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“Chilling,” Max murmured, intently watching the video.

“That person is definitely a better burglar than Gran, isn’t he, Odelia?” said Dooley.

“Yeah, he or she certainly is,” said Odelia with a smile. Her grandmother was probably the worst lock picker in the world.

The video showed a person’s shoes now, treading a soft carpet, and mounting a staircase. Moments later a large portrait came into view of Randy Hancock himself, dressed in his customary outfit, sitting on a throne and wearing a crown on his head.

“He seems to be very popular, doesn’t he, when people have posters of him on their walls,” Dooley remarked.

Odelia didn’t say anything, for she knew what was coming. A door was opened, once more by the same gloved hand, and suddenly they were in a bedroom. The camera panned the room, and then zoomed in on the bed… where Randy lay sleeping soundly.

‘See?’ a message flashed across the screen. ‘I can get at you any time, Randy!’

“Is that Randy?” asked Dooley, staring at the screen.

“Yes, it is,” said Odelia.

“But… why is that burglar in his bedroom?” The small gray cat’s voice had turned a little panicky. “What is he going to do with him?”

“You’ll see.”

“He’s not going to murder him, is he?” asked Dooley.

“If he had, Randy would be dead,” Max pointed out.

“Oh. Right.”

That same gloved hand now came out with what looked like a syringe, and suddenly, and before their eyes, plunged that syringe into Randy’s arm, then pressed down on the plunger. A liquid was injected into the sleeping man’s body.

“Why isn’t he waking up?” asked Dooley. “He must have felt that prick, right?”

“Randy thinks someone must have put something in his drink before he went to bed. He thinks a member of his staff might be in cahoots with whoever is doing this to him.”

“That’s not very nice,” said Dooley.

The syringe now appeared in closeup, and a line ran across the screen:‘This deadly toxin will kill you, Randy. You will be dead in five days. Unless you do as we tell you. Watch this space…’

And then the video abruptly cut out.

“Wow,” said Max. “So they injected him with a slow-acting poison and unless he cooperates it will kill him?”

“Yeah, that’s what it looks like,” said Odelia. “There is an antidote, that much is clear from the messages they’ve sent him, but they won’t give it to him unless…”

“Unless what?” asked Max.

She shrugged.“That, he doesn’t know. Yet.”

“They will probably be in touch again,” said Chase. “Probably with some kind of financial demand. And if he doesn’t pay, they won’t give him the antidote and Randy Hancock… will die.” He spoke in somber tones, as Randy was one of Chase’s heroes, and had always been, ever since he was a little boy.

“I don’t like this, Max,” Dooley said. “These are some very bad people.” He glanced up at the staircase. “And what if they come to our house now, and inject us with the same poison? Then we’ll all be dead in five days.”

“They won’t come here,” said Odelia. “Randy didn’t tell anyone he was coming to see us, and no one in his regular circle even knows we exist, or that Randy knows us.”

“We have to help him,” said Max. “The poor man is clearly scared, and at the end of his rope.”

“He looked better on the video you were watching before,” Dooley agreed.

“He hasn’t been feeling well,” said Odelia. “First he broke his pelvis and now this. It’s taken a great toll on him.”

“So what are you going to do?” asked Max, never one to sit around twiddling his paws.

“I’m not sure what I can do. Chase will have that video and those messages examined by an old colleague of his at the NYPD.”

“What do you want us to do?”

She shrugged.“I have no idea. First we need to find out more about what’s going on.”

He nodded.“If you need us, just let us know, Odelia. Whatever we can do to help Mr. Hancock.”

“Thanks,” she said warmly, patting her cats on the head. “And sorry you had to see that video. Was it too disturbing for you guys?”

“No, it’s fine,” said Max. “It must have given him quite a shock. Knowing that a person was in your house, and injected you with poison.” He shivered. “Terrible business.”

It was, and the worst part was that she had no idea how to help Randy. She was a local reporter and amateur sleuth, but this stuff was way above her pay grade.

At least Chase would know what to do. And hopefully find these people and get Randy that antidote.

Randy now came down the stairs, still looking dazed.“I totally forgot,” he said, “but can Little Randy stay here, too? I should have asked before, but that video shook me.”

“Little Randy?” asked Odelia.

Randy pointed in the direction of the front door.“I left him in the car. Shall I go and get him?”

“Oh… sure,” she said.

Max and Dooley gave her a look of confusion.“Is he bringing another person to stay with us?” asked Dooley.

“Yeah, probably his son,” she said. “Now I know you guys aren’t used to having kids around, but there’s no need to be scared. I’m sure Little Randy is a well-behaved little boy and…”

“And here he is,” said Randy as he walked back in followed by a very large… dog.

Chapter 8