Chapter 16: The Tapes

Adam Florenz's POV

After we had our breakfast, it was time to get the tapes out. I have been acquired them after I told the leader that I had a lead on Lucia Ricci and now they think I can decipher the codes that might be in these tapes.

Only I don't speak one word of Italian.

But luckily, my fiancée did and right now she was ready to help me. I must thank her later by maybe ask her if she wanted another dinner with me, my treat for her help.

"Okay, so there are 27 of them all together and I don't think these conversations will be slow and they maybe have some of the dialects that you might not recognize," I said as I put the box of tapes in front of her. She was inspecting every one of them before raising an eyebrow.

"Really? tapes, what are you, 20th-century detective?" She said as she was chuckling as she was searching for the first volume of the tapes I supposed.

"Well, it was not mine as these have been done before I even got here," I said in my defense. It was being produced while Lucia was on sight and the Interpol got her at her apartment and bugged it. It was one of the days that they like to gloat that they get to Lucia Ricci.

That woman was untouchable even by the CIA.

"Well, let me get the tape player and I can get some of the book sketch to write it down," she said as she was taking out her book sketch and ready for the interpretation of the messages.

"I got the tape player," I said after I took it in one of the drawers in the study room. She nodded at me as she was putting the tape inside and put on the headphone. She played it and started to listen to it. I went to get some of the coffee for her as she would be sleepy to get the words out onto the paper.

"Hmm, mmm, mmm," she said as she was scribbling down on the paper as I was trying to read it. She stopped before she listened to it again and quickly write it down.

"I have enough of the results of the experiment to get to them. They will never see it coming," I read as I was reading it while Fauna was writing another line.

"Adam?"

"Yeah?" I asked as I was looking at her. She stopped her tape and writing.

"I can't right if you breathe down my neck,"

"Oh, sorry, I haven't realized," I said as I was very close to her delicate neck. It smells of olive and mint. Kind of masculine but sweet.

I went outside again as I was pulling up my laptop and I was doing some comparing notes that Danial has given me and I think I have the same idea as his. But he was better.

I wrote correspondence to the captain to tell him that I was having a lead with the tapes and maybe on Friday, I will be able to give it to him to decide what the next course of action will be.

"Okay. I think I have got an idea of where this conversation might lead to," Fauna said as she took off her headphones. I don't know how much time had flown as the sun was high. It was noon and we haven't had any lunch yet.

"Oh, do you want to go now?" I asked her. I hope she would stay. I kind of like her company, since my parents took off last night after the engagement party. Fauna shrugged.

"I don't know. You were not having anything as you can't cook," she said. I arched my eyebrow at her.

"So, will you cook for me?" I asked her as I was smirking. She blushed.

"Well, if you wanted me to,"

"It will honor for me to have a bite of your food," I said as I smiled at her. She looked at me as she was trying to read me. She smiled as she was fidgeting with her finger.

"Well, it can't be helped then," she said as she was about to go to the kitchen. I held her wrist as I looked at her. She looked at my hand before she looked at my face.

"Well, let's save time and we go out my treat," I said as I pulled her hand and we went out of the door, as I leave the laptop there and the tapes as well.

I think that would be the biggest mistake of my life.

Fauna Kent's POV

Alright, maybe I was too eager to think that Adam was liking my food. I mean, I made him breakfast, it will not be a regular thing after all.

But you like it that he complimented you, my dark thought invaded my mind, I shook them off.

"So, what would you like to eat?" He asked me as he guided me into his Audi. I thanked him as he closed the door and he went to the driver's seat.

"I'm thinking Chinese?" I said. He smiled as he started the engine.

"Just as I thought you might say that," he said as he drove off to the downtown to get some Chinese food for our empty stomach.

It was a rush hour since it was supposed to be working day but I did not go because I can work from home and it was nice to break out from the office for once and a while.

"Okay, I think you will love it here," he said as he parked the car. It was not that packed in this part of town. I wonder why.

"Well, not many people know about this place as it was underrated and maybe they much prefer to have something else other than Chinese, so lucky us," he said as he got out of the car and before I can open the door, he already did.

"Such a gentleman," I said as I was taking his hand and he pulled me closer to him. It was a sign of claim that he would always be mine and I was his. I smiled at that thought for once.

But you can never have him, your sister will return and you will give him to her as planned, my dark mind said as I was closing my eyes, not wanting my sister to come back.

I know I'm selfish but it's for a good cause.

The dinner was nice, with lanterns and red and gold in every corner. It has some kitties that their hands were moving on one side. It was lucky to have those, or so they say.

"Hi, table for two," Adam said as the waitress showed us to the table. She gave us the menu and go off to serve some water for us. I flipped the menu and I don't know what to eat.

"Hmm, noodles look good," I said as I was flipping and flipping. I decided to get some noodle soup and wanton. It was nice.

"Okay, it settles then. waiter," Adam called and placed our orders. We have some noodles soup and wanton as well as orange chicken and steamy rice. We also ordered some iced tea with lemon.

"It will be out shortly," the waitress said as she took our menu and went to place our orders. I was playing with my fingers and I don't know how to get a conversation started with Adam. thankfully, he asked me first.

"So, how many volumes have you listened to?" He asked as he took a sip of the water. It was cold and I can feel the chill to my bones.

"Well, I have 7 left, I think," I said as I was looking into his stormy eyes. They were surprised. well, what can I say, the time was sure fast and the conversation was short as if she knew that she was bugged.

"Is there anything in it that was suspicious or maybe life-threatening?" He asked as he put down the glass and focus on me. I don't know where to focus but I think I can focus on his eyebrows instead. It was like looking into his eyes but not quite.

"Well, it has something to do with volunteers for some testing? Or maybe a questionnaire that they were surveying. oh, but get this, they have something planned for someone special," I said as I was trying to be stern but I cannot. The thrill was too much.

"Such as?" He asked as he was arching his eyebrow at me. I shrugged.

"I don't know, they did not converse on that. But something with to do a family in Portugal. You're from Portugal, right? Maybe you know who was Almada," I said as I was taking a sip.

"Almada?"

"Yeah, they say it was one of the richest families but I cannot be sure what they planned. It was too vague?" I said as I was tapping my chin. Later our orders came and we thanked the waitress and we ate.

"We talk about this later," Adam said as we were digging in on our food. It was scrumptious. I wonder why no one knows about this? I don't even know this place exists!

Adam was looking at me as I was enjoying my face as my eyes were wide.

"I told you it was good," he said as he was smirking at me.

And damn right he was.