Making Plans
The next morning Zorah was surprised when she entered the dining room to see Chester standing near the window overlooking the gardens, sipping a cup of coffee. After seeing him seated the entire day before, seeing him up was a heart lifting moment for her.
As if he’d heard her footsteps he turned with a bright smile on his face, “good morning, Zorah. How was your rest?”
She scrunched her nose up. “A mix of good and bad. I had a nightmare of Ippocrate but then in my dreams Icaro was there to deal with him.” She was blushing, “and you and Orlando and Dagoberto as well. I felt like there was a small army defending my honor in my dreams.”
“It is your reality, sweetheart,” Chester gave a laugh. “You do have a small army at your disposal.”
“I spoke to Icaro last night,” she said as she moved to the coffee carafe and poured herself a cup.
“Oh?”
“I didn’t tell him where I was.”
“I didn’t think you would. You gave me your word Zorah. I have no reason to not trust you.”
“He said he was in Rome.”
“He is.”
“You’re still watching him?”
“We are. I promised to deliver you to him once his tasks are complete, Zorah, if you wish to go. I will not however until I can verify his work is accomplished.”
“His work is very dangerous.”
“He is the danger, Zorah.”
“I’m worried. He said he would call me when he was done doing what he needed to do in Rome, but he hasn’t called yet.” She looked at the screen of the phone.
Chester gave a laugh, “if I were in his shoes, I too would be taking my time.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, Icaro Lucchesi is known as the Beast. He likes carnage and mayhem in his kills. Have you not asked Icaro what his signature move is when acting as an assassin?”
“No! I don’t want to know such things?”
“Why not?”
“It’s gross.”
“It is if you’re on the wrong side of his blade.” Chester laughed. “Zorah, you have nothing to worry about in regard to Icaro. He is probably enjoying exacting some revenge on someone who dared to accept a hit on his wife. He is also highly likely setting an example to the world about what would happen to anyone else who dared consider such a thing.”
“What if he gets caught?” a shiver of fear raced along her skin. “If people know what his methods are as the Beast, then won’t the police know who killed this other man?”
“My sweet daughter, the world knows who the Beast is, but did you know your husband has never spent any time in jail for any of his assassin duties? They have never been able to pin a single kill on him. They know it was him of course. Yet, your husband’s family is thorough with ensuring there is nothing to positively link a Lucchesi to any hit. It is why they are in such demand in the world of such things.”
“You’re saying he’s good at what he does and also covering his tracks?”
“Definitely. Also, while people will suspect the body which will be found in the next couple of days is the Russian, there will be no identifying markers. He’s going to make this man who likes to be infamous, forgotten. There won’t be a single fingerprint or tooth left on his body to identify him.”
“Huh.” Zorah’s stomach rolled with the notion.
“Now the family which hired him, is another story entirely. Icaro is going to destroy them publicly and absolutely. He is going to make an example of them as well, but he will do it in a way the police will never touch him.”
“How do you know so much about him?”
“We have been watching his career very carefully,” Chester shrugged. “From the minute we learned of your betrothal, we added him to our investigations. He’s been a person of interest a long time.”
“You weren’t always part of this clandestine group, though, so how were you able to do the things you were doing?”
“As SEALs we were able to make connections around the world. I have as many criminals in my contact list as I do non-criminal types. I have friends in low places and some in high places.”
“Don’t let him lie to you Zorah,” Orlando’s voice cut in, “he has no friends. Just people beholden to him and who owe him things.” Orlando winked at her as he came into the dining room. He waved at Chester, “look at you showing off without a chair or even a cane this morning. One good night of sleep and you’re suddenly cured?”
“Tell me again why I agreed to move in here with you, asshole?”
“I’m curious about that as well.” Zorah asked as she perched in a chair and watched the teasing back and forth of the two men.
“Well,” Orlando poured his coffee, “I have to travel a lot for work, and I don’t like leaving my house sitting empty because my grandfather tends to come over unannounced and steal my shit. Having Chester here is keeping the person I trust most in place to keep the person I trust the least out. He’s a security guard of sorts.”
“Don’t let him fool you, Zorah. I’m here to feed the cat.”
“There’s a cat?”
“She’s around here somewhere. She tends to sleep in my room unless I’m not here and she goes to find Chester. However, the truth is, Chester has a house of his own which needed some renovations for his wheelchair. It’s not ready yet. Also, since we were bringing you here and were unsure of how the rescue operation would go, this house can go on lockdown with a full crew of my security team in under ten minutes. It makes the most sense for you two to get to know each other here, where it’s safest for both of you.”
“This place can go on lockdown?”
“It can.”
“Do we need to be on lockdown?”
Orlando laughed, “no and it’s actually why the two of us are here this morning. How would you like to help your father live out a fantasy of your childhood?”
“What kind of fantasy?”
“We’re not far from Disney. I’m a man who always wanted to take his little girl to Disney. Are you up to a day at a theme park, Zorah?” Chester was smiling at her as if nervous of her response.
Zorah gasped as she looked at the two men excitedly, “really? We can go to Disney?”
“I feel she’s going to be the kind of girl who wants to wear the Minnie Mouse ears,” Orlando was teasing her already.
Zorah decided this might be the best distraction from her worries yet.
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