Time is on my side apparently.either that or I type quickly. Once again
this story isn't turning out how I planned; the bad guy is turning out to
be nice and the nice people are turning out to be bad. Oh well.. Now on to
Ch.11
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony stood in front of the bathroom mirror trying to get his bow tie right. He would have rather worn one of his plain black suits but Kate insisted that black tie meant tuxedo. He untied it and started over again as a pair of arms came up and removed the ends of the tie from his hands. "Turn around then bend your knees a bit so I can tie this will you?" she asked. Reluctantly he did as she asked. "We are late as it is. On the up note they can't start the speeches without me." She made a perfectly formed bow for the tie. "Stand straight let me see you." In her mind she could picture them together in a small flat in London with two children, a boy and a girl; miniature copies of each of them.
He slowly stood straight and looked at her. "My, aren't you devilishly handsome," she said with a glint in her eye. Then she waited. Once he realized what she was waiting for he nodded at her in approval. She did look very attractive, he thought, in the bright red floor length gown, her deep brown hair falling in silken waves around her shoulders, but she wasn't Dylan. He turned and headed down the stairs. "Anton," she called waiting a moment. Turning back to her he once again realized what she was waiting for. She wanted him to escort her down the stairs. He walked back to her and held out his arm which she gratefully took.
As they arrived at the bottom of the stairs he looked at her intensely and she gave him a big smile. "This is it," she thought, "he is going to kiss me." Slowly Anthony snaked his arm around her and leaned in. Then with the other hand he reached up and brushed her hair away from her neck. She smiled and shivered anticipating his kiss but a kiss isn't quite what she received. He wound a strand of hair around his finger and pulled. A loud ripping sound filled the hall followed by a feminine scream.
Kate leaped away from him rubbing her head and looked at him with big eyes. She was a bit frightened but waited to see what he would do next. Having seen him with Dylan's hair she waited to see him claim her the same way, waited for him to smell her hair with the same euphoric expression. Instead he looked at the hair in his hand and set it on the sideboard, grabbed his cane and walked out to his Black BMW. She watched in shock wondering just who the hell he thought he was. "Why is Dylan's hair better than mine?" she wondered. Then and there she decided that his rejection of her hair only made her want him more.
*-*-*-*-*
Dylan sat waiting in her apartment dressed to the nines with no where to go. She wore the long green gown Rutherford gave her and her hair was arranged on her head, small tendrils of which curled around her ears framing her face. It was almost eight forty-five and Rutherford hadn't shown up. "Great," she thought to herself, "even the bad guys have started to stand me up." She waited another five minutes and decided, "What the hell," and headed out to her car.
As she was about to get in a long black limousine pulled up, the back door swung open and Neville Rutherford jumped out. "Dylan-love!" he cried as he saw her. She paused only for a moment and sat down in the driver's seat of her Mustang that Jason had returned earlier in the evening. Neville grabbed the door just as she was about to slam it shut. "Dylan, don't be mad I was tied up with business." She looked at him angrily and stuck her key in the ignition. "Come now, there is champagne chilled in the back. You can't be mad at a man who offers you 1965 Dom Perignon. A very good year I might add."
"I thought champagne was a requirement for a limo so I doubt you bought it just for me." She turned the key. Instead of the elegant get away she was hoping for the motor sputtered. Neville smirked and Dylan glared at him.
"Oh I know that look. Just how much time have you spent with our friend Anthony? Hmm?"
"Shut up!" she said and turned the key again.
"Anyway Dylan-love." he began but she cut him off. "It's Dylan. Plain 'ol Dylan not Dylan-love."
"Ooh temper I have to warn you that you are twice as cute when yours is out to play." It was all she could do not to punch Rutherford in his smug face. "Now Dylan," he paused to show her he dropped the "love" part. "The business which delayed me was for you- about the eggs. Now be a good girl and come with me so we can discuss it." Dylan turned the key again and the car sputtered but still didn't start. "We are late enough as it is, you don't want to miss the unveiling of what I am sure are fabulous fakes but if you stay here with this car of yours you will never get there."
"I'll take a cab," she said getting out and slamming the door to the Mustang. She reached into her black beaded bag and pulled out her cell phone.
"Please," he looked at her and gave her puppy eyes. Then in all seriousness he said, "I am not one to beg but I would appreciate your company this evening. All teasing and flirting aside, Dylan," he held out his hand to her. Reluctantly she placed her cell phone back in her bag and took his hand. "See was that so hard. Now let's go and show them what real beauty is shall we?"
Dylan sat in the backseat next to Neville Rutherford who said, "Since you are fulfilling your part of our deal I will fulfill mine."
"Ok what do you have," she asked as she saw the manila folder on the seat across from them. He nodded towards the folder and she reached for it. As she began to open it he placed his hand on hers. "First before you open that I want the guarantee that you aren't going to hop out and scurry away first chance you get tonight. Promise?"
Dylan looked at the folder then looked at Rutherford, "Promise."
"Good, Second.." He began but she cut him off. "No, no second. We had a deal," she yelled angrily.
"Good god Dylan you are in a snit tonight aren't you? All I was going to do was ask you to call me Neville. Is that too much?"
Looking at the man next to her she supposed he was right it wasn't really too much to ask "Okay," she acquiesced, "you are right Neville. I am in a snit. I found my boyfriend with another woman last night. Plus I'm still getting over a nasty virus." She added the virus part hoping that he wouldn't try anything.
"I can't believe there is a man out there who would cheat on you? Introduce me to the cad I'll challenge him to a duel," he said angrily which caused Dylan to laugh the first real laugh she had in days. There was something about the image of Neville Rutherford dueling Anthony over her honor that struck her as humorous. "And the lady has a lovely smile too. I have to say that is the first honest smile I have seen from you and I do like it."
Dylan opened the file and looked at the information. Inside was a picture of the burly man AKA Francisco. "Who is he?" Neville handed her a glass of champagne.
"Who is he indeed? Splendid question my dear. He is Francisco Javier Duarte, assassin extraordinaire. The 'assassin extraordinaire' is what he calls himself. I personally think he isn't so extraordinary. Wonderful chap though not quite as good as our friend Anthony but he gets the job done."
"You've worked with him before?" she asked taking as sip.
"Many times. Last time I saw him." he paused a moment to think."last time I saw him was actually the last time I saw Anthony; before you came to visit me with him. It was when I introduced him to an exquisite woman named Vivian Woods." Dylan choked on her champagne and Neville patted her on the back. "Dylan-love are you alright?"
"Just peachy," she said gasping for air.
"I take it you had a run in with Vivian?"
"Yeah," she said downing the last of what was in her glass. "She tried to kill my boss, Charlie. That is the job that Anthony was hired for."
"Not the only job it seems she used him for either," said Neville waggling his eyebrows suggestively and gave her a refill. It took her a moment but she finally understood what he was saying about Anthony and Vivian. She closed her eyes not wanting to believe it and wondering if it was true why Anthony never mentioned it. Shaking herself away from the vision of the two of them together she continued, "So what does this man have to do with the eggs."
"He is the one who stole them. Now before you ask I haven't quite figured out who his is working for. I only know this because he apparently was talking about the eggs to another acquaintance of mine just last night. So you find Mr. Duarte and you find your eggs."
*-*-*-*-*
At the Los Angeles Museum of Art Alex adjusted her molar mike with her tongue and watched as Jason carried two glasses of champagne over. "So what are we looking for?" he asked as he handed one of the glasses to her.
"Suspicious people," she said.
"Ohh, so do we see any?" he asked scanning the room. Just then Natalie and Pete walked in followed by Bosley and Mama Bosley and handed their invitations to the pimple-faced teenaged boy working the door. "Hey there is Nat, Jason, Bos and his mom," said Jason who began waving his arm wildly to get their attention.
Alex forced his hand down. "You can go talk to them but don't bring attention to that we are all here together," she said crossing her arms. She was still mad at Natalie. She couldn't believe that the other woman couldn't see answer to the case right in front of her and that answer was Kate and Anthony were involved in the theft of the eggs.
Across the room Pete helped Natalie off with her wrap. "I'll take these over to the coat check," he said kissing her neck. Natalie giggled. "Hey," said Pete, "There is Jason and Alex. Honey, why don't you go over and say 'hi' while I take care of the coats?" Natalie could see from across the room by Alex's body language that she was still mad about their disagreement earlier in the day. She was still mad too but she didn't want this case to come between them. She didn't also want to focus on the wrong people and let the real villain in this get away. "That's a good idea," she said to Pete and headed over towards Alex.
"Hi," said Natalie to Jason and Alex. Jason didn't know what was going on but whatever it was wasn't good. It wasn't like the two of them not to embrace when they saw each other. "Maybe it's just for the case," he thought. At least he hoped that was all it was but Alex had been acting funny all evening.
"Hello," said Alex coolly to her friend.
"Have you seen Dylan, yet?" Nat asked looking around the large room.
"No. I haven't seen Kate or Anthony yet either," replied Alex not looking at Natalie but at a painting of a large mustachioed woman on the wall.
"Alex, can't we just agree to disagree. I know you think it's them but I think you might be wrong. I can't explain why but I think we need to try to work together to get this solved."
"Aren't we working together?" said Alex looking at her surprised. Her mind wandered back to the conversation she had with Jason the other evening; the one about whether or not she tended to overreact. "I thought we were although you didn't seem to want to hear my theory."
"I always want to hear your theories," said Nat. "But sometimes you need to hear mine too." Alex's expression softened and she was about to say something when Jason came over and said, "Hey isn't that Anthony? And who is the babe he is with? Sure doesn't look like Dylan."
*-*-*-*-*
Anthony stood in front of the bathroom mirror trying to get his bow tie right. He would have rather worn one of his plain black suits but Kate insisted that black tie meant tuxedo. He untied it and started over again as a pair of arms came up and removed the ends of the tie from his hands. "Turn around then bend your knees a bit so I can tie this will you?" she asked. Reluctantly he did as she asked. "We are late as it is. On the up note they can't start the speeches without me." She made a perfectly formed bow for the tie. "Stand straight let me see you." In her mind she could picture them together in a small flat in London with two children, a boy and a girl; miniature copies of each of them.
He slowly stood straight and looked at her. "My, aren't you devilishly handsome," she said with a glint in her eye. Then she waited. Once he realized what she was waiting for he nodded at her in approval. She did look very attractive, he thought, in the bright red floor length gown, her deep brown hair falling in silken waves around her shoulders, but she wasn't Dylan. He turned and headed down the stairs. "Anton," she called waiting a moment. Turning back to her he once again realized what she was waiting for. She wanted him to escort her down the stairs. He walked back to her and held out his arm which she gratefully took.
As they arrived at the bottom of the stairs he looked at her intensely and she gave him a big smile. "This is it," she thought, "he is going to kiss me." Slowly Anthony snaked his arm around her and leaned in. Then with the other hand he reached up and brushed her hair away from her neck. She smiled and shivered anticipating his kiss but a kiss isn't quite what she received. He wound a strand of hair around his finger and pulled. A loud ripping sound filled the hall followed by a feminine scream.
Kate leaped away from him rubbing her head and looked at him with big eyes. She was a bit frightened but waited to see what he would do next. Having seen him with Dylan's hair she waited to see him claim her the same way, waited for him to smell her hair with the same euphoric expression. Instead he looked at the hair in his hand and set it on the sideboard, grabbed his cane and walked out to his Black BMW. She watched in shock wondering just who the hell he thought he was. "Why is Dylan's hair better than mine?" she wondered. Then and there she decided that his rejection of her hair only made her want him more.
*-*-*-*-*
Dylan sat waiting in her apartment dressed to the nines with no where to go. She wore the long green gown Rutherford gave her and her hair was arranged on her head, small tendrils of which curled around her ears framing her face. It was almost eight forty-five and Rutherford hadn't shown up. "Great," she thought to herself, "even the bad guys have started to stand me up." She waited another five minutes and decided, "What the hell," and headed out to her car.
As she was about to get in a long black limousine pulled up, the back door swung open and Neville Rutherford jumped out. "Dylan-love!" he cried as he saw her. She paused only for a moment and sat down in the driver's seat of her Mustang that Jason had returned earlier in the evening. Neville grabbed the door just as she was about to slam it shut. "Dylan, don't be mad I was tied up with business." She looked at him angrily and stuck her key in the ignition. "Come now, there is champagne chilled in the back. You can't be mad at a man who offers you 1965 Dom Perignon. A very good year I might add."
"I thought champagne was a requirement for a limo so I doubt you bought it just for me." She turned the key. Instead of the elegant get away she was hoping for the motor sputtered. Neville smirked and Dylan glared at him.
"Oh I know that look. Just how much time have you spent with our friend Anthony? Hmm?"
"Shut up!" she said and turned the key again.
"Anyway Dylan-love." he began but she cut him off. "It's Dylan. Plain 'ol Dylan not Dylan-love."
"Ooh temper I have to warn you that you are twice as cute when yours is out to play." It was all she could do not to punch Rutherford in his smug face. "Now Dylan," he paused to show her he dropped the "love" part. "The business which delayed me was for you- about the eggs. Now be a good girl and come with me so we can discuss it." Dylan turned the key again and the car sputtered but still didn't start. "We are late enough as it is, you don't want to miss the unveiling of what I am sure are fabulous fakes but if you stay here with this car of yours you will never get there."
"I'll take a cab," she said getting out and slamming the door to the Mustang. She reached into her black beaded bag and pulled out her cell phone.
"Please," he looked at her and gave her puppy eyes. Then in all seriousness he said, "I am not one to beg but I would appreciate your company this evening. All teasing and flirting aside, Dylan," he held out his hand to her. Reluctantly she placed her cell phone back in her bag and took his hand. "See was that so hard. Now let's go and show them what real beauty is shall we?"
Dylan sat in the backseat next to Neville Rutherford who said, "Since you are fulfilling your part of our deal I will fulfill mine."
"Ok what do you have," she asked as she saw the manila folder on the seat across from them. He nodded towards the folder and she reached for it. As she began to open it he placed his hand on hers. "First before you open that I want the guarantee that you aren't going to hop out and scurry away first chance you get tonight. Promise?"
Dylan looked at the folder then looked at Rutherford, "Promise."
"Good, Second.." He began but she cut him off. "No, no second. We had a deal," she yelled angrily.
"Good god Dylan you are in a snit tonight aren't you? All I was going to do was ask you to call me Neville. Is that too much?"
Looking at the man next to her she supposed he was right it wasn't really too much to ask "Okay," she acquiesced, "you are right Neville. I am in a snit. I found my boyfriend with another woman last night. Plus I'm still getting over a nasty virus." She added the virus part hoping that he wouldn't try anything.
"I can't believe there is a man out there who would cheat on you? Introduce me to the cad I'll challenge him to a duel," he said angrily which caused Dylan to laugh the first real laugh she had in days. There was something about the image of Neville Rutherford dueling Anthony over her honor that struck her as humorous. "And the lady has a lovely smile too. I have to say that is the first honest smile I have seen from you and I do like it."
Dylan opened the file and looked at the information. Inside was a picture of the burly man AKA Francisco. "Who is he?" Neville handed her a glass of champagne.
"Who is he indeed? Splendid question my dear. He is Francisco Javier Duarte, assassin extraordinaire. The 'assassin extraordinaire' is what he calls himself. I personally think he isn't so extraordinary. Wonderful chap though not quite as good as our friend Anthony but he gets the job done."
"You've worked with him before?" she asked taking as sip.
"Many times. Last time I saw him." he paused a moment to think."last time I saw him was actually the last time I saw Anthony; before you came to visit me with him. It was when I introduced him to an exquisite woman named Vivian Woods." Dylan choked on her champagne and Neville patted her on the back. "Dylan-love are you alright?"
"Just peachy," she said gasping for air.
"I take it you had a run in with Vivian?"
"Yeah," she said downing the last of what was in her glass. "She tried to kill my boss, Charlie. That is the job that Anthony was hired for."
"Not the only job it seems she used him for either," said Neville waggling his eyebrows suggestively and gave her a refill. It took her a moment but she finally understood what he was saying about Anthony and Vivian. She closed her eyes not wanting to believe it and wondering if it was true why Anthony never mentioned it. Shaking herself away from the vision of the two of them together she continued, "So what does this man have to do with the eggs."
"He is the one who stole them. Now before you ask I haven't quite figured out who his is working for. I only know this because he apparently was talking about the eggs to another acquaintance of mine just last night. So you find Mr. Duarte and you find your eggs."
*-*-*-*-*
At the Los Angeles Museum of Art Alex adjusted her molar mike with her tongue and watched as Jason carried two glasses of champagne over. "So what are we looking for?" he asked as he handed one of the glasses to her.
"Suspicious people," she said.
"Ohh, so do we see any?" he asked scanning the room. Just then Natalie and Pete walked in followed by Bosley and Mama Bosley and handed their invitations to the pimple-faced teenaged boy working the door. "Hey there is Nat, Jason, Bos and his mom," said Jason who began waving his arm wildly to get their attention.
Alex forced his hand down. "You can go talk to them but don't bring attention to that we are all here together," she said crossing her arms. She was still mad at Natalie. She couldn't believe that the other woman couldn't see answer to the case right in front of her and that answer was Kate and Anthony were involved in the theft of the eggs.
Across the room Pete helped Natalie off with her wrap. "I'll take these over to the coat check," he said kissing her neck. Natalie giggled. "Hey," said Pete, "There is Jason and Alex. Honey, why don't you go over and say 'hi' while I take care of the coats?" Natalie could see from across the room by Alex's body language that she was still mad about their disagreement earlier in the day. She was still mad too but she didn't want this case to come between them. She didn't also want to focus on the wrong people and let the real villain in this get away. "That's a good idea," she said to Pete and headed over towards Alex.
"Hi," said Natalie to Jason and Alex. Jason didn't know what was going on but whatever it was wasn't good. It wasn't like the two of them not to embrace when they saw each other. "Maybe it's just for the case," he thought. At least he hoped that was all it was but Alex had been acting funny all evening.
"Hello," said Alex coolly to her friend.
"Have you seen Dylan, yet?" Nat asked looking around the large room.
"No. I haven't seen Kate or Anthony yet either," replied Alex not looking at Natalie but at a painting of a large mustachioed woman on the wall.
"Alex, can't we just agree to disagree. I know you think it's them but I think you might be wrong. I can't explain why but I think we need to try to work together to get this solved."
"Aren't we working together?" said Alex looking at her surprised. Her mind wandered back to the conversation she had with Jason the other evening; the one about whether or not she tended to overreact. "I thought we were although you didn't seem to want to hear my theory."
"I always want to hear your theories," said Nat. "But sometimes you need to hear mine too." Alex's expression softened and she was about to say something when Jason came over and said, "Hey isn't that Anthony? And who is the babe he is with? Sure doesn't look like Dylan."