A Brilliant Plan

Chapter 33

A regular face with Hispanic features, dark hair, dark eyes. Not evil, not particularly handsome, a regular guy.

"Was he was known to be violent in any way before last night?" Ron asked.

"No, nothing. Though, he had a bit of a flamboyant lifestyle. Liked to visit the clubs of Mexico City, had a small fast car. He spread his income thin."

"Academic gone criminal," Ron mused.

I almost replied that there was nothing to be said against a little theft, but then I recalled last night and stayed mum.

"Did you find anything that connects him to our San Diego case?" Ron asked.

"Give us a little time, please. This is Mexico City, my dear friend," he admitted.

"Why did he target me? I am just the consultant."

"That is another very good question. Presently, we can merely speculate."

"Humor me," I said dryly.

"Who brought up the Maximilian connection?" Lobos put his fingers on the table, spreading them.

"I see," I said slowly but actually, I didn't.

Ron said, "I must admit, I wasn't very discreet about your input into the case. Mentioned it to Altward, mentioned it to his associate Mr. Cornelius on the phone. The guy at UCLA, of course, remembered you, Professor Salanca." Ron looked a little uncomfortable, let him burn.

"But my reasoning wasn't rocket science. And we haven't really found out anything regarding the murder."

Lobos took my left hand and said. "Remember that we are talking about a lot of money. Some people are desperate against anyone who threatens to unravel their plot. You picked up the thread. Maybe someone is afraid that you will start pulling some more."

Ron took my other hand. I looked back and forth between my two personal policemen. "At least, and that is really the only thing that came out of this sorry affair, everyone is convinced of the fact that the key to the story actually is the Maximilian Jewels."

Both nodded, glumly.

"Do you think that someone will try again?"

Lobos and Ron looked at each other and started simultaneously patting my hands. I had to laugh.

"I think our friend Ron McCloseky will arrange for protection for you in Los Angeles," Lobos reassured me.

I pulled away my hands and crossed my arms. "I will not be nannied!"

"Will," Ron disagreed.

"Will not! And that is the last I will hear about it!" I stomped my foot on the floor to make the point.

"Oh well! There is another thing that you may not be aware of," Ron slowly moved his index finger in a circle, aiming in on me. "There is someone at this table who may have the solution to the puzzle already in his, or her, head. And I think that this somebody is... " Pointing his finger at me.

I wasn't sure at all how Ron meant all that, whether he thought that I intentionally held back information, or whether it was my expertise ready to be exploited. Whatever. It looked as if the world relied on Calendar Moonstone—Supergirl.

My admirers beamed at me expectantly.

I re-crossed my arms, crossed my legs and wiggled my nose. "All that pressure!"

Around noon, we went over to the museum again, including Fowler, who had turned up again, jumbled some "how are'yas" and left it at that. Even Lobos joined us for the second little chat with the director. Pedro Vasolar didn't look very pleased this morning; overnight, his olive skin had turned white.

"I cannot tell you how shocked I am by the whole affair."

Ron and Lobos looked at him as if he was suspect number one. "Did you have any indications that your curator Stephano Toledo was involved in any illegal activities?" Lobos jumped right at it. When on the job, he had the same annoying habit as Ron in addressing things directly.

"Of course not! He was a talented young man, had a great gift in organizing exhibitions. Remember the 'Children of the Revolution' event last fall?" Lobos hadn't, held his impassive stare. Vasolar started to sweat, loosened his tie. This was actually fun, I thought.

"Not? Fine. That was Senor Toledo's success. It is unbelievable that he actually... " His voice trailed, averting his eyes from mine.

Silence.

"The bad part, the very inconvenient part on our side appears to be... " Lobos merely raised an eyebrow. "... that I personally ordered Senor Toledo to do the inventory of the jewelry vaults. Your request, you remember yesterday?" His voice trailed again, he probably knew that his last remark was close to ridiculous and that he talked too much.

Ron helped out in a friendly tone. "But you couldn't have guessed... "

"Yes, exactly, thank you," Pedro swallowed. "My colleagues started over this morning. But the Maximilian Jewels cannot be found." He swallowed again, avoiding Fowler's death ray looks. "Stolen," he repeated as if to get absolution by that fact.