The Reliable Narrator [For The Love Of Chéri Epilogue]

Part 6 : These Are My Apologies, Though They Come A Lifetime Too Late

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[As related to Javier by Ellie through the Circle chat]

Barcelona, Spain.

The Bordello. Portrait gallery. AK hall of fame area.

The private-hire investigation team had finished with dusting for prints and investigating the scene.

"MY PAINTINGS!" Dolores shouted as she held up her clenched fists as she stood in the AK gallery, a spray of large shards of bulletproof glass all over the floor and wires to the portrait alarm system hung cut loose.

Gabriél spoke quietly, nervous of his mother's current rage, "Mama, it seems only these three portraits were taken. The team will get the evidence report back to us as soon as possible."

Dolores touched the wall area where the massive portraits were and she spoke quietly, almost to herself, "He's gone... stolen from me, yet again."

"Mama, I am employing the very best team money can buy to retrieve the portraits of... him." Gabriél said as he placed his hand on his mother's shoulder in comfort.

There was loud chatter around them as Dolores turned to her eldest son for a brief moment before looking back at the bare wall, "I loved that young man. He was so unique and so moody, bad-tempered and macabre, but I tolerated all that, as well as his abysmal and over-sexual dress sense. He would have made the perfect step-father to you all. He and I... could have taken over the world." She said before she snapped out of the thoughts she realised she was speaking aloud. She spun around and faced everyone gathered, "How could this have happened?! I want a report!" She shouted at the gathered security and several family members, immediately rendering them silent.

Alok cleared his throat, "I... er.."

"Shut up! I told you that you're a fucking incompetent!" Came an angry, shrill voice from behind them all, which cut off the intro to Alok's awkward response.

Alok slowly rolled his eyes as they all turned around to see Chéri walk up and push by everyone to look at the glass all over the floor. His hair was now shoulder-length and hot pink. Surprisingly, he was wearing a white vest, tight blue skinny jeans and one of Lennon's shirts with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, making it look like a large throw on his tiny frame.

"I see you're out of bed." Gabriél mumbled, surprised.

"And off a drip." Baptist added.

Ellie waved her hands over the floor, "This is a complete failure in our security detail, its members and its structure. This is also a scolding embarrassment to us, not to mention, an insult." She said as she stood over the broken glass which crushed underneath her tall heels, as she held her hands behind her back in an authoritative way whilst head to foot in a tight black PVC catsuit with a matching skirt.

Dolores turned back to Alok, "Well AK...?"

"Well... I, believe this to be...erm, a professional undertaking. It... it..." Alok stammered.

"Do speak up!" Dolores snapped back.

"Madam, I am find it hard to believe that this was achieved without the assistance from the inside. I must check the video." Alok said.

"Yeah, you check the 'wideo'." Chéri sniped.

"Didn't anyone hear anything?!" Dolores asked as she stared at the blank, scared and confused faces of the entire security team, "Who patrols here? Why was the alarm system in the art room turned off? Why is the CCTV blank? What is the security plan in this area?" Dolores asked as she just started firing questions at a rather flustered Alok.