The Split

Chapter 32

Tunis, 2026

"Jacques dear, where are you?"

Alise's voice drifted through the halls, punctuated by the tapping of her heels on the dark tile floors.

Sighing deeply, I closed my eyes, doing my best to stay in character, "In here my love, just looking at the moon."

She came around the corner, passed through the off white furniture in the living room and took my arm, laying her head against my shoulder.

"What for?"

"I'm not sure," I faltered, "It... it is particularly beautiful tonight, not unlike my lovely host."

She looked up at me and blushed, "You are far too charming for your own good."

Gently, she pulled me away from the large bay window and sat down on the sofa beside me. I looked around the room taking it in. The decor was gaudy and too ostentatious for my taste, but villas in Tunis usually were. The gold colored trim wrapping the ceiling and floorboards was particularly off putting, and as I looked at it, I had to force myself to remember that tonight I was Jacques, and not Burl. Burl detested such things, Jacques had no opinion.

"Jacques," Alise sung, ruffling my hair, "What are you thinking about?"

I didn't hesitate in my response, "About you dear, and about how lucky I am to spend the evening with you."

"Awww," she crooned, kissing on my neck lightly as she squeezed me tighter.

Alise Morel and her husband Bernard had been a difficult pair to find. However, after months of planning, and Corbin putting in an exhausting amount of hours tracking the couple's spending, here I was.

Bernard and his wife owned a half dozen houses along the Mediterranean, but his clear favorite had been this one in Tunis. In the past three months, they had spent much of their time here. He and his wife had made friends in town, other wealthy socialites like themselves who served as a distraction from their current predicament.

Bernard, along with several friends from his university, had started a small online betting parlor two decades ago. Through careful investments and partnerships, their virtual casino turned into a series of real ones all the way from China to the Caribbean. But, in a story as old as recorded time itself, it wasn't enough.

The group's hunger for profits eventually led them down a path of illicit activities, which they began offering in their clubs for a modest fee. Word of this got out, and it wasn't long before the DGSE came knocking, and France had secured international warrants to bring the group to trial. In exchange for immunity, Bernard had turned state witness against his old friends. When news of this reached his former partners, and our current clients, they had ordered his execution.

Beeeeeeeep

My phone went off loudly in my front suit pocket. Slowly I reached around Alise's head on my shoulder, and pulled it out.

"I have to take this," I told her, trying to sound regretful.

"Oh Jacques, do you have to?" Alise frowned.

"I'm afraid so, my firm is meeting with the Prime Minister next week and we still have to finalize the arrangements."

She nodded, and as I stood up, grabbed my arm to pull me back down.

"Come back to me soon huh?"

She kissed me passionately, and I had to push her away to answer the phone in time. I touched the screen to answer the call and walked into the kitchen alone.