Chapter 67: Chapter 67

Now I did say it all started 2 days before I met Bianca. Well, I have just gone back in time to tell you everything that happened before that day so let’s go back to what happened 2 days before meeting Bianca.

The company was located a little distance from the airport. It was built there because Dad is a strategist and he knows that it’s easier to get to tourists if you are next-door neighbor to the airport. We had flyers and billboards all over the place but all of that meant nothing with the business going under now. And somehow it was almost as if everyone knew there was nothing left of Mainland’s Attraction, one of the best tourist management businesses because every single person I approached to offer my services to ignored me.

“Mainland’s Attraction, let me show you the beauties Mainland has to offer,” I said to passersby going toward the exit.

They passed me and waved me off. I felt discouraged since not one person wanted my services. I went back home that day feeling depressed. I had felt confident at first but coming back home, I didn’t feel so confident anymore.

But seeing Alex and knowing his one-month ultimatum was on the line, I dressed up the next day to the airport for another day. Alex came with me this time and so did one of his friends, a short stout late twenties man called Dez. As I stood at the entrance Alex suddenly grabbed my hand and pointed at something.

“Over there!”

I looked and there coming toward the entrance was a family of four; two young girls who looked to be about my age and two adults I guessed to be their parents.

“Do you know who that man is?” Alex hissed in my ear.

I shook my head mesmerized by the family, they seemed like a tight-knit family and the girls looked so much alike, their blonde hairs were like rows of corn in a field. They looked exquisite and wealthy. One of them looked up and I thought she was going to catch my gaze until the other girl tapped her arm and pointed at a billboard and said something while laughing excitedly.

Alex pulled me away from the entrance. “That is Hayes! You know him right? You are the intelligent one you should know he is one of the richest men in this country and that girl right there,” he pointed at one of the blonde girls, “That is his only daughter.”

I looked at her. She was the one pointing at the billboard. So I am guessing the other one is a cousin…maybe. She laughed and slapped the first girl’s hand down and said something to make them laugh even harder.

She was pretty, maybe not as pretty as Hayes’s daughter but she was lovely. And her hazel eyes were bright and attractive.

Suddenly my heart fell as I realized why Alex had pointed them out. When I looked up at him he didn’t have to say anything to confirm my thoughts.

“That’s right baby brother, you will get Hayes’s daughter and bring her to me, he has enough money to bail her out if we abduct her.”

I began to shake at the thought of approaching them. What if they saw through me and knew that I had ulterior motives for offering to be their tour guide? Are they even on a tour? They seemed to know their way around.

I felt a nudge on my back as Alex pushed me toward the door. “What are you waiting for? Go!”

My feet were heavy like lead. In fact, I could almost imagine that there were cinder blocks tied to my ankles as I made my way toward them. My heart was beating so heavily that the Mainland’s Attraction logo on my shirt bounced.

When I got within mere feet of them I realized I was tongue-tied.

You have to do it, you have to do it, I reminded myself. Alex is watching you!

But just as I opened my mouth to say my lines a woman grabbed my shirt and pulled me away from them.

“You are a tour guide, aren’t you?”

“Y-yes,” I answered weakly.

“Phew, thank goodness. I couldn’t get anyone booked and I was afraid I was going to get lost here. It’s my first time here you know? I am a preschool teacher, I have been hoping to visit the famed Mainland all my life but I don’t know my way around but if you would please be my guide I’ll pay you whatever you charge.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw the Hayes group leave and hail a private car to take them away from the airport.

In a way, I was happy to be saved from that ordeal that would have turned me into a criminal and was grateful that this poor preschool teacher with a taste for adventure had saved me but when I locked gazes with Alex over her head I knew he wasn’t happy. He had his eyes narrowed at me.

I quickly looked down into the expectant face of the school teacher. “Sure ma’am if you would just tell me what you need I can create a schedule for you and show you Mainland’s best places.” I was proud of the strength of my voice.

“Oh, sure. Here’s my number, I will give you a call when I am settled in my hotel.”

She handed me her number scribbled on a piece of paper. She started to leave but I wasn’t ready to face Alex yet after that botched abduction attempt.

“Let me take you to your hotel, ma’am,” I offered hurriedly. “Finding a taxi will not be easy. I have a cart just outside the airport.”

“You do? Thank you very much, I’ll be sure to leave a 5-star review for your services,” she gushed gratefully. When she went to get the rest of her luggage Alex pulled me aside.

“You and I will have a talk when you get back home today. Be safe, brother,” he said.

I couldn’t tell whether or not he was angry but I knew that I, Andre Rios, messed up.

Going back home, I had mixed feelings. I knew Alex was mad at me for failing.

And I was right, he was mad but he didn’t lash out at me as I expected him to.

“It’s your first time anyway. But while you took your time coming back home I did some research and discovered where they would be staying and how long they plan to stay. Siobhan Hayes is Hayes’s only child and he will do anything to get her if she was kidnapped. Think of how much money we could ask for. We will be settled for life!”

“So what do you want me to do?” I heard myself asking.

“You will go trail them, find out what they do every day, and when the opportunity presents itself you will get Siobhan here.” He paused talking for a second then he smiled. “You know, you look so much like Mom. She was a very beautiful woman and you have her good looks. If you could pull a girl like Carol in with those dark good looks of yours then I’m sure you can do the same for a girl your age who is sure to be boy-crazy. Seduce Siobhan, laugh with her, get her to come with you and when that is done I will handle the rest.”

I didn’t like the way he spoke. I told you I am not the shy type but until Carol, I never had a girlfriend. I barely even speak to the girls in my class partly because they are snobbish and because I never got the chance since I have my hands full with other worries. Yet I have to seduce Siobhan Hayes and get her to fall for me enough to trust me.

I don’t know where I got the courage but it came and I found myself looking forward to making good use of my skills to see if they would actually work.

Carol wasn’t too enthusiastic about the idea.

“I get that it’s for the greater good,” she said as she wrapped her arms around my waist later that night. “But I can’t promise I won’t be jealous if I see you flirting with other girls.”

“But you flirt with other guys too. You have a boyfriend in fact!”

She laughed. “That’s beside the point. I have two boyfriends but I love you more.” Her hand disappeared beneath the waistband of my shorts and I began to get hard.

“It’s just for a day or two anyway,” I struggled to say.

“I hope so.”

But as she rolled over to straddle me that night I wasn’t thinking about her or the Siobhan girl. I was thinking about the other girl whose hazel eyes had sparkled when she laughed. I don’t think I ever saw anyone as pretty as her and for the first time in my life, I felt compelled to talk to a girl.

It was the next day when I got surprisingly lucky. Everyone knows the best place to get information during the summer season is the beach and clubs. I was prowling the beach wearing just a pair of beach shorts seeking information about Siobhan Hayes when I saw them lounging on the beach, a group of guys playing a beach ball game beside them.

I wanted to get close, maybe join the game when the other girl stood up, said something to Siobhan, and with a laugh, she went away from the group.

You should go to Siobhan now that she’s alone, I told myself.

But I found my feet going after the other one, watching her blonde hair blow in the wind as she made her way further away from Siobhan and the rest of everyone else.

She walked faster than I could keep up, also I didn’t want her to know I was coming after her so I fell back and walked slowly. When I finally caught up with her she was standing with her back turned against me struggling with her bikini.