Chapter Fifty-One
Fernando and Sophie arrived at Domodossola with just enough time to switch trains. They quickly disembarked, gathered their bags, and hurried to find their new platform. The transition was smooth despite the rush, and soon they were boarding the next train bound for Brig.
Once on board, they found their first-class private compartment and stowed their larger suitcases in the designated luggage area at the end of the carriage. The compartment was cozy and well-appointed, with plush seats upholstered in soft fabric and large windows offering expansive views. Settling into their seats, Sophie pulled out a book, the well-worn pages promising an engrossing read. Fernando, on the other hand, opened his laptop, eager to make progress on his book. As the train began to move, the rhythmic clickety-clack of the tracks set a soothing backdrop to their quiet activities.
Sophie tried to read, but the scenery outside the panoramic windows was breathtaking. The train wound its way through lush valleys and picturesque villages, the Swiss landscape unfolding in all its glory. Quaint chalets with flower-filled balconies dotted the hillsides while grazing cows and serene lakes added to the idyllic charm. The towering peaks of the Alps framed the view, their snow-capped summits glistening in the afternoon sunlight.
About fifteen minutes into the journey, there was a gentle knock on the compartment door. Fernando looked up, puzzled, as the door slid open to reveal his older brother, Julio.
“Surprise!” Julio announced, a broad grin spreading across his face.
“Julio! What are you doing here?” Fernando exclaimed, standing to embrace his brother.
Stepping into the compartment and closing the door behind him, Julio tapped the brim of the fedora Fernando had forgotten on his head. “Nice hat, little brother. To answer your question, I was on the same continent on business and was asked to come see you two,” Julio replied.
“That was cryptic,” Fernando commented, moving his things to sit in the seat next to Sophie.
She smiled warmly. “It’s so good to finally meet you, Julio. What a pleasant surprise.”
Julio took a seat across from them, his presence bringing a tidal wave of energy to the compartment. “So, how’s the trip going? You two look like you’re having a good time. Fern, I think this is the most tan I’ve seen you in years. Usually, you’re as white as the pages of your books in spite of the olive tones in your gene pool.”
Fernando rolled his eyes. “Thanks for pointing that out. My doctor certainly won’t be complaining about my vitamin D levels at my next annual physical. And yes, we are having a wonderful time; this trip has been good for me. Thank you for once again proposing a wise BBC pact.” Reaching for Sophie’s hand, he added, “Something tells me this isn’t a social visit. You mentioned you were on the same continent, not country, and were sent. By whom and why? ”
“Ah, there he is, my usually perceptive little brother who sometimes gets ahead of himself and lands in trouble. I’m here because of this,” Julio said matter of factly, sliding a stapled packet of papers across the table.
“What is this?” Fernando asked, confused.
“What does it look like, you numbnut?” Julio asked.
Sophie peeked over his shoulder at the document as Fernando turned pages. There had to be at least fifty of them. “It’s a transcript of the conversation we had on the bus a few days ago. These pages are from our conversation in the gondola,” she said, lifting equally confused eyes to her boss’s much bigger and much more intimidating brother. Her stomach sank to her toes, and his sudden appearance in Switzerland was unsettling. The presence of this transcript screamed trouble. Her heart began to race out of control; their private conversations had been overheard.
“Sophie, I always knew you were a keeper. You’re too good for this guy. Maybe you should jump ship and come over to mine,” he said flirtatiously.
“Knock it off, Julio. You know the rule: no poaching the girls. What’s going on,” Fernando said with a scowl.
Julio held up his hands to signal his surrender. “Not poaching, just offering. Anyway, your little unauthorized conversation in a public place warranted an in-person visit. I was in the neighborhood, give or take a thousand miles, and the other boys are busy with weddings or something, so I agreed to come knock some sense into that thick skull of yours.”
After finishing this statement, Julio slapped Fernando upside the head and then resumed his relaxed pose in the plush seat, arms crossed against his chest, all his muscles bulging .
“What is going on here?” Sophie asked, affronted by the abuse, brotherly love or not, and the tone of this unexpected conversation.
“See, here’s the thing, Fern. When Sarah’s brother paid a midnight visit to your secured home and told you to never say her name again, he wasn’t kidding. When he said you had to get your house in order and prove to him and her husband that you could be trusted, he wasn’t kidding. Nothing about this situation is a joke. You decided to move forward with potentially working with her, and Braveheart Securities has been getting things ironed out for you to do that over the past two weeks. So, imagine Rique and my surprise when we get an encrypted message containing this transcript of you obviously saying not only Sarah’s name but Marie in the same conversation. Not to mention the little bombshell Sophie dropped on all our heads with her revelations in Venice. You have both slipped up on Sarah’s security multiple times on your little European vacation, and that has not made a good impression. Add to the list the little connection to the Cartel and… Houston, we have a problem.”
“Braveheart Securities? That’s an awesome name,” Fernando complimented, impressed by his brother’s creativity.
“Thanks. It was Rique’s idea based on your BBC replacements that didn’t fly. He thought you’d like it. You are missing the point,” Julio said with a sigh, running a hand over his short-cropped black hair.
“No, I’m not. That conversation was in private. It was just Sophie and me in the back of the bus and in the gondola. No one could have possibly heard us,” he stated defensively.
“I think that is the point here. You are a regular Joe. You don’t understand how this works. Let me explain. One, T is monitoring you to see if he can trust you to keep his sister safe. The fact that he has the transcripts of these conversations proves that he can’t. Two, when dealing with secret information, such as hidden identities and keeping people safe, you always assume that everyone and everywhere is bugged. That every line is tapped. The wrong person hearing what you have to say could mean someone you love dies. In this case, it could be Sarah, Sophie, or Javier. Third, the back of the bus or a gondola in a Venice canal is private… come on, bro. Really? You are on a geriatric tour visiting some of the most dense tourist locations on the planet. Do you have any idea the range of a pair of quality hearing aids? Those old biddies heard everything y’all were saying back there. That tour bus was parked and unmonitored while at destinations; anyone could sneak on and place surveillance devices on it. And that is all assuming that no one is bribed to plant one or that they are unwittingly carrying one around that was planted on them. Don’t even get me started on the gondolier. You aren’t past the point of no return with this business deal or this relationship. You can decide this is all too much and go back to just being your average media tycoon and worrying about the paparazzi. If you decide you want to move forward with either of them, though, things have to change because now, lives depend on it.”
Both men looked at Sophie when she sniffled, and Fernando instantly wrapped his arm around her. “It’s okay, love, I told you we would figure all this out. This wasn’t how I imagined the conversation going, but we already knew my brothers were going to need to help us. They have this information. We don’t know that anyone else does. Don’t borrow trouble until we know for sure.”
“Listen, I’ve been a little busy this week and am arriving late to this party. What’s up with the Reyes Cartel? Sarah, I understand, having met her men firsthand, but the cartel is a new angle. Spill before we run out of time,” Julio interjected, his voice all business.