Maribel asked Juan Carlos to suggest a good place for lunch. He struggled for a minute as he tried to balance trying to pick a place that wasn't so good that it seem like he was taking advantage of her generosity, but also one that was high class enough for someone of her station… Horado, suffering no such compunction, called out the name of a restaurant and received a sharp disapproving look from the two supervisors, apparently having picked the fanciest, most expensive place he could think of.
Maribel laughed lightly and said that it was a good choice, and a fitting place to celebrate her good fortune at having such a fine workforce under her direction at Food First. Horado beamed with delight.
At the restaurant, Maribel told them to order whatever they wanted, except alcohol. The two workers showed no restraint, while the supervisors kept themselves in check. Maribel didn't mind. Luis had lunch with them, sitting with his back to the wall and his eyes sweeping around the room as he ate.
After lunch they all walked back to the shop. The supervisors sent Jacinto and Horado back to work as Maribel bid them good-bye. Luis opened the door of her SUV for her, closing it after she was in. He walked around the front and climbed in behind the wheel. After closing his door and starting the car, he looked at her through the rearview mirror, "We were followed to and from the restaurant."
Maribel met his gaze, her face showing her surprise, "What? By whom? I didn't see anyone."
He began backing out into the street. "One man, known to be an associate of Rafael Camal de Leon. He has a history with the police. Three arrests for assaults, one for beating a man to death. All dismissed for lack of evidence."
He was watching his mirrors carefully as he drove. "I'm going to turn right up here and then make a U-turn at the end of the street. When I do, notice the motorcycle coming up the road, he should pass by us when we turn around. Blue bike, the rider is wearing a denim jacket, lots of tattoos. That's the guy who followed us on foot to the restaurant."
Just as Luis predicted the motorcycle passed them in the opposite direction after they pulled the U-turn. He stared at the tinted windows as he passed, giving Luis and Maribel a good look at his face. His neck and face were heavily tattooed. He turned his bike around to continue following them.
Mirabel decided to take action. Luis, you looked into this Rafael character, did you find a telephone number?"
"He has several. He generally carries two cell phones, one for legitimate business and one under a false identity for… other business."
"I think I should give him a call, and tell him I do not appreciate being followed, on his secret number, to make a point that I have resources, too."
Luis raised an eyebrow and looked at her in the rearview, then shrugged. "One minute," as he drove, he held a small radio up to his face and spoke into it quietly, Maribel could not make out the response from the speaker. After a few seconds, he put down the radio and told her the phone number. She dialed it on her cell.
After four rings, she heard a man's voice, "Who is this?" It said in a deep, demanding voice.
"Rafael? This is Maria Isabel Flores, I believe we have a luncheon appointment tomorrow. Meanwhile, it seems one of your… associates" she spat the word like a curse, "is bothering me. I think you should send him on some other errand for the day. I value my privacy as I am sure you do as well."
When she finished speaking, there was an uncomfortably long silence. Then she heard the man on the other end of the phone chuckle lightly, "I'm sure you understand one trying to learn as much as one can to prepare for a business meeting, like finding unlisted phone numbers, for example. You will have no further issues until after our meeting." Then abruptly, the connection went dead as he hung up the phone. Maribel stared at it for a moment. She smiled. "I think he got the point," she said to herself as much as to Luis.
A moment later Luis saw the bike rider reach into his pocket and pull out a phone, he glanced at it, then held it up to his ear. He immediately slowed, and pulled off to the side of the road, glaring angrily at Maribel's car as it drove away.
"He doesn't seem happy about that call," Luis remarked, "He probably got an earful for being spotted. He didn't even try to hide from us. Either he was very sloppy, or Rafael told him to let us see him… to see if it would rattle you."
Maribel had decided to stay at a hotel nearby to make the drive to the meeting easier in the morning. Rancho Grande Hotel was geared toward families, with a giant dragon water slide at the pool and similar kid-friendly amenities, but it was clean and had a little restaurant on site where she could have dinner without going out again. She wanted time to think about the meeting and go over all the information she had available about this Rafael Camal de Leon.
Her father's background check showed him to be a pretty bad character, a dangerous man who got what he wanted or destroyed whoever kept him from getting it. The question was, what did he want with Food First? Feeding his drug farmers? That's what he wanted it to look like, but… it seemed like a lot of effort for that. Luis assured her that her father had no dealings whatsoever with Rafael or any drug-traffickers. So, it wasn't likely some old grudge between the families. She ordered a Gallo, and a burger with fries and sat in the dining hall with Luis, eating and contemplating. She finally decided that she would find out tomorrow, and that she was as prepared as she could be.
She went to bed early. Luis was in an adjoining room, no doubt listening intently for any disturbance. She wondered if he would sleep at all or would stay up all night, watching out for her. She wondered how her father found such loyal and dedicated men.
She was up early, dressed and left her room to go down for a quick breakfast. The door to Luis' room opened as she closed hers behind her. He was dressed and ready for the day. They both had coffee and fruit, then checked out and packed their things back in the Prado.
"Get me there ten minutes before the meeting is scheduled, Luis," she said as he closed the driver's door behind him. "Do you need time to check it out before I go in?"
"No, it is already under surveillance. He has men there, but nothing that can't be handled. You will be safe, have no fear."
She laughed, "Oh my god, how many men did my father send here? I thought it was just you and Carlos." She was relieved to have the support, but a little miffed that her father didn't think she could handle things herself.
Luis met her gaze in the rearview mirror. "It is just the two of us, Maribel. Carlos and I are very thorough."
"If Carlos is here, nobody's watching the house?" she asked.
"The house has electronic surveillance and alarms, we'll know if anyone tries to enter," Luis replied coolly. He didn't mention the electronic surveillance was semi-autonomous alien technology sensor drones with high-powered laser weaponry, Maribel wasn't supposed to know that.
Three hours later, they arrived at La Ciela. Again she had dressed in business attire, this time a charcoal grey pant suit, with a black shirt. She wore small, onyx earrings, and of course, the ring she had been given by her mother years ago. The ring was plain, just a thick metal band, but it held sentimental value. Her mother had told her that it had belonged to her grandmother and had been handed down to her, and now that Maribel was a grown woman, she should have it. She remembered how proud her mother had seemed, the hint of a tear in her eyes as she spoke… The ring was precious to her, a good luck charm, a talisman that gave her strength in time of need. She would never part with it. All these thoughts flooded through her mind, as her gaze passed over the ring. She was unaware they had been implanted to make sure she always wore the protective shield ring.
Luis, she knew, would be armed. He was probably wearing a bullet-proof vest as well. He parked the car and walked around to open her door for her, as always offering his hand to help her out. He closed the car and locked it up. Maribel left her purse in the car, in a pouch behind the front seat. She had memorized as much of the documents as she would need and felt she would present a more confident, unconcerned attitude without it. The two of them walked into the lobby to meet with the dangerous criminal who had demanded her presence.