Deceit. [COMPLETED.]

Chapter 33

"Naples"

I told Max everything, the whole story word for word leaving nothing out.

'Have you ever thought that it could be nothing more than someone trying to discredit me?' she asked. 'Think about it. Who on earth would want to hurt you?'

She had a point. I hadn't thought of that.

I stood tired and weary with an overwhelming feeling that maybe yes it was in fact time to go home. I let out a long exhaustive sigh as I tried to think who would do such a thing.

'Richard!' I cried suddenly spinning round. 'It has to be him. He's been trying to stop me from finding out about the real Jupiter ever since I arrived in the company.'

But Max shook her head. 'Nice try Columbo,' she teased narrowing her eyes and moving her lips out into a mocking smile. 'Unless he was Superman and able to fly ahead of us to the race track then how did he do it?'

My shoulders sagged, Max coming over.

'Look. Talk to Cheryl and tell her it's just some screw ball nut job messing you around. I'm sure she will understand.'

But I threw up my nose. 'I've got no chance,' I moaned. 'The next time I hear from her it will be in front of her lawyers.'

The room was a mess; shards of broken glass everywhere and her brother's picture was face up inside a twisted frame. I bent down slowly to pick it up and as I did so I couldn't help but notice a small brown piece of paper sticking out from under one of the top corners.  I prized it out and took a look. It was of an address somewhere in Naples.

I handed it over.  'Your brother's?' I asked.

Max scrunched up her nose.

'Well if it is then I don't know anything about it. He is supposed to be penniless remember. Unless he has kept it a secret all these years I have no idea. Maybe it's my father's,' she quipped jovially, 'and it's for all his many mistresses.'

I looked at the photograph. I gazed at her brother's eyes. They were round and open, warm even and yet for some strange reason I could also detect a tiny glimmer of sorrow. It was as though his posture, the way he stood was nothing more than a lie to the outside world and that maybe he was not the boy prince after all and I suddenly found myself mellowing in my feelings towards him. It was a strange sensation after all the anger I had just vented and I pulled out the picture to dust it down. 

Luckily the glass had not disturbed the print but as I wiped away the tiny fragments of wood and glass, I saw that at some point, someone had folded over the top two corners. It would have gone unnoticed inside the frame but now, exposed and in my hand, they cried out to be flattened. I prized them open surprised to see two sets of numbers written in very small print.

261   934

I showed them to Max who shook her head again as confused as I was.

'So where does this leave us now?' I asked.

She looked to the far wall deep in thought. She seemed to be studying the family portrait. It seemed to last a while and then she was rounding on me with a hint of a grin creasing her lips.

'Well,' she said raising her eyebrows. 'that depends on you,'

'Me?'

'Yes. You don't think I am going to go gallivanting around the world on my own do you?'

My eyes opened wide.

'Look,' she said. 'Even you have to admit that hiding away an address is intriguing. Aren't you the least bit curious as to what it could mean?'