“I’ll go speak with the cousin,” she said.
“Fine, I’m sorry to have given you such bad news.”
She smiled at the woman and hurried out. She crossed the road and went into the hotel. The lobby was deserted, and she looked at the register on the clerk’s desk.
There was the name, Fraulein Renate Müller, with an address near Bonn in Germany.
There was a noise and Maria turned to see a very attractive tall blonde girl coming down the stairs. She was so obviously European that Maria had no difficulty in correctly assuming that this was Fraulein Müller.
She was dressed in a spotless white skirt and matching jacket with an amazing turquoise blouse that shimmered with colour. Her stockings were sheer and her high-heeled shoes looked as if they came from Italy. She was clutching a Gucci white leather handbag in her hand and Maria couldn’t miss the diamond rings and matching earrings.
“Fraulein Müller?”
The girl looked slightly worried, but smiled all the same.
“Ja, ich bin Renate Müller.”
“I don’t speak German, I’m sorry,” Maria said.
The girl smiled again and Maria thought she was very attractive.
“I forget. I am Renate Müller.” Her German accent was not quite as pronounced as Nadia’s but the similarity was obvious.
“My name is Maria, I’m sorry for your loss, but may I speak with you about your cousin?”
Again the girl looked scared and Maria was curious.
“Are you police?” the girl asked.
Maria laughed.
“My God, no! I have been asked to come because Nadia had a lover, and he wanted to take care of the funeral arrangements.”
This time the girl looked positively scared.
She took Maria’s arm, pulling her out into the sunshine, as it happened, right into range of the directional microphone in the ‘utility truck’ parked nearby. Not that it was particularly necessary, as she was wearing a wire.
“She couldn’t have,” the girl said.
Maria smiled.
“Look, I know she had no family that gave a shit. So, who are you, really?” Maria asked.
Renate looked up and down the street.
“My name is Renate Müller, as I have a passport in that name. I am no relation, but I was her friend in Germany. I came here and we met at some friends’ house, and when I heard of her death, I knew enough to claim to be her cousin. We, Nadia and me, we had a pact. I didn’t want her secret spread across the newspapers, as we share the same secret.” the girl’s voice was husky, and very sexy. The accent was quite pronounced, but her English was slightly better than Nadia’s had been three years ago.
Maria looked at the girl with surprise.
“Your secret?”
“If you know her, you know what it is. I agreed to help her if this ever happened, and she would do the same for me.”
“You are a…”
“Shh. Please, I am due to have SRS soon, but no one knows.”
Maria’s mind was working fast. Nadia was attractive, but this girl was absolutely stunning. If she could persuade her to bring the body to the island, then perhaps Luis may get over his grief a little quicker.
“Do you have anyone?”
The girl shook her head. “Not really, I have this wealthy friend, he pays well,” she said, flashing her ring. Even better, thought Maria, a whore to boot. She would not want any hassle with the authorities.
“Before you get the wrong idea, I am a singer and night club artiste,” the girl said.
“Of course you are.”
The girl smiled. “It is just that the money is sometimes not enough.”
Maria smiled, as this girl was perfect; innocent, but not totally naïve.
“So, what do you intend doing with the body?” she asked the German girl.
Michelle shrugged.
“I thought I’d take it to a crematorium and just pay for it to be disposed of.”
“Not easy, you need a death certificate.”
“I have that.”
“Yes, but you have also got papers saying you are taking it abroad.”
The girl frowned.
“Look, you are alone, why don’t you come with me? We will take a flight out of the USA. That way Nadia’s lover will be able to have his funeral.”
“I don’t think I should,” the girl said.
“How much do you need for your SRS?”
“What?”
“Look, the man I work for is very influential, and it could be his gratitude may be sufficient for you to get your SRS.”
“Why should he do that? He doesn’t know me.”
“He loved Nadia very much. He really would like to have her buried on his island.”
“Where is this island?”
“South, in the Caribbean.”
The girl looked around; uncertainty was etched on every movement. So was desperation and despair. Maria recognised a vulnerable deer of a person.
“I don’t know,” she said.
“Then sleep on it. The papers will be signed tomorrow. I understand your situation, so I will stay until then.”
Maria went and checked into the hotel and then she rang her cousin. She was watching out the window as the German girl was crossing the road so as to avoid walking past a police officer on her side of the street.
“Luis. It is Maria.”
“Maria, do you have her?”
“No, there is a complication.”
“What?”
“A girl, or should I say, a girl like Nadia.”
“Where?”
“Nadia had a German friend. Another t-girl, who heard of the crash and is pretending to be her cousin to get the body out of the authorities’ hands. The body was so badly mutilated that they could not tell her true gender. But as the cause of death was obvious, they haven’t bothered with a complete autopsy, which would include a test that would confirm she was actually male. So on that score, we’re in the clear. But she has been given custody of the body.”
“You said she is a t-girl?” Luis asked, and Maria smiled, he was so damn predictable.
“Yes and she is stunning. You would like her very much.”
“Will she do a deal?”
“I have told her you would be willing to pay for her SRS if she brought the body to the Island.”
“Why should I? What would I do with another girl with a vagina? If I wanted one of them, I’d get a real one.”
“I never said when you’d pay for it.”
“Oh, I see. Well, will she do it?”
“I think so.”
“Is she a plant?”
“What DEA? Not a chance.”
“Are you sure?”
“Trust me, Luis, I can smell cops and she is not a cop. But if she is, then we can always get rid of her.”
Chapter 5.
The German girl was in the diner next to the hotel before Maria on the following morning. Maria went straight over to her and joined her at the small table. She was dressed in the same suit as the previous day, but had a different blouse on. The remains of the girl’s breakfast lay as evidence on the table. She was finishing her coffee.
“Good morning, Renate. Did you think about my offer?”
“You never told me your name,” Michelle replied.
“I’m Maria Perez. I am Senor Mendoza’s Personal Assistant and his cousin. He is a very influential businessman and he was Nadia’s lover. It was because of her, how should I put it? - Her unique qualities, which Senor Mendoza finds himself unable to come here in person. But as the press interest seems to be minimal, that is to all our advantage.”
“I am still not sure,” the girl said.
“Look, I understand, but what have you got to lose? Neither of us wants to hang around here. We are equally eager to avoid the press and I have the resources to ensure that you are out of the USA within two hours. My cousin is willing to underwrite some of your expenses.”
“Why should he do this?”
“I’ll be honest, because there is no reason for me to lie. Senor Mendoza actually likes girls like Nadia, and indeed, yourself. So, perhaps this is an opportunity for you to find someone who may be able to protect you and in time give you what you seek.”