King Solomon's Journey (The Dominguez Adventures) (41 page)

            The evening ended as it began, the toast of the day was the last dance between Antonio and his beautiful niece dancing around the room, Rose, the belle of the ball and Antonio, the returned prodigal son.

Chapter 46

"There is always room for coincidence."
Alva Noto

            Amanda awakened earlier than she had thought she would after such a long night. She realized she felt awful; her head was pounding, she felt clammy, and gremlins' were dancing in her stomach. She laughed a little at the thought of a hang-over cure she hated; she rose, wrapping a sheet around her body, before going to find her medicine case. After the unusual amount of Champagne she had drunk, she should have counted on a bit of a hang-over.

            Reaching the closet she turned on the light and reached up to take her black train case off the shelf. Her hand met empty space and she turned to search for it, perhaps Antonio had moved it. She finally found it resting on the shelf below where she had placed it.

            Carrying the case into the bath, she drew a glass of water, and pressed the buttons for the combination to open the case. The left release appeared to be catching; she made a mental note to have it repaired. Inside the case she sought out the herbs that would settle her stomach and give relief from the headache.

            Returning the case to the closet, she realized she could multiple footsteps moving up and down the hallway, and from the direction of the balcony door, she could hear loud radio voices. Walking to open the doorway, she stuck her head out, and glanced to the left. There were two policemen standing there!

            One of them turned to look at Amanda after hearing the door open. He smiled at the sight of a tousled red-head, and bare shoulders sticking out the door. He waved his fingers at her, and she automatically returned the gesture before remembering her state of undress. Swiftly closing the door, she returned to the bed.

            She sat on the bed and put her hand on Antonio’s shoulder to wake him. He roused enough to grab her and pull her down onto him.

            “Antonio, something has happened in the suite next door. There are police everywhere.”

            Antonio belted up in the bed. Way wrong move, he grabbed his head and moaned. Amanda groaned in sympathy, and told him to stay still; she had left a portion of her 'cure' in the bathroom, just in case. Bringing it to Antonio, she slipped the glass in his hand and told him to drink. He did without opening his eyes.

            He swallowed half the glass in his first drink, thinking it was bicarbonate of soda; the normal hang-over medicine. Nope, his mouth, throat and stomach all rebelled at the same time. He bolted naked for the bathroom, and heaved.

            "What are you trying to do, kill me?" He moaned.

            "Do not be such a baby; it was just honey, capsaicin, ginger and potassium, in a little water mixed with apple juice. If you had kept it in your stomach, you would have been feeling fine, shortly. Would you like for me to make another one?"

            "HELL NO!"

            Antonio stumbled back to the bedroom, searching for…"Amanda did you hear anything last night?"

            “No, nothing, what are you doing?”

            “I’m trying to find my pants. I need to find out what’s going on.” He slipped on his jeans.

            “Just go back to bed, and I’ll convince someone to tell me what happened.” He kissed her, and then walked out into the mayhem. Making eye contact with a detective in the hallway, he walked over to introduce himself.

            “I’m Dr. Antonio Dominguez, staying in the suite next door.”

            “Hello, Dr. Dominguez. I’m detective Johnson, Miami Dade PD.”

            “What happened?”

            “We have a dead man, drugged and robbed by an unknown woman.”

            “Really…? That’s awful.”

            “Looks as if he picked her up late last night at a club, then brought her back here. Poor guy was probably set for a romantic encounter. Seems the woman slipped him a Mickey, something went wrong, and it killed him. She stole his valuables and left.”

            “That could make a guy think.”

            “Hell, she probably didn’t know the drugs killed him. We’ve seen several of these cases recently, but none were dead.”

            “Do you think the same woman is responsible for all of them?”

            “No, but we do think it’s a tight knit group.”

            “Dr. Dominguez, did you or your wife happen to see or hear anything?”

            “We aren’t married. No, we got in late after my nieces fiesta de quince activities yesterday. We were tired when we got back, and didn’t leave again.”

            “The thing is we’re really concerned. Between you and me, Dr. Dominguez, this man had some serious weapons… and she took ‘em.”

            “Damn, how do you know he had weapons?”

            “We’ve uncovered he’s some type of Federal Agent.”

            “You’re kidding.”

            “See those guys, the Feds, gettin’ ready to boot us off this case…he's apparently one of theirs…peculiar, huh? Don’t know what the guy did here, but he was doin’ it on the Fed’s time.”

            “Do you think he was watching someone here, at the Hotel?”

            “Looks that way...” Someone called over for Detective Johnson.

            “Good luck, Detective.”

            “Yeah, it’s been nice talking with ya’, Doctor. Here, take my card, in case you’re in town and need any help.”

            “Yeah…”

            Antonio went back to the room. Amanda lay in bed, in wait for his return. He peeled off his jeans and crawled under the covers with her. The warmth of her naked body against his skin felt wonderful. On her forehead, he placed a kiss.

            “Someone drugged and robbed the guy, he’s dead. A woman he picked up at a bar killed him.”

            “Wow. That is horrible.”

            “It’ll make a lot of guys think.” Antonio smoothed her hair away from her eyes, her beautiful eyes. Every morning when he woke up, he looked into her eyes and fell in love with her again.

            “Amanda.” He wanted to tell her the dead guy was an agent, but he changed his mind.

His phone rang. He reached back to answer it without separating them.

            “Good Morning José.”

            “What are you doing, Antonio?”

            “Lying in bed, I did get up earlier…  The guy in the suite next to us is dead. I talked to the Detective and found out the idiot picked up a woman at a bar. She drugged then robbed him. Something went wrong and he died. The dumbass was apparently a Federal Agent of some kind.”

            “Did you and Amanda see him?”

            “I don’t think so. We came back here after Rosie’s party.”

            “Damn, Antonio. You know he was probably watching you.”

            “He isn’t now.”

            “You need to get up. Mama is cooking, and you need to tell Pop and me everything that’s going on.”

            “Say…I don’t think I’m ready to get up.”

            “Well you better get ready, you know Mama; she'll come knocking on your door if you are not here when she says to be!"

             “Okay, we'll be ready in an hour; I'll call you for a ride.” He hung up the phone and moved closer to Amanda.

             “What did José want?”

            “Mama is cooking. Pop wants to talk about the Scrolls.”

            “Should we get up and shower?”

            “As much as I want to stay right here, connecting with you all day long, I guess I need to talk to my family. I’ll shower while you get ready. I don’t think we should shower together today.”

            She laughed. “Probably not…”

            He called José, like he promised. “Antonio, are you two showered and dressed?”

            “Yes.”

            “I’m coming to pick you up,” he hung up.

            They hurriedly finished the breakfast from room service, gathered their computers and briefcases, and then sat them by the door. Antonio heard the knock at the door, looked out and answered it.

            “José!” Grabbing him, he started hugging him.

            “Antonio, I swear you’re wasted.”

            “He just feels happy.”

            “Which detective did you speak to, Antonio?”

            “Johnson, I have his card. Do you know him?”

            “Yeah, I’ll call him later, in case he learns anything new. Amanda, are you doing okay? I’m sorry, Antonio had me distracted.” He gave her a little hug.

            “I am great, thanks.”

            The drive to their parents' house was a short one, and Amanda loved watching the easy camaraderie between the brothers.

Chapter 47

“The family.  We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ”

— Erma Bombeck

            The Dominguez Family Home was built on a foundation of love, using family values as the framework. Their home was the perfect illustration of Pop’s hard work and dedication, and Mama's commitment to ensuring her families comfort and sense of well-being in all things. After all, Pop had made his fortune all on his own after escaping the revolution in his beloved Cuba, and Mama had stood there with him through the bad times, and the good.

            Antonio sat there staring at the house for a moment, then he squeezed Amanda's hand resting on his shoulder. “This is where I grew up Amanda.”

            They started inside just as his mother came out to greet them.

            “Mama, you’re so beautiful. I love you.” Antonio bent and whispered in her ear, as he untied her apron. His mother snapped a hand towel at him, just as she did when he was small.

            “My boy…Antonio, now I know you’re home.” He turned and saw his Pop, then approached him.

            His father was dressed in what, as children they had called his 'play clothes', a pair of chinos and a chambray shirt. As a judicial official, Maurice dressed as the successful attorney and then judge he had strived to be, at home he was relaxed and shed his austere image, for the most part.

            "Antonio, welcome home my son. Yesterday we welcomed you back to Miami; today we welcome you back home. Mama has been fixing all of your favorites, Maria called and she told us of Amanda's need for certain foods, and we have prepared a feast fit for rabbits! "

            Ileana smacked the judge on the arm and said; "Maurice, not rabbit food, organic produce!

            Forgive my husband Amanda; he does not stay on top of current events like I do. I fully understand the benefits of your special diet. In Cuba, health was a priority, and when money and doctors were scarce, the old ones remembered the benefits of turning to nature for cures and positive aspects of nourishment."

            Antonio could not help but laugh, he was home! While Pop believed he ran the world; at home everyone knew who was boss.

            "Move Maurie, let the children come inside." Antonio's father stepped aside and waved them in.

            The sounds of teenage boys in debate over the best hero class in their favorite online dungeon game, young girls giggling, a baby fussing, women laughing, and men arguing over who was the best grill boss, met then in the entry way. The scent of sofrtio, the base his Mama used for most of her dishes, filled the house with an essence that had Antonio's mouth watering in anticipation. Before he could head for the kitchen, José grabbed his arm and dragged him and Amanda into the living room to greet the rest of the family.

            The large cavernous room seemed to be filled with people of all ages. Amanda felt a little overwhelmed, until Carmen came to her side and said hello. The familiar face helped a great deal, and with Antonio's hand in hers she was ready.

            José walked forward, raised his hands and called for quiet. Took a few minutes, but the teenage boys in the small media room, the teenage girls in the corner by the piano, and the various adults all finally centered their attention on Antonio and Amanda. Even baby Celia in her mother Elisabeth's arms seemed to sense the moment and stopped fussing.

            "Antonio, you know everyone here, but Amanda does not. Allow me to introduce you Amanda to the Dominguez family." José was filled with pride at the sight of his entire family in one room. Mama and Pop were standing now by the fireplace, with their entire brood before them.

            "I will begin with the oldest. The first beautiful lady is our sister Nydia, with her husband Ramon, our family banker, and father of three sons; good young men, each of whom is headed for a career in the family business; their daughter Sylva handles all of the travel associated with a firm of our size, while she finishes her degree in aerodynamical design, research and development." In a loud whisper, José joked. "Poor Sylva, no head for law, had to choose a simple career."

            "Next, is me! I am an attorney, with a specialization in financial law. My gorgeous wife Carmen you already know, she is the backbone of my home and my career. You know our youngest, our Rosie. That young man by the piano is our oldest son, Phillipe, standing with him are our three middle sons.

            After Antonio is Carlos, our legal firms' head of finance. His wife Margarite is well known throughout Miami for her ability to raise money for any charity in need. They have four sons, standing by the window, and one daughter Elise, who is a stunning concert pianist.

            Mark is sitting there with his lovely wife Elisabeth, bouncing the youngest Dominguez, Cecelia. Mark is an amazing Investment Manager, and they waited 12years for little Cecelia, and now his head is not so into the numbers, we have to make him come to work.