Forgiveness had never been one of Carlos’s strengths. Especially not when a woman was involved. One way or another. And what María José had done—he could only see it as a grave betrayal. His lover had played him, made a fool of him. Even if no one but the two of them knew what had happened to that plastic container that, not so long ago, had lived under Ted’s bed.
He only smoked cigars on special occasions. And a slap in the face from an elderly woman certainly counted as one. He dragged a comfortable garden chair to the corner of the upstairs terrace, just in time to watch the sun dip below the horizon. His legs rested on a pouf he’d brought up from the living room. He looked more like a weary, worn-out old man than a retiree enjoying his well-earned rest. And truthfully, he felt like someone who had been kicked to the ground and left there.
He could’ve seen things differently: what a woman he had, even at his age. In that regard, María José was a true jackpot. But the fact that a pastry chef had outwitted him—Carlos, the trained agent—pulled the rug out from under him.
No one knew his past. The neighbors had no clue that the man grilling on the terrace had served in various intelligence agencies for over thirty years. Nor did they know that a few of his former colleagues had formed their own organization. A group made up entirely of elderly, retired agents, working like a private investigation firm and handling cases for civilians of their own generation. They also looked out for one another, when life called for it.
No one had asked him to keep an eye on Ted. He’d only started watching his neighbor because of a bad feeling. There was something about the guy that didn’t sit right with him—every word, every move triggered Carlos’s suspicion. With the help of his elderly friends, he kept tabs on him almost 24/7. The man with Coke bottle glasses had no idea. Nor did he know that it wasn’t just Carlos who was watching, but the Dutch couple as well. Although, Carlos’s arrival had eventually split Noud and Bernard’s attention.
Carlos had figured out early on that the Dutch hadn’t moved into the complex by accident, but their exact mission still eluded him. And that annoyed him. He’d put his entire team on their trail, and still nothing. It frustrated him to realize he wasn’t the man he used to be. Modern technology seemed to be leaving him behind. That’s why María José’s betrayal hurt so much.
He poured himself a glass of white wine. He held the crystal high, admiring the sunset through it. The glowing orange light painted the wine, which Carlos then sipped with his eyes closed. The flavor of the high-quality cigar and the wine mingled in his mouth and slowly began to work their calming magic. Finally, he felt at peace. He would solve this situation too—just like he always did. Nothing and no one ever got the better of him. And María José hadn’t even stolen a prize from him—she’d taken a token, for the sake of her friend. She hadn’t swiped the box to humiliate Carlos. She’d wanted to help Ludmilla, which, all things considered, was a noble gesture. And as long as no one found out what really happened, Carlos’s reputation would remain intact.
He liked the woman. And, truth be told, he was slowly growing tired of being alone. Sometimes he longed for a steady companion, someone he could fall asleep talking to. A soulmate with whom he could share his past and plan his future. But until he wrapped up the Ted situation and figured out what the Dutch were really up to, there was no time for love. He’d decided he would let María José back into his life eventually. Once those two open cases were successfully closed, he’d be willing to overlook what had happened. But until then, he wasn’t letting that unpredictable woman anywhere near him.