Katie and I stood with our luggage at the airport, outside gate 7. I checked my wrist watch every few minutes, growing impatient.
"What are we doing here?" Katie rolled her eyes.
"Taylor" a voice greeted from behind us.
Katie and I turned around to find Miranda and Chace standing before us. Miranda with her duffle bag and Chace wearing his limo driver uniform.
"What's going on?" Katie looked at me with wide eyes.
"Um, Katie" I started slowly, my palms on both her shoulders. "I've got to go to Portugal...and you need to go home"
"Taylor, please" she begged.
"You need to get yourself clean, Katie" I said softly, "you're a liability out there with that shit clouding your judgment"
She looked down began to weep "what's going to happen to me?"
"Uncle Nate set up a rehab program years ago...just in case something like this were to happen," I explained. "Chace will accompany you home and Miranda will take your place on this job, okay?"
"Okay," she slowly nodded holding back her tears.
Chace and Katie began leaving the airport as Miranda and I headed to our gate.
"Uncle Nate gave us the all clear," Miranda told me, pushing her white-blond hair out of her face.
My family couldn't move on to the next part of any op, without it first being authorised by my uncle Nate. It never used to be that way. Protocol changed after Jason was killed, forcing us to take extra precaution when out in the field.
"So we're on our way to Portugal" I grinned. "Perfect"
"So what's the plan?" Miranda asked, "we visit Luciana Lopez than get back on a plane by tonight?"
"Yeah once we find out if the painting is a forgery" I nodded.
"And what if it is?" She cocked a brow.
"Than what the fuck happened to the real one?" I asked. "And all that fucking money?"
Our assignment could go on for another six months if the painting were a forgery. I didn't like playing the long game. Getting in them quickly out was always my style.
Once we arrived in Portugal, we drove a rental car up to Luciana Lopez's home
"Can I help you?" The short, dark haired woman asked when opening the front door.
Her home was small and in a a rougher neighbourhood. If her painting was real, she sure wasn't aware of the treasure inside.
"Hi, we're looking for Luciana Lopez" Miranda started with a fake smile.
"I am she" she nodded, straightening her posture.
She didn't have an accent, she sounded like an America, to our surprise.
"We're from the New York Cities Saint Peters foundation" I added.
"Wow, what brings you here?" She asked.
"We're trying to track down a painting that was sold to Diego Garcia twenty years ago" Miranda informed her. "And we were wondering if you were in possession of the painting"
"Yes, I have it, follow me" she nodded.
Miranda and I exchanged the same thrilled look as we followed her through the house.
"My father had sent it to me after he won it in a raffle" she explained, "here it is."
We stopped in front of the painting that was sitting above the fireplace.
"Do you mind if we examine the painting just to be sure it's authentic?" I asked.
"No, of course not, go ahead", she smiled, signalling Miranda to take it down from above the fireplace.
Miranda takes out the equipment from her backpack and hands it to me. I pick up the hand-held magnifier, used for inspection.The signature was identical to the artists previous works. The paint was thick and quite aged which is what would be expected in the genuine piece. I pulled my head away before running my fingertips down the sides of the canvas. It was old, maybe sixty years or more.
After a few minutes of inspection, I glanced at Miranda. "It's genuine"
Miranda flipped the painting around, exposing the brown back. With her hands she felt for the envelops of cash in the back. Miranda looked over to me and smiled, telling me it's all there.
"Thank you, Ms Lopez for generous contribution" I said to the woman as we carry the painting outside to the car.
When I slid it into the trunk, A smile crept onto Miranda's lips as she pulled out a pocket knife from her backpack. She slits the back, making a long envelope and fifteen small ones filled with cash fall from the back.
"Bingo" I smiled.
I immediately started filling my backpack with the cash as Miranda opened the letter
"Taylor" Miranda started, reading the letter.
"What is it?" I questioned "the authenticity certificate?"
Miranda shook her head "no" that's when she passes me the letter in shock.
'Dear Paige,
I apologize for the events that had to take place prior to this night, I am writing this letter after being successfully convinced that you are indeed in trouble. This money was given to me by Kat to fund the new equipment but instead, I'm giving it all to you, to solve whatever it is that you feel you cannot solve on your own,Love always Jason'
"Taylor" Miranda started, making me to shake my head.
My mind filled with the confusion as we jumped in to the rental car.
"You knew didn't you?" I looked over to my cousin as I speed down the street.
"No, of course not," she shook her head "I don't think anyone did"
It all made sense, why my uncle Jason hated me and my dad so much. I wondered if uncle Nate knew about any of this?
"That's why uncle Jason has always hated dad" I sighed "because dad got Paige and he didn't"
"We don't know that anything went on between your mum and uncle Jason" Miranda said.
"Who are you trying to fool?" I cocked my brow, "i should have seen this sooner"
"How could you?" Miranda questioned.
"And the money!" I scoffed, "we thought we were looking for a treasure buried sixty years ago. When it was uncle Jason all this time, hiding cash for Paige, why?"
"I don't know, Taylor" Miranda sighed.
"Did uncle Nate know? If he did, why make us go all this way to uncover this secret?" I continued.
"We'll find out soon enough" Miranda nodded.
YOU ARE READING
Poker Face ✔
Mystery / ThrillerIt's not about the cards you've been dealt. It's about how you play the hand. Taylorina Ashton has a unique family. Most kids grow up learning how to ride a bike or climb a tree, Taylorina learned how to lie, cheat, and steal. She belongs to a larg...