The time was eight fifty-five in the evening when Thaddeus drew back his shirt sleeve to look at his watch. Erica had divulged as much about her club's party rituals. The distance to the address on the card was going to be a long one, nearly at the city limits. It was best he left an hour early to arrive there at the hour Hilda had given him; the party, Erica told him, wouldn't begin until then. Thaddeus had worn his only black suit with matching tie and coat and after four attempts had finally found himself a cab willing to take him there, though for an exorbitant price. Thaddeus still thought it was a foolish waste of time. He should be out there following on the fragment of lead he'd gotten regarding the missing kid's whereabouts instead of undertaking this night mission. He unarguably cursed himself for indulging in his whims. It wasn't like he didn't have a choice. A sixth sense simply told him there was more to the case he had in his hands to know that something murky existed between Constance and her sister Hilda. Whether or not it was responsible for her son being missing, he couldn't arrive at a conclusion yet. But it was there, too glaring to be unmistakable.
The bright lights of the city slid past the cab's windows, somehow they enticed him to return home where he figured he ought to be. He took out the envelope Hilda had given him and once again looked at the card that bore the club's password. FIGARO. Didn't sound like anything he'd heard before. Erica told him the patrons of the club preferred anonymous discretion. He would be given something to wear over his eyes to prevent anyone knowing him and him too of anyone that was there. He got a feeling however that one person there already would sniff him out easily. Hilda.
He reclined in the backseat and half dozed while the taxi drove along heading towards the main highway that would further lead to the turnpike and from there out of the city limits. It was like driving towards Loftus Garden, except this trip, he knew, was going to be even longer a journey than that one. On the news the chief of police had declared that the cops in the city were directing their resources towards looking into the matter of her missing son; nothing had been said about her giving a statement about it, and the press people weren't sure if to take the news any serious than it ought to be or drop it and move on to something else. Whoever it was that had made it known to them had undoubtedly overplayed his hand, Thaddeus thought to himself.
He asked himself why did he even bothering. The way she had spoken to him before she left his pad made it known that it was final between them. He didn't need to be continuing with the case anymore. Or was he even really still on the case as he presumed he was? His eyes deepened into a light sleep.
When next he opened his eyes Thaddeus couldn't recognise where he was. For a moment he thought he was lost and that the driver was taking him down a road he could never recall ever been through before. He asked the man if they were still on the right track; the driver reassured him that they were. Thaddeus returned to his seat and marvelled at the sight of the tall elm trees that lined the sides of the road, looking more like guarding sentinels. Ahead, the lights of the taxi followed the snake-like route of the road which seemed to lead further into nowhere. There were no lights around or sign of any homes. Where they still in the city?
Then came a pair of lamp lights as they went round a fork in the road and the lights led towards a castle-like gate. The taxi drew to a stop in front of the gate which bore the street's name and house number as that which was written on the address Hilda had given him. Thaddeus stepped out of the cab and settled the bill then watched the taxi turn around and its red lights disappeared from view as it drove back whence it came from. Thaddeus approached the gate and saw two men standing there in dark coats with a car idling beside them. Neither said anything to him though their eyes never left him. Behind them a driveway led further into the compound.
"Good evening," said Thaddeus.
"Good evening, sir," one of the men replied in a guttural voice that sounded European. "Are you here for the festivities or are you lost?"
"I'm here for the festivities."
"Good. May we know the password?" the other man asked. He too sounded European.
"Figaro," answered Thaddeus.
"Very well, sir," the first man replied.
Instantly the gate swung open for him. Thaddeus stepped into the compound.
The other man opened a car door for Thaddeus. "Please," he indicated. "The car will take you to the house. Have a wonderful evening."
Thaddeus slipped into the car. The man closed the door and the car drove off.