Episode 14 - Madeline Pratt - No. 73

"Luckily she has asked me to help her plan...a heist."

"To steal what?"

"A statue," Red said.

Lizzie raised an eyebrow. "A statue?"

"It's official name is the Effigy of Atargatis but yes, it's a statue," Red said.

"How do I go about learning more about this statue?"

"I have a friend. An antiques dealer. Eccentric man! Hates leaving the house, stays in his pajamas and bathrobe and has a pet monkey," Red says grinning. "We have a meeting with him at eleven."

Lizzie looks down at her watch. 9:45AM. She sighed and said, "Where does he live? I'll meet you there."

"Actually, I thought we would drive over together. He's about a half an hour from here. It will give us time to talk," Red said with a smile.

Lizzie frowned but said nothing. She knew it wouldn't do any good.

"What would you like to talk about. No Tom!" Lizzie said quickly relaxing back on the couch.

"Fair enough," Red said. "You pick the topic. No work!"

Lizzie nodded and asked, "How did you meet Madeline Pratt?"

"I just said no work. If we talk about work then we talk about Tom," Red said with a raised eyebrow.

"It's not work. I'm really curious about how you got involved with her. I didn't know she was a criminal until five minutes ago."

Red stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking. "Well, the first time we met was at a restaurant in Barcelona. She noticed me and came over to introduce herself. After speaking for a few minutes she left. We met a second time in Austria and the third time was in Brazil. All in restaurants, all within a one month span."

"She was following you," Lizzie stated.

"That's what I thought. So I cornered in the hobby of her hotel in Brazil and asked her what she wanted. Turns out she wasn't following me. It really was just a coincidence. She was working a deal and that's when I learned she wasn't as squeaky clean as she made everyone think she was."

"Then what?"

Red started grinning. "Well then we kind of...enjoyed each others company I guess you could say. I found her fascinating, charming, intelligent….passionate. All the things every other man saw in her. She has a bad habit of latching on to men who can do something for her. Give her something."

"So she found someone else and dumped you?" Lizzie asked.

Red smiled and said, "Actually, no. I was the one that terminated our relationship."

Lizzie's eyebrows rose high on her forehead in surprise. "You?!"

"Why does that surprise you?" Red asked laughing.

Lizzie giggled and said, "I'm sorry. It just seems like she would break up with you. As you said, find someone else who could do something for her. Why did you break up with her?"

Red chewed on the inside of his lip. "Two reasons I guess. One, I was very clear with her in the beginning that what we had wouldn't be serious. I insisted on exclusivity of course but it wouldn't be serious. We could enjoy each other, travel together, have meals together, and so on. But things would never go beyond that. No declaration of undying love, no gold bands, no playing house, and absolutely no getting involved in my business. Towards the last month or so I felt she was getting very...clingy. Asking where was I going, who was I going with, when would I be back. One evening over dinner she insinuated that Luli was more than what she was or had ever been and demanded that I get rid of her. That was kind of the beginning of the end."

Lizzie nodded. "I see."

Before either of them could say anything else Dembe walked over and said, "Raymond we should leave now if we are to make your meeting."

"Yes of course!" Red said standing up from his chair. Lizzie stood and followed him out of the living room.

"I'll bring the car around," Dembe said softly before walking away.

Red slipped on his suit jacket and hat as they waited for Dembe.

"You said there was two reasons you broke up with Madeline. You only told me one. What's the other one?" Lizzie asked standing with her hands in her coat pockets.

Red glanced at her but said nothing.

"Red? Was it someone else? Had you found someone else? Is that why you didn't want to get serious with her?"

Red turned to face Lizzie in the doorway of the house. He stayed silent for the longest time, staring into Lizzie's eyes. He finally said in a deep voice.

"Yes."

The End!