They Call Me...Montey Greene

Chapter Fifty Four

JUAN CARLOS pushed open the vast doors to his library. Stepped over the threshold and behind the bar.

Montey had gone to the restroom.

Bruno was still outside with the limo driver.

It was just Alejandra and Paolo, with her father taking out the fixings for five drinks.

"So, tell me. How long do you plan to be on holiday?" Juan Carlos asked his daughter.

"I just want to stay here for a while, at least until the boutique is set to re-open."

"According to the contractors, that will be in a few weeks' time."

"I know that. But it's like I told Montey, Christina is there she can handle things until I get back."

"So you've discussed this with your rabbit's foot I see."

"It wasn't a discussion. I just told him what I'm telling you now." She paused. "Are they even close to having a clue as to who torched it in the first place? That is what you said the fire inspector told you at the scene, that it was torched right? What about the arson investigation?"

"That was from the arson investigation," Paolo interjected. "The exact word was—firebombed."

Alejandra rolled her eyes at Paolo and his lame way of trying to start a conversation with her.

Then Montey entered the room.

"Papa, why is he here?"

"Because I am paying him to be."

"Not Montey, Paolo."

"Yes, that is who I was referring to, Paolo. He is on a special assignment for me. Now, before we go any further I would say you getting chosen to represent the face of emerging Latinos in Ocean Drive magazine and your successful fashion show is worthy of a toast, in light of the unfortunate turn of events. A lesser person would have quit. I am proud of you. Proud to be your Papa as you are so fond of calling me."

Paolo picked up a glass and said, "I'll drink to that."

Montey picked up a glass and said, "I'll drink to that and to friends in foreign places," as he raised his glass in honor of Maria.

They took quick sips and placed the glasses back on the bar.

"Papa, I'm just curious. Was Paolo in Paris on a special assignment the night of my fashion show? Was Paolo in Paris for you?"

"I'm standing right here. You can ask me, Alejandra"

"For me? No. If he was there at all it was on his own accord."

"Would this be reason enough?" Montey asked as he pulled out the little bag of pink ecstasy pills and tossed them on the table. The packet of pills landed with the inscription side of the pills, the R inscribed inside a butterfly, face up for all to see.

Bruno walked in at that exact instance, picked up the little packet of pills handing them to Juan Carlos.

Juan Carlos examined the contents of the bag instantly recognizing the inscription belonging to his ecstasy connect Raul. Then he held the bag between his forefinger and thumb as he waved it back and forth gently as he asked "What is the meaning of this? Where did you get these?"

"In Paris," Montey answered. "Gerald told us some wild story about somebody coming there every month exchanging ecstasy pills for an equal amount of Peruvian powder. And the story gets wilder." Montey reached in his pocket pulled out two wallets. "One is from Maria, found her laying in a pool of blood in my flat the day you hired me, the other is from our cabin attendant on the train that night. Said someone paid him fifty-thousand to kidnap Alejandra and kill me. Obviously we're still here so—".