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He gave a low hum of consideration before shrugging. “That’s fine. I wouldn’t invite someone I’ve never met into my home either. I had a few questions about your family and the area. Is that all right?”
When she gave a single silent nod, he continued. “I’m a friend of a friend, you might say. I’m looking for Frederik Orlando. He landed in Montevideo not too long ago, and it’s very important that I speak with him.”
Gabriela tensed visibly at the mention of Frederik’s name, and as Quint went on, the smile slowly faded from her lips.
Quint forged ahead, seemingly undeterred by the woman’s reaction. “I know Frederik is a very important agricultural researcher. I have what could be a mutually lucrative business opportunity for him. Have you had any contact with him? A phone call maybe, or letter? Visit? My offer is time sensitive, and I need to speak with him as soon as possible.”
“I don’t know why you would seek him here,” Gabriela said.
“I was unable to reach him in America, at his job or home”
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nbsp; Gabriela’s voice wavered, sounding almost grieving. “I’m sorry, Mister Forbes. I don’t know anything about Federico or where he might be. Not anymore. My brother, he left for America a long time ago, and he has not been back since. We have heard nothing from him, and we do not expect to. I’m sorry I cannot be of more assistance, but … speaking of my brother is very painful to me. I must ask you to depart.”
When Quint didn’t move, she motioned regally toward the gate. “Please. I thank you for your visit, but you will have to seek him somewhere else.”
Quint was silent for a long moment before giving a slight bow, removing his hands from his jacket pockets. “I’m sorry to hear of his estrangement from his family. I’ll ask for information elsewhere. I apologize for re-opening old wounds. Thank you, Miss Orlando. Be well.”
“You, as well, Mister Forbes. Encantado de conocerle.” She gave a bow in return, and turned to reenter the house.
Where there was only silence behind the big door the first time she opened it, the sound of restrained clamor and non-English-speaking voices spilled out as she slipped back inside. As the door locked into place, the voices were again inaudible.
Quint sighed heavily. “I hoped that would go better than it did. We’ll have to follow up on our other leads.”
Amara nodded her response and headed back to the car. Nothing about the Orlando woman felt right, but she chalked it up to the fact that she so closely resembled Frederik, both in manner and appearance. Her hair had been dyed, but she couldn’t have been much older or younger than him.
As they drove back down the long path, Quint rolled up both of his windows and the window between Thiago’s section and theirs so they could speak in private.
He leaned his head back against the seat, staring up at the roof of the car. “Truth is, I suspected we’d get stonewalled here. I was almost counting on it. There’s one of three possibilities. One, she doesn’t know where Frederik is and is being honest with us. Two, she knows that he’s in town but hasn’t had contact with him, and she’ll seek him out to tell him that I came calling. He doesn’t know about your involvement with me, and from the way you talk about him, he’s a ladder climber. He wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to rub elbows with one of the most famous men in the world. Ah … not saying that to be egotistical, or anything. It’s just the way of things. I know you understand. But … ahem. Three, she knows exactly where he is and has had contact with him since he landed. Hell, he might have been one of those voices in the main hall that we overheard.”
Amara shook her head softly. “No, I don’t think he was. I mean, I didn’t understand them, but I didn’t hear his voice.”
“The way it seems to me … and, this is on instinct alone, but it seems like the third option is the most likely. I’m inclined to trust my gut on this — it’s gotten me far. He’ll want to know more about the opportunity I dangled out there. He can’t know our connection, so he’ll be in touch. I’m sure of it.”
“I hope your instincts are right,” she said.
“We’ll still follow up with some of the lesser-connected family members. I have information on the Orlandos who are still connected with the family but live down in the city, as well as a few disaffected or cast-out relatives who didn’t fit into the family for one reason or another. There are plenty of leads to track down, and it’s still early in the day.”
His dark hair glistened in a stray sunbeam that streamed through the window. “Don’t worry, Amara. One of these people is going to roll and give him up, I’m sure of it. Time is about to run out on Frederik Orlando.”
AMARA LEANED OVER THE RAILING of the balcony, slowly sloshing a small, mostly drained glass of ice and rum, scanning the spectacular view of the city.
Nearly at the top of Palacio Salvo, she could see most of Montevideo, from the docks to many of the buildings they’d visited over the course of the day.
Everyone they talked to had told them the same story Gabriela spun: not only had they not heard from Frederik, but they basically didn’t know him because he’d been gone so long. Some cared enough to ask questions about how he was doing, but most seemed disinterested.
As the sun began to set, Quint decided that the only people who would know anything about Frederik and his whereabouts were back on Cerro de Montevideo at the Orlando villa, tucked away behind the ancient, creaking door.
Having exhausted their initial batch of leads, they decided to head back to the condo Quint’s people had arranged for them. Palacio Salvo was built to be a hotel, but the plans never came to fruition, and it mostly housed condominiums on the higher floors and some offices on the lower floors.
The condo in which Quint and Amara were staying was already sumptuously furnished and lived-in, the actual owner likely out of town on some business, leasing his place for side income.
Touches of America were present everywhere, from the movies to the books that lined the large shelves in the spacious living room, and the aura of home made Amara feel more at ease at the end of an extremely discouraging first day in a foreign land.
The only progress they’d made was that the city was more familiar to them. They’d scoped out the different barrios and gotten a feel for each of them, and while Quint seemed pleased about it, Amara wasn’t sure it was going to be of any use.
Quint stood just inside, talking to his local contacts, getting updates from everyone he could reach, leaving Amara alone with her thoughts on the hotel balcony for an hour or so while he cooked and gathered intel.
