Meeting the film producer

Laura and Blake briefly left Monique with a hotel service lady before going down to meet the film producer in the hotel downstairs lounge.

He was already waiting for them when they walked in together. 

"Good day, pleased to meet you," Jacqueline greeted with a broad smile as she made eye contact with him. 

Enrique Martinez had dark hair which was silvery around the sides. It gave him a dashing and attractive look, even though he was of average height. 

"Not far from film star looks himself, even though he's middle-aged," Laura thought to herself. 

"Same here! I'm glad to meet South Africans," Enrique exclaimed with a glittering smile, showing his pearly white teeth as he greeted Laura and Blake. He had a slight accent, otherwise he sounded smooth and sophisticated. 

"Great to make your acquaintance, Sir!" Blake responded in an excited tone. 

"I wonder whether Carminda wants me to tell her how attractive and charming the man is? 

But looks can be deceiving," Laura thought to herself as she continued to give Enrique a friendly smile. 

"Let's go downstairs for some cocktails so that we can get to know each other better?" Enrique suggested with his dark brows raised at Blake and Laura. 

"Okay, but we have the baby in the bedroom. In fact, we're going back to her now," Laura responded in a courteous tone. 

"Where will the cocktail area be? We can join you there as soon as the nanny is with the baby," Blake suggested. 

"Downstairs in the small restaurant. I have heard that you were bringing the baby along to Europe. That's no problem. Do what you need to do.

I will be waiting there for you then," Enrique responded with another charming grin. 

"He looks like a real ladies' man," Laura said as soon as she closed the door behind herself once they were back in their hotel suite. 

"He could be a typical European film producer. Come to think of it, we don't really know film producers, let alone European ones," Blake responded with a thoughtful frown on his brow. 

***

A few days later, Blake and Laura were in a Chanel fashion store, admiring the clothes. Enrique had suggested that they see as much of Paris as they could before traveling to Italy for filming. 

"I don't think that I would want to get hooked onto expensive clothes like this for the rest of my life," Laura commented as they left the shop with Laura's purchase of a blouse and jacket. 

"It's exciting for a treat, though," Blake responded. 

"Yes, well, let's get back to Monique. My feet are aching from going from one designer shop to the next," Laura suggested. 

"It must be amazing to be a model in Paris. So many top designers are around here, I bet it's every model's dream," Blake commented, shaking his head in awe. 

"Oh, it must be a dream world to live in alright," Laura agreed. 

"As long as they don't get too involved with diets or drugs," Blake commented in a low tone of voice as they took a cab back to the restaurant where Monique was waiting with her nanny.

"That makes me wonder how safe the film-making industry is here. Is someone like Enrique really only making his money in the conventional way? 

"Do you think that he could be involved with the Mafia on the side?" Blake asked in a low tone of voice as they got out of the cab.

"Anything is possible," Laura responded just above a whisper. 

"Let's hope for the best, though and remember to have fun," Blake responded with a broad, optimistic grin. 

"Oh, there she is!" Laura exclaimed excitedly when she spotted Monique playing with other kids in the kiddies play area of the restaurant when they walked in. Monique's nanny was observing her from one of the tables where she was sitting with a glass of juice in front of her.

"Oh, are you back?" Michelle, the nanny asked when she saw them approach.

"Yes, finally and very tired," Laura responded as she took a seat at the same table. 

"She's been playing happily with that group of children for a while now," Michelle remarked with a smile as she gazed at Monique affectionately. 

"Can I get you anything?" a waitress asked next to their table in the next moment. 

"Oh, great, we've worked up quite an appetite from all the walking," Blake responded immediately. 

"Yes, we're quite thirsty as well," Laura added with a sigh.

"Then, can I get you some of our speciality wines?" the waitress asked as she placed the menus on the table. 

"Actually, we will take only soft drinks for now, since it's still early," Laura responded. 

Laura and Blake then ordered their drinks and some snacks without waiting. 

"Well, I think it's time for me to go now," Michelle announced when the waitress left with the orders. 

"Great, thank you so much then. We'll see you later," Laura responded with a smile and a glance at the children's play area.

"Where's she now? Can you see her?" she asked when she could not spot Monique. 

Michelle walked over to the kiddies play area immediately and began to search amongst the children who were there. 

Blake glanced at Laura briefly before following Michelle.

"She must be somewhere here amongst the toy animals," he said as he searched amongst the life-size, artificial pigs and rabbits. 

"Laura hurried after Blake, trying to see if she could spot Monique anywhere. 

"Monique! Where are you?" she called. She began to look in the direction of the door. 

"She isn't anywhere here," Michelle announced with her hand covering her mouth in shock.

"Are you sure? How can that be?" Blake asked as he frowned impatiently. He didn't want to draw wrong conclusions. 

"Security!" Laura shouted in a panic as she left the play area and walked towards the restaurant's entrance in a rush.

"Yes, can I help you?" a security guard responded as he rushed over to Laura with a concerned frown on his brow. 

"Did you see anyone leave with my daughter?" Laura asked, looking into his face desperately.