The Case of the Phantom Diver Ch 13

"Let me get this straight. Your ancestor traveled to Lagos with a small cargo and plans to sign a new trade agreement with a local businessman. Instead, he left another relative in charge of signing the deal and ventured deep into Central Africa to search for a lost city in the jungle. Only he returned empty-handed four months later to find the trade deal had collapsed. Is that correct?" Phineas checked while not staring at the display of cleavage in his face from the leaning rich girl.

After Katie left, Regina's sleeveless blouse magically dropped from a lone undone button. Yet, it didn't return to the two from her door greeting. Nope, the beautiful brunette's massive lace-encased blossom now shouted hello from behind three open buttons.

"Somewhat. My past relatives preferred to gloss over the part where Jason ended up in a local jail for almost a third of that time. The family was incensed and never trusted Jason with a business deal again. His uncle didn't even want to search for him after he arrived to discover what had happened. He ordered another nephew, Christopher, to take Fleetwing back home while he restored a lesser deal. However, Christopher refused and ended up locating Jason in jail. The whole situation caused family infighting for years and led to Jason throwing himself full-time into his travels. Rarely did he manage to drum up business on his adventures for the family company," Regina explained.

"Ah, yes, Christopher. I've also been searching for more about him," Phinn admitted, gesturing to a pile of folders to his left on the long, narrow table.

"You have? Why?" Regina asked, clearly confused and surprised. "Jason's the family fortune-hunter during this period. While they were close, I don't think Christopher traveled much with Jason."

"Precisely. My research shows that a Tarr living in Edgewater, such as Christopher, might be a better suspect for any salvage operation/treasure hunt," Phinn said, lying about his research. He didn't want to reveal all of Kate Pettit's theory yet.

"Well, I don't know about that," Regina replied slowly. A quick flash of annoyance flashed across her face. "I think you should stick with Jason and his close associates."

"You did say that Christopher and Jason were close. My prior research also showed the same."

"It's my family and I should know!" Regina snapped. Immediately, the buxom brunette's expression softened. "Oh, gawd. I'm sorry for getting snippy. It... It's been a strange day."

"Of course. I'd imagine finding a burglar in an upstairs closet is stressful. I can always continue on my own if you want a break," Phinn offered.

"Ah, I don't know. Uncle Barley wouldn't like it if I left someone unsupervised. Jace would likely... Hmm, how about we order some food? Do you have any delivery preferences?" Regina inquired.

"Anything is fine," Phinn responded, shrugging. He often skipped eating while consumed by a case. Due to Pamela's insistence, Jake frequently had to jam food in Phinn's face to get him to eat during those times.

"How about Mulcaster's or SmokeStone?" the heiress queried, referring to two upscale restaurants.

"They deliver?" Phinn questioned.

"They do if you're a Tarr," Regina replied matter-of-factly.

"Uh, SmokeStone is fine," Phinn responded, adding that a chicken sandwich worked for him. Hopefully, it also worked with his nearly empty wallet, as the steakhouse's menu was slightly cheaper. Fortunately, he thanked his mother for forcing him to take money for the lunch he had already skipped after she learned he planned to meet up with Katie.

"Great! I'll go place an order," Regina announced, standing up. "Be right back."

Glancing at the stack of papers relating to Jason Tarr's trip to Australia, Phinn sighed. Despite it not seeming to matter, he knew he'd have to dig into the final journey Jason returned to Edgewater from. However, there might be the slimmest chance that Jason discovered information about Thornbeard while near his old East Indies stomping grounds. That fragile possibility could be the connection they needed to show Jason knew about Thornbeard and had an interest in his death.

Phinn yawned while stretching. As he twisted his body from a few long days of investigating, the corner of his eye noticed an unusual sight high on the wall to his side. Knowing better than to stare, his brain rapidly ran through the objects at his disposal. He discarded the mirror as too obvious before settling on an old brass sextant. Acting curious, he got up and walked over to it. Picking up the sextant, he pretended to look through its telescope while he moved it around the room. In reality, he squinted through his other eye and got a second, better look at what he'd noticed on the wall and confirmed its identity.

Returning the sextant to its proper spot, Phinn stretched his legs this time. Muttering to himself, he bent down and noticed a leatherbound book slightly sticking out from beneath one of the wooden file cabinets. Pulling the book out, he saw the old leather cover featured a strap and lock. Giving a tug, Phinn found the book locked. Unsure about its contents, he placed the new find on the table. Then, he left the room to find the nearest bathroom. Once inside, he relieved himself while messaging Jake with a new plan for tonight.

Finished with his business, Phinn returned to the guest room simultaneously as Regina. She gave an estimate for how long until the food arrived. Climbing the narrow staircase, Phinn watched how the coed's curvy ass moved under her tight pair of shorts. A blind man couldn't miss the exaggerated sway added to her climb as the bottom of her blouse swished. Unsure about the latest development, Phinn opted to hold off on any confrontation until he had additional information. Too many suspicious events had already occurred between his and Jake's visits to be mere coincidences. Supporting that feeling, Regina suddenly acted as if a light bulb went off in her head.

"Hey, how about we get out of this cramped room? We can bring these folders down to the drawing room and spread them out," Regina suggested, despite sounding like she'd already decided on the idea.

"Sounds good to me," Phinn responded, adding a fake chuckle. Letting Regina grab the Jason Tarr folders they hadn't examined yet, Phinn picked up the papers on Christopher. At the end, he tossed the locked book on top.

"What's that?" Regina inquired, her eyes blazing with unbridled curiosity.

"Oh, it's probably nothing. I found it wedged under the cabinet, but it's locked," Phinn revealed nonchalantly.

"Huh? Locked? Well, that's odd," Regina said, yet Phinn didn't buy her calm dismissal.

She knows what's in the book or has an idea. I'll wait until later before opening it. Let me see how long it takes for her to suggest it first, Phinn planned.

Once situated in the drawing room, Phinn noted that Regina sat near him on the sofa rather than on the other couch or in an armchair. He nodded at her flimsy excuse about using the large coffee table. As they settled into searching the papers, Phinn peppered Regina with a few questions about Jason's life in Edgewater.

"I'm sure he had close friends here as he had an outgoing, fun-loving reputation. But I couldn't really name any off-hand. Wait, I think he was good friends with one of the Kirkcaldys. They lived down the street for generations until the last one died about fifteen years ago," Regina recalled. "Jace knows more. He always took a special interest in Jason since he's his namesake."

"Right, your brother. I'm sorry I missed him. Perhaps he could fill in some of the blanks. Where was it you said he went again? Darlingport? Anchor Rock?" Phinn asked, drawing a blank look on the young woman's face.

"I'm not quite sure. Jace mentioned seeing a friend," Regina replied, catching the teen's inquisitive expression and adding a chuckle. "It could be a woman he doesn't want me to meet yet."

"Ah, that could be it," the junior detective said, nodding. "Did Jason have any particularly special woman in Edgewater?"

"From the family stories, I'd say he had many women he liked all over the world," the brunette responded, laughing. "But I can't say he did."

They carried on their search for nearly ten minutes until the doorbell rang. Before Regina answered, she mentioned they had drinks, condiments, and plates in the kitchen if Phinn wanted to go there. Nodding, he walked down the long hallway before entering the kitchen. The all-white design did no favors in hiding the kitchen's age, Phinn realized while searching the cabinets for the plates.

"Huh," Regina sounded, entering the kitchen with two bags. "That was weird. The driver asked if we had any luck in finding the treasure."

"He did?"

"And when I paid him, he glanced at the tip and commented that I must not have," Regina recounted, placing the bags on the counter. "Why would he say that?"

Immediately sensing a problem, Phinn pulled out his phone. It took only a few seconds for him to groan before playing a video.

"The frantic search for Thornbeard's lost treasure exploded in Edgewater today. As you can see here, a flotilla of boats swarmed the potential location on the map released Saturday evening by the Kelpie County Historical Society," Hollie Kittler revealed, with the screen cutting away to show the numerous ships.

"I understand there were several exciting moments and disappointments. What happened, Hollie?" the weekend anchor asked.

"Yes, we had two false alarms. One featured a gunshot and an armed standoff before a chest could be broken into. However, dreams evaporated when it contained only rocks. A second loose find led to some speculation about a music box discovery. Unfortunately for the diver, a quick examination revealed it to be a chess set made of pewter. We also had an additional incident with a few spectators who apparently became intoxicated and put on a sexually explicit show," Hollie reported, with a brief video of the Coast Guard vessel alongside the Rim-Rod.

Phinn winced after recognizing most of the teens.

"Plenty of dashed dreams today. But I understand a new development has occurred. What can you tell us, Hollie?" the weekend anchor set up.

"That's right. Sources have informed Channel 9 that the skeleton found earlier last week may be connected to a much earlier treasure hunt from the late 19th century. Our sources believe that the leader of that salvage operation was Jason Tarr, a member of a prominent Edgewater trading family. That revelation has already led to speculation down at the city's lakefront. Several arguments broke out at the marina and a few taverns about whether or not the Tarr family had already found the pirate treasure nearly a hundred and fifty years ago," Hollie reported before an image of Tarr Manor appeared on the screen. "We attempted to contact the current Tarr family but received no answer at their home. However, the Edgewater Police Department was called to the grand house earlier this afternoon after a reported break-in."

"Oh, no!" Regina gasped.

"Shit," Phinn muttered. While he expected the Jason Tarr lead to get out eventually, he didn't expect it soon. The identity of the news station's sources intrigued him, but the development also concerned him. "Now, we have increased competition. You didn't mention that reporters were here."

"They must have stopped by while I was out," Regina assumed. "My family isn't going to be pleased, especially my parents."

"Aren't your parents overseas?"

"Yes, but this news will travel fast. My grandfather is in an assisted living center in Darlingport, where my uncle lives. They're obviously going to see or hear about this," Regina pointed out.

"You'll also need to keep an eye out. That intruder earlier might not be the last one," Phinn warned, causing the brunette to frown.

A subdued meal followed. Neither said much as they ate and listened to the rain increase outside. An occasional crack of thunder sounded distantly. Phinn's mind worked over who might have caught on and how, while Regina only asked a question near the end.

"Would you mind terribly if I ask if you or Jake can stay the night? I'm even more concerned after seeing that report. I could call a friend, but I'd have to answer more questions. Besides, you two wanted to keep searching our files," Regina pointed out.

"Hmm, I can see," Phinn replied, scanning the kitchen. With his eyes flickering over what he found, he nodded. "I can call my parents."

"Thank you. I'd greatly appreciate it and won't forget," the attractive coed promised, adding a smile while she moved to clean up their meal.

Phinn recognized and noted the unspoken and suggestive promise. Picking up his phone, he waited until the beautiful brunette turned around to face him before he snapped off a shot. The click surprised Regina, but she took it in stride, her smile morphing into a wider grin.

"What was that for?" she teased, positioning herself in a sexier pose.

Phinn took another picture before standing up.

"Proof. I need to show my mother I'm not lying," Phinn explained, leaving the kitchen.

"Um, maybe use the first one," Regina suggested, calling after the teen.

Entering the tiniest bathroom he'd ever seen in his life, Phinn selected number three on his contact list. His mother answered on the second ring, immediately inquiring as to his whereabouts.

"Are you still with Kate?"

"Ah, no. We split up a few hours ago. I think she had a date," Phinn revealed, seeking to throw Pamela off.

"A date? She didn't mention anything to me? With whom?"

"I didn't ask, and she didn't offer. We weren't alone when she left, Mom," Phinn replied before bracing himself for what came next. "So, I won't be coming home tonight."

"Why not? Where are you? Are you in trouble? Did the police detain you again? You better not be mixed up in this pirate hunt, Phinny," Pamela warned yet again.

"I'm not in trouble. However, I am with a girl who might be. Hold on," he told his mother before she could start asking about the girl's identity. "I'm with Regina Tarr at her family's house... Yes, that Tarr... Yes, the family that was on the news earlier... I know you said not to get involved... Would you listen for a moment? The poor girl asked for our help, Mom. Should I have turned her down?"

"What type of help? You had better not have been out with those boats today. Marcie heard someone was shot," Pamela relayed, referring to one of her gossiping friends.

"Nobody was shot, Mom--"

"You were out there!"

"No, I wasn't it! Jake was nearby on Luke's boat. They said somebody shot straight into the air as a warning... I don't know... I tell you, I don't know, Mom. I wasn't there to know that," Phinn replied to his mother's string of questions. "Look, somebody broke in over here earlier today." Phinn paused. "Yes, I'm at that Tarr mansion right now. Listen, since then, the news reported about the possible tie between her family and the treasure hunt."

"All the more reason for you not to be in that house!"

"Mom, I'm trying to explain," Phinn groaned in frustration. Why can't she be a pushover like Dad? "Regina's all alone. Her parents are on vacation somewhere, and her brother is out of town. She's nervous about the news report and the increased attention. So, she asked if Jake and I could spend the night."

"Spend the night? In a mansion that I assume has many doors and windows? I think not!" Pamela proclaimed.

"Look, Regina might have a few of her friends stay the night, too. Female friends. Think of it as a big sleepover," Phinn suggested, hitting send on the second picture he took of Regina.

"No, I don't think a... What--Who's that?"

"Regina. The poor girl who needs our help."

"Oh... my. She's an attractive... gorgeous young woman," Pamela commented. "You said her friends are staying over as well?"

"Yep. I guess they're her sorority sisters. Libby mentioned they're like the most popular sorority at Regina's college or something. Not that it matters," Phinn added, knowing his mother's weaknesses. She liked Jake's older sister and dreamed about her son dating popular, attractive girls.

"Libby is friends with Regina?"

"Regina is two years older than Libby, and they went to separate high schools in town. I wouldn't call them close friends, but they know each other. Jake said something about hot... I mean, popular girls always knowing one another," Phinn answered somewhat truthfully. Libby knew Regina enough to dislike her.

"Well..." Pamela hedged. Her voice grew fainter as she pulled the phone back to study the sexy pose again. "I guess it will be alright. Just make sure you call the police if you hear any noises. You don't need trouble... of any kind. Maybe ask Jake for some protection in case--"

"Great! Thanks, Mom! I gotta go," Phinn hurriedly ended the call before the sex ed portion started.

Before exiting the bathroom, the teen detective sent his partner another message with the updated plans. Only after Jake's confirmation did Phinn return to the drawing room. Straight away, he noticed the difference.

Regina had upped the sex factor. If Phinn didn't have an eye for detail honed through years of investigations that spotted the lack of a bra within seconds, he couldn't have missed the hard nipples poking against the tight sleeveless blouse. Nor did he miss the way the seductive coed lay on the sofa with her legs spread out just enough to entice almost any man.

I'm not any man. So let's play this game, Phinn declared in his head. His first step led him to sit in one of the armchairs, not on the sofa next to Regina, as she assumed he would. A clear expression of surprise and annoyance washed over her face.

"Okay, what can you tell me about Christopher?"

"What? Oh, I mean, what do you want to know?" Regina replied to his question with her own as she sat up to recompose herself.

"How many trips did he take with Jason? Did Christopher own a ship? Was he close to any other captains in the area? Was either he or Jason known to associate with a sketchy crowd?" Phinn fired off a rapid succession of questions that left Regina staggering to reply.

"Um, I can't recall. I don't know. Maybe. And why would you ask that?" the bewildering brunette asked, slyly undoing a fourth button. The move left her big tits practically exposed if one looked at her from the side. Of course, Phinn had wisely chosen his seat straight across from her.

With a mischievous smile, the wily teen responded to each of her replies.

"I'd like a general idea of when Christopher might have been aboard a ship with Jason. Finding a log of his own vessel would help trace Christopher's whereabouts. The same applies to searching for who might have possibly helmed a boat searching for Thornbeard's spoils. And let's be honest here, Regina. Adventurer and fortune hunter are terms that can easily be switched with mercenary and grave robber. Or, in your case, I'd go with Tomb Raider."

As expected, the play on words about Regina's appearance went over her head.

"My... My family are not grave robbers!" the busty brunette shrieked indignantly.

Phinn picked up on her not yelling about the mercenary remark. I'm sure if one digs deep enough, they'll find a shipment of guns mysteriously arriving in a Central or South American nation in the 19th or 20th century during a corporate crackdown of the locals. The Tarrs don't scream freedom fighters or revolutionaries to me.

"Apologies. I didn't intend to imply anything. Families often have a black sheep or two. Jason appears to be one when it comes to your family's day-to-day business operations," Phinn pointed out. "It's possible he was also a black sheep in other ways. It's fair speculation based on his adventuring and mysterious vanishing."

With her ample bosom heaving, Regina struggled to calm down. While she flashed a smile and said a few understanding words, the warmth and friendliness didn't reach her eyes. Instead, she insisted her ancestor didn't involve himself in anything criminal.

"Jace looked into Jason's past extensively. He'd have found anything of that sort and told me, which he never did."

"Is that so? I wasn't aware we were duplicating your brother's past efforts," Phinn responded while calculating Regina's mistake. One that she quickly realized she'd made. "I wonder what, if anything, Jace found about Thornbeard?"

"N-nothing! We... Jace found nothing," Regina exclaimed. Looking flustered, she suddenly said, "It's getting hot in here. Obviously, our home wasn't built with air conditioning in mind. I'm going to slip into something cooler."

"Obviously," Phinn agreed, watching until the rattled beauty fled the room.

Throwing on a confused expression, Phinn stood up to admire all the old family heirlooms in the drawing room. Every piece of furniture could be considered an antique. He stopped wandering at one point to pick up an old quilt, which he swiftly placed back after a plume of dust flew into the air. Next, he turned his nose up while glancing at two dozen figurines on three rows of shelves. The clearly racist caricatures offended multiple ethnicities from across the globe.

Not the items I'd want out in the open in what is likely their main room for entertaining guests while showing off their family's past. I wonder if the grandfather or father insists on displaying them.

Phinn continued to gaze at the old, tarnished, or broken items. Most reflected a family involved in sea life or visiting other nations. Photographs of various sizes filled a significant portion of the room's surfaces, seemingly arranged in historical order. Similar to the one in the archive, a pair of cutlasses crisscrossed their blades slightly while hanging on the wall.

Phinn left the two largest prizes--if one could call them that--for last. A terrifying mermaid met the teen's gaze with dead eyes. Once the figurehead of a ship's bow, Phinn thought this could go in the garbage after the racist figurines. Still, the junior sleuth could almost hear the crack between old men about the mermaid's giant rack.

While looking at the sizeable musical harp on the floor, Phinn finally found the suspicious item he'd been searching for. Nodding at the discovery, the teen slowly ran a finger along one of the strings. A clear, vibrant sound resonated in the drawing room as Regina returned.

"Oh, I, uh, what are you doing?" she asked, apparently suspicious.

"Just admiring your heirlooms," Phinn replied, turning around to face her.

Ah, so the game has moved up a level. Good. It's time to let her think I'm playing hers.

Faking awe, Phinn froze as he admired Regina's new outfit. The buxom brunette had changed into a sexy nightgown. The dark red silk negligee featured black lace neck and hemlines that exposed a lot of cleavage and thigh. Seeking to appear weak and enchanted, Phinn kept his gaze on the ample pair of Tarr family heirlooms that rested high on her chest. He only dropped his eyes after noticing the smirk form.

"I hope you don't mind. It's just so steamy in here with the rain falling," Regina said, faking innocence she didn't have. A pout and hand rub to her chest followed for added effect.

"N-No. Y-You lo-look f-fine," Phinn stammered, setting up her buy-in.

"Let's sit and look through some more files," Regina directed, sliding onto the sofa. With one leg propped up to show nearly all of her upper thigh, she patted the cushion in front of her waist.

"S-Sure!" Phinn responded, his voice squeaking.

To further his nerdy, virgin image, he sat on the very edge of the sofa.

"Don't be shy. You can sit back more," Regina assured, running a hand briefly across his hip.

"O-Okay," Phinn replied, holding in a smile.

Reaching down, he picked up one of the files he'd placed aside that appeared to contain information about Christopher Tarr. While he examined the documents, Regina dropped any pretense of searching any longer. Now, her true nature came out as she rubbed her raised knee along her guest's back. With the light from a bright lamp, Phinn used the reflection in his glass lens to monitor Regina's seduction efforts.

First, she pulled up the hem of her negligee until it barely covered any of her thighs. Phinn wondered momentarily if she had panties on underneath. It's likely if she's smart and wants to use pulling them down as one of her final acts. But Regina might not be that wise.

Second, she lowered her right strap before changing her mind and switching to lower her left one instead. Another move dropped her right leg to the floor and spread her legs obscenely enough to spur Phinn into the first action that threw her slightly off-balance.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Jake messaged while you were getting changed," Phinn lied, causing Regina to suddenly tense up. Her enticement plan would have to change if Jake suddenly arrived.

"Is he almost here?" Regina asked, twisting her head to glance at the foyer as if the doorbell would ring at any second.

"No. He's going to be delayed longer. Something to do with what happened out on the water today. So it's just us for longer."

"That's nice. I enjoy searching with you," Regina replied, shifting back to her seduction by emphasizing the word searching. Her right foot slowly began to rub along the teen's leg.

"Yeah, this is fun," the teen detective said brightly, turning to stare hungrily at her heaving breasts and the hand that dropped rapidly down between her legs.

As Regina prepared to go in for the kill, Phinn struck first.

"Hey, I guess we don't need to wait for Jake any longer. Let's see what's in this book," he announced, leaning to pick up the locked book.

"What?!" Regina blurted out, sitting up straighter.

"Yeah, I got a funny feeling about this one. Are you sure you don't have any ideas about what could be in it?" Phinn said, waving the leatherbound book in the air. Regina's reaction gave away that she at least suspected its contents.

"None," the sea merchant family scion replied. However, she suddenly shifted her legs to sit upright next to Phineas. "Didn't you say it's locked?"

"It is, but that's not a problem," Phinn stated, standing up.

"It's not? Wait, I don't want to damage it by cutting the strap or anything."

"I won't damage anything," Phinn said, unzipping his bag and pulling out a smaller one. He carried it over to place on the table. Quickly, he pulled out a couple of small tools.

"What are... You know how to pick a lock?" Regina questioned, her mouth dropping open in surprise.

"A simple trick of the trade," Phinn said when the lock popped open. Immediately, he began scanning the pages. "Hmm, it looks like a journal or diary."

"Let me see," Regina demanded, practically tearing it out of his hand. She started to flip through the pages rapidly. "Wow!"

The coed's pace couldn't allow for much reading, which confirmed the high school gumshoe's suspicion. He only needed to wait for the big reveal. And it came in the next ten seconds.

"Ohmigawd!" Regina shrieked, jumping to her feet.

"What is it?" Phinn copied, hopping up.

"This... This... Wow! This is Clara Livingston's diary!"

"Who's that?"

"Who? Jason Tarr's girlfriend!. Some say they might have even been engaged," Regina announced.

Phinn struggled mightily to avoid breaking out into laughter. Regina's acting was atrocious. It felt like she'd switched between two entirely different characters in the last few minutes. Not to mention, she fully contradicted her earlier answer about Jason Tarr's romantic life.

BUZZ BUZZ

Glancing down at his phone, Phinn saw Jake's name.

"Hello?"

"Watch it. There's a guy in a mask outside the side window," Jake warned. "I'm going to try to catch him. Shit, he's moving."

Suddenly, a loud crash came from the rear of the mansion. It sounded like glass breaking. Regina dropped both characters and reverted to her true personality.

"What the fuck is that?"

"Careful. There was a guy out by that window,' Phinn warned, pointing to the side window before rushing into the foyer.

"A guy? Where? How do you know?"

Phinn ignored Regina's questions as he heard loud footsteps deeper inside the mansion. Slowing down, he moved carefully in the hallway. The teen barely glanced in the first room he passed. The crash and footsteps came from farther back. Almost crouching along the wall, he sensed Regina following.

"What are you--"

"Quiet," the young private eye hissed.

Fortunately, Regina followed his order. She continued to stay silent as they inched toward another room.

Suddenly, a man jumped into the doorway at the rear of the mansion in the kitchen. Phinn's head rocked back as he saw that the man wore a red ski mask. Holding up a knife, he rocked sideways in the doorway, almost taunting the two people staring at him.

"You!" Phinn yelled before adding, "Not again. I'm sick of this shit."

Red Mask paused in his side-to-side motion. His head cocked slowly to the side before his hand reached over to touch the spot where Phinn slashed his arm the other night at the historical society. Although he couldn't see Red Mask's face, his body language gave away the dawning of recognition.

"You? Oh, you're dead, motherfucker!" Red Mask screamed, jumping forward.

However, he suddenly caught himself after two steps out of the kitchen. His manner showed conflicted hesitation, and it caused Phinn's mind to kick into gear.

"Fuck, it's a distraction!" Phinn shouted, turning to warn Regina.

Almost simultaneously, another crash sounded. This one came from the front of the mansion, and Phinn knew from the drawing room. Ignoring Red Mask, he grabbed Regina's hand and pulled her in the direction they'd just come from.

More glass shattered as Phinn guessed correctly that Blue Mask cleared a way for him to enter through the broken window. Surprisingly, when they reached the entry into the drawing room, they didn't find the side window in pieces. No, Blue Mask had started to climb through the much wider glass window that faced the front of the mansion and its oversized porch.

With one leg inside, Blue Mask suddenly gave a startled cry as he flew backward onto the porch.

"Shit!" Phinn swore, rushing toward the front door.

"Where are you going?" Regina shrieked.

"Jake's out there," Phinn revealed, unlocking the first bolt.

"The diary!" Regina screamed, pointing into the drawing room before glancing back down the hallway.

After his initial hesitation, Red Mask stood unsure as he watched from the kitchen. Suddenly, he seemed to put two and two together and realized his partner and their plan might be in trouble. With that understanding, Red Mask began to run down the hallway. That forced Phinn to turn around.

"Get the diary!" the teen ordered Regina.

Then, another idea popped into his head. Phinn ran into the room behind the coed and raced toward the one wall. With a firm yank, he pulled off one of the cutlasses. The second fell as a result, clattering onto the floor. He started to turn away before cursing himself and returned to pick up the second cutlass.

Finished, he found Regina clutching the diary while she stared out the window to see Jake and Blue Mask wrestling. Getting her attention, he handed her one of the swords.

"Finish unlocking the door and bring that to Jake. I'll handle the other one."

Regina nodded while she waited for Phinn to exit the drawing room first. As he did so, he raised the cutlass in preparation for a strike. Red Mask saw the blade in the air and tried to halt about eight feet away. Instead, he slipped on the wooden floor and fell on his back.

With that buying them a few extra moments, Phinn waved at Regina to run for the door. She finished unlocking and opening the front door in time to see Jake get tackled onto his back by Blue Mask on the porch near the front steps.

"Hey!" the busty brunette screamed, pulling her negligee down to reveal her Double Ds.

While Phinn couldn't see her front, he chuckled, hoping Jake hadn't noticed. If so, he'd probably be as shocked as Blue Mask.

"Oww!" came a cry that wasn't from Jake.

A now-standing Red Mask appeared to recognize the cry. He hesitated before shaking his head. With a finger point and likely a glare under his mask, Red Mask dropped a loud curse.

"You're dead for this, Farris," he threatened before raising his voice to a shout. "Forget this shit. Let's get out of here!"

With that, Red Mask turned and ran down the hallway. Phinn hesitated to follow. First, he turned back to find a once again covered Regina watching through the front door. Then, he told her to lock herself in a room while he helped Jake.

"The bathroom," the teen added, recalling its heavy door.

"This guy's running too," Regina informed Phinn, who stepped over to spot Blue Mask hopping off the side of the porch nearest the foyer. Jake didn't hesitate to swing himself over the railing. They both headed toward the back of the building.

"Dammit," Phinn swore, turning to run down the same route Red Mask took. Yelling over his shoulder, he directed Regina to call the police and hide.

Running into the kitchen, Phinn spotted Red Mask's entry point. He'd broken the small glass pane on the outside kitchen door above the doorknob. Leaping over the broken glass, Phinn gladly thanked his prior self for keeping his shoes on in the dusty mansion as he hopped down several steps off the small porch and into the pouring rain.

Not an athlete like Jake, Phinn spotted his partner far ahead in the ceremonial garden and in pursuit of Blue Mask. The latter stumbled into a large garden statue and bounced to the ground. The fall gave Jake enough time to reach Blue Mask before he forced himself backward as the burglar swung his crowbar from his knees.

Trying to see through the heavy rain, Phinn spotted a smaller garden ornament. Changing his course slightly away from the other two, he nearly slipped on the wet grass while stopping. Recovering, he picked up the stone statue and staggered under its weight. Abandoning that idea, he shifted to pick up a smaller garden gnome several feet away. This one he could successfully lift.

Carrying it with both hands, Phinn caught Blue Mask by surprise as he backed away from Jake, using the crowbar to keep the stocky athlete at bay. With a two-handed throw, the gnome hit Blue Mask's legs with a thud that returned him facefirst to the ground. Jake launched forward to tackle him but paused at the last second as a voice shouted.

"Back off, Magnum. Or I'll cut your friend," Red Mask threatened.

Jake looked over, expecting to find Phinn in danger. Only Phinn raised his hands and pointed toward the gate to the alley. There, Red Mask held his knife to the throat of a drenched Sandy-Brown-Hair-With-Glasses. Blue Mask got to his feet while the two teen sleuths stared at each other incredulously. As the masked burglar ran toward the gate, Phinn shouted at Red Mask.

"Uh, that guy's not our friend. Honestly, we don't know him."

"Phinn!" Jake hissed. "They might hurt him."

"Nah, they won't."

"What? You're not their friend? What the hell are you doing here?" Red Mask challenged. However, once his partner/brother reached him, he stopped caring. Still, he pulled Sandy-Brown-Hair-With-Glasses through the gate with them before slamming the tall door shut.

The teens heard a loud crash over the rain and a clank before running to the gate. However, the gate wouldn't budge. Searching around, they ran to the carriage house/garage's side door, which was locked. Finally, Phinn told Jake to prop him up so he could peer over the fence.

In the nick of time, Phinn saw a familiar Trans Am speed down the narrow alley. In the other direction, he spotted a slipping and falling Sandy-Brown-Hair-With-Glasses until he reached a compact car.

"At least we know who's been following us," Jake replied when he set Phinn down. "But what the hell was that other guy doing here?"

"That's another mystery we need to solve," Phinn said, taking off his fogged-up and wet glasses.

"Whoa!"

Phinn didn't need to see clearly to realize what caused Jake's reaction. He could make out the silhouette of somebody in the kitchen door.

"The police are on their way!" Regina yelled over.

"Okay, we want to check around out here. We're soaked anyway," Phinn called back.

"We do? What are we looking for?"

"Nothing. Pretend we are," Phinn hissed back, crouching down to study grass that didn't matter.

"Jesus, what did I miss inside the mansion?" Jake asked, glancing back to watch the busty brunette disappear into the kitchen. "She really was coming onto you?"

"Oh, yeah. Listen, Regina and probably her brother are shady as hell. They're lying up their asses," Phinn began.

"Damn, such a fine ass too."

"Control yourself. There isn't going to be a third time on this case, got it?" Phinn questioned. He didn't need to explain what he meant as Jake sheepishly nodded. "First, we found a diary belonging to Jason Tarr's alleged girlfriend or fiancée. And I say 'found' very loosely. Regina knew what it was all along. Gawd, that girl is a horrible actress. I swear she tried out two or three characters on me."

"Yeah, she's bad if Luke and I picked up on it while staring at her tits," Jake admitted.

"I don't know what's in it yet, as our intruders showed up right after I picked the lock. I assume that her overacting is what caused them to make such a bold move to get it," Phinn speculated.

"That might be what happened. I thought I saw a shadow over there earlier, but it's hard to see with all this rain and humidity fogging up my windows. I had to roll my window down to see better," Jake explained.

"Second, she let slip that her brother has gone through Jason's papers in the past. So, he might be searching for the treasure already and has been doing so for some time."

"Whoa! Do you think he's the person who put the skeleton on the beach?"

"Doubtful," Phinn guessed. "If anything, he's the opposing player to the person who did that. Okay, thirdly, don't say or do anything inside that we don't want known. The place is filled with cameras."

"What?!"

"I'm not sure how many rooms, but I spotted them in the archive, the kitchen, and the drawing room. Assume there are more. They're tiny and probably battery-operated. That means they probably aren't regular security cameras. That's why we're talking out here," Phinn said, motioning for them to fake check another spot.

"Shit. I hope I didn't do or say anything embarrassing the first time I was here," Jake fretted.

"Who cares? Okay, I don't know if we're still staying overnight. If we do, that's the final point. Whatever Regina does, do not fuck her. Got that? I don't care if she slips into something skimpier than her negligee. I don't care if you wake up to find her sucking your dick. Say no!"

"How am I supposed to say no to that? She's hot."

"She's also shady and might be a criminal."

"Ah, she can't be a villain. She's so hot," Jake whined.

"I've told you this, I don't know how many times. Hot women can be villains. That's why they're called femme fatales."

"That sounds so sexy. How can I say no to something that sexy?" Jake asked, nearly begging.

"Say you have a girlfriend. Claim you're chaste and waiting for marriage. I don't care how you do it, just don't compromise shit by fucking her. Do you understand, Mr. Boat Exhibitionist?"

"You saw the news?"

"Oh, I think a lot of people who know you, Luke, and Andre saw the news and will figure it out quickly if they haven't already. No repeats with this lying bitch, got it?"

"Aw, man. You take all the fun out of it, Phinny," Jake moaned but nodded.

"Hey, you got to see her nude breasts already when she flashed Blue Mask," Phinn pointed out.

"Wait, what?!"