"This involves me how?" Heather asks. "I would think a former client like yourself would especially appreciate the requirement that his public relations specialist maintain strictest confidentiality. Am I wrong?"
"You are not wrong," Zachary answers. "Confidentiality is expected and necessary for business, financial, and personal information. But the umbrella of confidentiality must surely not fit over illegal activity. Or actions that could result in crimes."
"This reminds me of that Tolkien movie where the creatures are jostling about with riddles in a cave. Is it amusing? Slightly. However, I have a very challenging day and numerous deadlines, Zach."
"Fine. I am here for just one answer please."
"Shoot."
"Cobra De Capello. Are its owners or operators staging a comeback or preparing a media offensive against me, Nathaniel, and the other fighters it had sued?"
"Frankly, I wish they were staging a comeback," Heather answers. "I need the business. My understanding though is that league is all but dead and buried. In the grave, as you put it."
"Okay," Zachary responds. "I am grateful for your candor."
"Promise me the next time you request an unscheduled and urgent visit it is to hash out the terms of retaining my services again," Heather suggests, standing and leading the men out of her office. "Deal?"
"Fair enough."
20
Urinal
Since the security guard, Gregory, is talking with a group of men on the other side of the lobby, the receptionist huffs and gets out of her chair to point out the restroom facilities to Gustavo herself. Gustavo follows her instructions, moving down the main hallway and into a corridor that borders an interior garden under an expansive skylight. He stands at the first urinal as he hears two men enter the restroom.
"Do you believe her?" Aleksey asks Zachary, choosing the center urinal between Gustavo and Zachary.
"No," Zachary answers.
"She is still bitter."
"She has always held grudges."
Gustavo finishes and washes and dries his hands. He reaches for the restroom door, then pauses and turns toward Zachary.
"Mister Fellini?"
"Yes?"
"I think you are about to be ambushed by some reporters in the lobby," Gustavo says. "Paparazzi."
"Why do you say that?" Aleksey says, zipping up immediately and stepping forward.
"They are whispering about Mr. Fellini," Gustavo says to Aleksey.
"They have cameras?" Aleksey asks.
"Well, I did not see any."
Aleksey and Zachary surge out of the restroom and into the corridor. Gustavo is behind them, ready to turn back toward the lobby, but Aleksey grabs his shirt and pulls him behind them. Gustavo sprints to keep up, following them into an employee-only room at the end of the corridor and out an emergency door. The three men run to a carport and kneel behind the row of cars. Aleksey looks back to see if they are being followed and signals them to change direction. They cut through the grounds of an apartment complex, then slow their strides and enter an adjacent medical complex. Exiting through an emergency door at the back of the structure, they swiftly cross another parking lot, a busy boulevard, and hide in the dugout of an empty baseball diamond in a park.
"What are we running from?" Gustavo asks. "Why did you pull me along?"
"We could not let you return to the lobby," Aleksey says, scanning the sports field instead of looking at Gustavo.
"Why not? I have enough troubles of my own."
"Many reasons. First, we have to find out what you know. Second, they would have come charging into that bathroom at any moment and jumped you to find out if you had seen us. Third, you are no longer safe from them and there is nothing we can do about that now."
"I did not do anything wrong," Gustavo protests, wincing and looking at Zachary for verification that the situation is dire.
"You are a fan of pro fighting?" Zachary asks Gustavo.
"No."
"How did you know my name?"
"You were pictured inside the magazine I was reading in the lobby."
"Why were you in the lobby?"
"Am I free to go?" Gustavo asks. "I was not looking for any problems."
Zachary huddles with Aleksey and whispers to him that they need to take this young man back to the condominium and question him there, where he will be less fearful and panicked. Aleksey protests, worried about compromising the secrecy of the rental unit. Zachary insists, reminding Aleksey that they can line up another rental after the meeting.
"What is your name?" Zachary asks.
"Gustavo."
"You have to trust me that we are not the bad guys here, Gustavo. We need you to stick with us for a bit longer. I want you to voluntarily come to the condo and meet with us. I pledge to keep you shielded. I am sorry you got wrapped up in this and we will help you find a way out."
"All right," Gustavo says. "I will stay with you voluntarily."
21
Questions
Zachary takes several measures to calm Gustavo in the condominium. He opens the blinds, encourages the men to remove his shoes, plays classical music on the cable television, and serves protein shakes. Zachary also adopts a languid pace, deliberately, once they are inside the unit. He seats Aleksey on the couch beside Gustavo to avoid a scenario that would feel like a confrontation. Zachary sits across from the young men, tilted backward in a reclining chair.
"You see, this does not have to be painful," Zachary says.
"You pledged I would be sheltered with you," Gustavo replies, "and I believe you."
"Good. Let's chat and see what we can learn to help one another."
"I would love help."
"Gustavo, I want to begin by thanking you," Zachary says. "Your warning at the urinal made our escape possible."
"Who were those guys waiting for you in Heather Wanda's lobby?" Gustavo asks.
"We will get to them in a minute, okay? First, let's clear the air and introduce ourselves. You learned about me, just this morning, from a magazine, correct?"
"Yes. There was a sports magazine in the lobby and you were featured in it."
"So you know what I do. I'm a fighter. An entertainer. A blended profession, one might say. The man beside you is Aleksey, my bodyguard and assistant. We are in Las Vegas tracking down information on an incident that occurred against me in San Francisco. We used to live in Phoenix. But we don't have a settled home at the moment. Can I ask what your profession is?"
"I am an artist. My full name is Gustavo Vila Nova."
"You are a recording artist?" Zachary asks. "Will you please freely share what you want so I don't have to request details?"
"I don't sing," Gustavo answers. "I paint. Sketch. Sculpt. The visual arts. My career began in Oahu. I currently live in Los Angeles."
"Your paintings are in a gallery here in Vegas?"
"Actually, yes. I have a couple of pieces for sale in art galleries in some of the premier shopping centers along the Vegas strip. But I am not famous or rich."
"Yet."
"Right," Gustavo grins. "Not quite yet."
"You have a client in the office complex we were at this morning?" Zachary asks.
"No. I was not there for any reason related to my own artwork."
Zachary lets the silence linger. He does not speak or gesture as he waits for Gustavo to elaborate.
"Can we come back to that?" Gustavo asks.
"To what?"
"My reason for being there."
"Yes, but I need to know."
"I am trying to decide how much I am going to tell you," Gustavo says.
"In the baseball dugout, you made a comment indicating you are carrying heavy burdens," Zachary says. "You said something to the effect that you have enough troubles of your own at the moment."
"I do."
"We can circle the drain, so to speak, and give you more time before talking about your reason for being there. Please do not mislead me or try to deceive me, Gustavo."
"I am not a liar," Gustavo responds.
"Who were you there to see?" Zachary asks.
"The same person as you. Heather Wanda."
"Did you meet with her before Aleksey and I arrived?"
"No. I did not have an appointment. I was waiting for her to decide whether she was going to grant me a minute or two of her time."
"You gave the receptionist, Darla, your real name?" Zachary asks.
"No," Gustavo answers. "I did not give her any name. I did not feel comfortable giving the receptionist any personal information."
"Interesting. You were in the lobby, soliciting a private meeting with Heather without an appointment, and happened to be there when we arrived."
"That is the truth."
"Please tell me what you witnessed in the lobby," Zachary says. "Include anything you believe could be helpful."
"After the two of you arrived and went to your meeting, the security guard was on his phone. I did not think much about it, but he was pacing in the entryway, back and forth. I assumed it was a personal call, like he was speaking so that the receptionist and I could not hear him. A minute later the two men enter and shake his hand."