Page 55 of It Takes Three To Tango

Constantin shrugs. “A little, as well as French, German, and enough Italian to get by.”

“Wow, that’s impressive.”

“I come from an island which is a tourist destination. I picked up a lot when I was younger.”

“It says here Caerus is an old Greek word, and in Greek mythology, he’s the personification of opportunity, luck, and favourable moments.” I look at the search browser.

“A gambler then?” Rafe says.

“My father would never gamble,” I say and look back at the screen, suddenly unsure of my statement.

“Look here, this section is funding. Then this here”—hepoints to the screen—“is a future investment, and it says ‘secured’ next to Caerus. Which means he already has the funds. But what are we trying to find?”

“What is the Caerus project?” Rafe asks, and as he says it, a memory stirs at the back of my mind.

“Hold on.” I do a quick search and find the information I’m looking for. “Caerus is a casino complex due to be built next year by a business consortium.”

“So your father’s investing in a casino?” Constantin asks. “This sheet looks like it, but why were you sent this if he’s secured the funds? What’s the relevance?”

“But, what if. . .” Rafe rises and starts pacing the room; he’s in full thinking mode. “What if he’s only said it’s secured in order to make sure he’s guaranteed his investment slot? I can imagine having a stake in a casino is very lucrative? Is there any other information?”

Constantin turns back to the sheet and searches for a while.

“Oh.” He sits back with a grim look on his face. I look at him and then at the screen. Rafe comes to stand behind us.

“I hadn’t seen this sheet at first, as it was right at the end of the workbook. It’s a breakdown of the Caerus funds. Some of it looks like it’s coming from other maturing investments, but the bulk of it says ‘legado.’”

Legadomeans legacy. I’m stunned, and it takes me a minute to speak.

“Do you think he’s promised to invest the money based on knowing he’d get my aunt’s inheritance? It would account for him sending me here and his aggressive threats.”

“How much is the investment?” Rafe asks.

“Fifty million in total, with at least forty of that down aslegado,” Constantin reads from the screen.

Rafe whistles.

“Does your aunt have that much?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” I reply. “I have no idea what she has. It’s not my concern, though it clearly is my father’s.”

“Well, this place must be worth around twenty-five million euros,” Constantin says. “The financial information is in US dollars, and the exchange rate isn’t much different at the moment, so maybe a few more dollars. There are some antiques and art which could be worth a lot, and if she has any investments...”

“Okay, stop please,” I say loudly as nausea threatens to bring up my breakfast. “It all sounds so callous to talk about my aunt in this way. I can’t stand it.” I snap the lid of the laptop down.

“I’m sorry, Cio,” Constantin apologises. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I sigh loudly. “It’s not you, it’s my father. I want to talk to Julio, but he said after seven. I assume he means the time over there, which isn’t for hours, so I can’t do anything else right now.” I stand. “I want to be on my own for a while.” I leave them before they can try to stop me, which in their sweet and concerned way, they will. But I want to think this through on my own, decide what questions I need to ask Julio, and work out how to deal with my father’s threat. Before I go to my room, I want to check on my aunt. It’s only as I near her part of the house that I realise I referred to Buenos Aires as over there and didn’t say the time at home.

“Come here, my child.” My aunt beckons me closer to her bed. “What’s the matter?”

“Is it that obvious?” I ask, wondering if she has a superpower. She’s sitting up, supported by a bank of pillows, looking elegant as always in a satin robe.

“You wear your heart on your sleeve. So, what’s worrying you?”

I had no intention of telling her about my father, but it all comes tumbling out anyway. She doesn’t speak or offer heropinion, she just sits with an infuriatingly enigmatic smile on her face. When I finish, she waits a few seconds and changes the subject.

“I would like to see some of the sights of the city again one last time. Will you organise that for me?”

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