Cuban Sun

by Bryn Bauer

  She infused a smile in her response. “I’m afraid not Rick, I’m where I’m supposed to be. But, I’m hoping you can point me in the right direction with a case I’m working on.”

  “I’ll do my best, go ahead.”

  “Well, I’m looking for a private mechanic in the Miami area. One who is very discreet and specializes in antique Mercedes.”

  “Is this a legal thing? You’re not looking to sell him to the D.A. are you? If so, I can’t help you. People like that are far too valuable to my work.”

  “No, of course not. I wouldn’t ask you to do something like that. This is for a client.” She had not technically lied. Indeed, Joe and Helena were her clients in the loosest sense of the word and she was not looking to get the mechanic arrested. She sensed his hesitation and added, “I know Grandfather and Father trusted your opinion for this kind of thing and I thought if anyone could help it would be you.” Sofia knew that a little flattery could go a long way.

  He sighed and gave a small laugh. “Sofia, you could always talk me into anything, even at school. Ok, there’s a guy in Little Haiti named Seydou who does work for me. He is discreet in the extreme. He’s the best there is if you’re getting something appraised or worked on, but I doubt you’ll get any client information out of him even if you mention my name.”

  “Is Seydou a last name?”

  “No idea and I’m smart enough not to ask.”

  “Thanks Rick, that’s exactly what I needed.”

  “No problem. And Sofia, if you ever need a job…”

  “You’ll be the first person I call. Thanks again.”

  Sofia wrote down the address Rick gave her and headed to find Quint. He was with Helena and Joe in the entry hall saying their goodbyes.

  Once out of the house Quint turned an excited look on Sophia. “You got it didn’t you?”

  Sofia was excited too, but didn’t want to get their hopes up too high. After all, she still had to find this Seydou and somehow convince him to tell her where the car was. If he was even the one who had worked on it.

  “Not exactly. I got some information on the car though. I’m going to Little Haiti and check it out.”

  “The hell you are!” Joe and Quint said in unison. Both looked horrified at the prospect.

  Joe continued, “It’s midnight. There’s no way we’re letting you go out there.”

  “I have to”, Sofia argued. She summarized her conversation with Rick but didn’t mention his name or the business. She knew a thing or two about discretion herself.

  “Well you’re not going alone.” Quint interjected. “I’m going with you.”

  Sofia was touched at his concern but exasperated by his protectiveness.

  “I’m a grown woman. I’ve been to plenty of places on my own. I backpacked through three countries by myself and was just fine.”

  Quint shook his head. “Not wearing that outfit you didn’t. That’s not a great part of town for you to be looking like that.”

  Helena agreed, “The Prada bag alone paints a target on you. Quint will go with you.”

  Quint nodded once. Obviously, this discussion was over. Sofia fumed as she got in Quint’s leased BMW and gave it one last try. “If a gang jumps us in the parking lot what good will you be anyway?”

  Joe said, “Good point.” He tossed a Kel Tec handgun to Quint who checked it and stowed it in a hidden holster before climbing in the car himself. Sofia was shocked but made an effort not to show it. She’d seen enough security details to observe that Quint knew how to handle a firearm and she wondered how a Law professor came to get that kind of knowledge. As Sofia looked away, Helena reached her hand in the passenger window and dropped something in Sofia’s hand. The pair of four carat pink diamond studs glinted in the light from the house. These were the earrings that Helena had been wearing at dinner. Helena correctly interpreted Sofia’s puzzled look.

  “They have built in GPS. Joe and I can track you two. Text us the address and if you deviate from your course, we will know something has happened.”

  Sofia turned to look up at Helena who stood at the car’s side. “You have GPS in your earrings?”

  Helena laughed. As Quint put the car in first she said, “You don’t think Harry Winston makes all their money on mundane retail sales do you?” As they drove Sofia wondered how two lawyers over fifty would be helpful in a gang situation and why they had GPS devices hidden in jewelry. Nonetheless, she followed Helena’s directions removing her own earrings and replacing them with the pink diamonds.

  Arriving at the address Rick gave her, she was secretly glad Quint insisted on accompanying her. Not that she was going to tell him that. They were now in a fairly seedy part of town, so much so that Sofia did not want to get out of the car in her bright persimmon dress. She felt it would be like waving a flag in front of a bull. She grabbed Quint’s black trench from the back seat and shook out her hair to cover the earrings. She turned to Quint who was scowling at the dilapidated garage.

  She said, “If I’m lucky, maybe they’ll just think I’m a call girl.”

  He looked doubtful “In a BMW?”

  She tried to maintain lightness in her tone. “Hey, don’t I look high priced?”

  Quint gave Sofia a grudging smile and moved to get out of the car. She stopped him with a hand on his arm. The familiar electric feeling surged through her again.

  “No, stay here. Guys in this line of work are very suspicious and scare easily. I’m much less intimidating than you.”

  “How do you even know he’s there? This place looks locked up tight. No way anyone is still working in there.”

  “Don’t be so sure. My grandfather’s guy lived over his garage so he could receive calls at all hours from overseas and do internet consults. And, don’t let the building fool you. It’s just to keep cops and criminals away. Hiding in plain sight.”

  Quint looked impressed but dubious. “Alright. I’ll be right here with one hand on the door and the other on the Kel Tec.”

  Sofia approached the door and pressed the buzzer. A screen lit up illuminating the face of a man in his late thirties wearing coveralls. “Yeah?” Over his Latin-accented English she heard machinery and tools being industriously applied inside.

  I’m definitely in the right place, she thought.

  “I’m looking for Seydou. I need him to do some consulting work. I brought photos.”

  “He don’t do that kind of work.”

  “Then I need him to come have a look at the piece then.”

  “He don’t do house calls neither. If you want work done, bring it here.”

  Well, thought Sofia, the front is complete. There was no way would any collector bring a piece down here. He was vetting her. She played a hunch, a gamble, but it was all she had.

  “I know he went out for the Caracciola. I’m sure he’ll be intrigued by what I have as well. May I speak with him?” Sofia had said the magic words. As soon as “Caracciola” was out of her mouth, the man’s visage instantly transformed from bored irritation to frank appraisal. Sofia tossed her hair just enough to ensure he caught a glimpse of the pink diamond studs. He did.

  “Well, miss, he ain’t here just now, but he usually hangs out at the Marvilla on Friday nights, you could catch him down there.

  The Marvilla Club was a hideout frequented by A list movie stars and industrialists alike. Seydou must be more refined than this guy. Her hopes lifted minutely. She thanked the man and quickly walked back to the car.

  As soon as she relayed the details to Quint he whipped out his cell and dialed Joe and Helena. “We need an entry to the Marvilla club.” Quint listened and glanced at Sofia. “Are you going to tell her that?” He kept listening to Joe but eyes were on Sofia. He glanced away. “Ok, Joe.” Without looking at Sofia he clicked ‘end’ on the phone and put it back on the dash.

  “What?” Sofia asked.

  “Joe’s going to get us in.”

  “Funny enough, I gathered that on my own. How will he get us in
?”

  Quint shifted in the driver’s seat. “He’s going to call and tell them you’re coming.”

  “That’s it? Who at the club cares if I’m going to be there?”

  Quint looked at her from the corner of his eye then back to the road. “He’s going to call and tell them Sofia Koury, daughter of Rayan Koury will be arriving shortly.”

  “What?!”

  “That reaction is why I wanted Joe to tell you.”

  Sofia was furious. Joe was using her. Not even for herself, but for her connections, her name. “And what did he say?”

  “Um, he said, and I’m quoting here ‘tell her to put on her big girl panties and get over it.” He said it in a rush as if saying the words quickly would stall the explosion. It didn’t.

  “Who the hell does he think he is? He can’t just go around and use my name or my father’s without asking. What about privacy?”

  “Can I say something without you going completely crazy?”

  She was taken aback. “Maybe.”

  “It does make a certain kind of sense. I mean, it’ll get you in and give you instant credibility with this guy. If your father and grandfather really were collectors, then he’s probably at least heard of them. The club will no doubt look you up to make sure you’re not some poser, so this is kind of the easy way.” Sofia didn’t reply but sat back in her seat. She saw his point and realized the task would be easier if she were able to use her real name and identity. Making it up on the fly would just add to the stress of the situation.

  SIX

  Sofia was surprised to find the Marvilla in a relatively bland building compared with the glitz and the glam of the rest of South Beach. Tucked away behind a couple of low-key inns, it looked more like an art-deco office building than a club. The inside, however, was anything but boring. Far from the dark and modern clubs of the strip, the Marvilla Club made Sofia feel as though she had tumbled into a flute of champagne. The entryway opened into an enormous art deco style dinner club room complete with mega wealthy clientele sitting on the all-white furnishings. The dinner tables, conversation areas, bar and dance floor were all soft white. Looking around, the club didn’t appear to be themed, just true to the art-deco style. Champagne colored silk led the eye up thirty foot walls to three crystal chandeliers as big as cars.

  This would definitely be the place that an antique car enthusiast would seek out. A seventeen piece jazz ensemble was playing on the stage and at that moment, Sofia wanted to forget finding Seydou, grab Quint and dance all night. Sofia emerged from her reverie at a short jab from Quint’s elbow. She looked to find him nodding toward the far end of bar. An elegant dark haired man in his early forties was looking directly at Sofia. He looked as though he knew exactly who she was. She spoke to Quint. “His friend at the garage must have called him already.”

  “Probably. You want me to come over with you?”

  “No, but I think I’m going to need a drink after this.”

  “I’ll keep an eye on you”. He grinned and headed to the opposite end of the bar.

  Sofia took a breath and approached. She seated herself on the buttery soft white leather club chair next to Seydou before introducing herself. He nodded and she held out her hand.

  “Mr. Seydou, I’m Sofia Koury.”

  He did not take her hand but said in a Caribe accent, “Yes Miss Koury, my associate called to say you would be arriving.”

  “I would like to engage your appraisal services for two pre-war Mercedes that have come up for sale. I need the usual workup but these are somewhat rare models and anyone who has been trusted with the Caracciola 500k can definitely handle this job.”

  His expression showed no surprise at the mention of the car. Whether he was an especially controlled person or his associate had mentioned it, Sofia did not know.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  ‘So, that’s how it’s going to be’ thought Sofia. She leaned in exposing a bit of décolletage. “I quite understand. You discretion does you credit.”

  “I’ll have to check your reference.” Sofia understood that to mean he would be checking with the owner of the Caracciola to make sure that they and Sofia indeed had a connection.

  That was exactly what Sofia wanted. She thought she could see the number if he dialed a phone. She could then get Helena and Joe to trace the number. If they owned handguns and used GPS diamonds, she was fairly certain they could handle a cell trace.

  “Of course, it’s very late”, he continued. “I have an appointment on location with the owner tomorrow. I will check then.”

  Damn. Sofia thought fast. And then inspiration hit her. She gave him her most charming smile and handed Seydou a personal business card listing her name and number.

  “Certainly. In the meantime, here is my number.” Then Sofia took off one of the pink diamond studs and slipped it into the pocket of his Armani jacket and said, “And here is the first part of you retainer.”

  He looked dubious. “And why would I accept this? How do I know it’s even real?” Sofia affected a look of mild disdain.

  “You know who I am, and I’m sure a man with your experience knew it was real even before I came over. That’s the reason we’re having this conversation, isn’t it?”

  His face relaxed slightly but he didn’t respond.

  Sofia rose. “I look forward to hearing from you Mr. Seydou.”

  “We shall see.”

  Sofia returned to Quint who quirked an eyebrow and handed Sofia a flute of champagne. She was so anxious that she really just wanted to finish it in one gulp but knew Seydou was still watching her. She forced herself to sip and appear to be enjoying herself. Sophia shrugged slightly. “I don’t know. He took the bait, but didn’t give me any information.”

  “Why did you give him the earring?”

  “He said that he was going to the owner’s house in the morning.”

  Quint’s face cleared with the realization. “Ah…you planted the GPS on him. But, he won’t be wearing the jacket tomorrow. He’ll probably leave it at the garage.”

  She shook her head. “He seems like the tense type. Eager to know who I am and how I know about the Caracciola. I’ll bet he goes to the owner’s house tonight.” As if on cue, Seydou walked past them and out the door, handing his ticket to the valet.

  “Well done Sofia. I can call Joe and Helena to start tracking. They’ll be wondering why only one of the earrings is moving.” He looked at Sofia with admiration and, she thought, maybe something else?

  After Quint returned from his call with Joe, Sofia said, “We should get going then.” Sofia did not want to leave the sumptuous surroundings of the club; she was full of energy from her success and felt like celebrating. She knew the task was not yet complete. They had to track Seydou to the collector’s house.

  “I don’t see why. I’m sure Joe and Helena can handle it until we get back. They are professionals you know.” And with an air of Fred Astaire escorting Ginger Rogers, he took Sofia’s hand and guided her onto the dance floor.

  SEVEN

  Sofia woke much later than usual the next day. She cracked a dry and swollen eye to see the clock read 11:00. No wonder I’m starving, she thought. Though she was tired enough to have slept for another couple of hours, the loud gurgles and growls from her stomach would have made it impossible. She rose slowly and dressed in a yellow and navy striped maillot. She found a ruby colored cover-up in the wardrobe and hesitating only for a moment, put it on and left the room. Last night Helena encouraged her to rest.

  “Sleep in tomorrow morning and then go swimming, dear. You had a lot going on tonight.” Well, Sofia abided by the first recommendation and intended to follow through on the second after breakfast. Upon entering the gleaming kitchen, she found that she was alone on the Mariana, as expected. Joe mentioned that he, Quint and Helena would be gone most of the day in order to ‘persuade the owner’ into selling the Caracciola to Joe and Helena and arrange for its transport. After Sofia
and Quint boarded the Mariana around 4:00 am, they had paused only long enough to congratulate Sofia and allow Quint time to change his clothes.

  Though still a bit weary from the previous evening, an echo of the night’s energy returned as she remembered. She found a platter of fresh fruit and fluffy cranberry muffins on the counter. She sent a silent but fervent thank you to Helena who must have instructed the housekeeper to lay them out. Her empty stomach echoed the thanks. After filling a small bowl with mango and adding a muffin on top she seated herself at the dining table. As she sat and sipped her tea, Sofia saw her name on a creamy ecru envelope on the table with her name. Setting the ceramic mug down, she opened the flap. She found the lining was decorated with tiny green flowers. It’s from Helena, Sofia thought. She pulled out the thick stationary and smiled at seeing the header revealed the same tiny green rosettes. As she read, a faint buzzing began to fill her head and grew more intense with each word. She pushed the uneaten fruit aside, causing her fork to clatter the floor. Her heart skipped a beat and she read the note again.

  Dear Sofia,

  You have certainly impressed Joe and me with your character, tenacity and intelligence. We would love for you to join us aboard the Mariana as a Research Associate for this project over the next six weeks. I’m sure you will have many questions about the position and we will be happy to discuss our offer when we return later this afternoon. In the meantime, I have indicated the salary and brief set of terms on the back of this letter. I sincerely hope you will join us.

  -Helena

  With one quick motion, Sofia flipped the paper over, like ripping off a Band-Aid. She almost didn’t want to know what the offer was. She had a feeling this was going to make it difficult for her to refuse and start her internship at the non-profit organization. She looked, and then stood up so fast the chair fell backwards. The rate was twice what the non-profit would have given her as a full-time associate, let alone as an intern. Her heart leapt and she was instantly ashamed. Isn’t this what she had worked against? Getting roped in by money? Still, the events of last night lingered. She felt as though she had done something real, something important, and something adventurous. Besides, Sofia couldn’t deny it was a generous offer. Coming back to herself, she righted the chair and headed to the aft deck. She hoped a long swim would clear the buzzing from her head so she could think.