Before anyone could move, the phone rang. Mark smiled and
stood to answer it. He returned soon afterwards with the
cordless. "A Miss Marcia to speak to my daughter." Despite
the seriousness of the situation, Mark was slightly amused to
see his son squirming.
Steve glared at his father as he took the phone and in a
high pitched voice he answered. "Hello Marcia... I
understand... We'll be right there." He hung up the phone and
looked at Jesse who looked a bit squeamish.
"We have to go back don't we?" The doctor asked.
"Hike up your skirts, Jessica, this case isn't over yet.
The ladies of Chez Felicity are getting together to try to
put events together and see what they can come up with to help.
"I think I have a run in my stockings," Jesse mumbled.
"Oh I have something that will fix that," Amanda offered
with a grin. She rummaged through her purse momentarily and
produced a bottle of clear nail polish.
"What's that going to do?" Jesse asked skeptically.
"Keep it form getting embarrassingly any worse. Now give
me your leg."
"Amanda!" Jesse bemoaned.
"Aww you're so precious when you are embarrassed," Amanda
said.
"Come on you two," Steve said with a bit of exasperation
apparent in his voice.
Jesse stood and put his leg in the chair to reveal a
runner on his thigh that wasn't too far gone. Amanda gingerly
applied a thing layer of fingernail polish. "That's cold,"
Jesse complained.
Amanda simply grinned. "That will keep it from getting
longer. Although why you wore nude hose with that blue dress..."
"Can we cut the fashion commentary?" Steve asked testily.
"Oh come on Steve." Jack quipped, "That green power
suit... it's really you. Real business like."
"No comments from the peanut gallery please, Jack."
Jack grinned. "I'll be good. What can I do while you're
comforting the ladies? Help?"
"Do you really want to be seen comforting women in a
dress, Jack?"
"Godo point. Why don't I see what I can dig up on Brian
Carter."
"Why don't you see what you can dig up on Brian Carter,"
Steve repeated with a hint of sarcasm, making it sound like
it was his idea in the first place." Are you all repaired and
looking beautiful, Stephanie?"
"Um sure. Ready to rock steady."
Steve gave Jesse a brief look then shook his head before
going out the door. Jesse followed with a very confused look
on his face.
Before Steve opened the door to the common room where the
ladies were gathered, he noticed Jesse vigorously scratching
his leg. "Something wrong?"
"That stuff Amanda put on these stockings itches Jesse
moaned. "I think it's stuck to my leg."
Steve regarded Jesse for a moment. "Ouch," he finally
said. When he opened the door, the ladies were sitting in a
group talking amongst themselves.
Marcia stood to greet Stephanie and Jessica. "I'm sorry to
disturb you when you were visiting your father, but I thought
you might have some more information on what has happened to
Felicity.
"Don't worry yourself for one minute, dear," Stephanie
said. "I am anxious to find Felicity. She was so good to
let me stay here. She has become such a dear friend."
Marcia gave Stephanie a reassuring pat on the back.
"It will be Ok. We will find her." Marcia led Stephanie and
Jessica to a couple of vacant chairs. "Matilda said that you
saw Felicity right before she disappeared."
Jesse sniffled a little and tried to put on the proper
upset affect. "I was just talking to her. We only stepped
out briefly. If only we had stayed just a bit longer."
Steve kicked Jesse's shin, warning him not to over do it.
"I'm afraid we really can't offer anymore. Brian Carter was
spotted lurking, but who would have though he would try
anything in broad day light with a house full of people!"
Steve figured that someone on the inside had to be helping
Carter and this was his way of letting that person know that
they were eventually going to get caught.
"I should have been there," Matilda said as she dabbed
her eyes with a tissue. No matter how much she dabbed, more
tears seemed to come. "I saw Felicity heading toward the
door with his sister and her friend, but I didn't think
anything of it. If you'll excuse me I need to freshen up,"
Matilda races out of the room and out the door.
Marcia shakes he head. "Poor Matilda. She and Felicity
have been such good friends. This has to be..." Everyone
shot out of their seats as a scream permeated the room,
interrupting Marcia's thought. A chair was knocked in Steve's
path and he agiley leapt over it, which he would later
reflect was utterly amazing considering he was wearing a
green power suit.
Steve reached the lobby of Chez felicity along with the
other women and found Matilda collapsed on the floor.
"Someone go call an ambulance," he said.
Jesse pushed his way through to Matilda and crouched down
beside her. "I think she's had a heart attack. Beginning CPR."
"She's a doctor," Stephanie offered. Steve crouched down
beside Jesse and noticed a piece of paper sticking out from
underneath Matilda's prone form. His brows furrowed as he
skimmed the white sheet with black block letters. "He's been
here," he told the ladies.
Steve glanced out of the window in Matilda's room and saw
half of the residence of Chez Felicity were either pacing or
sitting in the waiting room of the Community General Hospital
ER. That was one thing about the house, everyone stuck
together. He closed the blinds and turned his attention back
to Matilda. "Did you see anyone, dear?"
"Just the letter," Matilda replied weakly. "Then I don't
remember anything, Stephanie, until I woke up here. Do you
think Felicity is Ok?"
Steve closed his eyes briefly. The pumps were beginning
to pinch his feet and now having to worry about Matilda as
well as Chief Masters and Felix was not helping matters any.
"We'll find her. Don't worry. Just get some sleep. Thank you
for answering the questions. I'm sure the police will find it
most helpful."
"I'm glad it was you, Stephanie."
"Get some rest."
Steve leaned against the wall once he was outside the
room. This investigation had better be over soon. He was
really getting tired of wearing dresses and pumps and his
throat was beginning to hurt from talking in falsetto. All
he wanted now was a lead, a shower, a pair of jeans, and
tennis shoes. And just when he thought things couldn't
possibly be worse for the evening, Norman Briggs decided to
work late. Steve quickly looks around in search of a hasty
exit route. He almost screamed when he didn't find one.
"Stephanie, how wonderful to see you again." Norman said
with a hint of nervousness in his voice.
Steve smiled. "Mr. Briggs. How are you?"
"Fine Fine. I'm just wrapping up some business before I
head home. Did you get the flowers I sent you?"
Steve was at t he point where he didn't know whether to
laugh or scream. "Yes I did, Mr. Briggs."
"Norman," Norman interrupted, "Just call me Norman,
please."
"All right, Norman. They were lovely." Steve was still
searching for an exit route when he laid eyes on Jesse poking
his head around the corner. His mind began reeling with
numerous ways to either maim or kill the little shrimp who
was comfortably wearing scrubs and tennis shoes. Not to
mention the fact that he was laughing hysterically. Steve
inwardly moaned.
"I'm glad. I'm on my way out, would you care to join me
for a drink?"
