The interior of the tent was pitch-black. Andrew unzipped the large bag and searched through it. He was glad and pridefully removed the lantern. He pushed the button and the electric blue light flooded the tent. Finally able to see, Andrew put down the lantern and laid out his sleeping bag. He climbed inside and zipped it shut. Soon Andrew was feeling comfortably warm. In order to save the lantern battery, Andrew shut it off.
Andrew lay awake unable to sleep. His thoughts soon drifted off to days earlier. Right after Talia’s funeral, Peter along with the Sheriffs department, showed up at the Ravenclaw property with a search warrant. When they arrived, a caretaker was there to meet them. He informed them that Ravenclaw had already left to join up with friends in Illinois. Though disappointed, the authorities searched the manor and the rest of the property for the book. They could not locate it and gave up the search. Andrew knew they would never find the book there; Ravenclaw was much more intelligent than that. To make matters worse, the Sheriffs department classified the Higgins’s case as unsolved and filed it away. Wyatt was released from jail as promised. Nedra, tired of the bad influences in Bayport, took her boys and just left. She also put their home up for sale. When Nedra paid Andrew for his services, she did not even tell him where they were going. Roxanne returned to her bookstore. She had suggested that Andrew seek professional counseling for his obsession with Vlad Ravenclaw.
Roxanne told him that it was unhealthy. Andrew said he would, but never intended on following through.
Chloe also told him to get help before she returned to her own private investigative business in Madison. She was concerned he would do something extreme. Andrew lied and told her he was planning on joining up with Megan and her parents. Chloe asked where they were. This time Andrew told the truth that they were going to visit family in California. Chloe must have believed him and left.
Nick had gone back to Chicago. He had with him a letter of recommendation from Peter, the Sheriffs department and the Berlin police in Germany. As a result, Nick was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. With everyone gone and back to their normal lives, Andrew was once again alone.
The wind’s icy claws were scratching at the tent in search of it next victim. Andrew laid back and closed his eyes. But sleep did not come yet. Andrew suspected that Ravenclaw had Kara keep possession of the book. Her place was much more secure than Ravenclaw’s. As a result, Andrew suspected that Kara was some how involved in the death of the Higgins’s family. He also believed that Vlad Ravenclaw was involved too. It was all a mute point anyway, at least until he had proof.
Andrew nestled down inside his warm, comfortable sleeping bag. He did his best to ignore the howling winds. Finally, sleep did come to Andrew. He closed his eyes and drifted off into sweet slumber.
The sunlight glistened across the newly laid out blanket of snow. A light winter’s breeze gently flowed across the land. The storm from the night before was gone and in its path was a winter wonderland.
Andrew woke refreshed. He had not gotten such a restful night sleep in months. He sat up and stretched the last remnants of the sandman’s dust from his eyes. Andrew unzipped the sleeping bag and rolled out. He crawled on his knees to the flap and unzipped it. Andrew’s gaze was immediately met with a wall of white. He would have to dig his way out. Andrew dug at the snow, shoveling it out of the way with his gloved hands.
After what seemed like forever, Andrew emerged. The sun-soaked snow blinded him and Andrew immediately closed his eyes. He reached in the breast pocket of his coat and took out a pair of sunglasses. Andrew put them on and re-opened his eyes. When he did, Andrew surveyed his surroundings.
Andrew first appraised the situation with his jeep. It was buried in the snow and going nowhere for a very long time. Andrew turned around and eyed up his tent. It looked more like an igloo now. Andrew ducked back inside and retrieved his binoculars. He walked to the edge of the hill and gazed upon the pristine landscape below. Andrew raised the binoculars to his eyes and focused on the object of his desire.
The stone block castle was impressive, but it probably was more of an eyesore amongst the more modest homes of its neighbors. Andrew scouted the fence line which was constructed of stone and electric wire. It said to intruders very loud and clear to ‘stay out’ or else. Andrew turned his attention to the front gate and the guard house. He saw two security personnel that carried side arms. The gate itself was a very impressive creation of an iron frame and bars. As Andrew continued to watch, a linen company delivery truck stopped at the gate. As one of the guards remained inside in the guard house, his partner approached the truck. He spoke to the driver and checked his clipboard. When he was satisfied, he waved to his partner to open the gate. Once the gate was open, the truck continued on its way.
Andrew settled down in the snow and continued his surveillance. About a half an hour later, another truck arrived. This one was from Nancy’s Catering. Well, Andrew thought, Kara must be having a party. The guards followed the same procedures as earlier. There was no way he could enter the property during the daylight with such tight security. The only way was under the cover of darkness. Andrew estimated it took about five minutes for the guards to check in a vehicle and open the gate. This included the time it took to exit the guard house, walk to the vehicle, check the clipboard and open the gate. Andrew had to find a place to hide close by, and that meant he had to do that during the daylight. Once there, he could remain undetected until the time of the party. Andrew searched the area close to the gate. It was there that he found a large pine tree with its lower branches touching the snow. Andrew was willing to bet that the area beneath the branches and snow was a place to hide in. To do so, was a risk, but one he had to take. He could use the surrounding woods for cover, but the last few yards were in the open.
Andrew stood up and returned to his tent. He crawled inside and retrieved a rather large and long pack of white camouflage that matched his winter clothing. Andrew departed from his ‘igloo’ and started his trek towards the pine tree.
It had not been an easy hike through the knee-deep snow. Andrew was about halfway and decided to rest. He took off the pack and plopped it and himself down in the snow. Andrew opened one of the side pockets and pulled out a couple of energy bars. Andrew tore open the first one and quickly downed it in a couple of bites. With the next one, he opened it and spent a little more time to eat it. As he sat there, Andrew looked around and still could not believe how much it snowed last night. Andrew stood up and slung his pack over his shoulders. He continued on his way.
Andrew had finally reached the edge of the trees. He knelt down and took out his binoculars. He focused on the guard house. The two guards had their backs to him and were in the midst of a conversation. It was now or never. Andrew put away his binoculars and dropped down on his belly. He started his approach to the pine tree. Andrew crawled along slowly and would pause from time to time to blend in with the snow and barren ground cover. By now Andrew could see the guard house and security without his binoculars. This was the critical part in his plan. This was the part where it could all go bad and he would be discovered. Andrew had to slowly inch his way towards the pine tree. What should have normally only taken a few minutes, it had taken Andrew much longer. He was never so glad when the aroma of pine filled his nostrils.