Looked Like An Angel

By Denise

Once in Santiago, Luis went to the police station to report Julia and Anna's disappearance. Pedro came in behind Luis and sat down in a chair. Luis went up to the counter and rang the bell to get someone's attention. A police officer appeared from a corner office. His hair was black, blended with specks gray and walked with a limp as he came up to the counter. "I am Sergeant Lopez. Can I help you Señor?"

"I'm Señor Vargas and I need to make a report that my wife is missing," Luis calmly said as he watched the man take out a form from a file folder.

"I will take down your complaint and a detective will notify you in the morning."

"There isn't a detective here?"

"No, Señor, They left for the evening."

Luis glanced up at the clock on the wall it was 6:45. "What time did they leave?"

"Around 6 p.m., Señor."

"Damn!" Luis slammed his fist on the counter.

"I'm sorry, there are only of two us here at night."

"You and…?"

"Officer Manuel, he is a guard down in the cell block."

"Sergeant Lopez, what do you do if it were an emergency?"

"Well…I would try to handle it myself or send for one of the detectives."

"Well, Sergeant Lopez, this is an emergency! I want you to go get me a detective, now!"

"Sí, Señor. There is no reason to get upset."

"Upset? My wife has been abducted. Don't you think that is a good reason to be upset?"

"Sí, Señor. Will you wait here?"

He went through the door that was at the end of the counter and soon came back with another police officer. "Señor, this is Officer Manuel. I will send him to go get Detective Cortez."

"It's about time I got some action around here!"

Luis sat down, in a chair, next to Pedro and waited for the detective to appear. About 30 minutes later Officer Manual and another man came through the door.

"Señor Vargas?"

"Yes." Luis stood up.

"I am Detective Cortez." They exchanged handshakes. "What is this all about?"

"Is there someplace we can talk, in private?"

"Yes, let's go to my office."

Luis motioned to Pedro to come with him. "I'm sorry to disturb you at home, but this couldn't wait until morning." They walked down the hall to an office.

The detective looked at Pedro. "Who is this?"

"This is Pedro, he is my driver and he is the last one who see Julia, before she disappeared."

"All right, sit down. Tell me what is going on?"

"My wife, Julia and one of my employees, Anna, have disappeared."

"When did this happen?"

"This afternoon; they came here to do some shopping."

"They came here alone, unescorted."

"Yes, I don't have a problem if my wife wants to go places alone, besides my maid Anna and my driver was with her."

"Okay, continue your story." The detective sat back in his chair and listened.

Luis looked at Pedro. "Why don't you tell him what happened?"

"I brought Señora Vargas and Señorita Anna to Santiago. They were gone about 2 hours and then I saw them coming back to the carriage. I saw them talking to a dark haired woman. I then heard screams and then they disappeared."

"What did you do?"

"It was getting late, so I went home to tell Señor Vargas what happened."

"Well I hate to tell you this, but I can't do anything until morning. So why don't you go back home and I will contact you if I find something."

Luis stood up from the chair as the detective came around the desk and reached out his hand to Luis. "Thank you."

"I will do what I can to find your wife."

"I would be grateful, if you do."

"How far do you live from here?"

"I live down towards El Sitro."

"Oh it's beautiful down there."

"Yes it is."

"What do you do? May I ask?"

"I own a coffee export house." Luis smiled.

"Well it is good to meet you, Señor Vargas."

"Yes, same here."

***

Luis returned home, after a long evening. He went to the music room, took off his jacket and vest and threw them over a chair. He sat down at the piano and started to play, but had trouble concentrating on the music. He slammed his fists onto the keys and then got up and went over to the bar to fix a drink. He grabbed a glass and opened the bottle of white rum pouring it into the glass and then mixing limejuice into it. He sat down in a chair, opening the box of cigars on the table next to him and selecting one. He laid his head back against the chair, sipping on the rum and smoking the cigar, trying to calm his nerves. He couldn't stop thinking about Julia and where she was. Was she hurt? Has someone touched her? I would kill anyone who touches her. No, Luis, that isn't the answer. Stay calm so you don't lose your head and do something stupid.

He had fallen asleep in the chair. Sara touched his shoulder to wake him up. "Did you sleep here all night?"

He sat up looked around and noticed it was finally getting light out so he could go riding. "I am going to work."

"This early?"

Luis didn't answer as he left the room and went to the stables. He mounted his horse and rode to the office, wanting to talk to Alan about what happened to Julia. But ath the office, Alan wouldn't be in for a couple of hours; Luis folded his arms and laid his head down on the desk and fell asleep.

"Don Luis." A voice said and then shook his arm. "Don Luis, wake up."

Luis raised his head to find Juan standing beside him. "What do you want?"

"I have a telegram for you," he said.

Luis grabbed it from Juan's hand. At first it was blurry, but it became clearer. It read: 'We have your wife…if you want to see her again…we want money from you.'

"Damn! What the hell do they want?"

Alan walked into the office. "I just found out you were sleeping here on your desk."

"I couldn't sleep at home, so I came to work."

"What is wrong, is Julia keeping you up all night?" He chuckled.

"No, I wish that was the problem." He handed Alan the telegram.

Alan sat down in the chair next to the desk. He read the telegram he then looked at Luis. "When did this happen?"

"Yesterday afternoon. Julia and my employee Anna went to Santiago and then they were kidnapped. They want money. What should I do?"

"Did you contact the police?"

"Yes I went to Santiago last night, but they could do nothing until today."

"Do you know who could do such a thing?"

"I'm wondering if it has to do with that telegram from yesterday."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I really don't know, Alan. I will probably stay here and wait. I'm hoping I will hear from the police or even the kidnappers. I really don't want to go home."

***

Bonita stood before me and removed the cloth from my mouth.

"What do want from me?"

"All I want is your husband's money," she answered

"Why? What has he done to you?"

"Nothing." She sat down in a chair across from me.

"Nothing? Then why am I tied up?"

"Well I had to find a way to get him to Santiago, so I have sent him a telegram saying that we met in Havana and we have a child together."

"Why would he believe you?"

"He is a respectable man, but he does have a weakness like most men and likes so spend time in whorehouses. That was long before he met you, honey, and it could happen again."

"He wouldn't do that to me."

"You sure have a lot of confidence in him, or are you just naïve?"

"No. I trust my husband and I don't think he would go back there again."

"See you aren't sure, are you?" She stood up and paced around the room. "Well I sent him another telegram saying that I have you and if he wants to see you again, he will have give me what I want."

Then a man walked into the room. She covered my mouth again, as she went to talk to this man. "Billy, what did you find out?" she asked.

"He was here last night, but went back home."

"I sent him another telegram last night, so he should have gotten it this morning."

"Do you think he will give us what we want?"

To get her back…" She pointed her finger at me "…I'm sure he would do anything."

"Probably so."

Bonita came over to me. "See, he is looking for you, how sweet." She looked back at Billy, "I am going out, and I won't be long."

She left us alone with Billy. He came over to Anna and then me. "What do we have here? I see two pretty young women who need some attention." He pulled down the gag from my mouth and forced his mouth on mine. Since my hands were tied to the chair I couldn't fight him. "This Luis is a lucky man to have a woman like you." He raised my skirt up forced my legs apart and stuck is fingers inside me. He stopped. "I can't do this with you tied up." He untied me from the chair and grabbed my arm. He threw me over onto the bed. He raised my skirt and forced his manhood inside of me. I just lay there until he finished. I didn't want to cry and show him I was weak. He then grabbed me by the arm and pushed me back over to the chair and then tied me up again. He then went over to Anna. He was just about to untie her, when the door opened and Bonita came in.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked.

"Just having some fun." He stood to face her. "Now it is your turn." He attempted to put his arm around her.

"No. There is a detective coming this way. We have to get those two out of here." Billy untied us and we were pushed into the next room. "Don't try anything or you will regret it." He slammed the door.

The room was dark as Anna and I huddled on the bed. I got up and felt my way to the door and placed my ear against the door to listen. The room seemed to be sound proof; I couldn't hear anything outside the door.

***

Billy snuck out the back door as Bonita opened the front door. "Can I help you?"

"I am Detective Cortez and you are?"

"I'm Bonita Cassell."

"Are you here alone?"

"Yes, I'm the only one here." She looked around the room.

"Can I come in?"

'Yes, I'm sorry."

"I would like to search your home."

"Don't you need a warrant to search my home?"

"Maybe in the United States, but not here in Cuba."

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting."

He looked around the room, noticing how the chairs were placed in the living room and found some rope around the legs of the chairs.

"Miss Cassell, would you come with me to the police station?"

"What for?"

"I would like to talk to you."

"Why can't we do it here?"

"Are you hiding something?"

"No of course not."

"Then I want you to come with me peacefully. It won't take long."

***

Luis had made the decision to go back to Santiago and search for Julia. He would do what ever it took to get her back. He couldn't get any work done and he wouldn't until Julia was found. He went home and Sara was there helping him pack when Jorge came into the bedroom. "Señor Vargas I have a telegram for you."

"Thank you." Luis took it from his hand and read it. 'Señor Vargas, we have a woman in custody…you might be interested in…please come to Santiago.' Signed, Detective Fernando Cortez. Luis looked up at Sara and then Jorge.

"Are you all right?" Sara asked. "You look pale."

"Yes I am fine. I need to go, Sara." he said as Jorge picked up his suitcase.

"I will pray for you."

"Thanks Sara." He kissed her cheek.

***

The police station was crowed as Luis came into the door, a lot different than what he had seen last night. He worked his way to the front of the line and was greeted by a young clerk. "Señor, you will have to stand in line and wait your turn."

"I am Señor Vargas. Detective Cortez is expecting me."

He looked down at his appointment book. "I'm sorry, I don't see your name here."

"I have the telegram he sent me today." Luis pulled it out of his pocket and showed it to him. "Will you please tell Detective Cortez that I am here?"

"Sí Señor. I will be right back."

"Thank you."

The clerk reappeared and said, "Come with me."

Luis followed the clerk through the door that led to Detective Cortez's office. The door was open as he entered the room. "Detective Cortez."

"Well, Señor Vargas, come on in." He stood up and they exchanged handshakes.

"I couldn't believe you found something so quickly." Luis sat down in the chair in front of the desk.

He sat down in his chair. "This morning, I started going door to door, searching for clues in the area your wife disappeared. Well, I stopped at a house, the woman who answered the door fit your description and she also seemed very tense. So when I went in and looked around I noticed some rope around the legs of a chair as if someone had been tied up there."

Luis was stunned by the news. "Is she here?"

"Yes, she is waiting, in a room, down the hall. Come with me."

They left the detective's office and walked down the hall, and stopped at a door there was a window in the door. Luis looked in before he opened the door. "Is that her?"

"Yes."

Luis was surprise to see it was the same woman whom he saw in the restaurant. The detective opened the door as Luis went in. Bonita looked up.

"This is Señor Vargas," the detective said.

Luis stood before her. "Your name is Bonita Cassell?" he asked.

"Yes, you don't remember me, do you?" she smiled.

"I received a telegram from you a few days ago." Luis pulled the telegram from his pocket.

"Yes, I sent that to you."

"But I have never seen you before."

"Yes, we met in Havana."

"No you must be mistaken." He looked at the detective. "Detective Cortez, could I see you outside for a moment?"

"Yes." They went out into the hall.

"I don't know this woman."

"No? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure. I would like to know what the hell she wants from me."

"You said you received a telegram from her, can I see it?"

"Yes." Luis handed it to him. "I also have the telegram I received this morning."

"Go back to my office, I will meet you there."

Luis walked back towards the office, when a tall blond haired man with a mustache passed by. He was being escorted by one of the police officers. The detective came into the office a few minutes later.

He could see in Luis's face something was troubling him. "Is there something wrong?"

"Who was that man who came in?"

"Oh he is here to see Miss Cassell. Why?"

"I don't know. I had a eerie feeling about him."

"Like what?"

"Have you done a background check on Miss Cassell?"

"Yes I am waiting for the report from Havana and from the United States."

Luis opened his pocket watch and noticed it was getting late. "Well, I should be going. I will be staying here in Santiago, so if you find anything you can reach me at the Balcón Del Caribe Hotel."

"Very well. I will get in touch with you if something comes up."

"Thanks I would appreciate it."