Upgrade to TC 14 problems with Connect being null (Windows 10)

We had a VS/TC test running (Visual Studio 11 and TC 12) which worked fine. I do a Connect.StopTest() to stop a test before doing the StartTest().  I surround the StopTest() with a try{} catch{} in case no test is running.

We recently updated to TC14.  Rebuilt everything and replaced those 3 Automated dll's with the TC14 ones. (when we first ran TC 14 it converted our project noted by "tpath" above to tc14): Occasionally, the test works, but most of the time at the lines

     Connect.StopTest() and Connect.RunTest(GetTestName(), "Generic", tpath); we get the following below

     (when we first ran TC 14 it converted our project noted by "tpath" above to tc14):

Result Message: Initialization method ErepriceClassLibrary.NewReprice.Before threw exception.        System.NullReferenceException: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object..
Result StackTrace: at Multiplan.Scripts.WorkFlow.BaseClasses.AbstractTestCase.Before() in c:\VS_Projects\ERepricerTC14\EERepriceFrameworkClassLibrary\BaseClass\AbstractTestCase.cs:line 89

When I do a quickwatch on Connect it certainly is not null (see attached picture).  Originally the StopTest() was in the Before() method but I moved it to the line before I start the test as I thought that would fix it.

I can't understand why it says Connect is null.  Anyone have an idea?  See attached picture.