Week 3:Adulthood:New York
1329 Words
It had been a month since K and Serene were in New York.
“Too expensive, even for Russians”. Serene checked the bill for the apartment they were staying in.
“Russians?”
“Yes K. The Russian models of Moscow are richer than the ones in Milan.”
“1900 dollars for a night. You are right.”
“Well, this is a VIP apartment. So maybe it’s fair.”
“What are we doing in a VIP apartment?”
“You are again forgetting K. Hadgigi asked me to take that New York sock ad. And yuck, I had to speak French. God, I hate the French.”
“French is good. Bonjour..” K smiles and pours an Eno into a glass.
“Acidity?”
“Yes, you know you knew about the Manager when you found out by the way he wrote. Yet I found out more.”
“Really? What?”
“That he was a widower and working for his father-in-law who was the owner. And, believe it or not, he killed his wife some 12 years ago. And you are right. He is 53 now. And it was his birthday that day when we checked in.”
“And you are telling me this now. My photoshoot is outside. See the cameras from the window.”
“ Don’t worry, it’s just a commercial.”
‘Yes, I need to speak French again. And this English model is doing the English version. I wish I had an English one. So much for being a European.”
“What about me?”
Serene nodded as she hurried outside for her photo shoot. K was in a studio room for models. K was puzzled about his finding. He was adamant about the old manager and his portfolio though. Strange facts that he deduced as Sherlock Holmes did.
“Even Holmes would have applauded me” he whispered to himself as he sipped a cup of tea.
“ Serene has everything in a dispenser.” K looks at the handbag on his bed. He pulls one of the letters.
“April 21, undated ….Hello K..you will be 21 by now and be able to understand what I am about to tell you. You are one of the three drugged people found in the Milan Docks some 3 years ago by Hadgigi. There were two more, one a ponytailed old woman named Clara and the other a small kid some 9 years of age, unnamed but Italian. This is why we sent you to Serene. One of the youngest models in Milan and her father was a private detective. Remember Paulo Frieda, the renowned detective who had an alleged affair with a model named Ruth and was found guilty of killing her and arrested. Serene is their daughter. Isn’t it? But you have been found to solve strange cases. But to know your identity you will have to do as I say. There is a pager in the last letter which sends you information about the locations of the places and the people which are significant to us. You will need to burn the letters which you read. Good luck in finding yourself.”
“Quite the letter.” K pulls the last letter out of the 12 letters. “ So these 10 are not to be read for now.” He pulls the pager out and plugs the pager.
“ John V….New York, …..framed for murder…proved innocent later. John V”. Serene enters.
“Hey, I told you not to read those letters.”
“Ya, how was the shoot?”
“Great and I signed a 9000 euro deal with a New York Sock company named Volkin. And I am to meet this John V. Some psycho owner, as they say, although I am famous for being their friend.”
“Ok.”
Serene laughs. “Hey, tell me about the widower. How come you know about him?”
“Well, he had an engagement ring that was well polished yet it lacked the shine it has on other married couples.”
“He might have been lazy.”
“No, the way he wrote demonstrated that he was somewhat horrified when we looked at his ring, remember? That proved he was a widower.”
“Fare enough. What about the thing about killing his wife?”
“His anger and the precarious nature he fooled you into receiving 400 euros was a sign. And I was certain when I asked his father-in-law’s name and he was frightened and gave me 100 euros to shut up” K showed her the 100 euro note.
“Ok, that’s mine. Maybe.”
“Yet you are aloof. Remember when the local man asked us to look out the window?”
“Yes, that’s where he killed her.”
“What?” shouts Serene as she spills coffee on the floor.
“We slept in that room.”
“Yes, the window itself was remade. Yet the glasses were only fixed, not changed. I could see from the reflection that it was some 12 years ago.”
“You are talking like a detective. Is it because of the letter?”
“You read my letters.”
“One, I read the first one. My father was mentioned there. Wasn’t it?”
“Yes, I am sorry about that.”
“Well, I am not. He must have got what he deserved.”
“OK, I was talking about the old man.”
“Yes, so is he to be jailed then?”
“Yes, and I am sure the local person we met must have informed the police.”
“ Justice is Served then.”
“Yes, but tell me, Serene, this John V person, can I go with you to meet this man?”
“ Why?”
“Well, I have to as your DP remember.”
“OK, does it have to do with the widower?”
“No, but I have to find out.”
“You are scaring me K.”
“Don’t worry, you will be fine.”
“I hope that’s a noun”
K smiles as he packs his letters in the handbag as they set up to meet John. V.
Serene’s rented Corvet was a noisy one. K looks at the rear glass of the car to see something shocking.
“Stop!” he shouts as he pulls Serene out of the car and takes her to her apartment. They hear an explosion.
“My car!” Serene shouted as she could see the exploded car from her window.
“How come you knew?”
“I could see the fire from the rear glass of the car, Serene.”
(20 minutes later)
“You know I would never have come here if not for you.”
“I know, but we have to do our jobs right.”
“Ya, those police officers were asking too many questions about the car.”
“Yes, somebody was trying to kill us.”
“Kill us. Who?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“I hoped you knew that too.”
“Yes, somebody who doesn’t want you or me here.”
“You are becoming Holmes again. You know. Can you stop that? I have got 9000 to get from John. V”
Suddenly, her phone rings.
“You won’t be needing that” interrupts a local businessman.
“I am Stuart. I am Mr. John’s secretary. He had a hunch you guys would be in trouble and sent me to give you this check and the location of your ad about Volkin Socks. A person named Fred will come to your doors to give your payment.”
“How come he knew that?” stutters Serene.
“This is New York”, K laughs as he tries to recheck the pager he found.
- Writer
