A man about his age smiled and shook his hand. Julio resisted the temptation to say, ‘Smile, you’re on camera,’ as the man entered the suite.
“May I present Mr. Smith and I’m Gerard Halloway. I’ll be your host over the next couple of days. If you’ll pack a bag for the next three nights, including a tux, I’ll take you to my home.”
Julio eyed Mr. Smith. The man appeared to be in his forties, with jet-black hair and a mustache. His clothes reeked of money, along with his cologne and Italian leather shoes.
“It’s nice to meet you, Gerard. When will I be able to see the… merchandise?” he asked, leading the men to the living room and offering them a drink from the bar.
“I’ll take a brandy. We’ll discuss the meet and greet on our way to the house,” he said, taking the snifter Julio offered.
“I’ll only be a few moments.” Julio turned and entered his bedroom. Pulling out his Italian luggage, he added his personalitems and carried a suit bag with a tux, a suit, and a couple of dress shoes. Each pair, plus the ones he wore, held a tracking device. His cuff links took pictures, and the pin on his suit videoed his every move. Matthew watched at the other end and used facial recognition to identify the suspects while Jameson stayed in the underbelly of the organization. So far, he hadn’t seen any signs of Rebecca. Since the last incident, the organization has become more selective in issuing invitations.
“You have a nice place here,” the man said, setting his glass on the table beside him. “Don’t you have any servants?”
“I don’t like people in my business. It takes one snooping housekeeper or a butler to ruin a damn contract. I prefer to avoid such annoyances,” he replied as they left the suite. He followed Gerard to a limo parked out front. The driver took his bags as he slid into the soft, buttery leather seats.
“What’s your poison?” Gerard asked as the car moved, and he opened a liquor cabinet.
“I’ll take a whiskey,” he replied.
“You’re in luck. One of our other customers has decided not to attend, freeing up your invitation. It always makes me curious when a man with your kind of money can find a pretty lady and shower her with presents, decides to purchase a woman.”
Julio shrugged noncommittally. “I don’t have time for entanglements and want someone obedient to only me. There’s nothing more satisfying than waking up next to a submissive woman in your arms. It’s the part where I see the dollar signs in her eyes, I find distasteful. A woman who has a good meal or a roof over head tends to appreciate the little things.”
Gerard chuckled. “You have a point there. I wish I’d known this before I got married. Then again, we rarely stay in the same country anymore, so it doesn’t matter. I can have my little toys to play with until she returns home, then I turn into the doting husband.”
“What about your toys? Do you lock them away?” Julio asked, wanting to smash the man’s face.
“If they play well, then I put them in my toy box and send them to one of my other houses,” Gerard said, sitting back and regarding Julio.
“And if they don’t…?” he asked.
“There are ways to dispose of unwanted ones. Why waste your money when you can buy a brand-new, shiny toy? I take it this will be your first?” Gerard asked, sipping his brandy.
“Yes. A friend of mine introduced me to the idea. You might know him, Darren Garfield,” Julio dropped the name and watched Smith’s face. The corner of his eye twitched and his mouth firmed into a straight line.
“Ahh, I see you know him,” Julio said, glancing down at his whiskey glass, refusing to drink.
“He’s an acquaintance,” Smith said, annoyed. “The man has eccentric tastes. I’m surprised you wish to come to this auction when the next one has merchandise more to Garfield’s liking.”
“We disagree with his taste in merchandise. It’s why he suggested I attend this one,” Julio explained, already planning on how to take the sick asshole out. He should’ve known Garfield preyed on the weak, including children.
They pulled up to a sprawling mansion, and the driver opened the door for them to exit. Julio turned slowly, allowing the cameras to capture the layout of the place, the guards, and camera placement. Mr. Smith disappeared upstairs, leaving him with the house’s owner, Gerard.
“Welcome to my humble home,” Gerard said as they climbed the steps. A butler welcomed them inside while the chauffeur carried his luggage to his room. Julio suspected he’d search it, too.
“You have a lovely home,” Julio said, walking around and pretending to admire the artwork.
“We’ll have cocktails at five, dinner at six and a preview at eight. Mr. Presley, an associate of the group, will be here in an hour. He’ll want to speak to you about your preferences. I’ll have Gil show you to your room and he’ll escort you to my office when Mr. Presley arrives.”
“Thank you for your hospitality,” Julio said before following the butler to a room in the east wing.
“When will the other guests arrive?” Julio asked as they entered his room.
“They’ll be arriving around five, sir,” the butler responded as he opened the curtains. “You have a wonderful view from the balcony. It’s a bit chilly, but it’s available if you need a breath of fresh air while you wait.”
Julio gave a slight smile, realizing he must play the part of captive until they called for him. The butler left, leaving him time to explore his room. His clothes hung neatly in the closet, and his bag was emptied, indicating they searched it.
He sat on the bed, taking out his computer, pretending to work. His watch buzzed, alerting him to Jameson’s arrival at the house. The ‘merchandise’ must have arrived. His heart raced as he prayed Rebecca might be one of the women brought below. He closed his eyes and massaged them with his fingers.One more night, Rebecca. I’m getting closer, he thought.
