Veiled Enigmas

part 1

The woman took another drag of her cigarette, inhaled the smoke and released it into the air abruptly. Her right hand trembled, barely able to grasp the white cancer stick, and sweat bubbled on her forehead. She was nervous; waiting was her worst attribute.

I wish Joseph would hurry, she thought to herself, glancing at her watch as she brushed her light brown hair from her eyes. The brunette flicked the cigarette from between her fingers down onto the cold cement and watched the fiery red cherry burn to nothing.

"Angelica darling." The voice startled the woman as she jumped noticeably, uncrossing her legs. The man leaned forward, kissing her cheek, and sat in the patio chair across from his fiancee.

"Your late." Angelica Stone (soon to be Angelica Lamb) replied. "Never mind that now, do you have it?"

"Yes, of course dear," the man responded.

He caught a glimpse of Marcus as he slid the briefcase under the table with his left hand.

"You know where to take it? And at what time, right?"

"Why wouldn’t I?" Angelica countered with a question of her own, never aware of a third party. She never assumed someone else knew about the briefcase’s contents but her husband-to-be and Thomas.

Mr. Lamb stood up, gave Angelica another kiss while gazing at Marcus, who was reading a newspaper on a street corner bench.

"Fare thee well my love. I will see you after midnight," he said.

He turned and strode back into the restaurant, leaving the patio section behind and disappearing from Angelica’s view. She glared all around her, making sure of her secrecy, and proceeded to Thomas’s apartment.

_ _ _

Joseph closed his black Sedan’s door, assuring himself that Marcus would follow Angelica, and drove in the opposite direction. The tall, broad-shouldered businessman with flowing blond hair pulled into Hannah’s driveway around 2:30 in the afternoon.

Simultaneously, his fiancee arrived at Thomas’s apartment.

"I’ve missed you so much," Joseph said, taking Hannah’s hands into his own.

"Missed you too, hun’. Did Marcus take the bait as followed?" she asked.

"Yes. Everything is perfect. We’ll be leaving for Paris in the morning."

"Oh Joseph, ‘tis so wonderful. Take me now, or leave me forever heartbroken." Hannah proclaimed, pressing her hands upon her breasts and shutting her eyes. Joseph swept her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

_ _ _

"Did you purchase the tickets?" Angelica questioned Thomas after she told him the meeting with the Mystery Man would take place at midnight on the docks.

"Of course. Your flight departs to Hawaii at eleven tonight," Thomas responded.

"My flight?" Angelica asked, raising her eyebrows. She removed a cigarette from her holder and placed it on her lower lip. Her smoking had increased dramatically these days; frankly, she couldn’t go an hour without one.

"Yeah¼ your flight. I’m not going tonight," he commanded. "And why do you have to smoke so much? You never smoked that much before."

"It settles my nerves," she snarled, lighting the stogie in front of his face. "Plus, I’m not going without you. It’s too much stress on a woman."

"You are going without me, I’ve got to take the briefcase to the Mystery Man and make sure he never finds us. Just trust me. Or you can go back trusting that a-hole you’re committed to now."

"I do trust you, Thomas. And I will go, I’m just scared." Thomas hugged her gently and caressed her long, straight hair with his coarse hands.

"I’ll meet you in Hawaii, Angel," Thomas said, finishing the conversation.