Page 44 of Hunting My Vampire

“You can rely on me,” he assured me. He told me of some tensions on the board following Dominique’s death and how he’d been looking into the whole hacking situation.

“Did you find out anything new?” I wanted to know.

“Not as such… but I have to say, Mr. Montenegro has been acting strangely.”

I knew Max didn’t like to gossip and speculate. If he was bringing this to me, he must have serious concerns.”

“In Austin, after the board meeting, I overheard him talking to someone on the phone, discussing a meeting. When I asked him about it afterwards, he denied it.” He paused, “But I checked his calendar, he had changed his flight to go to New York that night.”

“How were you able to access his schedule?”

Max sounded uncomfortable. “I pulled some strings. His assistant… owes me a favor.”

“Well done!” I approved of such renegade actions of course. I realized that Max felt guilty about the whole hacking drama, he must have known I was thinking of replacing him. Perhaps this would incentivize him to work harder for me. In which case, the whole situation could be turned to my advantage.

He went on, “I’ve been trying to figure out what his interest might be in New York. Considering that our business is prohibited from operating there, it doesn’t make much sense.But as you know, the entertainment sector of our business has somehow been given licenses to operate.”

“How?”

Max hesitated, “He has some understanding with the city. Mayor Frank Vargas has a lot of power there.”

“Enough to sway the old families?” I couldn’t quite see it.

“Perhaps Mr. Montenegro was helping him, somehow?” he said.

“It seems both he and Mr. Beaufort are able to travel and do business in New York. I have also heard that Mrs. Ulrika Beaufort was at a party on 5th Avenue.”

“Keep digging,” I told Max. I didn’t like the sound of this but I had another appointment.

I headed out to a ranch in Pennsylvania, where I knew Natania had gone to spend some time with her family. I had not spoken to her since I had fired her following the hacking scandal.

I had heard that her father had been paralyzed after the incident and was now confined to a wheelchair. The parents were living on a farm, which was being run by Natania’s brother.

It was near Allentown, a scenic area of rolling green farmlands and picturesque trees dotting the landscape. I struggled to see Natania here though, with her tailored suits and painted nails.

I drove up to the house, parking the Lambo under the tree.

I gave her a few minutes to notice my arrival, then I got out and slowly approached the house. I didn’t want to make her family uncomfortable but I also needed answers.

As I thought she would, Natania came out to greet me. She wasn’t exactly friendly but not unfriendly either.

“What are you doing here?” she asked me, her arms folded across her chest.

She wasn’t wearing make-up and was dressed simply in jeans but she looked good. Natania was the kind of girl who would always look good no matter what she wore.

I asked after her parents and she said her father was improving slowly. I told her about the gas explosion and she said she was sorry to hear about us getting hurt.

Then she said, “But what has this got to do with me?”

“I want you to think about who could be behind this. You must have some idea, some feeling about the forces at work here?”

I could see her struggling with her feelings.

“Natania, I need your help here. Someone is trying to kill me, destroy me. Don’t you have any idea where it is coming from?”

I felt sure that underneath it all, she was loyal to me and I was proven right.

She bit her lip.

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