Croonford Detectives Case 37: All Dressed Up

Story can also be read here.

“Jenn?”

Jenn looked up from her revision notes and books, seeing Maddie Ranson, her classmate standing next to her.

“Where are the other two girl detectives?” Maddie asked.

Jenn raised her eyebrows - despite being classmates for around four years, Maddie never spoke to her. Nevertheless,  Jenn spotted Chelle and Lin across the school library.

Taking the trio Maddie started. “My father got our home redecorated and it looks like a new residence. I’m inviting all our classmates,” she gestured to Jenn. “Would you two also like to come?” She looked directly at the other girls.

“Maddie we’re in the midst of our...” Jenn countered.

“I know, I know. My parents know. However, it’s only an hour or so and dad has antiques from historical eras we’re studying for our history exam. Interested?”

Jenn gave a reluctant nod and Chelle said ok. Lin was not interested in history but did not want to leave her detective friends out.

“What about Mark? What Reinhard?” The 11B girls mentioned their boyfriends.

“Oh, sorry the guest list is full.” The girls pondered and still agreed on her invitation.

“Great, I’ll text you my home address. Oh, by the way, it’s a formal dress code. Dad has some VVIPs there. Hope you have evening gowns.” Maddie disappeared.

Gown?! Jenn cried silently. I don’t have any gowns. Why must it be an evening gown? Meanwhile, her detective colleagues started talking rapidly. “Oh, I’ve a maroon gown. Just have to ensure it’s not that dusty,” Chelle said.

“I’ve a dark purple strapless gown resting in my closet,” Lin added, “Wait, Jenn, something wrong?”

The shortest girl detective gave the reason. “I only have simple dresses. Even for events like relatives’ weddings, I wear dresses. Can’t I go in them.”

“Well, you will look out of place amongst your classmates. A gown doesn’t hurt. I know a not to expensive dress shop. Want to go shopping with me?”

Lin was the ladies fashion expert. Jenn took a moment then nodded.

As the girls returned to revision, the thoughts of Maddie’s invitation lingered in Jenn’s mind. After so long, Maddie finally talked to her and it was an invitation to her home.

Why? She finished up her revision then took her school laptop outside the library.

She searched Maddie’s name but only found her classmate’s social media accounts on the first page. Jenn then narrowed down the search to ‘Ranson’, Maddie’s surname. She scanned through the results and on the bottom of the first page she saw a Wikipedia and a House of Lords transparency link. Clicking on the later, her heart leapt, finding Lord Ranson of Eastbury. The text read that this Lord was the Second Earl of Eastbury, but he decided long ago not to publicly use those titles.

“Edward Ranson inherited half of his father’s inheritance and he invested in that fortunate constructing museums housing family and collected antiques. Despite being a crossbencher in the House of Lords, he rarely sits and uses his own money  not government expenses to travel to London.” Jenn clicked on the Wikipedia article and saw the same information albeit without a picture. Wow, Jenn thought. Maddie’s father is wealthy then she spotted a pdf document on the search.

It was a recent court case between Edward Ranson and his older brother the First Earl, Robert ‘Ranson. Many lines were redacted but the gist was it was a dispute over their father’s will.

At the shop, Jenn and Lin looked up at the gowns on display. “Can we focus on strapped gowns? I don’t want my bra straps to show,” Jenn requested.

“You can always wear a strapless bra or an adhesive bra,” Lin suggested but the answer from her friend’s look said it. There weren’t many gowns with shoulder straps, Jenn concentrated on the thick strap ones and there were only a red gown and a beige gown. The chest area of the red one was a little revealing in Jenn’s view so it was the latter.

“The slit here is rather long, will my pants show?” Jenn wondered meaning her knickers.

“It’s called a high slit. No, not unless you walk improperly or lift it up high,” Lin answered. Jenn thought then chose it. The gown on display naturally wasn’t Jenn’s size but after a hated measurement  of her small frame, another was produced. The sales assistant instructed her how to put it on and she rented it instead of purchasing it still hating the formal dress code.

After shopping, Jenn called all the teen detectives for a meeting They all told their parents they were revising and in their headquarters, Jenn summarised what she had discovered.

“Well,” Chelle remarked after scanning through that pdf document.” We have stumbled across a family dispute. It could turn out to be detective case.”

Jenn didn’t like that; she wanted a simple evening and rush back to revision.

“Are you sure it’s Maddie’s father? There could be other Mr Ranson’s,” Reinhard wondered.

“We’ll find out that evening,” was Chelle’s simple answer.

“It’s time for gadgets then,” Lin said opening a nearby drawer.’

“Wait, you invented gadgets with GCSEs going on?” Mark asked.

“Made last year.” She smiled at her boyfriend. They look like Smartie Tubes? First brown one, ‘The Crackling.’ Throw the ‘Smarties’ on any surface and they will blend with the colour. Anyone stepping on them will created a large crackling noise, notifying you to move if needed. Second black tube, ‘Glow in the Dark’. Throw them again on any surface and they’ll glow in darkened areas. You will need these special glasses to view the glow.” She handed over three transparent glasses to Chelle, Jenn and Richard. “Very useful when you find yourself in low-light or very dark areas. Now just do not eat these fake Smarties. It will cause a person to vomit or give him or her a bad stomach ache instantly.”

Jenn kept them still hoping it wouldn’t turn out into an adventure or case. “Next, could you girls hand your purses, hope you’ll be using these that evening.”

She produced three microchip-like items and attached one to the inside her purse. Pressing on side of the attached device, it emitted a continuous shriek until she pressed that part. “The shriek can be changed to a cry ‘I’m stolen!’ if you press the bottom of the chip or ‘Help me!’ if you press the other side. Great if the purse may be stolen or you’re in danger.”

“Do I get that?” Richard asked.

“Well, I’ve not invented that many of this device.”

Then evening before the housewarming, Jenn finished up her revision then look at the dress lying on her bed. Grudgingly, she put in on and got right the second try, also remembering to wear knickers that won’t sow a visible panty line. She re-watched a YouTube video how to walk properly in a gown and how to lift in when going to the loo. She searched her range of footwear and found a pair that nearly matched the colour of her gown. Her mother told her not to stay too late and Jenn promised not to.

Mark and Reinhard despite not invited decided to watch the guests arriving. They found an eatery opposite Maddie’s place. “Wow, and I thought Lin’s house was large and majestic. This is grandiose, a place fit for a king.”

“You’ll score well in your GCSE English mate,” Mark remarked. “Definitely a symbol of wealth here.”

Reinhard prepared the telescope his girlfriend invented and just as it was set up the first guests arrived. They were all dressed in suits and dresses, giving the image of upper-class individuals. Reinhard now believed the mansion was quite definitely the home of an aristocrat.

“Here comes the students,” Mark noted. Maddie’s classmates were all in suits and gowns like the upper-class guests. As a taxi pulled up, Reinhard peered close through the scope. Chelle was the first to step out in her maroon thin strap gown and one-inch heels. Next came out Lin in her purple strapless gown, hair let down walking in heels half an inch taller than Chelle’s.

“Close your mouth boy,” Mark advised his classmate whose mouth was wide open. “It isn’t prom yet.”

Jenn gingerly came out last, holding the sides of her rented gown and wearing white flats. Inside, they were all greeted by the majordomo. If the exterior was rand, the interior was majestic, with decor from medieval and medieval modern times. Her father is definitely the Second Earl and a member of the House of Lords, Jenn thought. She spotted trays of food and putting those thoughts aside she headed there. As she picked up an open-faced chicken sandwich, Richard’s voice boomed behind her.

“Beautiful gown, Jenn.” He was wearing an all-blue suit with a blue tie that had yellow diagonal stripes.

“Thanks Richard, only if you aren’t wearing it. Want to leave by next hour?”

She’ll never get used to wearing anything but jeans and trousers, he nearly shook his head. “Alright, we’ll share a taxi.”

Just as she picked up a fruit juice, another voice boomed. Jenn spotted a man in a suit and bow tie, exactly like the picture in the House of Lords transparency website.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all, especially students taking their GCSEs,” how kind of him, Jenn thought dryly. “Welcome to the Ranson housewarming. It’s the same residence however, we renovated and redecorated much. As you also can see, there are antiques on display, many my team collected. They will shortly be moved to our various museums. Feel free to look around and ask me or my family members any queries.”

Chelle took a walk to see the various exhibits. Lin, totally uninterested in antiques, started talking to some of her science club members. Jenn finished her drink and sandwich then spied Maddie across the room, wearing a sky-blue strapless gown. “Nice place,” She started then slowly asked if Maddie’s father was an Earl and member of the House of Lords.

“You checked upon me yes to your queries. My may hold those titles, but as you discovered he just calls himself ‘Mister.’ My family is ultra-wealthy, I can’t hide that but I never wanted to be part of it. I work odd jobs, never wish for my father’s inheritance. I...”

“You’ve never talked to me then suddenly I’m invited into your home along with the other girl detectives. Why?”

“Well, I... hey are you interested in that rifle?”

“I may not be a military fanatic but it from the First World War? We studied that in history class.” Jenn asked.

“Yes, it’s my great great grandfather or uncle - not sure which - rifle. Usually, rifles aren’t kept by soldiers but he fought with distinction using so the army let him use it. Amongst the items on display here it is the most expensive.”

“So, I was asking...” Before Jenn could complete her sentence, she felt dizzy, her mind turned blank and the mansion lights turned off.

When she awoke, Jenn only saw a darkness. Slowly, she regained full consciousness. She quickly realised the darkness was not due to any blindness but a blindness dark piece of cloth wrapped around her head. I’m blindfolded! Jenn also felt an adhesive stuck on her lips and her wrists were secured behind her back with ropes. Her wrist bonds were further secured with rope tied around her waist. More ropes were tied around her ankles. Bound, gagged and blindfolded, what a way to spend an evening.

Just as she started to struggle, a human arm touched her. “Jemm, ist thatm um?”

“Maddiemm?” Jenn replied and shifted further. She moved her arms and felt the knots of her classmate’s wrist bonds and started tugging at them. Getting the cue, Maddie also felt and found Jenn’s wrist bonds and tugged at the knots. After a minute they faced each other’s back-to-back, working on the knots. The two teenaged girls worked furiously at their knots. After eight sweaty minutes, Maddie’s knots came free first and Jenn heard a ripping sound.  “Thanks Jenn!” Maddie called then fingers then peeled off Jenn’s tape gag and quickly pulled down her blindfold.

“It’s great to see and talk again. Do work on wrists bonds again, Maddie.” It took around three minutes before Jenn’s hands were free. Both girls picked at the knots on their ankle bonds and quickly they could fully move. “But where are we?” Maddie asked, Jenn noticing there was no blindfold around her neck.

In the mansion, there lots of calls and cries from guests and some staff when the whole place plunged into darkness. As Mr Ranson tried to keep calm, servants scurried to gather flashlights, while the majordomo rushing to check the circuit breakers. After fifteen minutes and three checks, the circuit breakers appeared fine. Just as the majordomo felt really frustrated, the lights return.

“Where’s Madeline?” Mrs Ranson called across the room.

“Where’s Jenn?” Chelle called.

“What happened to some of our antiques?!”

“Bell, could you handle this missing person’s case from the Ranson family? I’ve still have to write up the report on the drug case we solved.” Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) Nikki Heath called.

“Sure thing Boss,” Detective Sergeant (DS) Bluebell Ransom responded. She preferred to be called this shortened name as opposed to her first name. Police Constables (PC) had already congregated when she arrived. She instructed some PCs to cover all exits, others to cover the grounds and brought in a few with her. Blubell was glad Mr Ranson was wise to prevent anyone from leaving. As DS Ransom announced that everyone would be questioned, there were groans from the students taking their GCSEs.

Jenn and Maddie saw their surroundings were all pitch-black. The girl detective searched around and was glad she found both her purse and Maddie’s. Everything was inside but there was no phone signal and as she checked her phone Maddie tapped her arm.

“I think we’re in an underground bunker dating back to the World Wars. It was an air raid shelter then an ammunition storage facility.”

“Well, whatever. Let’s find a way out of here.”

Jenn shone her phone around, finding that they were in a small chamber and there was only one tunnel to her left. Advising Maddie to dim her phone torchlight, she got on her knees and elbows, leading the way. It initially was wide for them but narrowed quickly, however, Jenn was thankful for her small frame. As she crawled further, she saw a light at the end of the tunnel and quickly whispered to Maddie to halt. Jenn inched closer to discover if it was a way out or if it was danger. There was a large chamber below her with figures huddling around crates. Suddenly, she heard voices then saw dark figures moving items. All of a sudden, a figure rose up, stared at her direction and shouted.

“Back! Go back, Mads!” Maddie crawled back but was not used be on all fours moving back. Her left heel then struck part the tunnel’s wall and the shouts grew louder. Jenn then collided with Maddie and a dark-clothed and masked figure appeared and grabbed Miss Ranson’s ankle.

“Got free eh, birds?”

DS Ransom finished interviewing Mr and Mrs Ranson and the household staff. With the with the assistance of a senior PC, started questioning the quests. She understood the students were sitting for exams, so allowed them to go home after interviewing them and taking their contact details. “I saw Jenn talking to Maddie over that corner near an antique.,” Richard said in his statement recalling from photographic memory. Another few guests also mention feeling sleepy. “Get Forensic scene investigators (FSI) here immediately!” DS Ransom told the PC.

Jenn and Maddie were dragged by masked men through the tunnel then leftwards through another shorter tunnel into a larger chamber than where the girls started. Both girls were forced down and instead of ropes, the girls’ wrists and ankles were secured with cables ties and taped gagged again. As one flipped Jenn over, her gown flared up, exposing her beige knickers and a gagged cry.

“Add more boss?” One thug asked while the girls gave muffled cries.

“Nah, go back and secure the antiques.”

The FSIs after testing the various guests, reported that the guests had inhaled some form of sleeping gas and another trio noted that there were marks on the floor and wall where the rifle antique was and the girls were standing. Acquiring a knife and a crowbar, she and two other PCs pried around that area and finally, traps doors opened, a smaller one in the wall and a larger one where the antique was. DS Ransom ordered her PCs to search the wall tunnel while she entered the floor tunnel.

Jenn wished she had her other gadgets as being bound with cable ties was far harder to get out than ropes. She tried the old trick of twisting her arms from back to her font but with her restrained ankles, she only got aching muscles. Meanwhile, Maddie kicked off her heels and using her hands, she drew out an object from one and used it to cut off her ankle bonds. Managing to draw her restrained hands in front, she reached over and cut off Jenn’s restraints.

“Wow, thanks Maddie,” Jenn remarked as she tore off her gag and removed all restraints from restraints her classmate. “Did you make this gadget?”

“Just an old razor blade I carry for self-protection. Came in useful. Looks like another chamber in this bunker.”

“Let’s find a way out.” Jenn pushed at the ‘panel’ they were brought in and thankfully it wasn’t sealed. She scanned the tunnel for any thugs, then grateful her purse and phone weren’t stolen, gingerly crawled out. As she did, she threw some of the ‘glow in the dark smarties’ on the floor.

Bluebell Ransom discovered a labyrinth of large and small tunnels as she descended. She wasn’t as small as the teenagers so she found difficulty moving through it and after finding two tunnels, she picked the one to her right. Jenn had led the way back to the large chamber she saw earlier. There was a ladder and they discovered there were no more crates as Jenn spotted earlier. “They said ‘antiques’, it’s a good guess that they stole my dad’s antiques,” Maddie remarked.

“Which means there’s some tunnel large enough to carry them. Could you check that section?” Jenn asked.

“There’s so tunnel, but it pretty high up and narrow,” On the other hand, Jenn found an easily-opened tunnel within reach and in her view, wide enough for them or a large to bring up items. Jenn climbed in first, then helped Maddie up. There was a long ladder and even in a gown and heels, the girls could easily climb. It appeared four levels up and the girls managed up to three levels. Meanwhile, DS Ransom found a small chamber with pieces of rope and packing tape on the floor. Moving through another tunnel, she turned to find another small chamber.

“Come on, Maddie, it looks like just on more level,” Jenn called. Jenn saw there was some man hole and unscrewing it appeared with all her might, it opened after three turns and Jenn felt a rush of cold wind as she peered up. No one else looked present so both girls came up. “This looks like my back garden,” Maddie remarked, brushing her gown.

“And these rightfully belong to me,” a loud voice said.

“Uncle Rob?” Maddie exclaimed. As the dark figure moved closer, both girls were grabbed from behind and hand gagged. One henchman snatched Jenn’s purse and emptied one ‘Smartie Tube’.

“Police! Release those girls!” A female voice yelled and a PC appeared shining her flashlight.

“Oh, how you going to stop us? My men are armed.” All the men raised submachine guns and handguns at her and her approaching colleagues. With the PCs unarmed, there was no way they could argue. Suddenly, the thug holding Jenn held his stomach, releasing her and started to vomit. Suddenly, taser shots rang out and the henchmen all collapsed on the ground.

“You’re under arrest for attempted kidnapping and stealing personal property,” DS Ransom announced as she handcuffed the first. Earl of Eastbury.

“Horrible uncle,” Maddie remarked as the girls sat in the open ambulance.

Jenn returned to the question why she, Chelle and Lin were suddenly invited to Maddie’s house.

“You win. I long suspected there were many attempts to steal Dad’s antiques. Besides the court case you read, there have been break-ins recently. I wanted you three girl detectives to spot anything peculiar here.”

“You could have told us that earlier!”

Maddie admitted her mistake and said inviting her class was the cover story. She promised to speak to Jenn and keep no further secrets from her. DS Ransom, noting it was late, told them she would clear the matter after their GCSEs. Jenn gratefully rushed back home, took off the gown and returned to revision.

Michelle, Lin Ling, Jennifer, Mark, Reinhard and Richard will return in ‘Missing in Action’.

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