Eyes Of Muniz

Chapter 37

Michael drove home with Marisa immediately. He knew he had been right to believe Ned would be in Italy as well, he hoped the private investigator he had hired had located him. This was not the first time he had exhibited obsessive behavior. Michael had kept his secret for so long because he was his best friend. Once Ned had stalked their high school teacher until she filed a restraining order against him. Ned had been suspended then and and ordered to get a private tutor. He was a good person until he felt unwanted. When he had became a doctor there was a nurse who threatened to get a restraining order for Ned but he was quick to get a transfer before he got in trouble. Now he was after Marisa. Somehow this felt personal to him. It was personal.
Marisa slid into bed as soon as they arrived at the ranch house. Michael sat on the bed beside her.
"Are we supposed to be scared?" She asked him.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean is he dangerous?"
"Well, he's never gone far but stalkers can be dangerous" Michael said.
"He doesn't seem to be a bad person though" Marisa said to Michael.
"He isn't, he just needs help. I don't think it's safe for you to go out alone" Michael said. He stood up and went to the closet. He opened it and stared at his suits.
"You have a meeting or something?" Marisa asked him.
"I don't but there's a business party tomorrow evening" he said. Marisa sat up.
"How important is it?"
"Well, a lot of prominent business men and their wives will be there" he replied taking out a black Armani.
"Well I think you should get another suit, seems like an important one" she said.
"And you should get a dress" he told her.
"You're taking me with you?" She asked him surprised.
"Yes, why not?"
"What if I don't fit in?"
"Muniz" Michael said staring at her.
"For real, Michael. What if I ruin this for you?"
"You're smart Marisa, you will be fine. I can't be alone there" he assured her.
" So you just don't want to go alone that's why I'm coming over?"
"I didn't say that" He said defensively.
"Well, it sounded like that?" Marisa said.
"That's not what I meant. So do you want to go?"
"Of course, I do" She replied.
"Thank you. Are you sure I should get a new one?" Michael asked her.
"I am sure, you look handsome in navy blue" Marisa remarked. He smiled and gave a wink.
"So I'll get a new one" he said putting back the Armani in the closet.
"Why did you say it too late?" Marisa asked him.
"What do you mean?"
"You must have known ealier that you have this party tomorrow. You only told me because I had asked you. Wasn't I supposed to know? Or maybe you asked me to come only cause I discovered that you were going" Marisa said. Michael brushed his hair with his hand.
"I knew ealier Muniz so what?" Michael said.
"So you could have said something ealier" she replied him.
"I told you now, is there any difference?"
"Yes there is, if you..."
"If what?"
"Why are you being like this?" Marisa asked him.
"It's not important, Marisa. You being childish" he said going to the bathroom. He knew he could have handled this situation better. It no longer gave him satisfaction to argue with her or say anything to bother her.
"Well, I am really sorry I am not as mature as you are" Marisa called out to him. She lay back in bed.
Michael came out the bathroom and went to the bed. He saw that Marisa just lay there with her eyes open.
"I'm sorry, I just had a long day" Michael told her.
"Yeah, okay" Marisa replied.
"I found out ealier and I meant to tell you. I really am sorry for being a jerk earlier, Muniz. I don't want us to go to bed angry" Michael said to her.
"Can I ask you something?" Marisa thought this was the right time to ask him where they were standing. She couldn't do this anymore. The dates, the pillow talks and the the lovemaking. She just wanted to know whom she was to him. Not knowing was killing her.
"Yes, sure" he replied.
"Well..." his phone rang. He stood up to get it.
" I still want to hear what you have to tell me" He said before answering the call. Marisa nodded. Her heart was thumbing in her chest. What if he tells her that this meant nothing to him? It would break her heart. She stared at him as he answered his call. He hung up and came back to the bed.
"I am sorry, I need to go and check something at the office. I'll be back soon" Michael said.
"That's alright" Marisa said she felt disappointed and relieved at the same time because she was nervous. Michael grabbed his jacket and walked to the door. He stopped and looked back at her.
"I won't be long" he said and went out. Marisa felt tears in her eyes. How stupid of her. Why was she crying? She knew that she was thinking that it may not have been an office call. It could have been some other lady. But if it was so, he would have told her that he was going to see one of his ladies. If he was going to see someone else, she didn't want to think about it.

Michael drove to town and went to a small coffee shop. He took a vacant back table and ordered coffee. The caller should have arrived by now. He was worried he'd take long here or meet one of his project associates. Michael glanced at the door and saw a familiar face walk in. He shifted in his seat as the person approached the table and sat across him.
"Did you manage to get the information?" Michael asked. He was looking at a thin man in a black suit and sandy brown hair. The man smiled.
"It was like looking for a needle in a haystack but I found him. He is staying here in Florence at a bed and breakfast. He parked across the ranch house today keeping watch for a couple of hours before driving away" the man said sliding across the table to Michael. Michael took it and opened it. He saw Ned's pictures, some of them were taken at the bed and breakfast parking lot and some he was clad in a baseball cap in a silver Mercedes-Benz. He knew that was today. So he had been by the ranch house when he called.
"Can you keep watch for him tomorrow at the party? I want you to notify me when you see him. I don't want him anywhere near Marisa" Michael said. He stood up and took the file with him. Ned was becoming a problem and he knew he'd have to take legal action against him soon. He drove away in a rush to get home.

Ned saw him drove off and waited until his car disappeared from the parking lot. What had Michael been doing there? He noticed a man he recognized come out of the coffee shop. Ned knew the private investigator from L.A. Michael would only hire him if he needed to find someone who did not want to be found. He knew it was no longer safe to carry out his plan tomorrow night, he'd have to send Olivia. He still had to be near though, Olivia could forget he wanted Muniz unharmed.