"Thank you again officer for escorting that man from the premises," the country club manager said. "Some people just don't know where they are unwanted."
"Not a problem," I replied. I took one last little glance around, thinking it was the last time I would see the extravagance, as I stood there in my police uniform.
The manager turned around to his assistant. "Will you please tell Mr. Lafontaine we had to reschedule his spa session."
"I'm sorry, did you say Mr. Lafontaine...that wouldn't that be Rene Lafontaine?" I asked.
Both the manager and his assistant looked at me. "Why...yes, it is. He is in the dining area having breakfast right now."
"Allow me...he's an old friend who I haven't seen in such a long time." Truth be told, I hadn't seen him since my last night with Mistress Lynn when we attended his masquerade party. For over two months, she had refused to reply to any of my texts, emails, phone calls, or even what would have been our scheduled appointments. I've never been reduced to being such a pitiful, obsessive, stalker, but he was my last connection to her and I had to try one last time.
"Mr. Lafontaine.....I have someone here to speak with you," the manager presented me as he pulled down the newspaper he was reading.
He looked at me confused, but curious. "May I help you officer?"
I looked down at him. The striking blue eyes were unmistakable. "Mr. Lafontaine....Rene....I am a friend of Miss..... I mean, Lynn's...." Immediately, he put his newspaper down, and looking nervous, cut me off.
"It's ok, I know him." He then waved off the manager before looking back at me like a chess player planning his next move. "You must be tired being on your feet...please...sit." I sat across from him, setting my policemen's cap on the table as he took a sip of his orange juice. "So, tell me again how you would know me?"
"Mis.....I mean, Lynn brought me to your party a while back." I was being very strategic at what words I used, knowing he was doing the same.
"Ah. Well you will forgive me then since I value people's privacy. You were wearing a mask, no?" His smooth European accent rolling off his tongue.
"Oui," I cockily replied. His arrogance starting to rub me the wrong way.
"It has always amazed me the ways we mask our identities, mask our true selves.....how when no one knows who we are, what things we might do that we wouldn't in front of others who know us, yet some can put on a uniform depicting strength, and be as fragile as an egg." I couldn't tell if that was a hint at me hurting Lynn's feelings, or a swipe at my own police uniform.
"I was wondering if you know where Lynn is. I haven't heard from her for some time, and I would like to make sure she is okay."
"Of course I know where she is. She has been living in one of my townhouses for years."
"Could you tell me where that might be?" I started salivating at the possibility of seeing her again.
He smirked as he took another sip of juice. "If she did not tell you, I see no reason to do so either." I wanted to reach across the table and force it out of him. "She told you I was very protective of her, no?"
"No, she said you would get jealous....that at one point you were her master." My spite emphasizing each word.
"That's sweet." she smiled. "She was one of my favorites. I just couldn't give her the one thing she wanted, that one thing she craved." He looked at me, like he finally figured out the checkmate. "Would you give it to her?"
"I'd give her anything. I'd give her everything."
He smiled that Cheshire cat grin. "Then go to her studio tonight...let's say 10 o'clock....I will make sure she is there."
My heart skipped a beat. I stood up and immediately stuck my hand out. "Thank you, Mr. Lafontaine." He politely shook it in return before going back to his paper. I left with excitement I hadn't had in months. I was going to see her. I was going to do whatever I could to be with her again.