Winner The Crystal Awards 2016, Best Multimedia Story (3d Place).
A spinster doctor rents her spare room to a brain-damaged patient who doesn't know he is a former undercover agent targeted for execution by a powerful criminal.
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In the first half of this chapter, Frank Stone took action guaranteed to bring trouble to Jean and Mitchell. Then Stone, himself, showed up unexpectedly at their door. It sounds as if he has come to deliver a warning.
Enjoy the second half of Chapter 15 of DUBY'S DOCTOR, entitled "Colleagues."
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"Why are you here, in my house, at my table, Mister Stone?" Mitchell demanded.
Stone looked at Jean. "I'm here because you're connected to Averell."
"How?" said Jean, looking from Mitchell to Stone and back again.
"Kyle Averell has a daughter. She is going to be married soon," he pointed to the photo of Iglesias and another man. "This man's name is Iglesias. He is the number two to this man, who likes to be called His Excellency. He is the self-appointed president of a small country called Mirador, near Venezuela.
"Averell is using the bridegroom's diplomatic immunity to ship weapons disguised as 'wedding presents' and 'personal baggage' to His Excellency's leftist love nest in Mirador. It's the biggest deal Averell has ever made. He's even using his own daughter to sweeten the deal."
Mitchell's brow furrowed. "How? How is he 'using' his daughter?"
"Miss Averell will be marrying His Excellency not ten miles from where we sit, in just a few days," Stone said. "His Excellency's obsession with virgins is well known. It's a tribute to Averell's skill as a negotiator that His Excellency will actually enter into marriage this time. Although, the divorce laws in Mirador are literally made to order for situations like this. Miss Averell may not stay married long after he gets her back to the presidential palace."
Mitchell shook her head. "Surely, no one can force this woman to marry a criminal if she doesn't want to. And, you still haven't explained how Jean is connected to these awful people."
Stone reached into his inner jacket pocket and produced a photo that had not been in the envelope with the others. He laid on the table a picture of Averell's entourage, including Yves Dubreau, standing very close to Averell, with all the appearance of a trusted companion and able servant.
Jean was shocked. He dropped the last bit of his sandwich onto his plate and stared at the picture. "I was one of them?" he said. "I was one of these bad men?"
"Apparently, you weren't quite bad enough," said Stone. "They tried to kill you. They think they succeeded."
"What! Why?" Jean cried.
Mitchell reached across the table and picked up the entourage photo. She studied it closely. In the middle of the pictured group was a young woman. A face Mitchell recognized.
"I don't know why, exactly," Stone was saying. "You were very deep in the organization, close to Averell himself, in good favor it seemed. But, you must've made a mistake."
