by Mari Sillva
- You are the first person who does not look at me with disgust he offered me help without asking for anything in return, thank you! -He smiled remarkably excited, was really delighted with her kindness toward him, just a stranger.
Nayla was like that, had the power to conquer people only with the power of words, saw beauty where no one else saw, so fell in love with Estevão right away.
-Here's my card, take a nice shower and have a decent look. - And, for God's sake, get those horrible gold teeth out and throw that damn drug in the trash. After you do, you can call me whenever you want I'm willing to really help you. -The ex-rascal on the south side of the city, a future university and salaried man, embraced her with the chance she had given him of being a worthy person.
-I'm not obliged to stand here and watch it! - Not content to destroy my heart, he decided to distort the owner of the mouth of smoke. Stephen was sulking and jealous. Nayla followed him and followed him to his car parked across the street.
-We need to talk, Estê, we have to clarify what happened on that day of the ball. -She grabbed his arm and stopped him from opening the door of his black Jaguar, classic model, with upholstery imitating jaguar leather. She made his keys fall to the ground under the wheel.
- Do not touch me! I think you've ruined my night enough for today, do not you think? Why do not you keep your promise and disappear from the country, or rather from the face of the earth? - He was sarcastic, cruel in words.
He bent down to pick up the keys and when he got up he saw that she had disappeared. So he went on his way to his real home, a cabin in the country, totally out of the way. In the state he was in it would not be healthy to have to face four suspicious partners and the worried look of his younger brother. What Stephen did not know was that Nayla was closer than she thought hidden in the trunk of her Jaguar she was too stubborn to leave that conversation for another day.
Chapter 13
Waiting for you…
Now Jesse Carter was seen in the FBI's investigative department as the darling of Judge Thompson, a close friend of the president of the United States and a big fish in the legal world. The fact that she had saved his daughter's life and appeared in countless covers of magazines and newspapers, mostly at lunches the young woman had taken to luxury restaurants alongside the almighty and her children, Lia and Maxmilian Thompson, a certain envy in our fellow workers. It had been almost two weeks since, and everyone was still talking the same thing, being the number one news item on the radio runway of the gossipers on duty.
If Jesse herself, who should have boasted of the heroic act, had already forgotten what had happened, she did not make the slightest impression that everyone was hammering on the same key. Her shoulder had improved, she was firm and strong back to work, she had not recovered psychologically from the attack. By the way, no one in the department, other than the new partner, Hugo Rodrigues, was kind enough to go visit her at the hospital or show some trace of concern. The only thing she received was a rough call from her father, threatening to fire her if she did not return to work in two days. In the face of such "loving" words from his parent, he woke up very early on Monday morning to calm himself. She did not wear her usual uniform, and for the first time dared to display the badge on her belt so everyone knew she was a police officer and to respect her as such. She found it good to be back at work, she was tired of staying home with nothing to do but think of the charming smile of a certain cruel bandit named Blade Maldonado. She was a little annoyed that no one had worried that she could be below seven feet on the earth at that moment. What hurts the most knowing that if it had been with another policeman, the major would have gone to the end of the world to find the culprit who shot him but in the case of his own daughter, he claimed it have been just an exceptional assault.
The investigator arranged the personal belongings on the small wooden table that occupied fifty percent of her tiny improvised room that she was proud to have. She was the type of person who did not want to have everything, she was proud of what little she had and thanked God every day for that. She finished cleaning everything and put it in place, set the phone on the hook waiting for an urgent call to pick up her gun - which she did not know how to use - and the bulletproof vest with the FBI badge bigger than her, leaving the city and fighting crime, feeling like Wonder Woman, ready to face anything. She sat so lavishly in the chair, leaning her whole body back, placing her hands on the back of her neck, totally relaxed, until a thin, irritating voice, which she knew very well, disturbed her moment of peace.
-How's the judge's sweetheart? - Amanda grinned, with a chill smile on her face, reaching into Jesse's space without greeting her or saying anything at least "human" and displaying a glass of cappuccino from the best coffee shop in town.
It was amazing how a simple police uniform looked like Chanel's first-hand look at that woman anything would look good on her. In fact, she was the prettiest woman in the department, but what was left over in appearance left her wanting in the soul.
-I've never been so good, my dear! - And my friend Judge Thompson sent you a kiss. - Ah! I forgot, he does not even know your existence! - Jesse did not like being abused, but at that moment could not hold her tongue, Amanda deserved to hear this and more to stop being so arrogant.
- Look how you talk to me, you ugly duckling, you're thinking only because you "saved" the judge's daughter. This story is very badly told, my dear, I will not rest until I find out what really happened and expose you in front of everyone, especially the major. - she pointed her finger right in the middle of Jesse's face, with an absurd arrogance.
- Careful, Amanda, envy kills! - Hugo Rodrigues came to the aid of the new partner.
Besides being intelligent, he was straight in the words and had an answer to any question without needing to think too much. He was a little bent sometimes, but he had a good heart. He would not take orders from anyone, not even Major Carter. He worked his way and hated wearing a uniform; at that moment he wore light blue jeans, a black shirt with the photo of the Joker grinning wickedly and a dark social coat giving a more serious look to the rest of the look. On her feet, expensive shoes, her hair all messy style over brown eyes under the degree glasses. On the neck, the badge in a kind of lanyard fit to hang the object and hands a huge bouquet of red roses, beautiful and perfumed.
-Nobody called you here, nerd, go look for some animal to cut and leave me alone, - Amanda mumbled, folding her arms in a sulk.
-Dissect, Amanda, can´t you utter a word? I forgot that you can only play smart in front of Chief Carter. - Hugo rolled his eyes without patience, just as Jesse could not bear it, and he did not trust her in it, even if it was the major's favorite.
-Shut up, Hugo, and tell me who sent me this bouquet of flowers? Certainly, some admirer of me, behind me are the ones who will not be missing. -she said, as if sure that the roses were for her.
-Quantity has never been a sign of quality, Amanda. - The flowers are for you Carter. Amanda, who already had her arms open in the air to receive the bouquet, held them in the same position, totally paralyzed, in shock with the revelation of Hugo Rodrigues.
- For me? - Jesse literally fell from the chair, knocking over everything on the table, including Amanda's cappuccino glass, which she had placed there to pick up the flower arrangement she thought was hers.
-Yes, madam.
Rodrigues smiled, looking at Carter lying on the floor with filthy cappuccino hair. Luckily the clothes had not been soiled. She took the flowers with the greatest delicacy, visibly enchanted, I even liked to see. She took a small card in the middle of the roses and took the arrangement very well done close to the face to smell them.
-It's the first time I get flowers from anyone, - Jesse said, smiling, no matter who had sent them, she was immensely happy.
-Will not you tell me who told you to, Carter? There may be some bomb in there they may be trying to kill you again. -Amanda let out the poison, maddened to know what was written on the note.
-It's none of your business, you fake blond, do not be jealous, woman! - And no use saying you are not Schadenfreude, in your language the famous and old envy. Her skin were more reddish than normal, narrow eyes, clenched fangs and clenched fists with an inner struggle with her ego. Rodrigues described it perfectly he was an expert at reading people.
Before Amanda said anything he took her by the arm and left pulling her out, said goodbye to Carter with a wink that she responded in the same grateful manner.
- I got flowers! - she thought aloud, smiling non-stop, he was really happy about it.
She got up carefully, trying not to slip into the puddles of brown liquid on the floor, sat down in the chair resting the bouquet on his lap and opened the note slowly with his heart beating as fast as a flower.
To remind you of our ride princess I can´t wait to spend a whole day at your side, after all, even before it happens I'm sure it will be one of the happiest days of my life. Your smile enchants me, I feel complete after I met you.
Jesse smiled even more as she read the signed ticket at the end by Michelangelo Abreu. She had never fallen in love with anyone before, she had always been a quiet girl, she did not care for quantity, but quality. She wanted someone to make his heart pound as it did when he saw Blade smiling for the first time. She liked the bartender just because she did not feel cold in his belly or butterflies flying in his stomach like Maldonado. However, Miche was a good guy and gentle every time with her, so she would give him a chance. The investigator was taken from her thoughts at the sound of the telephone ringing, answered still half-doodled holding the small piece of paper.
- FBI police department, investigator Jesse Carter speaking. How can I help? -She said in her best serious tone, the way she saw her father do when he answered a call.
-Meet here at home in two hours, do not be late. Next time, be careful to speak your last name because it could be the Blade instead of me. See you later investigator, have a good day. -Julius gave the warning as delicate as he could by saying between the lines to be careful that Maldonado did not find out whose daughter she was.
Jesse spent the whole morning mulling over the Mexican's words, took advantage of lunchtime to go to such a meeting, not to be late spent at her sister's job and asked for the car loaned. Mainara lent with her heart in her hand, the investigator was qualified, but she could not drive straight, a real danger in the steering wheel.
In the leaps and ravines arrived without any scratch and ten minutes ahead of schedule, the first car she saw in the garage was the Impala with its wheels filled with dark orange mud. She remembered that the land where the Blade's hiding place was the same color. Surely he should have come from there, had not seen him since the last time he was in her apartment. When he got to the office, the first one he saw was Maldonado sitting in a black leather chair near the door, his face sourer than ever, pretending not to notice her presence. Divine into a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt with thin sleeves glued to the body, leaving fully exposed muscular arms full of tattoos; on his feet, caramel boots with loosely laid laces. The tired expression on his face worried her a lot, her breathing was heavy, and a strange hoarseness in her chest, the redness of her skin as if her body temperature was elevated.
- Hey, Blade, how's it going? -Said Carter, offering him her best smile.
-It was very well until you arrived, - he replied rude, thicker than usual. He had to keep his fist closed to control his little cough, it was clear he was sick.
-I only came because you invited me, sorry if my presence does not please you.
He looked away, did not understand how someone with such a lovely smile would rather hide him behind such rudeness instead of using it whenever possible to make someone's day happy, especially hers. Even so, Carter could not help but be concerned about Blade's worn-out eyes, deep-set eyes, and a hoarse voice almost incomprehensible. Since the last time she had seen him, she noticed that she was beginning to seize. Instead of improving it was much worse.
- Hi, little one, nice to see you again! - Julius's sympathy compensated for Maldonado's lack of sensitivity upon receiving a visit. It was nice beyond belief, especially when it came to the person's face. By the tender tone and the look of him saying to her "do not worry, I'll keep your secret, - he reassured herself.
-How do you do, big one? - She passed her hand in the air to greet her and hugged him with a huge smile on her face that made the Mexican's heart warm up in the face of such tenderness.
- Hey, you crazy, beauty? -Li thought the little girl was amused and found the girl's all-too-embarrassed way hilarious.
-Pure beauty, man, everything in peace, - Jesse teased the Chinese, slamming her hand into his, causing a loud snap but not enough to justify the ugly face that Blade did just because of the lively greeting of the two.
-Could you stop this bullshit and start talking about what really matters? - Leave this circus animation aside and let's get right to the point. If they liked her so much they might be so kind as to tell her to comb her hair for good while doing no harm to anyone.
Maldonado's eyes wandered maliciously, beginning with his rebellious hair loosely disengaged, totally free dancing according to the will of the wind, boldly defying the law of gravity, it was cinnamon brown. She passed her face with no trace of makeup, her three-quarter-sleeve khaki blouse, loose dark jeans with two or three crooked pleats around her waist. Now without her mother's magic hands and sewing machine to shape her clothes, she was turning herself alone with a roll of thread and a needle. When he looked down at the old pair of sneakers he felt his stomach wrap, he had never met a woman so sloppy in his life.
-Do not be rude to the girl, Blade some people may get hurt by the truth. - Stephen was hurriedly arranging his coat in an attempt to relieve the dull appearance, all misaligned, so he liked to walk all stoned. He even tried to fix the partner's rudeness toward the girl, but it only made things worse.
The Englishman, who used to walk with a black cloud over his head, lately lived as if his days were all sunny with birds flying freely in an enviable blue sky. Always calm and passive, if he knew how to smile he would do it all the time he had plenty of reasons for it now.
-I do not understand why every time I try to talk to you like a civilized person makes a point of treating me with a mangy dog if you want me to pretend it does not exist and just say that at least I will no longer play the fool, You, Blade. - Silence prevailed in the place. Her courage in facing him surprised everyone.
-Actually, nothing would make me happier, I can´t stand your voice. Even its owner, your clothes are horrible and your hair, I'd rather not comment.
Jesse looked down at her robes, he did not find anything wrong with his clothes, really. Her hair looked lovely the way it was, she liked to wear it naturally.
-Do not worry about his coarse remark, little one. Nowadays any crap becomes a fashion, as horrible as you are you have style, that's what matters. -Estevão tried to console the girl, in his way.
- Stop everything! Is that on your neck really a hickey, white? - The Englishman almost freaked out when Li materialized beside him, trying hard to see the purple mark gaping half a foot below his ear.
-That's none of your business, Chinese abused! - Salvatore yelled, taking Li's hand from the collar of his coat.
- Estevão is dating ... Estevão is dating ... - I was singing, turning and doing an annoying little dance around the Englishman who was about to shoot him with such anger.
- Damn it! Look at him, Julius, make him stop it!
The Mexican, without a trace of patience, grabbed Li's blouse and lifted him like a doll, carrying it to the table and placing him sitting on the chair like a child of five years of punishment.
-I'm sad to have to interrupt their lovemaking, but we have to start planning how the investigator is going to steal the folder containing the data from the Blade parents' death case. - The Mexican took the word, sensible as always.
Jesse, out of the corner of
her eye, saw Maldonado's muscles tensed when he heard about his parents' death. This subject moved with him in an overwhelming way. After reviewing the plan several times, the combination was that it would be up to them to sort out some distraction in the department so that she had enough time to find what they needed without raising any suspicion. All the while, Maldonado was quieter than he was of the opinion, and that was rather strange. There was a moment that he dozed, sitting up, all shrunken with skin tone growing redder, coughing all the time. Carter, who sat across the room, did not take her eyes off him.
-Are you all right, Blade? - Julius asked worriedly, his partner was shaking endlessly.
-Yep. - He said simply, cutting the subject short and thick.
Almost at the end of the meeting, he left the Frenchman sure no one had seen him, like a sneaky cat. But Jesse watched as his car came out singing tire, leaving an orange trace of the claw marks, making a crooked line as if drunk. Immediately Jesse took the phone in his pocket and called the only person who could give him the answer he needed, would have to be discreet to get what he wanted without raising suspicion.
- Tell me partner, where are you that's not back from lunch yet? Your father is a beast after you. -Rodrigues answered excitedly, speaking with his mouth full of something.
-In which mountainous part of Los Angeles is the earth dark-orange, pulling for a bright red? - I remember you saying something about it once. Could you explain me better where I would find this kind of soil?
- The only place with such characteristics is the mountains located in Nevada, in the center-east of California, passing through the old Yosemite National Park, which for many years has been closed and was adored by its incredible granite cliffs, giant forests, beautiful waterfalls and a good diversity of animal life. There you can choose between more than two hundred trails to know the valley, but only one of them is able to take to the mountain where the ground sports this orange color. But the place was bought by someone mysterious and interdicted by this so that no civilian entered and tried to climb the hidden place never came back to tell the story. - Jesse's eyes widened in alarm at his report.