I do not own Monk / Natalie.

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MR MONK MEETS THE REDEEMER

CH 13

Natalie was lying in the deck chair on the terrace, eyes closed, feeling the salty aroma of the ocean touching her lips, and listening to the waves playing on the beach. Her spirit seemed to be in perfect harmony with the nature around her. Her body was relaxed, but her mind was alert enough to not be taken to her dream land by the smooth and synchronized rhythm of the waves.

She really needed a long bath and a quiet night's sleep, but more important than all her desires, was her need be awake for Monk. She knew that soon, the small bit of paradise that she was enjoying would be interrupted. As soon as this thought crossed her mind, she heard the connecting door being unlocked.

She looked at her watch. Exactly 30 minutes of rest.

Natalie blinked her eyes lazily, breathed deeply while stretching, and stood up. Fixing her clothes she walked to the door.

Monk was sitting in one of the armchairs of the living room, his hands trapped between his knees, which were squeezed against each other. This position pushed his shoulders slightly forward, hiding his torso; he was sitting in the armchair like a cornered wild animal.

He observed Natalie approaching, combing her hair with her fingers, and sitting down on the corner of the sofa next to him, hiding a yawn with her hand.

He continued watching Natalie for a few seconds in silence.

"Are you feeling cold, Mr. Monk?" asked Natalie after noticing the strange posture of her boss. "I think you got too much sun; you must have sun stroke." and she extended her hand toward Monk's forehead.

He immediately waved it away, avoiding contact.

"No, I am not cold or feverish."

"So what is this all about? What's happening? Can you give me a clue?"

Monk looked at Natalie for few more seconds, silent. This time she wasn't able to read Monk's face.

"I was wondering if you would want to accompany me to the Rolling Stones' party," he broke the silence.

Natalie stopped breathing. She didn't have a clue about what he was thinking.

Monk began gesturing then; he signed silence with his index finger on his lips, then pointed to his ears with both hands beside his head, and circled his hand twice above his head pointing up, drawing two large imaginary circles above it.

Natalie understood the message.
"Yes, of course, Mr. Monk. I am not even a little tired, I would love to go party!" she said out loud.

She then gestured, pointing to her eyes with two fingers of one hand, then opening her hands in front of her with palms up, corking her head slightly to the side and lifting the eyebrows, as if she was making a verbal question.

Monk shrugged the shoulders, shaking his head as if he did not know the answer.
"So let's go, Natalie. Don't forget to bring your purse." Monk stood up, and put his hand beside his ear, making a gesture as if he was holding a phone by it.

Natalie nodded and said, "Yes, just wait a minute while I go back to my room to get it. I'll be right back."

She stood up to, and winking at Monk, went back to her room.

Monk watched Natalie moving away, tilted his head, adjusted his jaw, stretched the sleeves of his shirt and walked to the door.
As he opened it, two men suddenly threw him back into the room. They forcefully smashed the door against Monk's face, and then rushing into the room immobilized him.
They were the two handymen that Monk had seen earlier in the corridor. One of them held Monk's hand behind his back while the other pressed a damp cloth over his face. All the action took place in only a few seconds and soon Monk was being dragged into the corridor, unconscious.

Natalie returned to the suite just in time to hear the door being closed.

"Mr. Monk? I thought that you would wait for me here." Natalie said, turning toward the door.

When she opened it, she could see the three men moving away in the corridor, one of them talking on the phone a little ahead of the other two; the second man was carrying Monk, holding his arm over his shoulder and embracing him by the waist.

Natalie heard the man on the phone saying 'Kreeshtow Hedentoh' as they turned the corner. She immediately began to follow them.