Chapter 16
Something else I do when not writing: create with playdoh.
I've grown soft and let the Grands mix colors as much as they want.
Hidden Secrets
Leona Palmer Haag
Chapter 16
Matt clicked one key on his computer keyboard and a
moment later there was a little tap on the door. "Room service?"
Monica softly asked.
Matt shrugged. "Check it out, honey."
Monica slid from her perch and stood before Gonzales.
"Did you order anything else besides…" She waved her manicured
fingers toward the lifeless waiter.
Perspiration poured from Gonzales as he shook his
head. Matt watched him cower into the back of his chair as his breath grew
shallow. "Be careful, honey," he cautioned.
Monica checked the peek hole before she quickly drew
the door open. A man dressed as the first waiter entered, pushing a similar
cart. He parked the cart beside the first one, returned the covers to the
plates, and calmly left the room pushing the first cart containing the syringe,
test papers and other items.
Once the door closed, Monica rapped her long fingernails
on the new silver cart and a door flipped up and a third waiter unfolded his
thin frame and stood up. He bowed and smiled a white-toothed grin from his
dark, Panamanian complexion. "Senorita?" he said, addressing Monica.
"Gonzales is dead," she said, waving her
hand lightly toward the man in the chair. "Unfortunately, I believe it was
from a self-induced drug injection, but I'm sure if it needs to be finalized
with a gunshot wound or something quieter or cleaner later on, that would
suffice."
"As you wish," the third waiter said with a
bow. He turned to the cart and proceeded to pull a few items from the
compartment he'd been hiding in, and Matt wondered how so much had fit. A few
seconds later the waiter showed off the wheelchair he had assembled.
"For the dead man," the waiter said.
Gonzales turned pale.
"May I?" the waiter asked, holding up a
small make-up kit.
"Certainly," Monica replied.
Before his eyes, Matt watched Gonzales turn old and
gray. A small shawl was placed over his shoulders and the waiter said,
"Please hunch down, sir. You're not dead exactly yet. Later we'll take
care of that detail."
Gonzales complied and hunched his shoulders.
"Shall we make the transfer?" the waiter
asked, turning to Monica and Matt.
Matt stood up and held a gun to Gonzales' head.
"I'm ready," he said.
Gonzales didn't try to escape once his restraint was
loosed, nor while he was transferred to the wheelchair. He made no objection to
being securely bound to it at the waist, hips, shoulders, knees, ankles, upper
arms and wrists. He hunched down when told and was covered so the cords would
not show.
"Escorts are waiting in the hall," the
waiter said with a bow.
Matt walked the waiter and prisoner to the door where
three waiters quietly waited. They nodded greetings and Matt closed the door
behind the group.
Monica sat on the edge of the credenza and said,
"Mendez, it's clear."
The waiter on the floor slowly stood up and stretched.
He smiled. "Well done, Monica. It's a pleasure working with you."
Monica flashed him a smile. "You looked adorable
lying there like a dead man, but I caught you breathing once."
"I nearly sneezed," Mendez admitted.
"Matt would have blown you away again if you had,
so don't worry about it."
Mendez looked at Matt. "So you're the famous
Fox?" He held out his hand.
Matt took the hand and shook it. "And you're
Mendez. It's nice finally meeting you. Your grip on the gun was a little too
strong. Next time I kill you, please relax."
Mendez flushed. "Ah, I'm sorry, sir. I was
worried about giving it up. It won't happen again. When I'm supposed to be
dead, I'll let the gun go and not breath."
"You did very well this time," Matt said.
"It scared Gonzales into talking. That's what mattered. You were a
success. Thank you."
Mendez bowed and beamed and smiled and looked
extremely delighted.
"Famous Fox?" Nick questioned after Mendez
left.
Monica laughed. "I brag about you. It keeps guys
like that at bay. It gives them something to strive for."
Matt chuckled. "Do you go over the top?"
Monica shook her head. "Not really. I probably
don't do you justice."
Matt gave his wife an affectionate kiss, then released
her. "I've got us booked on the eight-fifty flight to Atlanta tomorrow
morning. In the meantime, I think we need to find out why a Mexican conflict
came looking for us in Panama."
"And I'd like to see if we can get the songs
downloaded and deciphered."
Matt plugged his camera into his computer and sent the
Gonzales interrogation to the office. While they waited to hear back, he
searched the Internet for the songs. Once downloaded, he played them. The
second time around Monica pulled him to his feet and wrapped her arms around
his neck. "Shall we dance?" she murmured.
"I'd pick something a little less bone-jarring if
I had the choice," Nick said as he took his wife into his arms.
"With the lights down," Monica added. She
reached behind him and adjusted the tempo, slowing it down so they’d catch
hidden messages.
End Chapter 16
When I start reading a new book I love to plow ahead at my own pace, whether fast and furious and filled with excitement, or slow and meticulous so I don't miss a single detail. I wish I could post this entire book at once for you so you could read from beginning to end at your own pace. With that in mind--believing you'd like to keep going at a decent speed without forced interruptions--I promise I'll try to post as often as possible, and will generally post more than one chapter each day I post.
Wish me luck!
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