"Hey, look, he actually leaves his windows open. This is going to be easy," Jason whispered, pointing to all the open windows. "Not to mention, no one can see us with all of this flowery stuff."

"You mean we are going in there?" Chuck asked in a timid voice.

"I am going in there, you are going to wait and look out for me," Jason replied. "Hold me up to the window so I can see if he has a security system." Chuck quickly held his hands into position as Jason stepped into the palms of his hands and braced for the awkward lift up to the window.

Peering through the window, Jason did not see much of anything in the house. All he saw was very few pieces of furniture and lots of boxes. There was no sign of any type of security that he could tell so he lifted himself into the window.

"I will be right back," Jason whispered to Chuck, who took his position of lookout.

Jason made his way around the house. The other rooms did not look much different. A table, couch and a desk with a computer was the only furniture in the house besides the usual appliances. Boxes were stacked everywhere. Jason walked over by the desk. There in the middle was a book labeled Palm Springs Community College with the name Dean Windell Robert Stewart, Nursing program engraved in gold. He opened the book to see pictures of students, some with writing beside them. Most of the captions were about female students. Words like "beautiful, nice, smart one, and very ugly" were among the many comments. Then he saw more detailed notes that insinuated that Mr. Stewart had known the girls better than the other ones. He wrote, "very good one, likes exploring in between the covers" by one girl. Another girl's caption mentioned "she would not give in, so she is going to regret that move". Then Jason turned the page and saw a familiar picture. Christine's brother Nathan was pictured as one of the few men in the nursing program. Then he saw the caption, "loser, total loser. Knows too much for his own good, he will get his". Jason was about to look around the desk more when he heard the sound of a pigeon. That was their signal that someone was coming and to get out of there. Not wasting any time, Jason quickly returned to the window and dropped quietly to the ground. Giving Chuck the quiet signal, the boys waited outside the open window to eavesdrop on the visitors.

"So Windell, are we going to proceed with our plans? I can't believe that you allowed yourself to get duped by a young girl and her stupid brother," one voice said as the door closed.

"Yes, please do. I have had enough of their threats and I am not giving them one more cent," the other voice answered. Jason assumed it was Windell Stewart.

"Well, my fine brother, if you would have just went with the family business and did not have such a fascination with young women, you would not have this problem."

"Hey, those girls wanted me. They are old enough to make their own decisions. I never made them do anything that they didn't want to do. They used me just as much as I used them," the voice known as Windell answered sharply. "I wanted to be in power. As long as you are around, I could not have that power so I made my own empire."

"At a small town desert college with small town girls, you could have really been something my brother," the other voice responded.

"I am something. Besides, I still benefit from the business as much as the business benefits from me. How many pharmaceutical operations have I aided you with and how much money did that bring in?"

"Fine, but you could have done better.

"Right now we have to deal with the situation at hand. Let me check the message machine to see if I have any new ones," Windell's voice said as the boys heard footsteps move across the room.

The heard the beep from an answering machine and then, "Message one. Windell, we are having a staff meeting next Thursday at three in the afternoon. We will need you there for this one. See you there. Beep"

"Message two. Mr. Stewart, I needed to let you know that your package from University of Massachusetts came in her in the office. I will put it behind my desk for safe keeping."

"Message three. Mr. Stewart, I expect to be hearing from you concerning a certain situation. I need more money. We had another doctor's appointment today. It seems that you are going to have a little girl that over the next eighteen years you will be paying dearly for my fine teacher. If you don't, you know that you will be spending some time behind bars. California has stiff laws for older men who sleep with seventeen-year-olds let alone sexual harassment of college students. Look forward to hearing from you and oh yeah, thanks for the upcoming diploma. Call me, sincerely yours, Nathan."

Jason and Chuck's mouths dropped. A loud banging noise woke them out of their shock.

"Darn that brat! We have to get rid of them. I am not going to be threatened like that. I am not living the rest of the years I have left answering to a dumb loser!"

"Windell, that dumb loser outwitted you very well. But we have the plan already set. All you have to do is lay low and keep your pants and desires to yourself for a while. No more young women or teenagers," the other voice warned.

"I want to know about the plan. I want to make sure that this will not be traced to me or you at all," Windell asked.

"Have we ever been caught over the years? But to make you feel better. I have arranged for the untimely demise of the young lady. As for her brother, the act will silence him enough I am sure, especially after our warnings. As for his threats of telling about the college girls, it will not hold water. Those young ladies have already moved on and have careers and lives. They will not want that to be jeopardized and will remain silent just like they have for the past ten years. The new students will fear expulsion so they will not rock the boat either. We just have to get rid of the evidence completely and the young lady is the only evidence. Then no worries and no more money being wasted on riff raff."

Both voices chuckled at that statement.

"So when am I going to be free Raymond?" Windell asked.

"Let me call and see my dear brother," the other voice said. Jason heard him pick up a phone and dial.

"Yes, this is Ray. How are the plans coming?"

"So you are watching her as we speak, excellent."

"Wait until she gets back to the house and proceed with the plan."

"Oh! That is brilliant! Definitely proceed with that plan. That is marvelous. Get in and get out and leave nothing behind. We are professionals you know. Thank you and we will be on our way to meet you at the old state park."

"The wheel is in motion Windell," Raymond commented after the phone was hung up. "Right now she is with another young man. The boys are going to continue to watch until she comes home. Then we will have a murder/suicide. So both Nathan and our young lady will be taken care of instead of just her."

"What about this other boy? What if he does not leave?" Windell pressed.

"Don't worry, we have everything under control. Now can we have a small bite to eat while we wait for word?" Raymond commented.

"All I have is soup," Windell answered. The voices were heading in the direction of the back part of the house.

"I bet that Adam is with Christine. At least he is going to be safe until he takes her home. We need to call and warn them though," Jason whispered. The boys were about to make their way back to the van when the phone rang again. Both boys stopped to hear the next conversation.

"Yes, John, what do you need?'

"What?"

"That plan sounds excellent. Go ahead with it, but wait until the best time. The timing is everything."

The phone was then hung up.

"What now?" Windell asked.

"Well, John had Ranaldo listen in on the conversation between our lady friend and the other young man. She told him that you have connections. We can not spare him now. So as soon they reach the house, the plan will go into action. It seems that Nathan will discover this young lady and her male companion and kill them, and then kill himself. We will complete the mission with a suicide letter explaining the crime. The classic hit."

Jason's blood almost stopped flowing. He had to reach Adam and tell him to stay away from Christine's house. Chuck and Jason quickly made their way to the van. Seeing that his father had called already, Jason called him back with their discovery. Carl also relayed the information that he had found out concerning Windell Stewart. He had a long past with young college girls that spread across the western part of the United States. He would move from college to college. Complaints were filed, but no one bothered to check out his references was Carl's suspicion.

While his father was going to get a hold of the sheriff and start on his way back from Los Angeles, Jason filled his mother in on the news. She agreed to call to Adam while Jason rushed back to Emerald Beach. What normally took two hours only took one hour as Jason pulled across the county line. He called his mother to find out about Adam since he finally had signal again. But he was met with bad news. Laura was unable to get a hold of Adam.

"I have tried countless times, but he must be out of signal range. I don't even know where he went!"

After assuring his mother that they would find him, Jason made his way to Christine's address. He was thankful that he memorized her address. Chuck and Jason would have to park the van down the road and wait for Adam to come by. It was the only road that led to Christine's house. Faking a breakdown, both boys prepared for the wait.