Love Affairs – Episode 37

Episode 37

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Lucia was still smiling as she brought her mind back to the present. She looked around

the attractive room, tapped out another stick, lit it and dragged on the cigarette. She started imagining how Thelda would feel when she told her that her daughter was still alive. She thought of how happy she would become and

the smiles that would suddenly overtake her face. She knew Thelda had not smiled since

she got the sad news of her daughter’s death and was glad she was going to be the one to once more put smiles on her face. She was definitely going to jump excitedly when she received the good news. She started imagining tears of joy crawling down Thelda’s cheeks.

Her thought went to the security forces. They would become envious of her for controlling the information they weren’t able to control

and would wish with regrets that they had stalked her before she stumbled on the secret. She thought of how she would suddenly become a national heroine and the handshake she was going to have with the president and

other top governmental officials, for her being able to unveil the mystery the security forces couldn’t reveal. She could even win a Noble Price for her smartness. She wasn’t only going to become a national heroine, but an international heroine. She started to smile.

She imagined herself leading some group of policemen to the apartment she had seen the huge man take Stella into. She visualized herself leaning proudly on the police vehicle,

watching a couple of armed cops surround the apartment and gaping or directing as four or five of them, armed to the teeth, went inside the building. She could also see the image of Stella being led out of the apartment and could visualize the picture of her abductor, in cuffs, being hustled into the police Jeep.

At this point, she remembered the few hours ago she had gone to kill Agent Dennis. She

remembered the tears on her cheeks when the cop grabbed her arms and forced her into the Jeep and she remembered again how she had professionally killed the three cops and escaped. Her entire system pumped with an unutterable excitement and she began to smile. “What a change of scene,” she mumbled, “from the hunted to the hunter.” She imagined her picture being shown as a legend on the first page of both the national and the international dailies and a sudden wave of pride ran through her. She crushed out the cigarette and lit another. It was time to make the call. She decided, “I can’t wait to become a heroine.” She said aloud with smiles. She held the cigarette with her lips and unzipped her bag. She took out her handset with the diary and flipped through the pages, then stopped at the page she had copied down the number, and dialed Thelda. She held the phone against her ear as it rang and prayed Thelda picked up. When she picked up, Lucia

breathed a sigh of relief and pulled slowly on the cigarette.

“Who’s on the line?” Thelda said.

She answered immediately, “Lucia Brime.”

Thelda kept quiet for some seconds, trying to place the name. When it became obvious to her that she hadn’t heard that name before, she said, “How may I help you?”

Lucia was audible, “I’ve information for you.” “What’s that?”

“Your daughter is alive.”

Thelda was sent back by that statement. After few seconds, she said, “What’re you talking about?”

“Madam, your daughter is alive and I’m saying the truth. I even know where she is as we speak.”

“What the hell are you saying?” Thelda was becoming both confused and annoyed. “Madam, I’m serious. The man who has your daughter took her to an apartment and_”

She hung up.

LOVE AFFAIRS