Page 38 of Scammed

“Why? I mean, it’s not like he could sell them,” said Amy. “Could he?”

“No. He could not sell them, my love. But he could hold them ransom or use them as a tool to prove that he was better than others thought.”

“I hate to mention this, Marcel, but this is a man who, in all likelihood, has been working for centuries to be better than you. He could very well have been preparing for you to return as well,” said Nine.

“I am prepared for whatever he brings forth, but what he’s doing with the computers and these organizations is not supernatural. This is something we can stop. Then I need to stop him, the man himself,” said Marcel.

“How do we do that, Pops?” asked Gaspar.

“He is alive. Flesh and blood — a man. He can be killed like any of you, including you, Marcel. Y’all need to be careful. He’s been practicing deceit for two centuries.” Matthew hugged his ‘sons,’ each one getting a firm back slap and kiss on the forehead. As they started to walk away, Gaspar called out to his mother.

“Mama? Is there anything else at work here? Something we should know about.”

“Evil is at work, son. Evil.”

The men watched them walk away, then all turned to stare at Marcel.

“That wasn’t much help. Marcel, we need to know everything you remember about Couvillion. Anything could be helpful for us.”

“Of course. I think the best way to describe him would be devious. Your parents were correct in using the words deceit and evil. He was a man who wanted to make money quickly, and he was adept at using others to get what he wanted. He never did an honest day’s work that I was witness to and preferred stealing from others.”

“Hi, someone asked for me to come over,” said Ela.

“Yeah,” said Code, nodding to the woman. “Can you do a sketch based on a description from Marcel?”

“Sure. I’ll do my best.” Ela took a seat next to the man, pulling her pad and pencil out on the table.

“Alright. He wasn’t very tall, perhaps about, hmmm,” said Marcel, standing and then walking around the men and women. “I’d say a few inches shy of Tanner’s height.”

“So, maybe five feet ten or so,” nodded Nine.

“He had dark hair, not quite black. His eyes were dark as well, somewhat set apart, making him look peculiar. His nose had been broken many times and had a bump at the bridge. His jaw was rounded, not very masculine at all. There was a small scar near his left eye, placed there by me,” he grinned. The men laughed, nodding at their friend and brother.

Ela, the niece of Zeke and wife of Marc Jordan, was an exceptional artist who sold many of her works in the Robicheaux General Store and in their online business. She’d done several sketches for the team in the past and showed a great skill that was only improving.

Angel smiled at his daughter-in-law as she worked. Although she’d been unable to have children, it did not diminish his son’s love for her, nor his and Mary’s love for the young woman. She was special, and they loved her being part of their family.

“Alright, how’s this?” she said, turning her sketch pad.

“That’s him!” said Marcel. “You are gifted. That is an exact likeness of him, only perhaps an eviler expression. He was not a likeable fellow.”

“Keep in mind that he could have changed, like Pops said,” Gaspar told them, taking the picture.

“I know him,” whispered Amy, looking over Gaspar’s shoulder. “I’ve seen that man and did not like the way he looked at me.”

“What?” frowned Marcel.

“H-he came into Prometheus to speak with me about potentially giving a sizeable donation. He asked a lot of questions about how we were founded. He said that he was considering making a large donation to a non-profit but wanted to be certain that we were stable and in good standing in the community.”

“What else, Amy? This is important, hun,” said Nine.

“He asked about your portrait,” she said, looking at her husband. “I thought that was odd. I can’t explain it. I can’t tell you why I did it, but he asked if it was the original, and I lied.”

“You what?” frowned Gaspar.

“I lied to him. I told him it was a replica and that the original was in another location, one that I was unaware of. I remember that he asked if there were any other non-profits run by the Prometheus Foundation.”

“Well, there are none,” said Marcel.

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