since that time, the ghosts of it's victims driving any who tried to live here from it's walls. Now you come here, tonight. The elder brother is supposed to have buried the family treasure a great chest of jewels on the property, and last week, it was discovered. It is here in the office, in the safe. And someone has been threatening to steal it. We don't know who, but we will find them, and keep the jewels safe."
"What a crock!" Smalls chortled, downing his wine with a single gulp, motioning Joey over for another refill.
"Do you think you could shut up, I'm trying to listen." Josh said quietly to Smalls.
"I don't give a hoot what you want, boy." Smalls tossed back, obviously drunk.
"If you weren't going to participate, why did you come here? To ruin it for the rest of us?" Josh asked, becoming angry at the revolting little monkey man.
"I was invited." Smalls slurred, his breath enough to drop a rhino at twenty paces.
Leaning away from him, Josh looked at Andi, who shrugged her shoulders in puzzlement.
Joey who had left to get more wine, since Smalls seemed determined to drink them dry, came hurrying back into the room going up to Miss Miles, whispering urgently in her ear.
Her eyes going wide with shock, Miss Miles stood.
"The safe in my office has been robbed, the jewels are gone!" She announced dramatically. The chandelier at that end of the table, flickered, and swayed, a groaning sound could be heard in the ceiling above it. Josh looked up as the support cable snapped and the chandelier came loose. Instinctively turning to cover Andi, he threw himself over her, pulling the two of them away from the table, as the chandelier crashed to the table, and the room was plunged into darkness.

 

Chaos ensued, people screaming, moving about the darkened room. All power had died on the first floor, as people walked around, Josh could smell Smalls breath as he bumped into him.
"Did you do it?" Smalls asked, grabbing Josh's shirt. "Was it you?"
"What are you talking about?" Josh said, pulling himself loose. He could hear as Smalls stumbled a few feet from him and fell, cursing loudly as he hit the floor.
"EVERYONE, PLEASE CALM DOWN!" Miss Miles called from the head of the table.
As the noise level dropped, she continued.
"Is anyone hurt?" She asked.
People chimed in, no one seemed to be injured, maybe some flying fragments caused a few nicks, but no serious injuries. Josh listened, Smalls didn't answer.
"Smalls may be hurt, he stumbled into me a minute ago."
"All right," Miss Miles said, "Joey, get down to the cellar, and get the lights turned back on. Don't turn the breaker back on for chandelier one." Joey left, feeling his way out of the room.
"Just stay where you are. The lights will be on in a moment."
"Is this part of the mystery?" Carl Gill asked.
"If it is, I would have liked to have been warned before being scared out of my wits," Liza Cambridge said, her tone disapproving.
"This is getting kind of freaky, Josh," Andi said, her voice low, "Maybe we should think about leaving."
"I did warn you about falling rocks." Celestina's voice came to them out of the black.
Jumping in surprise, Andi still clinging to Josh's arm, answered, "What does a chandelier have to do with falling rocks?"
"These were specially made for Pageantry House, they were made out of quartz,...natural stones...rocks." Celestina explained.
Andi gasped, "How did...?"
"What can I say, I AM a fortune teller."
The lights came back on at that minute. All the guests blinking against the sudden brightness, they examined themselves for injuries. Smalls was on the floor, near Josh, Andi and Celestina. Loath as he was to touch the excremental specimen of humanity, Josh bent down to check on him.
"Are you all right?"
Smalls jerked away from, his stinking alcohol breath, coming out in a rush of anger.
"Get away from me, you tried to kill me!" He yelled, his hand at his neck, a trickle of blood seeping through the fingers. Celestina bent down, Smalls neck was cut, not seriously, she handed him a handkerchief, to stem the flow.
"It's from the chandelier, you sot!" She said with disgust, standing and moving away from him.
"No!" Smalls yelled, gaining his feet, swaying from the effects of too many glasses of wine. Pointing at Josh, he continued his tirade.
"This little jerk grabbed me, and cut me, he was trying to kill me!"
"You're crazy!" Josh yelled at him.
"And drunk." Andi added.
"PLEASE! Everyone, calm down!" Miss Miles said. "Maybe it would be best to retire for the evening, and continue the mystery fresh in the morning."
Everyone agreed, the guests heading for the stairs to the bedrooms.
"We'll leave in the morning." Josh whispered in Andi's ear as they headed up the stairs.
"Out of my way, moron!" Smalls growled as he pushed past Josh, bumping him with his shoulder as he went by.
"It's okay, babe." Andi said, pulling Josh's attention away from the pathetic little man.
"He's not worth it, just let it go." She whispered.
"Quite a show!" Aston Matthews said, as he and Daniel walked past, going to the left up the stairs.
"Yeah,"Josh said, looking at Andi, "Quite a show."
"Let's go to bed and let me thank you for your gallant rescue." Andi said, softly.
Smiling, Josh hugged her, they proceeded to their room.
Later in the night, Josh was pulled from a satisfied sleep to a noise. Getting up, in pajama bottoms and barefoot, he peeked out the door. It was an odd noise, kind of a squeaking sound. He stepped out into the hall, moonlight streaming in through the window at the end of the hall, giving ordinary objects in the daylight, a surreal night shape. Padding toward the sound, he kept looking back over his shoulder, feeling like he was being watched. The sound was coming from Smalls room, an odd sort of gurgling noise, Josh listened at the door, the noise stopped. Figuring it must have been snoring, he turned around to go back to bed, a sound from outside made him go to the window. A woman, or what looked like a woman, shimmering in the night, walked on the grounds, a soft wailing sound rising out of the night air surrounding her. A shiver ran down his spine, too weird! He headed back to bed, "This was a GREAT idea." He muttered to himself as he shut the door, down the hall, another door closed softly.

 

Rolling over, Josh saw that morning had arrived, Andi was up and getting dressed. She smiled when she saw him.
"Where did you go last night?" She asked him.
"What?" He asked confused, it had almost seemed like a dream. "Oh, I heard a noise, I went to look."
"What was it?" She asked, buttoning her blouse.
"I guess Smalls was snoring, I listened outside his door, and it stopped."
"Probably fell on the floor in a stupor."
"I saw something REALLY strange out the window when I was coming back to our room."
"What?"
Rolling on his back, Andi laying on the bed on her stomach, chin resting in her hands, he reached out to put a hand on her shoulder.
"I saw a woman, at least I think it was a woman, running in the moonlight, and she was...well, she was wailing."
"What did she look like?"
"I couldn't see her face, and she was, well... she was kind of glowing."
Andi stared at him.
"Are you trying to tell me you saw a ghost?"
"I don't know what it was, Andi, all I know is what I saw."
They were interrupted by an ear piercing scream, several screams as a matter of fact. Rushing out the door, they were joined by the other guests, all of them crowding into the doorway of Smalls room. The young maid Annie, had done the screaming, they all stopped short at the cause. Smalls, half on and half off the bed, throat cut, quite dead.
"God!" Josh whispered in revulsion, as he and Andi backed away through the guests.
Miss Miles, and Miss Gale came running up the steps. Seeing the cause of the commotion, she grabbed Annie and pushed everyone out of the room. Grabbing Surge's shirt she hissed at him, "Call the police!" Grabbing George's shirt, she said to him, "Stay here, don't let anyone in that room!"
Gaining control of herself, she commanded everyone else to go to the dining room to wait for the police.
"Can I at least get dressed?" Josh asked, still only in pajama bottoms.
Miss Miles looked at him as if her were matter from another planet.
"No. You could be trying to conceal evidence."
"What?"
"She's right," Miss Gale said, "I saw you last night, you went down to his room, you could be the killer!"

 

Stunned into silence, Josh stood at the top of the stairs, mouth open. Andi stepped in, protecting her man.
"Josh was with me last night. He didn't kill that little weasel!"
"I know what I saw!" Miss Gale yelled at Andi, her face twisted with emotion.
"Are you sure he was there the entire night, you were asleep at some point weren't you?" Miss Miles asked.
Not wanting to lie, but not wanting Josh in trouble, she turned and looked at him. Their eyes met, and in that moment she knew she couldn't let anything happen to him, she opened her mouth. Josh seeing her decision play out in her eyes, beat her to it.
"I was out of the room for a couple of minutes, I heard a noise, it was coming from Smalls room, but I didn't go in there!" He admitted. Andi hugging him, glaring at the other occupants of Pageantry House.
"You can get dressed, but leave the door open, and Surge is going to be standing at the door, so don't try anything." Miss Miles said. Gesturing for Surge who had just returned from calling the police to follow Josh. Andi started to follow, Miss Miles grabbed her arm, "Not you, you're coming downstairs with the rest of us."
Looking at the hand on her arm, Andi stared Miss Miles down, she released Andi's arm, "Last time I heard, you were innocent until PROVEN guilty." Andi said, starting to go with Josh.
He put out a hand to stop her.
"It's okay, go with them." Josh said, giving her a peck on the cheek.
Surge at his back, Josh went to get dressed. Andi followed the other guests to the dining room to wait the police. Opening the door to his room, Josh went to the closet.
"Stay where I can see you." Surge said, quietly, with meaning.
Grabbing jeans and a shirt, Josh got dressed. Sitting in the chair by the window, he grabbed his athletic shoes out from under the bed, and something fell from them. Surge hadn't seen it, his head turned watching the hall. Josh reached for it, keeping it between the bed and Surge, his hand shook as he realized what it was. A bloody handkerchief with the letter "C" embroidered in one corner. It was the handkerchief Celestina had given Smalls the night before, to hold against the scratch on his neck. But HOW had it gotten in the room?! And who had put it here? The killer had been in the room last night! While he and Andi were sleeping! His eyes wide with the realization, Josh had remained in this position long enough to rouse Surge's curiosity.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
Panicking, Josh crammed it into his back pocket, leaving his shirt tail untucked to hide its bulk. He tied his shoes, and got up.
"Ready." He said, walking to the door.
Surge on his heels, he went down to the dining room to join the other guests.

 

As Josh dressed, Andi and the guests and staff made their way into the dining room. Too agitated to sit, Andi paced, her arms crossed. Miss Miles sent Miss Gale to get a brandy for the maid, Annie who'd found Smalls, trying to calm the girl down.
While passing the Cambridge sisters, she overheard a whispered "tramp".
"Excuse me?" She asked them, stopping behind their chairs.
"Nothing, dear." Liza said, a plastic smile on her face.
"She called you a tramp." Geneva said, smiling.
"Geneva, we have spoken about your mouth!" Liza said, angrily.
"Oh, shut up, Aunt Liza!" Geneva said, standing beside Andi, "I like her! It doesn't matter what she used to be, she helps kids with problems now! That should count for something! They didn't keep it a secret, they've even talked about it in interviews! They're decent people, so just SHUT UP, Aunt Liza!" Geneva screamed at her aunt.
"She has a point," Carl Gill said, quietly.
"What does that mean?" Andi said.
"You have the best reason to want to be rid of him, and he kept pushing Josh all night, he could have lost control..." He stopped talking as Andi's narrowed eyes bored through him.
"You and your wife have just as much reason to want him dead as Josh and I do, he wiped the both you out in your divorces." Andi said.
"He cleaned my aunts out of a lot of money, too. They knew him!" Geneva volunteered. Her aunts clearly unhappy at her making this revelation known.
"We knew him, too." Daniel Matthews raised a sheepish hand.
Her hands open to the room, Andi looked at Miss Miles, "You see, a room full of suspects."
Josh and Surge walked into the room, Andi crossing over to him, Josh took her in his arms, hugging her. Geneva following the two of them, sitting beside them, refusing to meet her aunt's angry glances.
They waited, an accusatory silence falling over the room, as each person anticipated explaining why they were not the killer to the police. No one was innocent, no one without blame, only the stories were left to be told.

 

The police had arrived, a two officer car, they had looked over the scene, and called for Homicide. A hearse, the coroner's car, several other patrol units, and a couple of unmarked cars filled the front drive of Pageantry House, the guests and staff were told to wait where they were. That had been two hours ago. Breakfast had been laid out before the murder had been discovered, so those who had gotten hungry had eaten. Geneva was still sitting with Josh and Andi, so Josh had not been able to discuss the mysterious appearance of the incriminating handkerchief. All they could do was wait. Finally, when they were beginning to feel forgotten, a large woman, mid-forties, hair beginning to grey, but still mostly dark brown, wearing glasses, and dressed in jeans, sneakers, a baseball jersey, a trench coat open over them, walked into the room. She smiled, a warm and genuine smile, then opened her mouth.
"Okay, people, we got a dead guy, and we need to know who got him that way. I have a couple of detectives with me, and we are going to ask you some questions, so work with me here people and we can all go home in a reasonable amount of time. I am lead detective on this case. The name is Dale, Lt. Megan Dale." Pointing at Josh, "You, come with me." Walking away from the door, obviously a woman who did not expect to be questioned, Josh followed. Other detectives came into the room, starting with Andi, Miss Miles, and Miss Gale, the questioning began.

 

Ushered into the first bedroom on the right, Josh sat down in the chair beside the window. The Lt. taking the chair at the desk. Taking the trench coat off, she got out a notepad and a nice pen. Turning to Josh, she eyed him over the top of her glasses.
"How did you know Jacob Smalls, Mr. Groban?"
Taken aback, his first reaction was another question, "How did you know my name?"
The Lt. smiled her sweet smile again.
"I have all your CDs, now how did you know Jacob Smalls?"
"I didn't." Josh said, leaning forward, arms on his knees, hands clasped in front of him.
"My officers understood you argued with him last night, that would suggest a familiarity." She sat back, watching him.
"I had never met that detestable little man before we got here. He kind of knew my girl friend, Andi."
She scanned her notebook, "That would be Andrea Vasquez, the former prostitute."
His jaw clenching at the mention of her past life, Josh blew out his frustration, "Let's keep the emphasis on "former", if you don't mind, Andi doesn't do that anymore, and I happen to love her."
"Does it make you angry every time her "former" life is brought up?"
"No, I just don't see what that has to do with anything."
"A man has been murdered. Despite the fact he probably deserved it, it's still a crime. And I have to find out who did it. Did you kill Jacob Smalls?"
"No!" Josh exclaimed, standing and pacing, one hand in his pocket the other on the back of his neck.
"Tell me what happened last night."
So he did, getting to the night prowl, he neglected to mention the woman on the front lawn.
"Can you describe the noise that you heard first?" She asked, furiously taking notes.
Thinking hard, he tried to figure out what it sounded like.
"Okay, the first noise was like a...grating noise, like a rusty old hinge opening."
"And the noise you heard when you stood outside Smalls door?"
"You know, there was a noise between the grating and the gurgle. It was like a slap. Then the gurgle."
She looked at him for a long time.
"Okay, then, you can go back to the dining room, Mr. Groban."
"Would it be alright if my girlfriend and I left?"
She laughed, "Oh, no! I'm afraid no one can leave until we get to the bottom of this."
"What?!" Josh said.
"It will be at least a couple of days. Homicide investigations have sometimes lasted years. Of course, you won't have to stay here that long. You can go now."
"But.."
"You can go Mr. Groban, you can roam all over the property, just don't try to leave, I'd hate to have to throw my favorite baritone in the poky." She smiled the sweet smile again.
Josh wandered out into the hall, heading down the stairs to the dining room.
"GREAT idea, Groban, just GREAT!"

 

Returning to the dining room, Andi was already back from her questioning. And sitting alone. Smiling with relief when she saw Josh, she stood, meeting him. Hugging and kissing, he pulled her as far away from the others as he could, so they could talk without fear of being overheard.
"I gotta tell you something."
"What is it?" She asked.
"When I was dressing, I found the handkerchief that Smalls used last night on top of my shoes."
"WHAT?!"
"Sshh! Keep it down!"
"Sorry, what did you do with it?"
"It's in my back pocket."
"Oh, god! We have to get rid of it!"
"I can't just dump it, it's a piece of evidence!"
"Yeah, one that could deposit you in prison for the rest of your life!"
"I can't destroy it, Andi! I just can't!"
She sighed heavily, her face worried, she leaned her forehead against his.
"You are so honest. Why? Why are you so honest?! Never mind, it's why I love you."
"I just have to figure out how to get it to the police without letting them know I had it."
"They said we could walk around the grounds, didn't they?"
"Yeah."
"Why don't we go see Celestina?"
"Why her?"
"If she's really psychic, she'll know you didn't do it, and maybe we can give it to her."
Josh thought for a moment, "Not bad."
"Thank you."
He kissed her. They went to the officer at the door and told him they needed some air. He admonished them to stay on the grounds. They assured him they would. They headed for the stables.

 

Walking around the building, then finally inside, they found the stairs to Celestina's apartment above the stables. The door opened as they walked up.
"Come in Josh and Andi."
They looked at each other, eyebrows raised, and walked into the surprisingly normal looking apartment. They could smell patchouli incense, and candles burning , but there wasn't a table with a crystal ball, no beaded curtains, just normal everyday furniture.
Celestina walked out of what must be the kitchen, carrying a tea service.
"Have a seat." She said, putting the tea on the dining table.
They sat, as Celestina poured hot water over tea leaves, she watched them.
"What are you hiding?" She finally asked Josh.
Feeling spooked, Josh asked her, "...What do you THINK I'm hiding?"
She took his hand, looking into his eyes, "A cloth,...square...with an initial."
"Is that a guess?" Andi asked.
"You tell me, you're the ones hiding something."
"Do you think..." Josh started.
"That you killed Smalls, no. I know you didn't." She sat, adding honey and lemon to her tea. She lifted the cup to take a sip, stopping when Josh pulled the handkerchief out of his pocket.
"Oh, that's what happened to it. Who put it in your room?" She asked.
"That's what we want to know." Andi said.
"You knew it was missing?" Josh asked.
"I didn't see it in Smalls room."
Offering it to her, Josh asked, "Can you tell me who had it?"
"No, I read people, not things, that's a different gift."
"Did you know Smalls would die?" Andi asked.
"I knew something bad was on his heels, just not this bad."
"This is so freaky." Josh said.
"Try living with it."
"Can you tell me anything that will help me?" Josh asked.
"Yes," Nodding to the handkerchief, "There will be a minute when no one is watching the front desk, leave it there."
Sighing, Josh got up. Andi, too. Celestina seemed to be staring off into space. It lasted for a few minutes, when she came back to the here and now, she looked at Andi.
"Someone is following you." She stood, touching Andi's arm.
"Be very careful who you trust. Very careful."
Josh and Andi left, heading back to the house.
"What do you think she meant?" Andi asked, shivering.
"I don't know. We'll just have to keep our eyes open." Putting his arm around her, they went back inside.

 

Back in the entry of Pageantry House, Andi and Josh found it deserted, Andi keeping watch, Josh prepared to leave the incriminating hankie on the counter, only to stop his hand as Miss Gale walked out of the office.
"Hello, Miss Gale." He said, jamming the hankie back in his pocket, pulling his shirt tail down to cover it again.
"Mr. Groban, I have another message for you." She pulled out another envelope addressed to him, another note from the stalker.
Looking at Andi, he picked it up. She rushed to his side.
"Should we be handling that? The police are here, maybe we should give it to them?" Andi said, holding Josh's arm as they stared at the envelope.
"Not before I know what it says." He said, pulling the flap open.
A single piece of paper as before, he unfolded it.
"I will have the heart soon,
the heart of your song.
Then I will be the song.
I will be waiting at the pond,
tonight, at 8PM.
The heart will be mine."
"What kind of twisted mind thinks of things like this?" Josh muttered.
"And why do they think we're stupid enough to go out there?" Andi asked.
"Does this mean there have been more of these?" LT. Dale said behind them.
Josh and Andi both jumped when they realized she was behind them.
"Have there been more of these?" She asked again.
Josh nodded, "They've been coming to my manager's office for over a month now."
Lt. Dale looked at them both, shaking her head.
"And you didn't think to tell me about this when we were talking?"
"I didn't think it had anything to do with Smalls." Josh said, flustered.
"This person could have lured all of you here." The Lt. said.
"We weren't lured here," Andi said.
"How did you find out about this weekend?"
They both thought, "It was a flyer in Brian's office, wasn't it?" Andi said.
"Yeah, actually there were several flyers, and when you said it sounded like fun, I picked one up, they were coming like once a week." Josh said.
Lt. Dale consulted her notebook, hastily scribbling some more notes.
"How long ago did the notes start?" She asked.
"About a month ago." Andi said.
"I just found out about the notes." Josh said.
Lt. Dale looked at Andi.
"Hey! Brian didn't say anything til just before we left, and I asked him to wait til we got back. I just wanted to have fun this weekend." Andi said to the Lt.
"Brian?" The Lt. asked.
"My manager." Josh answered.
"And when did the flyers for Pageantry House start coming in?" Lt. Dale asked, continuing to scribble.
"About the same time?" Andi said, unsure, looking to Josh for confirmation.
Nodding, Josh agreed, "Yeah, it WAS about a month ago."
"And you didn't find it odd? That these things started at the same time? And now the stalker is leaving messages here."
She looked at the both of them.
Looking at each other, Josh and Andi realized they had been manipulated.
"We HAVE been talking about it ever since we saw that movie on TV, three or four months ago." Josh said.
"But I've only talked to you about it, and to Susie and Katie at the center." Andi said, her eyes growing wide with realization.
"He's been at the center!" Josh whispered. "He's been watching YOU!"

 

That's what he means, YOU'RE the heart of my song! He wants YOU, Andi!" Josh whispered.
Andi stared at him, her eyes round with fear, "Why? Why would he want me?"
"Who knows what goes through the minds of sickos like this. I've been dealing with them for 22 years, and I still can't believe how twisted the human race can be." Lt. Dale said.
She motioned for one of her officers to come over.
"This is Officer Thomas. He's your new best friend. Johnny, you do not let these people out of your sight." The officer nodded at Josh and Andi.
"I'd like the two of you to go back to your room for now, until we finish our search of the grounds. Then you can roam as you please, just stay close to Officer Thomas." She left to confer with her detectives.
Josh and Andi went up the stairs to their room, leaving Officer Thomas at the door.
"What do we do now?" Andi asked Josh, as she sat on the bed.
"I don't know," Josh said, plopping down beside her. " I don't want you wandering off by yourself anywhere. You stay with me. I couldn't stand it if..." Looking at his hands, dark memories coming back to haunt him, he couldn't give the fear life by speaking it.
Andi smiled at him, grabbing him, she pulled him back on the bed with her.
"No stalker is going to get rid of me, you're stuck with me, Josh-man! I'm not going anywhere!"
"I can't do that again, Andi."
"You won't have to."
"You stay close to me, so I can protect you. Please, babe."
She smiled, "I'm a Post-it Note, stuck on you."
"That was bad."
"But funny."
"Okay, a little funny."
"Shut up and kiss me."
So he did.

*********************************************
Unknown to Josh and Andi, the stalker watched them, he watched and waited. Until the heart would be his.

 

Lounging in their room, Josh and Andi tried to forget about all of the unpleasantness going on about them. They read, they watched TV, about 3 o'clock, Andi was passing the open door of the closet, she stubbed her toe. Sitting on the floor, whining, while Josh grinned, she noticed a piece of paper at the back of the closet. A piece of paper that was halfway under the wall.
"Are you okay?" Josh chuckled.
"I think I just jammed my toe to the back of my brain." She said, crawling in to the closet to get the paper. As her hand pulled it from under the wall, a puff of air blew from under the wall. Looking at the scrap of paper, she realized it had been torn from the same kind of paper that the threatening notes had been written on.
"What are you doing?" Josh asked, crawling over the bed to see where she'd gone.
Examining the back wall, she noticed a crack in the woodwork, a very regular crack. Running her hands over the wood, she couldn't feel any loose boards. There was a coathook on the back wall, in an unusual place, she hadn't paid any attention to it when they'd come in, but now she looked at it closely. She tried to pull it down, nothing. She pushed it up, nothing. When she twisted it to the right, she heard a small click, and a panel opened in the back wall.
Stepping out of the closet, she looked at Josh.
"You need to see this."
Josh crawled off the bed and joined Andi in the closet. She had pulled the panel open, a narrow hallway was behind it.
Looking back at him, she asked, "Do we have a flashlight?"
"We should tell Johnny."
"Before we get a chance to see where this goes?"
"We really should."
She handed him the scrap of paper, Josh recognizing it.
"This was under the door."
"He's been watching us?" Josh said with disgust.
"That's what it looks like."
"I think I saw a flashlight in the desk." He went through the drawers and found it, checking it to make sure it worked, he took point as they cautiously entered the darkened passageway.

 

Flashlight to the forefront, holding Andi's hand firmly, Josh navigated the dark passage. It ran behind their room, then a narrow set of stairs led them to the first floor level. A sliver of light, and hushed voices pulling them forward, they walked like ants to the picnic, drawn by curiosity.
"You need to leave as soon as the police will release us." Miss Gale's muffled voice could be heard through the wall.
Josh ran the flashlight around spotting the cracks that were the opening into Miss Gale's office.
A muffled man's voice could be heard answering Miss Gale, but they couldn't make out what he was saying.
"No! It's bad enough I planted the handkerchief in their room, I'm not doing anything else to implicate them!" Miss Gale said to her nameless, faceless companion.
Josh and Andi looked at each other in the flashlights glow, Miss Gale knew the killer!
The mans voice again, still they couldn't make out what he said.
"Of course I don't want you to get caught! We're in this together, just be careful! As long as they find nothing to connect you, we're safe." A door opened and closed, they could hear Miss Gale crying.
"We have to get to Lt. Dale!" Josh whispered, as they moved away from Miss Gale's office.
"She's gonna be mad." Andi whispered, hanging onto Josh's shirt tail with one hand, and his hand with the other.
"We'll just have to deal with it." He stopped as he came to some stairs that took the passage down again.
"This must drop the passage below the windows on the first floor." He said.
"Where do you think we are?" Andi asked.
"Well, we just left Miss Gale's office, we must be getting close to the kitchen." As he said that, the passage ended its forward journey and split into one going right and one going left. Saved from the decision of which way, since the left hand tunnel had a locked gate in its entry, they turned right.
They heard clanging, people talking, realizing they were beside the kitchen, they continued on. Josh stopping dead in front of her, caused Andi to run into him. As she started to protest the sudden stop, he put a hand over her mouth. They listened intently for several seconds.
"What?" Andi whispered when he took his hand away.
"I thought I heard someone behind us." He whispered back. They continued on, the passage ending with a door, they pushed it open, and found themselves behind Pageantry House. Leaving the door open, they stood outside for several minutes getting used to the light.
"That was creepy." Andi said, "We should have told Officer Johnny."
"We'll tell him as soon as we get back to our room." Josh said, leaning against the vine covered wall, beside the open door to the secret passage.
"You want to go back IN there?" Andi said pointing to the door.
"We could just stroll up to the front door, either way Officer Johnny is in trouble."
Turning his back to the passage, he didn't see the dark figure come toward him, didn't see the heavy club the figure wielded, didn't see it coming toward his head. He only felt the impact, felt himself falling to the ground, heard as Andi screamed his name, coming forward. As his vision went grey then black, he saw Andi being held, drugged with a cloth over her face, finally to be dragged back into the passage. As his eyes closed, his last sight was her face.

 

He smelled something acrid, sharp, and eye-watering stinky. He tried to brush it away, he was trying to sleep, and his head hurt. No matter how many times he swatted at it, it kept coming back. Someone was calling his name, it seemed like from a long way away. Slowly, cause it hurt, he tried to open his eyes. Light! Pain! His eyes slammed shut.
"Come on, kid, I haven't got all day." A woman's voice muttered, irritation in her voice.
He tried to open his eyes again, the light was horrifically painful, but he managed to keep them open this time, his vision was blurred, and he had a headache that could drop King Kong.
"He's coming around, Lt." Officer Johnny said, still waving the ammonia capsule under Josh's nose. He knelt beside him, in the hay, in a stall in the stables.
"I can see that, Johnny." She said, leaning close to Josh, she patted him on the cheek, she would have liked to slug him for being stupid, but she didn't think he could handle it right now.
"Come on, Josh, I gotta talk to you." She said quietly.
"Where am I?" He muttered, trying to rise, inducing a wave of nausea that gave him the dry heaves, making his head hurt even worse.
"Take it easy, I'm pretty sure from the size of the gash in the back of your head you've got a concussion. Are you seeing clearly?"
Both hands on his forehead, trying to keep his head from falling off, Josh answered in a very quiet voice.
"Everything's blurry."
"And you're nauseaous. Yeah, you've got a concussion." She looked back at one of her officers, "Thomas, go call an ambulance, he's gotta see a doctor."
Memory returning , Josh sat upright, and too quickly.
"Oh, God!" He moaned, dropping back, sure his head would be dropping off any second, "Andi! He took Andi!" The heart anguish worse than the pain in his head, "I have to find her!"
"You're not going anywhere, young man. You can't even stand up. You're going to the hospital." The Lt. said.
"No!" Josh continued to argue, despite the throbbing headache.
"I need to know what happened, before they take you to County for treatment." Lt. Dale forged on.
"We found a secret door in our room," He pulled the piece of paper out of his pocket. "This was under the door."
"The notes?" She asked.
"That's what we figured."
"So of course you had to go look for yourselves, never mind that there are trained professionals here."
"I'm sorry, we didn't think there would be any problems."
"No, you didn't think, it's okay, kid." She patted him on the shoulder, "We'll find her. Did you hear or see anything else that will help me?"
"Yes, we overheard Miss Gale talking to a man, she told him she wouldn't help him anymore. It sounded like she was talking to Smalls killer."
"And you would think this, why?"
Josh reached into his back pocket, and pulled out the handkerchief.
"Cause she admitted to putting this in my room, to make it look like I killed Smalls."
Her face turning several different shades of red, Lt. Dale scrubbed a hand over her face, getting control of herself before she finished what Josh's assailant had started.
"You've had this all this time, and you didn't tell me. I ought to have them take you to the prison ward. Amateurs!"
Celestina walked up to them, carrying a tea cup.
"This is not exactly the time for a tea party, Miss Fortune Teller." The Lt. said, sarcastically.
"It's for his headache." She said, ignoring the Lt.'s smart remark. She sat in the hay beside Josh, helping him sit up, she made him drink some of the tea.
"Lay back, it will take a few minutes before you start feeling better." She said.
"How did I get in the stables?" Josh asked.
"You tell us, "The Lt. said.
"I found you here." Celestina said.
"But we were behind the kitchen. That's where the secret passage comes out."
"So whoever took your lady friend dragged you over here." The Lt. said, "That doesn't make much sense, unless he was hoping you wouldn't be found until he had made his escape. What time did you go into the secret passage?"
"About three o'clock." Josh said.
"You've been out for over four hours. Hmm. I need to go talk to my officers, you stay here." She said, pointing at Josh, "You make sure he stays here until the ambulance comes for him." She said to Celestina.
Josh looked at the windows realizing the sun had gone down.
"What time is it?" He asked Celestina.
"About 7:40, why?" She asked.
"The stalker wanted to meet me by the pond at eight o'clock. He thinks that he has to confront me for some reason to take Andi away from me. So, he should have her there. I've got to go to the pond. Will you help me?"
She looked at him, holding out the tea cup, "Finish that, you'll need it."
Josh drained the cup, he was feeling better, the horrific pounding was now a dull thud. Celestina helped him up, and they exitted the stables through the back door, the pond just over the small hill.

 

Celestina leading him, Josh still unsteady on his feet, they went down to the pond. It was a full moon, lunar illumination casting an eerie glow over the water, a light mist floating above the surface shimmering with an otherworldly light. Josh shuddered, it looked a little like something he'd seen before, making him a little more scared than he wanted to be at this moment. His vision still blurring, he knelt down in the grass near the pond, beside a tree, leaning heavily on it. He could pass out, fall down whatever after Andi was safe, forcing the dizziness away, he scanned the shore of the pond, looking for any sign of the stalker or Andi.
He was so scared, not of the person who had Andi, but of what he could do to her, pushing it out of his head, out of his heart, Josh looked over the pond again. He couldn't allow himself to be blinded by that, he had to think clearly. Even with his brain scrambled from the blow to the head, he had to think clearly. Celestina had walked away, getting a look at the entire pond. He let her look for him, using her steady vision to gain information for him. She walked stealthily through the bushes and trees back to him, trying not to make a sound. Reaching his side, she crouched down beside him.
"I didn't see anyone, Josh." She whispered.
"We'll wait a little while longer, I know he's going to be here. Andi and I stumbling on the passage may have allowed him to grab her, but for some reason he wanted us out here, now. I know he's here, waiting."
Celestina chuckled, a clicking sound made Josh turn his head, he was looking into the business end of a Smith and Wesson .38. "You're right, he's waiting for me to tell him you're here." She smiled sweetly at him, motioning for him to get up.
His eyes open in stunned surprise, Josh rose slowly, Celestina motioning him to the shore of the pond. He refused to put his hands in the air, if he was going to be shot, it wasn't going to be as a pitiful cliche. He stood in the moonlight, glaring at Celestina.
"Why are you doing this? You don't even know me, or Andi."
"Because he asked for my help, and I'm the only one who knows the ceremony to allow him to take your spirit." She still smiled sweetly.
"Take my what?!"
"There is a ceremony that can be performed to take the spirit, the heart of a person, but it has to be performed at the full moon. He needed me to perform it, I have no emotional interest in any of this. It's business, nothing personal."
The fact that her face showed no emotion chilled Josh worse than her words.
"You're insane." He whispered.
"Am I?" She asked, quite amused at his reaction. "That's what they said of Caligula."
"Where is he, and where does he have Andi? I want to see Andi!" Josh was getting angry now.
"He'll be here soon, have patience, pet. It will all be over soon, and you won't feel any pain, ever again." The smile was really getting on his last nerve, and the headache was coming back, all he wanted to do was see Andi. Now he wasn't sure it was going to happen on this side.

 

Standing in the night air, fighting the dizziness trying to overcome him, worried sick about Andi, Josh was not a happy camper! A psycho gypsy with a gun complicating the issue was not helping him stay focused on trying to think of a way out of this predicament. As he waited, Celestina waved. A dark figure, pushing an angry Andi in front of him, entered the grove around the pond. Josh watched, eyes only for Andi as the two walked over to join him and his captor. Her hands were tied in front of her, she was disheveled but didn't appear to be hurt. Relief washing over him, his vision greyed out for a moment, shaking his head, focusing again, the dark figure finally came into the light. He could finally see the face of the man responsible.
"You?!" Josh exclaimed.
"It's always the last person you suspect, isn't it?" Joey the Bellman said, smirking with satisfaction at Josh's reaction. "No one ever suspects me, it's the face, too dumb looking."
"I don't know you, I've never done anything to you, why are you doing this to us?" Josh asked, desperate to get Andi close enough to make sure she was alright.
"I've waited years to find the right soul, the right spirit to perform this ritual on, to finally claim what should have been mine." He smiled, a chilling smile, the smile of the demented and disturbed. He shoved Andi over to Josh, stumbling she fell into his arms, she'd been crying, but she was still the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.
"Are you all right?" He asked her, holding her up til she could get her balance.
"Yes," Her voice squeaky with emotion, "Are you all right? He hit you so hard, I was so scared!" The tears began again, tears of relief, he was alive, and they were together.
Facing the unbalanced duo,"At least let Andi go." He begged.
Joey walked close to them, lifting Andi's chin with his gun barrel, he smiled again, Andi spit in his face. Wiping it away with amusement, he stepped back to stand beside Celestina.
"What do you think?" He asked her.
"I thought she was mine to play with, my reward for helping you?" She said, her tone light and playful as if they discussed dolls instead of human lives.
Looking at Josh and Andi, he sighed heavily, "I did promise her, I'm afraid the sweet Andi has a prior engagement."
Andi muttered something, Joey coming up to her, the look on his face dangerously calm.
"What was that, little one?" He asked her.
Protective instincts rising up, Josh moved Andi away from Joey, putting himself closer to Joey, the look in his eyes all anyone needed to see how he felt about Joey.
"She said you were sick and twisted, I have to agree with her, but I would have added a few more colorful words." Josh said, his voice low and angry.
"Tell you what, you come willingly, don't give me any trouble, and I'll let the lovely Andi go. She won't be able to reach help before I'm done with you. You can die knowing you saved her." The evil smirk back on his face.
Seeing that Josh was considering this, Andi grabbed his shirt front with her still bound hands. Her voice breaking as fresh tears spilled down her face.
"NO! Josh, no! Don't you even think about that, no! I won't let you! You can't leave me!" She pleaded.
"HEY!" Celestina protested, getting in Joey's face she pulled him away from Josh and Andi. As the two of them argued, Josh pulled Andi close, whispering in her ear. Nodding, trying to hold back her tears, Andi set her face, refusing to give into the fear any longer. She and Josh were together, they would make it, she didn't know how, but they would do it.

 

His hands on her face, his eyes looking into hers, Josh nodded.
Tears flowed down her face, his eyes rimmed red, keeping a brave front for her, he turned away walking over to Joey.
"You let her go, and I won't give you any trouble." He said, his expression hard and cold.
The smirk was back, Josh wanted to reach up and smack it off his face. Instead he held his hands, balled into angry fists at his sides. He had to wait until they untied Andi.
"Untie her, and let her go." He said to Celestina.
"She was supposed to be mine!" Celestina said through clenched teeth.
Joey leaned very close to her face, his eyes burning with an intense madness, Celestina saw her death in them if she continued to resist. Hand to her heart, she backed away from him.
"Untie her, and let her go, we have work to do here." He said softly. His tone fraught with meaning.
Watching Celestina, when she had Andi's hands untied, Josh nodded. Moaning, hands to his temples, as if he were about to pass out, he leaned over stumbling, his hands on his knees, Joey grabbed his arm to keep him on his feet.
"Oh, no, you're not going out on me, now! I want to watch your face!"
Celestina turned to see if Joey needed help, and Andi bent down, grabbing a stick she swung at Celestina as hard as she could, knocking the gun out of her hands, beyond both of their reach, staring each other down for a split second, they both dove for the gun at the same instant.
*****************
When Andi hit Celestina, Josh came up swinging at Joey as hard as he could. Unbalanced because he had been holding Josh up, the gun flew out of Joey's hand, into the pond. Enraged, Joey clamped his hands around Josh's neck determined to throttle the life out of him.
*****************
Andi was almost to the gun, Celestina clawing and scratching, holding her back. She almost had her hands on it, smacking at Celestina with anything she could get her hands on, Andi reached for the gun again. Celestina pulled her back, grabbing her arm, her hair. Frustrated, Andi reached down, grabbing Celestina's hand, she bit it as hard as she could. Celestina howled with rage, pulling the offended appendage away.
*****************
His air supply being slowly cut off, Josh threw himself backwards, landing in the pond, with Joey on top of him. The shock of the water enough to make Joey release him, Josh struggled to get his feet beneath him as he gratefully sucked in air. He saw the gun under the water at the edge of the pond. Seizing a rock his hand had landed on as he attempted to gain his feet, he swung at Joey, connecting with a satisfying crunch. Taking advantage of the moment's reprieve, he splashed toward the gun.
*****************
Her hands closing on the gun, Andi smiled with feral satisfaction, she swung it on the gypsy woman, as she used one hand to push off the ground. Standing unsteadily, she motioned for Celestina to sit, she glanced over her shoulder to see how Josh was doing. In that one unguarded moment, Celestina dove at Andi's legs, taking her down, but Andi held on to the gun. The two women rolled over and over, each trying to gain control of the weapon that would turn the tide.
******************
Joey, blood flowing from the cut the rock had opened on his forehead, dove for Josh, just as Josh's hand closed around the butt of the gun. Dragging him back, not realizing he had the weapon, Joey pulled his fist back to strike. Josh cocked the weapon and put it at Joey's temple. Freezing, Joey stepped back, the cold, insane smile on his face.
"You think you've won, go ahead." He stepped forward again, daring Josh to fire.
Hesitating for a moment, his hands shaking, Josh swallowed hard. He'd never had to do anything like this before, he'd never encountered someone so insane before.
Joey moved back into the water.
"GO AHEAD! DO IT!!" He screamed at Josh.
"Just get up on the bank." Josh commanded.
"You'll have to kill me. I won't let them take me." Joey laughed. "And when I get out, I'll come after you again. Only next time, I won't be so gentle." He chuckled, the sound sending goose bumps all over Josh. With a roar, he dove at Josh, and Josh pulled the trigger. The report sounding like a canon in the still grove, the kick sending Josh backwards into the water again. Joey stood, his eyes wide in surprise, his hand over the hole in his chest. Pulling his hand away, registering the red that stained it, he started laughing.
"I didn't think you had it in you. Miscalculation. Don't do that often..." His eyes rolled back in his head as he slowly laid back in the water, arms floating out at his sides, like a crucificion victim, his lifeless eyes staring their unbelief at the moonlit sky.
*********************
The gunshot startled both women, Andi still in possession of the gun, scrambled away from her, as Celestina rose to her knees to stare at the scene in the water, Josh firing, Joey falling.
"JOEY!" She screamed, running into the water, slogging her way to the floating body, she wailed her anger and grief at the merciless moon.
"I LOVED HIM!" She screamed at Josh, turning back to Joey, her fingers lightly touching his face, brushing the hair back from his face, she whispered to herself, "I loved him." Pulling a cord out from under her bodice, she popped the cork on a small glass bottle she always wore around her neck. Downing it's contents she leaned over Joey's still form, lightly touching his lips with her own.
" 'Thus with a kiss, I die.' " She whispered to his deaf ears, laying her head on his chest, she closed her eyes forever.
Mute witness to the horrifying death scene, Josh dropped to his knees, one hand going back to keep himself from falling forever into the despair that now gripped his heart and soul.
Dropping the gun she held on the shore, Andi waded in, grabbing Josh from behind in a death grip of relief.
"Dear God, Andi. What have I done?" He whispered, his vision going grey, the shock of the act, and the effects of the concussion finally proving too much, he fell back in her arms, her tear-stained face the last thing he saw as the blackness claimed him once again.

 

Drifting slowly awake, he'd been dreaming, he couldn't remember what about, just that it had been disturbing. Opening his eyes was disorienting, he wasn't at Pageantry House, he was in a hospital room. How had that happened? Looking around, his head throbbing, he was alone, where was Andi? Lifting his head, which was a mistake, it immediately made him feel sick, and dizzy. Putting a hand to his forehead, to try to make the headache go away, he didn't look up when the door to his room opened.
"You're awake!" Andi exclaimed quietly in delight. She rushed to the side of the bed that the IV wasn't on, and lowered the rail, sitting beside him, taking his hand.
"How did I get here?" He asked confused.
"In an ambulance, two days ago."
"What?" He asked, lifting his head, still a mistake, as he dropped back, the throbbing worse.
"Headache pretty bad?" She asked, touching his face, her heart finally resting now that he was awake.
"Yeah." He answered.
"How much do you remember, babe?" She asked.
"Of what?"
"What happened two days ago."
He thought about it, what was the last thing he remembered? And it all came flooding back to him, Andi being taken, the fight at the pond, the gun firing...
From the look on his face, Andi realized he remembered it all. The doctors had said he might suffer some short term memory loss, she was hoping he would be spared the memory. But fate would not have it so.
His face filled with remorse, his voice trembling, he looked at Andi, "Is he really dead?"
She nodded sadly, not for Joey, her sorrow was for the only man she'd ever truly loved.
"Yeah, babe, he's really dead."
"God!" He whispered.
Andi stayed silent.
"God!" He whispered again. His eyes closed against the soul sickness he felt, he'd taken someone's life. It didn't matter that Joey had been murderously insane, he had taken his life.
"Babe, it was self-defense, he would have killed both of us, he didn't give you any choice." Her voice breaking to match the heartbreak she felt for Josh, that he had to endure this.
Neither had noticed the door opening, Lt. Dale stood in the door way.
"She's right, you know, he didn't give you any choice. You did the right thing." She said, as she walked into the room, stopping at the foot of Josh's bed.
"It goes against everything I was raised to believe." He said.
"What? It's wrong to preserve your own life? To preserve the life of someone you love? It's wrong to protect yourself? I don't think so, Mr. Groban."
Josh lay there, shaking his head, his lips pinched tightly together.
"Andi, could I talk to him alone for a few minutes?" The Lt. asked.
Andi nodded, "I'll be outside, babe." She kissed him on the cheek, Josh holding her there for a minute before letting her go.
Sighing heavily, the Lt. gestured at the spot Andi had vacated, asking silent permission to sit down. Josh nodded.
Settling herself, still in the trenchcoat, the Lt. looked at him.
"Protecting your own existence is one of those inalienable rights, Josh." She started.
"What happend to Mr. Groban?" He asked avoiding the subject.
"This calls for more familiar contact, you need to understand what's said here is of a private nature. Killler to killer."
"You've killed someone?" Josh asked.
She nodded, the memory still not a pleasant one.
"A drug runner. He wouldn't throw down, I had to shoot him, it was him or me. He was only 17."
"I don't know what to say."
"There's nothing TO say. He was wrong. He tried to kill me. I defended myself, and upheld the law."
"How do you live with it?"
"I went to counseling for about six months over it. I know what I did was right, but he was alive, and I took that from him. It's never easy."
Not satisfied with her answer, he asked again.
"So, how do you live with it?"
"One day at a time, Josh."
"Do you ever think about him?"
"Every day. I think what he could have been if his life hadn't twisted on him."
Josh fell silent for a long time.
"He would have killed me, Andi without a second thought."
"And never felt a moment of pain."
"I did what I had to do."
"You sure did."
"Thanks, lieutenant."
"Anytime, Josh." She patted him on the leg. Walking to the door, she turned back, her hand on the handle.
"I'm going to come see you when you get out of here."
"Really?" Josh said, smiling.
"I want to get my CD's autographed, you're still my favorite baritone."
Josh laughed.
"Okay. Anything for you lieutenant."
"Bye, Josh, have a nice life."
"Thanks."
"And the name's Megan."
"Bye, Megan."
"Bye, Josh."
"Lieutenant!"
"Yeah, Josh?"
"Could you do me a favor?"
"Sure."
"Could you see if they left a small box in my pants pocket?"
She came back into the room, looking in the closet, she found his clothes, and found the box.
"This what you're looking for?" She asked grinning.
"Yeah, that's it."
"Can I look at it?"
"Yeah, go ahead."
She opened the box, admiring the ring inside.
"You're a smart man, she's a really nice girl."
"Thanks, Megan."
"Good luck."
Rememberin one more thing, he stopped her again.
"Megan!"
"What is it, now, Josh?"
"Who killed Smalls?"
"Ah, the little weasel man! We questioned Miss Gale about the conversation you overheard, when we ran background on her, it turned out she was Aston Matthews daughter. When we questioned Aston and Daniel, Daniel confessed. Smalls had had an affair with the mother several years ago, and she'd killed herself when he dumped her, publicly. It was a terrible scandal. Miss Gale hid the hankie in your room, and Daniel did the killing, using the secret passages to get to Smalls room without being seen. Can I go NOW?"
"Yeah, thanks, Megan."
"You're welcome, Josh."
She left.
Andi came back into the room, he hid the box under the covers on the IV side. She sat on the bed, taking his hand.
"Do you feel better?"
"Yeah, a little, I guess it takes a while to get used to the idea."
"Just don't get too used to it, or you'll end up like Joey."
"I think I've got somebody who knows how to keep me in line."
"You sure do, and I'm not letting you out of my sight again for awhile." She leaned over, kissing him on the lips.
"I got a question for you, Andi."
"You can ask me anything you want, babe."
He held the ring out to her, "Will you marry me?"
Staring at the ring, wide-eyed, then at him, Andi was speechless.
"Oh, my God, are you serious?" She asked, tears forming in her eyes.
"Never been more serious."
Her hand trembling, she held it out, Josh slipped the ring on her finger. She looked at it for a long time, neither of them saying anything. As the tears rolled down her cheeks, Andi lay down beside Josh, slipping her arms around him.
"I never thought this would happen to me." She said as she cried.
"Is that a yes, babe?" He asked, his arms sliding around her, holding her tightly.
"Oh, yeah, uh-huh, absolutely, no question, you betcha, without a doubt that is a big old yes!" She whispered, her face in his neck.
"Good." He said.
And he held her while she cried, happy tears, he held her, and he understood her.

The End