Chapter 13 : Dereck

When I arrived at the port, Matamorose explained the situation to me in detail. I was very upset. No, upset would be an understatement, I was furious.

My cargo has been stolen. Billions of money, blown away, just like magic. The drugs, guns and women had all been taken away.

Whoever is to blame, he will pay with his life.

"The harbor manager should be home. I think we should pay him a little visit." I said.

Matamorose nodded and walked over to the car with me. I didn't wait for him to open the door for me and did it myself. He hurried to get behind the wheel and started driving.

He set out for Coral Gables. It is one of the safest neighborhoods in Miami, with 64% less crime than the rest of the state. Well, that might change in a little while I thought with a psychopathic smile.

Matamorose parked in front of a modest house just down a street. There was a garden which was equipped with some games. The house was the perfect representation of a happy and peaceful family home.

I got out of the car when I saw children in the garden playing.

I entered the garden as the gate was open. Matamorose stayed a few feet away from me as I approached the children.

There were three in all, one of them noticed me and stopped playing. He took a step back and the others turned to see what was wrong and saw me.

I crouched down at the girl's level, gave her my best smile and asked her if her father was there.

She smiled and told me yes. She told me her name, as I struck up a conversation with her, her father came out of the house looking out of breath with the boy who had stepped back earlier.

That boy, he didn't wait long before acting ; good reaction, I thought. I looked back at the girl again and waved my hand at her which she reciprocated with a chuckle.

I got up and followed her father inside the house with Matamorose. Once inside, I saw a very beautiful woman who I guessed to be his wife.

Without his permission, which I didn't give a damn about, I walked over to their fireplace, above which stood photo frames of their family.

I took one and patted it before turning back to them, my gaze resting on the manager.

“Mr. Jacobs, your daughter, Lydia, is very… bubbly I must say,” I said with a smile.

"Thanks, Don," he said with a nervous smile.

Continuing to tap the image in the frame, I said;

"A beautiful family that you have there ..."

"Don, I ..."

"It would be a shame if something horrible happened to it, don't you think?"

At this point, he was shaking so much that he let go of the glass he was holding. His wife was about to burst into tears and was trying not to ask questions.

"I understand that you are angry ..."

"I'm furious, not angry, those two words are different. English is delicate after all." I said smiling.

I swung the frame across the room. It shattered against the wall with a small noise in a puddle of glass and wood pieces.

His wife flinched out of fear and began to cry, poor woman; I thought.

"If you can't find me all the information on my stolen cargo, your family will be shattered like this frame. Is that clear?"

"Yes Don"

"Well, I'll give you a week, no more. If you don't provide me with satisfactory information, Matamorose here will take care of you. With that said, good day to you."

I looked at his terrified wife for the last time. I then left the house and headed for the gate when I felt two small hands grab my pants.

I looked down and met Lydia's brilliant blue eyes staring at me with an innocent smile.

"Will you be coming back?" she asked.

I crouched down in front of her again and told her I wasn't sure and stroked her hair before I left with Matamorose.

As he drove towards the mansion, I ordered Matamorose to call Lauïs and tell him to wait for me at the mansion.

Once we arrived, I walked to my office, ignoring anyone in my path.

As soon as I entered my office, my gaze immediately fell on Lauis, who stood up and greeted me with respect. I took off my jacket and threw it in a chair and told him to sit down.

“I learned what happened,” he said as I sat down across from him.

"So you already know why you are here" I said quietly as a matter of fact.

"Yes" he said "but I imagine you want to give me another task or you wouldn't have made me come"

A smile spread across my lips before I answered him.

"You're right," I said before handing him a picture of Catherine. "I want you to do some deep research on her, I want to know absolutely everything about her"

Lauis took the picture and studied it intently before hissing appreciatively. A groan immediately escaped me, he threw his hands up in the air with a sheepish smile, realizing that she was out of reach.

"Consider it done, Don."

He got up and walked away leaving me alone in my study, alone with my thoughts.

I have the impression of having already met Catherine in the past. Yet I don't seem to remember her.

This attraction that I feel towards her increases every time I see her and it bothers me.

I want to call her, my fingers itch just thinking about it. I didn't want to leave her this morning, but I had to.

Every time I'm with her, I discover a part of me that I never knew existed, I constantly want to touch and tease her.

It would be better if I distance myself. It would be better for both of us.

................................

After spending the rest of the day in my office working, I decided to get all the girls in the mansion together to talk to them. I ordered Thomas to gather them. If I am to believe the documents and reports I went through during the day, the group of girls who have recently arrived are already causing problems.

As soon as Thomas had finished he told me and I went downstairs to the living room. I must say that there were a lot of girls.

I sent away all those I knew after congratulating them on their work, they didn't cause me any problem. I then sat down in an armchair after pouring myself a drink.

"I don't like trouble" I said "if one of you doesn't want to be here the door behind you is wide open. You were willing and knew what you were getting into when you agreed to come here."

I pause and looked at them intently for more effect.

"So I expect exemplary behavior from you. If I hear that something has happened again, I won't be so lenient. I wouldn't hesitate to use one of you as an example, is that clear?"

They answered in unission, yes. Afterwards, they each went back to their respective rooms and I decided to go to bed too.

As I walked up the stairs I started seeing black dots and seeing double. All of a sudden everything went black and I collapsed.