CarAngel Blog

For sale on Ebay now: 1998 CHEVY LUMINA
Make : Chevrolet
Model : Lumina LS
Year : 1998
Color : Champaign
Vin: 2G1WL52M9W9240850
Title? : Yes
Mileage : 117,678

The engine does run.
you can see more at our Ebay Auction

DOUBLEDOWN

The morning had opened up brilliantly. The sky was a light blue with a few disparate clouds floating about lazily. The grass, a yellowish shade of green was covered in fresh, wet moisture. Like the grass all the plants felt and looked fresh, as if recently awakened from a long leisurely sleep. The prancing horses contrasted sharply with the calm surroundings. Their coats were glossy and shone in the early morning light. Their sharp movements revealed the tense, nervous energy hidden in their relaxed muscles. They nuzzled each other, playing tenderly.

Juan Montoya walked toward his horse Polo. He was a young man, fit and muscular partly attributed to the many hours he spent outside everyday. He felt at home in nature, among his horses, and one could see that in his easy and familiar stride. Of Cuban ancestry, his dark skin contrasted against the light blue shirt he wore for riding.

Juan walked into the pasture where his favorite horse, Polo, a yearling who was recently added to the group was grazing, He waited for the horse to approach him. He took a carrot from his pocket and fed Polo all the while petting his neck. . “Good Polo”, Juan said as Polo happily chewed his carrot and offered his neck for some more petting, “Good boy. Today we will ride some more, won’t we boy?”

**
A universe away from Juan and Polo, far from the tranquil and verdant atmosphere of the farm, Mia Tannersly was jogging. She was a beautiful young woman with dark long hair, which always attracted attention wherever she went. It was as if a river of silky shiny sunlight accompanied her every step.

She was obsessed with fitness and for this she jogged on her treadmill for at least an hour everyday. She listened to uplifting inspirational books on her IPOD MP3 player . Oftentimes she would run for hours. Her room was light and large. Only in St. George, Bermuda, did she experience the tranquility that accompanied the peaceful and bright light that massaged her as she ran each morning. It felt as though the sun was energizing every pore of her skin. Mia’s treadmill faced a huge window which overlooked the Atlantic Ocean. With every step she took it seemed as though she would run straight into the arms of the inviting sea. The window was floor to ceiling and the glass was polished so clean, one could imagine no window there at all, just Mia facing the huge, sparkling turquoise ocean feeling the wind on her face and body, enjoying the salty smell with every deep breath.

After her first half hour of running Mia took a quick break for a sip of water. The cool water was instantly refreshing on her parched throat. She readjusted her IPOD, and was about to get back on the treadmill when the phone rang loudly in a room near by. A rich, earthy voice answered the phone with a deep Caribbean accent. Donneasu their black maid, dressed in a sparking white servant’s uniform walked into the exercise room with the phone she had just answered. Mia turned around, flushed and sweaty from her workout, took off her headphones as the phone was politely handed to her by Donneasu.

Mia said hello then listened quietly while the caller gave her information. After a bit she nodded to herself and answered with a professional voice: “Yeah, I can leave on the three thirty, and will be there at noon”. Mia hung up the phone and handed it back to her maid with a quick smile quickly leaving the exercise room heading to her room for a shower toprepare herself for her trip.

A few hours later Chad drove to Mia’s house. He was a handsome man, with strikingly white teeth and a perfect smile, which created charming creases around his mouth and accentuated his blue eyes which sparkled with a childish air. He was tall and well dressed. His sophisticated taste in clothing fit his age. He was thirty three and had the aura of a self-assured, successful man in his faultlessly crisp blue trousers, and white linen shirt.

He smiled as he reached down to open the door of his small red MG Midget for Mia who had been waiting for Chad. He took her bag and put it on the luggage rack on top of the trunk. Wasting no time, he ran around to the driver’s side of the car and hopped in. As he shifted into dear he asked Mia: “You’re going for a while, Mia. Are you going to tell me where you’re staying this trip”?

Mia smiled broadly and kindly looked at Chad as she answered “I never know Chad. I don’t even know what name I’m going to be using. Now, I will be back as soon as I can and I’ll call you as soon as I can. You know I always do.” She leaned over and gave him a reassuring kiss on the cheek.

Chad quietly nodded looking at the road and then, turning quickly to look at Mia he said “I was thinking about maybe taking a break from the hotel. I asked my father, he doesn’t mind. Maybe on the next trip I could sort of tag along. Get a look into your world.”

Mia listened attentively and then turned to Chad, looking a bit more serious than before and answered quietly “You know how the shoots are. They work me sixteen to twenty hours a day. I don’t think it’s a good idea.” She looked down at her watch somewhat worriedly and touching Chad lightly on the arm said “I’m going to miss my plane darling. It leaves in twenty minutes. I’ve got a bag to check too.”

“Right. We’ll make it. I think I can get a bit more juice out of this car.”

Chad smiled nodded and then he turned back to the road and concentrated while going faster. Mia also smiled and patted his hand on the stick shift while looking at him.

A few minutes later Mia was boarding the plane. The British Airways 747 was crammed full of tourists. The plane was loud and full of activity as people climbed on top of each other trying to get to their seats while laden with bags of many colors, brimming with souvenirs and gifts. Plastic flowers, decorative coconut wood masks, boxed cigars, beach balls and t-shirts, mixed in a commotion of sounds, smells, and textures. Mia was grateful to be removed from the tumult in her first class seat. As she sat a smiling stewardess greeted her with a tray of Champagne flutes.
“Champagne?”
“Yes”, replayed Mia, looking up with a polite smile.
“Tattinger. Is that alright with you?” said the stewardess handing Mia a glass.
Mia took the long fluted glass with her manicured hand and took a sip. “I like Dom Rose better but this’ll do. Thanks. I’m on a special diet: can you make sure my food’s prepared with no salt, and could you bring me a few Pelligrino waters?”
The stewardess smiled and said while turning towards the cockpit, “Yes, I will be happy to”.

Sitting next to Mia was a good looking well tanned man with an obvious athletic build. He was dressed in a tight fitting polo, which showed off the blood vessels in his biceps. He evidently worked out regularly and was proud of it. His hair was cut short and he was well shaved. He was comfortably sipping some champagne while glancing through a magazine. It was evident that he felt entirely comfortable with himself. His dark hair was prematurely speckled with grey, giving him an air of confidence, efficiency and maturity. While Mia was busy storing her carry on and settling in he had glanced at her and then back to the magazine he was reading a couple of times.

Once Mia sat down he showed her the cover of the German edition of Elle Magazine, which he had been leafing through. Mia's face, seductively made up, yet looking surprisingly innocent, with her dark hair wind tossed, stared from the cover. Gesturing the man, looked at Mia, pointed to the magazine and with a sheepish smile asked, “Is this you?”

Mia smiled back, slightly embarrassed. Although this happened often, she was still caught off guard. “Yes”, she replied, nodding confidently, “that’s me. It’s what I do”.

The man glanced back to the magazine and looked more closely at the picture. With his eyes still on the picture, with eyebrows lifted in appreciation, he said, half to himself, “I’m surprised my company’s never hired you. You are very photogenic”.

Mia, gazed toward the front of the plane and smiled, “Thanks for the compliment”.

While he put the magazine away, the man turned back to Mia and asked “What were you doing in Bermuda? On vacation?”

“No”, Mia answered while opening one of the Pelligrino bottles the stewardess had just handed her. She took a sip of the water and turned to her fellow passenger. “My family has lived there for generations. My father is the Minister of Tourism. So, it’s my home. How about you?”

I’m from Stuttgart. German through and through. Work, work, work, is what I do.”

“That’s too bad.” Mia looked at him sincerely. “You should reward yourself a bit for all the hard work you do. Put on some runners and get out a bit.”

Klaus laughed lightly, throwing his head back and turned back to Mia with a smile.
“Yes you are right, I know how you feel.” He lifted up his foot, and pointed to his dark brown leather shoe with apparently no seams.

“Five hundred dollars I paid for these but I still can’t get used to wearing leather shoes. I miss my runners. Twenty years ago I was a champion. I won the first medal for my country in the Olympic Marathon. Now, I sell shoes. If I were you, I’d stick to your running. There is plenty of time in life for selling, not so much for running.” Klaus joking said. “ Call me if you need anything, maybe I don’t get to run so often now, but I’ll never forget what it’s like to win”. He handed her his business card and went back to reading his magazine.

***
Klaus words resonated in Mia’s mind as she stood in the curb of Kennedy Airport waiting to be picked up. It was early evening and she was a bit tired. But all she could think about was the last conversation she had had. She did love running, and Klaus words had just reminded her once again how free and happy she felt while doing it. There was nothing like feeling the ground disappear so quickly behind her. She loved the feeling when she picked up speed and about to launch herself from the earth. The constant rush of wind against her face energized her and made her want to go further with every stride.

Mia’s revelries were cut short as a limousine stopped before her. She realized she had been completely lost in day dreaming even forgetting the weight of the luggage that she was holding as she waited for her ride. As the limousine came to a halt before her the back window opened to reveal the smiling face of a woman whose age was undecipherable. She was beautiful and well made up, with light, professionally cut, blond hair, and a sparkling smile. But it was evident that she had gone through several plastic surgeries to tighten here and tuck there so, while attractive, she no longer looked natural. It was Georgia Swan, the head of Swan Agency, one of the premier model agencies in the world.

Smiling and waving faintly as she looked at Mia, Georgia pronounced every word emphatically “Sorry we’re late doll. Oh, just leave those, Alberto will get them”.
Mia smiled happily. Despite all her eccentricities, she was fond of Georgia and knew that she was a caring woman who always looked out for her like a daughter. Handing her bags to Alberto who had come around from his driver’s seat, Mia entered the limousine prepared for a serving of the latest gossip from the fashion industry.


Early the next morning Mia was back at work. After being dropped off at her hotel by Georgia she had gone straight to bed expecting, rightly, a tiring day of photo shoots. Sitting before a mirror surrounded by light bulbs, Mia was wearing only a towel as her hair was pulled in one direction and then another by a very zealous hairstylist. At the same time, a pretty blond woman wearing all black, applied make up to Mia’s face. She seemed oblivious to the fact that Mia was a human being until she was very close to her eyes to draw an exotic line with the eye liner. The hairstylist, was wearing such tight leather pants Mia’s first thought was – can he sit down?, His velvet shirt was opened revealing a well tanned chest and he sashayed as he played with Mia’s hair, pulling her long dark strands in many directions, trying to decide on a certain “angle”. Looking down at Mia as he touched her silky, straight hair he said “Don’t ever cut this hair darling. It’s beautiful”.

Mia smiled patiently. As she glanced up she noticed that a friend had just sat opposite her. She did a limp wave to her girlfriend and turned her eyes up to her hairdresser. “I won’t”, she answered him, “where’s Georgia?”
“Oh”, he answered without taking his eyes from her hair, “she is probably entertaining the client”.

As he said this Georgia walked in with Evon Sagrininni. He was a slim, tall, Italian man, dressed in all black which accentuated his slightness. He wore a Salvador Dali-style mustache. The long, twisted strands of his mustache almost collided with his black framed glasses, making his face into a mess of clashing black lines. He also looked disgruntled as he walked in with an exaggerated hip twisting – it was as though his hip wanted to walk in before he did, and he just obediently followed it.

Georgia walked with him up to Mia. The hairdresser and make-up artists stepped back as they approached. With exaggerated happiness, throwing up her hands as thought faced with a true miracle Georgia said: “That’s her! Isn’t she a beauty?”

Evon Sagrininni was unfazed. His disgruntled facial expression did not change in the least as he approached Mia and turned her face first to one side and then to the other. He was examining her like she was a horse. He touched her hair and sighted – more as though he was giving up than as if he had been pleased.
“Hmm”, he said, “Wonderful profile. Nonetheless, we still need to weight her in. Anything over one hundred and eight is too much”.
Georgia quickly responded “We have already weighted her. She’s perfect. Now, let’s finish with the contract”.
While pulling Sagrininni back to her office she turned to Mia and whispered under her breath “I’ll be right back. Are you the right weight?”
“Yes”, answered Mia, and then under her breath added “I am starving, but I am the right weight”.

Just a couple of hours later Mia was confidently walking down the runway, dressed I in one of Sagrininnis colorful and exotic creations. His designs were known for dramatic sharp angles and strongly contrasting colors. Mia’s dark hair looked especially dramatic against the bright green and yellow dress she had been handed.

Photographers were gathered around the many models performing on the runway. It was like an explosion of bright colors and lights. As Mia came out all the lenses turned to her. She pranced across the runway in her high heels, shaking her hair as she turned her chin to the light showing off her best angle. At the top of the runway she dramatically kicked her foot, sliding on to her knees. The photographers seemed to love her dramatic, exotic flair as they frantically moved to get more shots of her.

Backstage helpers stripped off Mia’s outfit while fitting her with another. The new outfit was made with sparkling silver sequins and purple stripes. Sagrininni looked over Mia and made some final adjustments. Stepping back he smiled and exclaimed: “Fabulous! You’re worth every penny! If you were a man I’d eat you alive, darling! Now, knock them dead again and they’ll come crawling to me for my originals. Everyone who is anyone will want a Sagrininni!”


With the hectic day of haute couture runway modeling behind them, the models prepared for the post-shoot cocktail parties. Mia walked into the hotel ballroom that evening, elegantly dressed in a simple and alluring burned mustard colored dress. It had spaghetti straps which crossed delicately across her chest and back creating an illusion of weightlessness. The color of her dress brought out the warmth that existed in her dark hair.

As soon as she walked in she joined a group of other models. Jane, one of her best friends since their school days was there along with a new blond model Teresa. Jane, distinguished by her delicate features and porcelain-perfect complexion was striking, in a long and vaporous light blue gown. The other model was wearing a revealing lavender dress, set off by a surprisingly neon yellow scarf.

Jane smiled, and holding Mia’s hands whispered to her “You’re better at talking to people than me. Just go over and introduce us”, she said glancing towards the broad back of a tall man, with salt and pepper hair, “He is really handsome”.
Smiling back and in a joking, motherly way Mia said “Come on Jane, maybe if you read something besides COSMO you would know what to say to a man”.
Teresa, the other model, joined in: “Please, Mia. I don’t want to have to approach anybody. Can’t you just introduce us to some people?”

Shaking her head, Mia walked ahead confidently towards the gentleman Jane had been looking towards. Hearing someone approach, he turned back, and smiled in recognition. Simultaneously Mia realized that it was Klaus, her cabin mate from the plane ride from Bermuda. Mia’s smile became larger and more genuine as she walked towards him extending her hands.

“You were fabulous”, Klaus, said grabing Mia’s hands. Jane and Teresa were a bit confused at realizing that these two knew each other, and they turned to each other with quizzical glances. Klaus quickly turned to them and extended his hand with a charming and broad smile. In his deep voice, with just a hint of a German accent he said “Hello, I’m Klaus”.
“I’m Teresa.”
“And I’m Jane. Mia’s best friend.”

“Jane, nice to meet you.” Klaus replied shaking hands with both the models.

“You two know each other already?” Said Jane, with a surprised look first to Klaus and then to Mia.
Looking toward Mia Klaus answered “We were on the same flight from Bermuda”.
Mia nodded and then turning to Klaus with a million-dollar smile said “I didn’t know you were interested in fashion…”

Looking squarely at Mia to the jealousy of the other models Klaus said “I’m always looking for a new face to help sell our shoes. I believe that is your agent?” He said pointing with the champagne flute he had picked up from the table to Georgia.
“Yes”, Mia said casually, “you too have met?”
Klaus smiled, then, as if suddenly realizing something, he put the champagne flute back on the table and looked at his watch. Looking back up at Mia he said with a confident smile “Perhaps we’ll meet again. I have to meet someone very shortly, please excuse me”. He quickly squeezed Mia’s hand again, turned to the other models and shook their hands, and then walked away with the confident stride of a successful business man.

Following Klaus with her eyes as he walked out of the room Jane said to Mia “Don’t let that one go”.
As all the girls were still looking at Klaus as he made his graceful exit, Evon Sangrininni approached Mia and quietly said “There are some buyers I’d like you to meet. Bring your friends too. The more the merrier”.

Mia smiled at Evon, then turned to Jane and Teresa and with an encouraging wink said “Let’s go”. The three beautiful girls followed Evon to meet prospective clients.


Mia’s room was completely dark as her alarm went off. Pulling off the covers Mia turned to the clock and turned it off. It was 5:00 am. She was fully awake, and quickly got out of bed and walked to the window. She pulled the thick ivory curtains back to reveal a hazy New York Central Park with very little traffic. Mia pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail as she stood there looking at the city thoughtfully. She then turned decidedly toward the other bed in the room, and grabbed a sports bra, T-shirt and jogging shorts she had laid out the night before and got ready.

The concierge smiled as the elevator door opened onto the lobby only a couple of minutes later to reveal Mia pulling up her socks. She smiled and waved briskly as she went into the awakening city. As soon as she stepped outside the hotel door Mia started her pace. She did not know exactly where she was going, she only knew that there were many roads though the park and she wanted to fly over all of them, flying over every overpass and through every path, conquering every piece of pavement with her deliberate wide stride. She was in her zone as she entered Central Park passing the news vendors, hot dog carts and sidewalk art dealers getting set up for the day. Her long strides and striking figure outfitted in dark blue was a quickly moving, contrasting shape against the awakening greens of the park. She looked confident and elegant running. Her long, well toned muscles were like those of a panther running through the jungle: lord and master of its surroundings. She paused briefly to take a drink of water. Glistening with sweat she loved feeling so alive. It only happened when she was running.

As she entered the hotel and walked past the doorman later that morning he smiled brightly and genuinely interested said “Good morning Miss Tannersly. How many miles today?”
With a quick laugh Mia said “Just ten. But working up!”
The clerk in the reception noticed Mia walking by and quickly called out to her, “Excuse me, Miss Tannersly, excuse me”.
A bit surprised Mia turned to him with uplifted brows and a questioning expression.
“Miss Tannersly your agent needs you right away. Our limo driver will take you”.
“What time is it?” asked Mia.
“Six-thirty, Miss”

Mia nodded and walked briskly to the elevator.

**

A few minutes later she was back downstairs, showered and smartly dressed in loose fitting blue pants and a sophisticated blue and white diagonally stripped shirt.
The limousine was waiting for her outside the hotel.

As the limousine approached Swan Agency the driver looked through the rear view mirror to see Mia finishing her make-up.
“Another crazy day ahead, no?”
“Yes, I am afraid so” answered Mia, pulling out twenty dollars from her purse, “here, thanks again for coming to my rescue. You must know every side street in New York. We got here pretty quickly”.
“Not a problem Miss. Here you go. Thank you” he said gratefully receiving the money from Mia, “if you need a way back, you just call the hotel. We’ll be happy to pick you up”.

Mia quickly walked into the building that housed Swan Agency. The Agency owned the entire 25th floor of a beautiful downtown skyscraper on 5th Avenue. Georgia’s office was located in a corner, and had a wall made out entirely of ceiling to floor glass. Georgia was on the phone as Mia walked into her office. Looking up Georgia motioned for her to sit down.

“Yes, she can handle the job” Georgia said into the phone, “We’ll have her on the plane in the morning. Yes, yes. It will all be arranged by us, don’t worry. Ok. Speak to you soon then. Good bye”.

Hanging up Georgia looked up at Mia and without loosing a beat said “You’re leaving for Hawaii tomorrow morning. They need you there right away. It’s an international job. Television, print, billboards, the whole deal. The other model had to withdraw and since they had considered you earlier they want you right away”
“What’s the product?”
“It’s a new health oriented soft drink and you’re going to love it. One hundred thousand per week, bonuses for special appearances and residuals from television. It’s a big payday for you Mia. I worked very hard getting you this one. Only to see someone else grab it butnow it has come back full circle”, Georgia said handing a folder with tickets and other information to Mia.
Mia took the folder and opened to look at her tickets. “Thanks,” she said, “I won’t let you down. Do me a favor please? Call my fiancé Chad. Tell him I’ll be gone a while, will you?”
“He called yesterday. He wanted to know where you are staying” Georgia answered looking closely at Mia.
With dread in her voice Mia said “You didn’t…”
“No, I didn’t tell him anything. I know you need to concentrate on your work. You’ve got an extra day until you have to be in Hawaii. Do something fun for yourself, OK?”.
Relieved and smiling mischievously Mia answered “Thanks, I will”.

**

Thinking about her upcoming days Mia hurried out of Swan Agency. She quickly hailed a cab and gave the cabbie directions. Within a few minutes the cab pulled up in front of a very impressive building bordering the East River. Mia waved at the doorman, who knew her and put her on the elevator to the penthouse. The art deco townhouse belonged to Jane. It was luxuriously decorated in French Art Nouveau and, looked like it was a set from a James Bond movie. The area around the East River had some old growth trees making it darker and adding an air or mystery to the place. In the evening the apartment was illuminated with a variety of expensive lamps casting different shades of light and shadows, resulting in a very dramatic appearance. As Mia walked in, the bright soft morning light diffused as it came through the elegant French silk drapes creating a very simple and welcoming atmosphere.

Mia's attention, however, was quickly drawn to the coffee table, where bags of white powder in plastic bags wrapped with duct tape were piled. A travel case was next to them. Not wanting to believe what was before her Mia stopped almost paralyzed. Her expression was frozen and her mind confused as Jane walked into the living room still dripping wet. She had just come out of the shower; her hair wrapped in a towel. She walked in completely unconcerned about her nakedness and about what was on her table, simply looking at Mia with a smile.
Jane noticed that Mia was holding her traveling bags.
“Great, you accepted my invitation. You are going to stay here, until you leave …right ?” she said.

Shocked and astonished Mia looked at Jane frowning, confused and in a tone of disbelief said quickly “No, I’m not. But that is not the point… What are these?” she asked pointing to the white6 bags, looking at Jane with concern “they look like drugs. I don’t think…”
Interrupting her Jane answered casually “I’m not using them. I’m just taking them someplace for somebody. It’s a job, its money”, Jane with a hint of bitterness said “I don’t make as much modeling as you do the only work I get is pretty much runway work, the print work is over for me and I don’t have a rich father and fabulously wealthy boyfriend looking after me either. I’ve got to look after myself and this gives me a little more disposable income.”

Ignoring Jane’s hints Mia picked up a bag and examined it closely. “What is it?” she asked, with no judgment in her voice.
“Cocaine. Try some; it’ll make you feel better about yourself.”
“I feel fine about myself now” replied Mia, quickly putting the bag down and shaking her hand. Looking back at Jane she continued “I came over to say goodbye. Georgia got me a job in Hawaii. I don’t know how long its going to last. Anyway,” Mia said looking at Jane caringly “I’ll miss you”.
Jane looked disappointed and sad. “You’ve got to go right now? Can’t you stay the night? I was hoping we could go out.”
Mia shook her head “I’m going to inspect my horses in Kentucky I need to know for myself if any will be ready for the racing season. In truth, I’d rather be the one racing”.
“You can’t give it up can you?”
“Give what up?”
“Mia you can’t fool me. Ever since we were in school together you’ve wanted to run every race. It’s a pity you don’t just go for it. You can’t run forever, you know. Why don’t you just go for it? What’s holding you back?”
Mia looked a bit uncomfortable and sad. Playing with a strand of hair she answered “I guess I just don’t want to be poor. I like hundred dollar bottles of champagne, flying first class, five thousand dollar dresses, my horses, my Ferrari, going on cruises, playing the market, my condo in Vail. I wouldn’t have any of it if I were a runner.”
“I guess you wouldn’t, but then again, will you really ever be happy if you don’t go after what your heart is telling you to go after? I wish I had a purpose like you. A gift! My goal is to meet somebody rich and settle down, have my kids, a house with a four car garage and a pool. That means I’ve got to wait until Mr. Right comes along. But your goal, your destiny, you can go after it right now!”

After leaving Jane, Mia felt terribly sad. Not only was she concerned for her best friend and what she was doing getting herself involved in the world of drugs, but she was also affected deeply by her words. Jane knew her better than anyone else in the world, and her words had struck to the core of her being. Jane was right, Mia loved to run and she was letting her best years go by. She had grown content watching others race, watching her horses run and living vicariously through them…

Pulling up to Emerald Farms in Kentucky in a rented BMW Z4 Mia looked forward to seeing her horses she needed to lift her spirits again. Emerald Farms was an absolutely gorgeous place. A luxurious thoroughbred training farm, it was filled with miles of perfectly maintained lawns, beautiful hedges, random gardens with exotic flowers, and neo-classical buildings which housed the offices and the home of generations of Emersons, owners of the Farms and good friends of Mia.

Mia parked her car and walked to a white fence, and leaned against it. Mia concentrated watching a jockey race around the track on a huge and beautiful grey horse. The jockey and the horse seemed bonded into a single being, so fluid and united were their movements. The jockey stood in the stirrups urging the horse on leaning over its neck at a breakneck speed defying the laws of physics as the horse headed into the straightaway sending up clods of dirt as it headed to the finish line.

Mia waved to the jockey as her walked the horse. The jockey recognized Mia and returned her wave with a smile. He lead the horse over to the inside fence. It was Juan Montoya and the prize horse was Polo.

Pleased at an opportunity to show off his great skills as jockey and also the beauty of the horse he was riding Juan said “He’s magnificent isn’t he Mia? I’ve never seen a horse with such spirit. Truly, he runs like the wind is always at his back, strong and sure. Soon he will be two”.

Mia stroked the horse, which reacted to the slightest touch. She said “Mr. Emerson has written me several times. He wants me to start racing him. What do you think Juan? Is he ready?”
“Yes, he’s ready. He doesn’t want anyone in front of him. With this one – the grey” Juan made loving sounds to the horse “it is a matter of heart. He is a true champion”.
Mia looked over at the barn and pointing asked “What about Youngster and Chariot? What are their chances?”
“They both have excellent blood lines, but this one is something else. Polo not only has the blood lines, but also the heart. Champions always have the heart. He is a champion like you are a champion Miss Tannersly. This horse is just like its owner – the best of its breed.”

Mia blushed at Juan’s compliment, which was made all the nicer by his Cuban accent. Smiling she said, “Juan, you should have been a politician, you always say the right thing. Get him in tip top shape. I’ll talk to Mr. Emerson about racing. Don’t even ask. I can’t promise you any of the big races, but you’ll be on him for all the qualifying ones. That’s my word to you. I am going to see how I can raise the needed funds to get him qualified and trained for the Derby.”

Looking at Juan with a great smile Mia stepped back and then turned toward the house.
Juan yelled out after her “Thank you! You won’t regret it!” Yelling he put Polo into a canter.“Vamos chico!”

Mia walked towards the large white, neo-classical house. It was hedged by beautiful and full yellow roses and small white perennials. In the courtyard surrounded by the huge gravel driveway stood a large marble water fountain with a Hellenic design. Its center was made up by statuary of wild horses violently fighting against each other, as water spilled around them. Mia stood to stare at it wishing she had been born a horse instead of a human.

Mr. Emerson, the owner of the farm was an elegant older gentleman. He was quite tall and towered over most of his visitors. He was dressed in an impeccable blue designer suit with a crest on the suit coat and an ascot at his neck. When he saw Mia walk in he smiled and motioned for her to come in. He was on the phone and rushed to get off so that he could attend to Mia.
“I’ll call you later Tom. I’ve got to go… yes, yes, it is all arranged… ok, speak to you soon, then”.

Hanging up the phone Mr. Emerson stood up to greet Mia.
“Mia, you look lovelier than ever. But poor girl! Come live with me and the misses for a while. We’ll put some meat on your bones,” he chuckled.
Mia shook his hand, smiling and replied “Any more meat than this and I’ll be out of a job. Juan says Polo is ready for the trials. Do you agree?”
Mr. Emerson’s face changed. He always became more serious when he spoke about horses; he took their wellbeing very seriously. Looking out the window into the pasture he answered slowly: “Difficult question. You cut right to the chase don’t you? Well, if I had to give a snap answer…I’d say yes. He’s got the heart, but why don’t you spend some time with him and see for yourself. Can you stay the night?
Excited at the prospect of spending some time with the horses, but thinking about her work commitments, Mia thoughtfully replied “I’ve got to be in Hawaii…but I will stay. I’ll just catch an early morning flight tomorrow and a non-stop out of Chicago,” she continued, almost to herself. “They won’t say much if I’m a few hours late.”
“They’ve got you coming and going…” replied Mr. Emerson. He looked worried. He had always thought of Mia almost as his young, rebellious daughter. “Good, I’ll have a room made up for you. You still running?”
“Yes, faster than ever. You don’t mind if Polo runs with me?”
“No”, Mr. Emerson said smiling, “just watch where you step”.

**

Later both Mr. Emerson and Juan came out to watch Mia and Polo running together. She was holding his reins loosely and keeping his pace at a quick canter. It was an amazing sight. The tall slight girl kept up neck to neck with the massive horse. Their expressions were similar. They both seemed determined with a passion to reach their goal. And both of their hearts seemed to beat in unison at the experience of flying over the grass, gaining speed, leaving everything behind…

**


The next day Mr. Emerson took Mia to the airport in his limousine. Mia turned to him to thank him again.
“Thanks for the ride and for returning my rent-a-car again”.
Mr. Emerson waved Mia’s thank you words away with a smile and said “Don’t be a stranger, my wife and I think of you as one of our daughters and don’t wait till the Derby to visit again either”.
Smiling Mia turned back to wave one more time as she entered the airport. She felt so safe with Mr. Emerson. She was very grateful that she had chosen Emerald Farms to board and train her thoroughbreds.

**

Eight hours later Mia was again submerged in the world of modeling. On a beautiful Hawaiian beach, surrounded by a crowd of admiring spectators and curious tourists, and attended to by the camera and makeup crew, she was oblivious to everything but her performance for the lens. She was wearing a silver bikini, which matched the label of the new soft drink, and was posing next to the pounding surf. The day was completely gorgeous and the colors were brilliant. The intense blue of the ocean contrasted sharply with the white foam of the waves, the white sand melted into the light blue sky, and contrasted with Mia’s tanned and oiled skin, the camera loved it

The photographer, a balding, older man with a pot belly, seemed overheated in the Hawaiian sun. He sweated profusely as he shouted directions to Mia:
“All right now. Hold that position. Right there! O.K…Now swing your hips out to the left and run your fingers through the back of your hair. Good. Good! Now, throw your hair back and face straight out at the wave. O.K. Yes. Now, kneel in the sand and bring your arms up… stretch them out. Move your head to the left… to the right. Great. O.K. Take five. I’m going to change camera lens and go for some softer images now”.

Mia did not even notice the crowd gathered around her. She had learned to block audiences out during photo-shoots; it was the only way to not be inhibited. She walked over to where the crew had set up an umbrella with drinks and refreshments. She took a bottled water and emptied it with one measured drink. The makeup artist approached her. She was a pretty blond, with a sun hardened look about her and an old friend of Mia’s from the modeling world. She was also wearing a bikini and was clearly in good shape although she was noticeably older.

Smiling at Mia she asked “You want to go surfing later? Looks like that tropical storm is going to bring in some nice swells”.
Finishing the water Mia turned to Alisha and replied “Yeah, hopefully they’ll let me finish here while there’s still some daylight. If I could only charge by the picture instead of the day. He must have taken 500 already”.
“Can you blame him?” said Alisha “It’s probably his only thrill”.
Both girls giggled as the photographer shouted out “O.K., break’s over…”
Starting to walk back toward the photographer Mia turned to Alisha and asked “You got an extra board? I didn’t bring mine”.
“Yeah, I got one you can use”.

Mia’s photo shoot did end before all sunlight was gone. In the late afternoon Alisha and Mia went out to surf. As they paddled to meet another great swell Alisha shouted out to Mia “You haven’t lost your touch at all. That was a great ride”.
Mia changed the subject, from the last great wave she had been riding to Alisha's life: “I thought you would have moved on already. How come you’re still here?
Looking back at the surf Alisha answered, “Still waiting for Mike to pop the question… He started another business. We spend less time together than ever before”.
Mia was concerned. She had known Alisha for years and cared for this good and faithful friend. “Why don’t you come back to New York”, she asked, “I can get you set up with the Agency”.
Alisha shook her head, sending a spray of water all around, which sparkled against the sun. “And be reminded that I used to be a model and now I’m just the makeup girl? No, I would rather retire in seclusion” she said, “It doesn’t hurt as much”. She looked far into the waves. “Besides,” she laughed, looking at Mia, “no waves in Manhattan”.

Both girls continued to surf. Alisha was a spectacular surfer, riding waves as though they were all designed specifically for her. The waves on the North Shore are treacherous and as evening approached they grew bigger. Alisha decided to go for it all and ride the huge one in, but she misjudged the break and it came pounding down on her throwing her under dragging her below the water.., Mia passed up the big sets and had picked up the last wave of the smaller set, and had already paddled toward the beach as she looked back over the ocean she noticed Alisha’s board. She sat and looked for Alisha, then started paddling to where her board was. Quickly she slid off her board and started diving under looking for her friend. She was quickly becoming frantic. She knew that with every second the danger for Alisha was increasing. Finally she got a glimpse of Alisha, lying unconscious at the bottom of the sea about fifteen feet down. A red tint was spreading around her head. It was evident that she had hurt her head pretty badly and was bleeding.

Mia came up for breath knowing she would need maximum oxygen to bring her friend to the surface. While on the surface she spotted a hammerhead shark dorsal fin quickly approaching she knew it had smelled the blood and that there was no way she could bring Alisha up in time to evade the shark. She felt completely torn by the helplessness of the situation. She grabbed her board and frantically paddled for the shore as quickly as she could intent on trying to get help before it was too late.

As soon as she got to shore Mia ran for her cell phone and called for help. A few minutes later rescue troops were on the beach and flying overhead in a helicopter. Divers were working out of motorized zodiac trying to find Alisha. Mia was standing on the beach, wrapped in a towel, crying and shaking. Mike, Alisha’s boyfriend had his arm around her.

Trying to calm her he said “There was nothing you could do. Nobody can take on a shark single handedly”.
Crying and shaking her head Mia answered, more to herself than to Mike, with anger against herself in her voice “Yeah, what I did was save myself. I just left her lying there”.
“If she had sank to the bottom, she was already dead, Mia. Once your lungs take in water you die. Don’t hold this thing over your head. Remember her for who she was… somebody we both loved”

**

A small funeral took place the next day with the family and most intimate friends of Alisha. Mia was standing in the back corner of the group. There was no body recovered and no coffin just a mahogany table set up with several black and white photos of Alisha. Mia dressed in back chiffon wore a veil. Even though she tried to hold back the tears she could not stop a the fountain that had loosed in her soul.

The preacher, a big Hawaiian man dressed in native style stood over the grave marker. Looking down at the small jewelry box sized coffin with an expression of peace and acceptance he said “God, into your hands we commit the soul of Alisha Newcomb. We ask you to comfort those who have been left here to grieve and to send your Holy Spirit to comfort us who will miss her. She was a light to all of us, oh Lord. We will miss her. We know Lord that now she will walk and swim on the crystal sea that surrounds your throne. We know, Lord, because she had a relationship with Jesus Christ and that she walked free from the sins that bind so many of us that even now she is walking in the company of angels. So Lord now we call on your angels to come and comfort us left here on this wonderful earth that you made so full of peril, and death, we ask that you help us her friends and loved ones who grieve over this death. Alisha’s life has been an example to us all. Her work with homeless kids her constant help at the animal shelter all graced our world with your love. There are those here today Lord who will grieve and find no comfort those, O Lord, who will find that only with time are all things healed. For those we ask for your comfort and for your ministering angels to grant them the serenity of your presence that the time may pass swiftly and that their lives may find more purpose as they carry on the works that Alisha did and the example that she set for us all.”

After reflecting on Alisha’s death and departure from the land of the living. Mia walked solemly up to the grave and threw a passion flower on the casket. She asked herself the question that she believed every rational being should ask. ‘How will I make an account of my life before God when I have to answer for all the things I’ve done in my body while on earth.’ She took an inventory of her past deeds and her future goals and determined that whatever platform she earned by either horse racing or racing as an individual she was going to use it to do the most good she could do in the world. Afterwards Mia returned to her room. She felt she had betrayed a good and defenseless friend by not making more of an attempt to rescue her. Should she have defied death and dove to bring her friends body to the surface. She could not sleep as she played out the scene over and over wishing she had acted in the face of death and had at least attempted to rescue her friend’s body from the shark. Sunlight began to lighten up her room and she knew sleep was no longer an option. She got up and sought solace in the only way she knew to how to escape – she decided to run.

She quickly put on her running shoes, shorts and started out on the side of the road. The coconut palms loomed above her and a cool island breeze drifted the aroma of the lush garden paradise by her nose. She had no idea how long she had been running or how much ground she had covered. But she knew hours were going by. Shocked she realized that the sun was setting as she finished, somehow ending up back at the front of the hotel having made a loop of over 30 miles. She drew to a stop in front of the hotel and suddenly felt that everything around her was spinning incredibly quickly, she lost sense of what was up and what was down, and then everything turned midnight blue. Mia collapsed.

The hotel personnel rushed Mia to the emergency room, where she woke to the smell of salts and discovered that there were IVs running down her arms. She was sitting up as Dr. Chang, a middle age Chinese Doctor with the air of a caring grandfather walked in with his clipboard.

“Hello”, he said, “I’m Dr. Chang. It is lucky someone found you, Miss Tannersly, your left lung collapsed and you were severely dehydrated. How many miles did you run?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t keep track… I ran all day. …”

Looking concerned and slightly puzzled Dr. Chang told Mia “Your lung needs time to heal. Stay away from running and see a lung specialist in the next week. You are a very beautiful girl. You could have broken something when you fell. You’re very lucky”.

“Do I have to stay?” asked Mia, not wanting to hear that she could not run, “I’ve got to be at work tomorrow morning at five o’clock”.

“No, you can be released. Just be more careful. Don’t try to run around the whole island in one day. If you can’t find a specialist come back in a week for a check up. We need to see if you develop another air pocket around your lung. They can be very dangerous”.

That same evening Mia went for a short walk. Soon, however, she noticed something was terribly wrong there was stabbing pain in her chest. She took out her cell phone and called 911. She struggled for breath and tried to fight off the increasing pain in her chest. It felt like a series of knives were being thrust repeatedly into her lungs she struggled hard for every breath, and it seemed that regardless of how hard she gasped for air, very little air actually got in her lung. She was close to a total black out again and she barely managed to dial 911 and report her location before collapsing.

They found her in the grass not too far from the entrance to the hotel and an ambulance returned her to the hospital. She was back in the same emergency room. She had to face her weakness. She was going to need a long period of rehab. She knew it was foolish to have run the whole day and to have ignored the many signs her body was giving her to slow down. She was punishing herself for her failure to save Alisha. It wasn’t a rational punishment. Mia knew sharks were the most ruthless killing machines on the earth other than man but irrational as it was she needed to blame someone and she had chosen to internalize the blame as if somehow her self punishment would make amends with God for what she purported to be her cowardice.

**

Unaware of Alisha’s death and Mia’s pulmonary problems in Hawaii and distressed at Mia’s lack of communication, Chad in New York on hotel business paid a visit to the Swan Agency hoping to find out where his fiancée was. He sat in the outer office of the Georgia Swan Modeling Agency looking rather nervous. His handsome face was etched with concern and he could not stop tapping his foot and his fingers as he waited for Georgia to see him.

Just when he could wait no longer the receptionist came out: “Miss Swan will see you now”. She pressed a buzzer on the wall and the door to the internal office opened.

Chad walked into the deluxe office, which was garishly decorated with huge neoclassical sculptures and zebra covered lounge chairs. The desk was an oriental red mahogany and the walls were hung with old 80’s style Salvador Dali lithographs and a huge surrealistic Dali oil. With New York visible through the huge window, the whole room had a magical surreal atmosphere.

As he walked in Georgia hung up the phone and turned her blue eyes directly to Chad. “You told my secretary that you needed to get a hold of Mia. I called and left a message for you several days ago that she had gone on another assignment. Why the concern?"… She stared.
“I never got any message.” Chad jumped in. “She was supposed to return home after her photo shoot and no one has heard from of her since”.
“What is your relation to Miss Tannersly? Why the interest? Are you working for her parents?”
A little bit on edge but fighting hard to maintain his composure Chad replied tersely “No, I don’t work for her parents. Our relationship is still somewhat personal. Mia prefers to keep it that way. Let me just say that I hold her in the highest regard and I am concerned with her well being”.
In a very businesslike tone Georgia replied “Well, if it isn’t a life or death situation, its the agencies policy not to disclose the work assignments of our models. They have adequate access to telephones and are free to call and contact anyone they wish if and when they choose to do so. After she finished her assignment here another very lucrative job came up out of state. If she hasn’t contacted you perhaps she has her own reasons”.

Chad looked very seriously at Georgia and with an air of frustration said “Very well then. I can understand your privacy code.” Pulling out an envelope he continued “Would you please make sure she gets my letter wherever she is. And if you do talk to her send her my love”. Laying the envelope on Georgia’s desk Chad got up. “It is a lovely office you have here”, he said looking around. He stepped over to admire the large oil painting. “Dali stayed at our hotel in Bermuda once, just a few days back in the 80’s. But one doesn’t forget someone like Salvador. Tell Mia I can’t forget her either. She is etched on my heart. Good day”.


Mia had finished her work in Hawaii just in time. She knew her body needed a rest. She had accepted an offer from a wealthy Chinese business man and hotel owner and chosen to take a short cruise around the islands. Limited to a boat with a 56 feet length by 18 feet wide beam she knew that by staying on the Hatteras Yacht there would be no temptation to run. Mia sat dressed in a light pink, long sleeved shirt, and linen pants fully covered to protect her skin from excess ultraviolet radiation from the sun, she was aimlessly watching the sunlight flirt upon the water. She wondered if her friend really was in fact in heaven. She wondered was it a city with a crystal sea and golden streets and lights brighter than the sun emanating from the throne of God. The ocean swells created innumerable shapes. Oddly, it was like watching fire within the sea. Like a white fire that shone through the blue water, constantly changing its shape as the waves rose and fell. A timeless symphony of undulating rhythms gently moved the large ship back and forth.

A young man who was part of the crew approached her with a portable phone. Mia looked up and smiled to thank him. Then she took the phone and dialed Georgia. As soon as she had greeted Georgia she paused to listen as one never got in the first or last word with an agent. “You are finished there. Why don’t you come home? I’m lining up some things for you in Europe”.

Shaking her head with her eyes lost in the distant water Mia replied, “What good is making so much money if I can’t ever relax. I’m going to stay on this boat for a while. I just wanted to let you know my whereabouts. Besides I need some time to heal I’ve overextended my lung.
Georgia stood up and walked over to her window. Looking over Manhattan she told Mia “Speaking of whereabouts, Chad was here to find out where you were. He is an awfully handsome fellow. Is he your fiancé? He seems quite secretive.”
“Someone I’ve known for a long, long time. He wants to marry me. We just have not set the date. I’ve been putting him off for years. What did you tell him?”
“Nothing. I forwarded his letter to you at your hotel. I heard about your friend Alisha. Sorry. Perhaps it’s true you need to take some time off. The clients can wait. Call me when you feel ready to work again”.
“Thanks for understanding”, said Mia smiling, “maybe I’ll send you a box of pineapple and some Macadamia nuts.”
“The only nut I want to see is you. Take care Mia”.

Mia put down the phone and continued her ocean gazing. She sat there until the evening, when she went into her stateroom to change into evening attire and came back out to wander around the yacht. She was grateful the businessman had left by helicopter and would not be requiring her attendance at dinner. Her silhouette lit up by the moon cast a shadow as if she were a figurehead on the bowsprit.

While Mia stood gazing out from the yacht lost in thought and enjoying the breathtaking views of the moon over Hawaii, Jane was enmeshed at that moment in a completely different world from Mia’s – one filled with soldiers, guns, pain, death, and heartless greed. She was blindfolded and being escorted by an expatriate Cuban soldier around a cocaine processing plant. She was taken to Eduardo and her blindfold was removed and she was looking at a rough looking pock faced, Columbian overdressed in an expensive double-breasted suit. His jet black hair was greased, razor cut and perfectly combed back he wore a massive diamond encrusted gold bracelet which, along with his clothes and shoes, testified to even the most ignorant stranger that he, Eduardo, was a man of great wealth and power, one to be feared

He made a point to pull up his coat sleeve and look at his Rolex mariner’s watch he spoke to Jane, with a thick Spanish accent, “You’re sure these new girls we’ve hired won’t mind? You sure they won’t get nosy and open the boxes.”
Smiling confidently Jane answered “At the rates you are paying them, they’ll bring anything back with them. If they get questioned, they won’t know anything. I think it’s perfect”.
Self absorbed and examining his fingernails and cuticles Eduardo said “Most girls will fly back to Kennedy Airport. We have someone on payroll with the U. S. custom’s there and he will let us know by phone if there are any special surveillance problems.” Eduardo reached into his pocket and pulled out a blackberry phone which he handed Jane. “One of my men will pick up the girls and their luggage at the curb.”
“What if something goes wrong… someone gets arrested?” Jane knew the possibilities.
“That’s the risk they take. However if something happens email me on the blackberry and we will have them out on bond before they are tempted to say anything.” said Eduardo carelessly. “Don’t worry; no customs officer is going to be worried about a beautiful model. Just make sure they pick the lines with men and smile a lot. My driver’s picking up the girls now from the airport. You’ll be staying at the “El Presidente”. Your return flights will be from Quito and all the girls have passports and visas, right?”
“Yes” replied Jane, sounding just a bit more concerned than before.
“We’ll make sure that the passports they use when they check back through customs say nothing about them working down here. Tell them they’ll be paid in tax free cash and not to declare what they make.. They’ll be stamped in and out of Ecuador as tourists. They’ll be even less likely to be questioned”.
Jane was quiet for a bit. Looking at a kilogram of white powder wrapped in plastic she asked: “What’s this stuff worth?”
In a matter of fact tone Eduardo replied “After its cut each kilo’s worth about two hundred fifty thousand dollars, street value”.
“Two fifty?” exclaimed Jane in shock.
Eduardo looked back at her and with a serious tone explained.“A quarter of a million. It takes almost two hundred pounds of the paste to refine one kilogram”. As he spoke he approached Jane with a blindfold. Pulling it out he said “I’m sorry. We’re going to have to blindfold you again. Very, very few people know where you are standing right now. This lab supplies 30% of the world’s cocaine supply”.
As she was being blindfolded Jane asked “Why use models to bring it back?”
“We don’t limit ourselves to one supply line. We keep many open. Besides, what good is money without beautiful women to spend it on? We know you’ll bring us the best” Eduardo said as the finished securing the blindfold tightly around Jane’s eyes. He then gently kissed her hand and handed her to a guard who escorted her back out of the plant, to a waiting Hummer.

***
Eduardo knew how to treat those who worked for him. All of the models that had been recruited to work for him had been put up at the most posh hotel in town. Now, as they got ready for the photo shoot, they were surrounded by the most gorgeous banquet anyone could imagine. A lavish buffet table had been set up by the pool, with beautifully arranged trays of ripe and delicious tropical fruit. The smell of the fruit floated around the tables. On the other side of the pool there were other tables set with am assortment of different sea-food dishes so that they girls could pick as they wanted. It was enough to make anyone stop and stare. Most of the girls did little more than sample small bits and pieces. They knew the addition of a few pounds could cost them dearly and had trained themselves to resist the temptation to indulge. In the background of this exotic and opulent scene, several dark, gangster-type men lurked about. They were heavy with muscles and packing guns, tattooed in several places and obviously unafraid of pain. These men mingled, smoking cigarettes, and picking an odd delicacy, as they tried to flirt with the girls. They were frightening in their tight shirts, with heavy gold chains and jaw breaking rings. Some girls were attracted to their fearful appearance and flirted with them. Others were a bit more reticent and ignored the catcalls and intense scrutiny that went on.
Twenty beautiful girls who had spent the last few days on the exotic beaches being photographed had been gathered for this occasion. They were tanned, fit, and beautifully made up. They looked like a group of exotic mermaids, enchanted, and magical, playing among each other, laughing, lounging in the sun, or enjoying the warm water of the pool. Their bikinis were of an array of bright colors, which made the scene look even more tropical against the bright Equatorial sun.
The photographer, a younger man with long blond dreadlocks, walked around snapping pictures of the girls in their evening gowns. He was trying to capture spontaneous poses, but would often ask a model to do a certain pose as he felt inspired.
Suddenly the photographer yelled, in his heavy Latin accent: “Alright, everyone into the pool!”
One by one the girls dived into the pool. Some just waded in. Lauren, a Swedish model with beautiful blond hair like sunlight, and legs that seemed to have no end turned to Jane and asked:
“You going in?”
“No”, said Jane casually, “but go ahead, maybe you’ll make the cover. Most Latin men love blondes”.
Shrugging Lauren jumped into the pool while Jane looked on. Eduardo noticed that she was standing by herself, and casually strolled up. He tapped her shoulder softly and with a calm and almost unnoticeable motion handed her an envelope. Smiling he said “This is for you: a bonus. You’ve done a wonderful job”. He held on to the envelope as Jane took it and leaned in to kiss her “Maybe you’d like to go on my yacht? Anything you want… my private helicopter will fly you to my villa overlooking the ocean”, he whispered.
Jane, stepped back just a bit and softly, with a smile and slight stroke of Eduardo’s face, tried to turn him down politely saying “Eduardo, I have to tell you, as attractive as your offer is, I don’t mix business with pleasure, one is sure to go sour”. Still smiling she turned to the models and quickly called out “Tina!” A beautiful girl, with dark reddish-brown hair and eyes with such heavy lashes that she looked like a doll, innocent and trusting, looked up and seeing Jane calling her, quickly got out of the pool and walked over, dripping wet. Sweetly Jane grabbed Tina’s hand and said “Tina, I’d like you to meet Eduardo, the host”. She turned to Eduardo and explained “I’m sure she would like to see your private yacht, wouldn’t you?”
Tina smiled with delight and approached Eduardo extending her hand. With a Texas drawl and among giggles she said “I love boats. My daddy has a Tracker 28 pontoon with a big Honda engine docked at South Padre Island. Can you water ski off yours? Daddy’s can pull two skiers.”
Eduardo looked a bit puzzled at first, but then smiled quickly at Jane, and looking pleased grabbed Tina’s arm and started to walk with her as he said “Yes dear, you can water-ski or jet ski if you like. Bring your friend there and we’ll leave right away”. Tina giggled and went back to the pool to ask the girl she had been sitting to join her with Eduardo. Once again Eduardo turned to Jane. He pulled something from his shirt’s pocket and showed it to Jane. “You see this? We are having calendars like this one printed up right now on our digital press with these girls. You tell your girls that each of them needs to check ten boxes of these back to the states with their luggage”.
Jane looked through the old calendar. It was in Spanish and full of pictures of beautiful girls in bikinis. “Only all the boxes don’t have calendars?”
Eduardo took the calendar back, smiled and said “Some will, some won’t.” No one will know. They all be the exact same weight and the cocaine will be hermetically sealed and no dog will be able to sniff out even a trace”.
By that time Tina and another brunette model were waiting for Eduardo. He put out his arms and each girl latched onto one of his arms and followed him to a waiting limousine.
Late that night thousands of pictures rolled out of the printing press. They were printed, stacked and cut by workers who glanced at the model’s pictures and made lewd comments. The same machine that cut the pictures folded and stapled the calendars. The finish product was put in boxes by the workers. After a layer of calendars a layer of tightly sealed cocaine bags was laid down to be covered by more calendars. Two hundred boxes came out when everything had been sorted and packet. These were quickly loaded onto a waiting van.

***

Mia was sitting by a bay window which overlooked the water. She loved sitting in the late afternoon – right before the shadows of dusk set in, when the sun was most brilliant in the far horizon, just minutes before it set. The phone ring surprised her; she had not given this number out to anyone except Georgia. In fact only Georgia knew where she was. Curious she picked up the phone and walked out to the porch, overlooking the waves breaking on the rocks below.
“Hello?” Jane’s lively voice answered Mia’s suspicious greeting. “How’d you track me down here?”
Unconcerned with explaining to Mia how she had conned Georgia into giving her phone number out, Jane continued explaining to Mia about the job she wanted her to do. Sitting on the bed of her luxurious hotel in Quito, which looked over the Cumbaya valley, Jane sipped her champagne and went on “It’s a fabulous job, covers for Latin American calendars, swimwear. Come on Mia! I showed them your picture they want to use you on the Spanish edition. A hundred grand for a week! No agent, it’s all your cash! You can go to Monaco or San Juan and gamble it all away if you want. I’ll have them wire you the ticket right there. Please say yes”.
Mia was tempted. The cost of training her horses for the upcoming races was in the back of her mind. But she had wanted some rest “I don’t need the money”, she answered Jane.
“Don’t lie Mia. You’re always so independent. You told me you needed to get your horse trained for the Derby. That’s going to cost at least a hundred k. Five days and you could have it”.
A few models walked into Jane’s suite along with their local conquests. They turned up music and passed around some drinks. Mia heard the noise and asked “Who’s in the background?”.
Laughing Jane answered, although her voice was almost drowned out by the loud music, voices, and laughter “We’re having a party for you. Leave tomorrow. The ticket will be at the airport. American Airlines”.
“Ok” said Mia. Jane had already almost hung up. She was caught up in the music and enjoyment of the moment. Hanging up Mia again felt the silence that surrounded her. The peacefulness of this place was so distant from the wild, exotic world Jane had just called her from. She disliked so much of it. Why did she keep going back?


Mia’s parents had not heard from their daughter for several days. As they sat on the veranda of their Bermuda home, having grapefruits, tea, toast, and jam for breakfast, their conversation turned to Mia.
Clarence, an older man who had worked for the Tannersly family for decades was serving them breakfast. He lifted the pot of tea and asked Lord Tannersly “Any more tea, sir?”
“No, heavens, no. Any more old chap and I’m afraid you’ll have to send a lorry for me. I’ll float away”.
“Lady Anne?”
“Yes, just a spot more, Clarence. Clarence, how long has it been now since Mia has been gone?”
Clarence poured the tea and hesitated to answer. He found himself in an uncomfortable spot. He knew the conversation would agitate Lord Tannersly and did not want to have to bring up how long Mia had been gone. Mia trusted him to keep her parents pacified while she was away. Thus, casually he remarked “Just about a week, I suppose. She phoned earlier while you two were still sleeping. She’s taken a job in Ecuador for five days, she said”.
Lady Anne looked distressed. She had a feeling that something was not quite right with her daughter and found her sudden travels and undisclosed destinations unnerving. “Well”, she said, “Chad’s mother phoned wondering about her whereabouts. She hasn’t said a single thing to him since she’s been gone…”
Lord Tannersly interrupted his wife politely but firmly. He felt the need to justify Mia’s independence, if only to calm his own worries “Well”, he offered, “neither did you when you went traipsing off to the Orient with your friends from Wellesley. Our daughter is perfectly capable. She has a perfect head on her shoulders and can look out for herself. If she doesn’t wish to disclose her whereabouts to Chad Spaulding then that is her business alone. The young man has known her for nearly six years and he hasn’t officially asked her to marry him yet and agree on a date. Maybe she should never tell him where she is. I say. Bully for her” he finished irritated. With a frown of irritation he turned to his grapefruit with relish.
Lady Anne did not reply. She knew Lord Tannersly would always stand up for Mia. She had always been a daddy’s girl. But she also knew that they were both concerned.


As soon as Mia had decided she would do the calendar job Jane had offered her, she called Mr. Emerson asking him to increase the training of her horse and to pay the entrance fees for the Derby qualifying races. Mr. Emerson was elated; he knew that Mia had a winning horse in her hands. The “Race for the Roses” was on . Emerson knew that if Polo won the derby the horse would have a chance to win Belmont and Preakness stakes as well and become a rare triple crown winner.Polo was one of those rare animals which seem born with fire within. He went out to the track to watch Polo train. Juan was riding with Polo while the timer stood by holding a stop watch.
Mr. Emerson tapped him on the shoulder and asked for the stop watch “Thank you”, he said, “I will finish this race”. The man nodded and started towards the house.
Juan and Polo seemed melded into one ferocious creature. As they galloped around the track, Polo’s hoofs flew over the ground and jettisoned him up and forward with the power of a rocket, both of their bodies swayed to the motion in unison. Their eyes were equally focuses on the finish line and a white fire seemed to burn in them. As they finished their run around the track Mr. Emerson stopped the stopwatch smiling. Juan dismounted Polo and walked over to Mr. Emerson smiling.
“Good time”, said Mr. Emerson enthusiastically. “We just got a call from the owner, Miss Tannersly, she sending acheck as well. She wants this one trained and entered into some of the pre-qualifying runs, she also gave you the nod to ride”.
Juan patted Polo enthusiastically and beamed with happiness “You no joking me?”
“Yes, Senor. From now on Polo is the only horse you are training. We’ll have the other boys exercise the other ones. You have just one responsibility, get this horse in the best possible shape”.
“When do I start Senor?”
“Effective immediately”
Juan could have kissed Mr. Emerson and Polo. He cared about them both. But he especially cared about Polo. He knew the horse and knew that the horse knew him and respected him. They could communicate so well when they were together. He would truly enjoy the time he would now be able to devote to training him.



As promised Mia had found her ticket the next morning at the American Airlines counter. Within nine hours she was in Quito. Jane picked her up from the airport in an exclusive hotel cab. They sped through the streets of Quito almost hitting a group of kids playing with a mangy dog on the outskirts of the airport. They passed by several kids selling cheap packets of gum and candy or simply asking for food.
“Poor country”, said Mia looking at the face of a little girl who was standing by the window of the cab as they stopped at a traffic light. “I’m lucky to be from Bermuda, nobody has to beg there”. She kept looking at the children but it became too sad for her. She quickly turned to Jane and almost just to change the subject asked “So, what is this Eduardo like? You like him?”
“No, definitely not my type. Too controlling”.
“Too controlling for you? Come on Jane, most men grovel at your feet”.
“This one is too rich to grovel for anyone”.
As they had this conversation their cab pulled up in front of an impressive, palatial hotel. It was evident that everything within the hotel was elegant and classy.
“Nothing but first class Mia. A few photos and on your trip back home you’ll be one hundred thousand richer”.
Mia had been told that Eduardo would meet her in the lobby. As she walked through it a large dark man with combed back curly hair approached her. There was something about him that was sinister and Mia didn’t like him, but she knew it must be Eduardo by how confidently he walked up to her.
“Miss Tannersly”, he said, extending his hand to her, “your friend Jane showed me your picture. You put all these other beautiful women to shame. We will use you for the new cover”.
Jane walked over, as Eduardo finished saying to Mia. “I got you all checked in Mia. You want some lunch. They have great salmon here”. Jane approached Eduardo and grabbed his arm. “I’m sure Eduardo won’t mind accompanying us, will you?” she said with a smile.
“Not at all” said Eduardo, extending his other arm to Mia.
They walked into the beautifully decorated dining room. The tables were covered with light blue linens, over which were delicate arrangements of eucalyptus leaves and white gardenias. The light was tenuous, created only by dozens of candles placed on the tables and along two of the walls. It was a truly magical place. It felt like one had left earth and walked unto another planet where all sounds were magical and the light soothed the senses into a state of nearly perfect tranquility.
Eduardo asked for a flute of the nicest house champagne to sip on while they looked through the menu. A short dark haired man approached the table with the champagne on his tray. He carefully opened the bottle but accidentally spilled some of the precious champagne on the table cloth. Eduardo, who had been watching him like a hawk, grabbed the bottle out of his hands placed it on the table after serving the ladies and then, without stopping, grabbed the man by the shoulder and pulled him to the back of the restaurant. The waiter, far shorter and smaller than Eduardo, could put up no resistance. He was so surprised at what was happening, moreover, that he did not have time to react. Eduardo simply led him to the back like one leads a naughty child away. Once they had reached the back of the room Eduardo mercilessly turned the waiter to face him and punched him twice in the stomach. The poor man fell breathless to the ground. Everything around him had gone black.
Mia witnessed the scene from the table she was shocked. She whispered to Jane in disgust “Some nasty temper…”.
“He is used to being treated like a king. He is not a man to be admired, but a man to be feared” replied Jane.
As if nothing had happened, Eduardo walked back to the table with a polite smile. As he sat down he said “In fine dining one doesn’t expect someone to spill three hundred dollar champagne. It must be opened delicately, not like a bottle of beer”.
The girls did not reply. They all turned to the menu. Once they had made their choices and told the new waiter what they wanted a man approached the table. He was young and well dressed, but he also had that darkness around him which surrounded Eduardo like a dark cloud. Nodding to the ladies he bent down and whispered something into Eduardo’s ear. Looking annoyed Eduardo stood up and excusing himself told Mia and Jane “Excuse me ladies. Continue without me. It may be several minutes before I can return”.
Eduardo followed the man to the back of the hotel. The sun had gone down by this time and the area was shrouded in the ugly, undefined darkness of cities which are not well lit. Several men were standing behind a dark truck as Eduardo approached. A young Ecuadorian man was kneeling on the ground between all of them. He was young and obviously poor, wearing old pants, a tattered, faded yellowish shirt, and old running shoes with no socks. Three men were pointing automatic rifles at this head. The boy was terrified and trembled so much he had trouble keeping his hands behind his head. He was whimpering and asking for mercy.
The man who had approached Eduardo inside the restaurant dismissively pointed toward the boy with his chin. “We found this boy going through the truck”, he said.
“What did he find?” asked Eduardo as he approached the boy. His voice had no hint of mercy or kindness in it. It was ice cold, making the boy feel that he would suffer at the hands of this man.
The man, Pepi, nodded to one of the men standing by the truck. He stepped forward and handed him an open bag of cocaine. Pepi showed this to Eduardo and said “He was probably planning on stealing it”.
With a look of disgust Eduardo took a handful of cocaine and quickly approached the boy. He pulled his head back quickly, the boys mouth opened as he cried out in pain and shock. As his mouth opened Eduardo showed him the cocaine and asking with hatred in his voice “This is what you want so bad?” shoved the cocaine into his mouth. The boy chocked and cried out. He fell to the ground coughing. After looking at him for a second Eduardo pulled out a gun with a silencer from his breast pocket and fired point blank into the boy’s head. Suddenly quiet the boy’s body fell still, his face still contorted in gasps for breath, his tongue hanging out.
Eduardo was already wiping his hand and putting his gun away. Without looking at the body of the boy he told the men “Take him to the dump and post somebody around the clock on this truck”. As he put his gun away he realized that his white jacket had blood splats on it. Annoyed he took it off and handed it to Pepi. Pepi asked “What would you like me to do with this? Get it dry cleaned?”
“Yes, by all means. It cost me one thousand U.S. dollars. Let me have your coat please. I still have not eaten. Here buy yourself a whole new suit” he said, taking Pepin’s coat and handing him a wad of twenty dollar bills from a roll he pulled out of his pant’s pocket.
Brushing his hair back Eduardo walked back to the table where Mia and Jane were already eating. Except for his new jacket he looked as though he had simply taken a cigarette break. There was nothing about him that was not cold and calm.
“Everything fine?” he asked as he sat back down. He glanced at the relish tray the waiter had served.
“It’s great” said Mia, “When do we start the shoot? I have to get back to Bermuda pretty soon or my parents will really start to wonder about me”.
“They don’t know where you are?” asked Jane, surprised.
“No, not exactly. It’s not like I had a lot of notice”, replied Mia defensively.
“We start shooting tomorrow” said Eduardo, looking at Mia, “We’ll be taking my helicopter to Salinas, it has beautiful beaches”.


Early afternoon on the next day Eduardo’s helicopter brought Mia to the mystical beaches of Salinas. The sand was a rich cream color, catching the sunlight in a thousand sparkles. The beach looked like a small galaxy with it’s millions of stars twinkling in the sand. From the helicopter Mia was impressed by how beautiful and serene it appeared next to the calm dark blue-green waters. Off the beach were a couple of small fishermen’s crafts lazily floating about. A couple of happy children were running in and out of the water, shouting and splashing each other with handfuls of salt water and sand. In the background not far from the beach was a jungle where masses of lush green plants grew wildly. The place felt alive, titillating with life, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Mia stepped out of the helicopter as it landed on the beach. The photographer and his crew were already there waiting for her. Mia quickly stepped into the small area that had been set up as an improvised dressing room and changed into a sparkling blue swimsuit, which seemed to match the sea perfectly. Her hair was quickly brushed and her make-up retouched before she stepped before the photographer. Pleased with his model the photographer started shooting non-stop. Mia kept up with great energy, quickly changing poses and following his directions. She changed her outfit several times according to the photographer’s orders. She posed also in a fluttery peach dress, and in a one piece white and silver swimsuit which made her tan specially striking. After working hard for several hours the photographer walked up to her and said in a Swedish accent “Very excellent. We have some good film. Would you like any of the proofs for your book”.
“Sure”, said Mia, drinking some water, and stretching her tired muscles. “I’m not going to be here long, can you send them to me in Bermuda if I give you the address?”
“ No problem. Do you mind if I try to sell them in Sweden? Swedish men love dark haired women”.
“No problem. Just let me know and I’ll issue you a release. You can even keep fifty percent”.
The photographer smiled at Mia’s friendliness. It was not often that he met such nice, down-to-earth models. Extending his hand he introduced himself to Mia: “My name is Christian”.
“Christian? I’m a Christian too, although I haven’t been to church much” said Mia, half jokingly. “Athough I do read my bible every day.”
“Great, then we have something in common” said Christian laughing. “ I read the bible as well.”He saw that Jane and Eduardo were walking out of the helicopter, where they had waited during the shot. Gesturing towards Eduardo Christian said “Strange man that Eduardo. Have you worked for him before?”
“No, first time” said Mia nodding in agreement to Christian’s comment.
“I’d be careful. He puts on a good show, but I don’t think everything is on the deck. Something is definitely going on with him that is not right ”.
“You mean above board?”
“Yes, that’s how you English say it’ said Christian smiling. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small notebook and a pen. “Here, please give me your address and I’ll send you the proofs”.
“Sure, thanks” said Mia returning his friendly smile.
**
The photo shoot turned out great. Many of the pictures were of excellent quality and Mia was soon told that she had fulfilled her contract and was free to go. Eduardo arranged for a limo to take her to the airport. He had asked her to take back with her boxes of calendars, which would be collected from her as soon as she arrived to New York, he had said.
At the airport in Quito Jane gave her the final instructions “When you go through customs in New York just have a porter take you to the outside curb. One of the men from the magazine company will be there to pick up the boxes. The money has already been wired to your account. And…” she looked into her purse from which she pulled out a small manila envelope, “here’s five thousand cash a small tip. Eduardo wanted to express his personal appreciation for a job well done”.
Mia was a bit surprised at Eduardo’s generosity but did not think much about it she was a well paid model. She hugged Jane and thanked her for all her support and help. Then she quickly went inside the airport, it was not long before her flight was schedule to depart.
Mia checked in and was quickly escorted to the first class section on the plane. As she sat down and looked around her she realized that Klaus Grombecker from New York was sitting in front of her reading the paper. Mia tapped him in the shoulder and politely asked “Excuse me. Is this seat taken?”
Klaus looked up and smiled recognizing Mia. “Not until now”, he said, “pleasant meeting you here! Ecuador of all places.”
“You must be following me”, replied Mia.
“Sit down”, said Klaus taking several magazines and newspapers off of the seat next to him so Mia could sit, “I’ll order you some champagne. We might as well make the best of it. It’s an eight hour flight”.
Happily Mia sat down. She liked Klaus. He was the exact opposite of Eduardo. An air of trust and honesty floated over him, and Mia felt perfectly safe next to him. He was also funny and interesting without trying to be mysterious and powerful. Eduardo, on the other hand, always seemed to be trying to appear more powerful and grand than he was. The eight hours went by quickly as Mia and Klaus shared a bit more about their lives and later about movies and music.
As the plane landed in New York Mia and Klaus said their good byes. Mia knew that the boxes she had checked in would make her journey through customs much longer than Klaus”.
She approached the customs line with a luggage cart loaded with her bag and the boxes she had brought. Calmly she walked up to the Customs Officer with her declaration. The officer looked through the form quickly and asked in a bored voice “Anything to declare?”
Mia looked at the boxes she was carrying and said “Just these promotional calendars”.
“How long were you in Ecuador?
“Three days. In and out”.
“How long will you be in New York?”
“Just a day or two. I”m on my way back to Bermuda – my home”.
The officer nodded and looked satisfied. He stamped Mia’s form and waved her through. Mia walked through the door and asked a porter to take her luggage cart to the outside curb. To her surprise there was no one there. She thanked the porter and giving him a generous tip told him that he could leave. She sat on one of the boxes to wait for her ride. ‘They can’t be long’ she thought.
Twenty minutes passed, however, before a white unmarked van approached Mia. A man with a red baseball cap on which shaded most of his face wearing an black uniform with no marks or labels asked her in broken English “You Miss Tannersly?”
“Yes, I am” replied Mia, almost taken by surprise.
“I need to pick up these boxes”
“Well, have at them”, replied Mia a bit annoyed “I have been standing here about twenty minutes. I almost gave up”.
“There was an accident on the expressway”, replied the man without looking at her. Mia left him packing the boxes into the van and walked over to the cab station. She quickly hailed a cab and left for her hotel.
The man finished packing the boxes in a hurry. He knew he was late and for a drug courier not to be prompt could mean death. His bosses got anxious when people were late and started thinking the worst. He did not want to walk in late and have his boss accuse him of running other business – trying to sell the product and make money on the side. That could lead to trouble. He had seen other guys lose fingers and ears when accused because of being late. As fast as he could, he got behind the wheel and sped out of the airport. He took the first entry into the expressway and started weaving in and out of traffic to gain time. He turned sharply to pass a row of cars waiting to get off before the bridge. Unexpectedly a car turned in front of him. He swerved to avoid it but there was not enough time or space. He slammed the brake but lost control of the van. The van started to roll – over, and over, and over. The back door opened the second time the van rolled over and several boxes fell out. As they hit the pavement some of the boxes smashed open. Others were smashed by cars running into them. There were calendars flying everywhere. The colorful pages filled with pictures of girls were floating over the cars, over the freeway… they made the scene look like some sort of parade with confetti or ticker tape had been through. The bags of cocaine were also spilled. There was a cacophony of honking, screeching, breakings, and screams as drivers tried everything they could to avoid hitting each other and the boxes that were everywhere. Traffic halted to a stop. The van’s forward motion had finally stopped, as it had rolled into a light post. The driver of green jaquar approached the van as he called 911 on his cell phone . He saw the driver trapped between the steering wheel and his door. He was completely covered in blood.
Within minutes ambulance and police sirens could be heard. The police were amazed at the quantity of cocaine bags that laid all over the road. Some policemen collected the boxes and the calendars while other tried to get traffic back into shape. The paramedics approached the van but knew, just from looking at the way in which the driver’s body was twisted and pinned that he had received serious injuries.
**
Later that night Detective Managan, who had been assigned the investigation of the van and its contents, was looking through the case file in his office. In the evidence room the calendars and the cocaine bags had been assembled on a long table. A young female officer, Yolanda Liedeux was weighting up the cocaine.
“I’ve got the weight, Detective”, she said entering into Managan’s office. “It looks like about 75 kilos left. There’s also some sort of customs clearing number here on the side of the boxes, next to the flight number of Air Ecuador. Whoever flew in this flight, flew in today on Flight 1244, and landed at JFK at 3:15 PM. The accident was at 4:25 PM, so the times add up”.
The Detective nodded and told Officer Liedeux “Get down to the hospital and see if the driver has come to. We’d like to find out who he was working for and who he was planning to deliver this to”.
Managan got up to go into the evidence room, as he left his office he ran into a plain-clothed detective, Larry Metcalfe. “Larry”, he said, “call Air Ecuador and get a passenger manifest for flight 1244 today from Quito to New York, JFK. And call customs and see if they remember anyone checking through with boxes of calendars”.


Mia was glad to be back at work, with people she trusted. Georgia had asked her to come by her office in the afternoon to meet a new client. As she walked in Georgia was showing Klaus Grombecker the wonderful view of New York one had from her office. Both Georgia and Klaus turned as Mia walked in. Mia stopped in surprise. What was Klaus doing here?
“I believe you have met Mr. Grombecker?” asked Georgia, guessing Mia’s surprise.
“Yes, why, several times. Hi Klaus”.
“Good afternoon Mia. You’ve decided to stay in New York a few days?”
“Actually I’m going to the race at Saratoga tomorrow. I’d forgotten”.
Georgia waved right through Mia and Klaus” conversation and moving her arms dramatically said “Well, no use beating around the bush. Mr. Grombecker and I have been going over a contract that his company Runner’s Choice has decided to offer you”.
Mia was taken aback. With wide opened eyes she asked Klaus “Your company? But your card…”
“One does not always disclose everything to everyone he meets” answered Klaus winking. “Yes, did you get the shoes I sent you?”
“I wore them this morning. They were excellent. So light, yet they seem to absorb so much of the shock when you land”.
Smiling Klaus said “We’d like you to represent us. It means posters, television, billboards, and appearances at the marathons, and major track events”.
“I’m flattered. I don’t know what to say”.
Georgia stepped in and quickly said “Just say yes Mia, and sign here”.
“When does it start?” asked Mia as she bent over Georgia’s desk to sign.
“We’re ready when you are. The sooner the better”.


Mia’s contract with Runners Choice started the following week. She had decided to take the weekend off to attend an important horse race. It was the breeder’s race in which Polo would participate strings had been pulled by Mr. Emerson to get him entered at the last minute and she felt anxious – almost as though she were the one running. As she sat in the owner’s box next to Mr. Emerson she looked calm and collected, in her crisp light blue linen pants and tailored, sleeveless green blouse. Her heart beat inside her like she was the one that was about to race. Her leg muscles tensed like she was running. But she was not even aware of her nervousness as she waited for the race to start.
Mr. Emerson noticed Mia’s nervousness only because he knew her so well. He knew that when Mia tapped her finger on the crystal glass from which she was sipping champagne, this was a sign of nervousness. When Paul Young and his wife Deone came, therefore, he thought it might help Mia calm down if she greeted them. As soon as they sat down behind them, Mr. Emerson turned to Paul and said “Good luck today with your horse! I would like to introduce you to Mia Tannersly, horse owner/international model”.
Hearing her name Mia turned with a smile. Paul and Deone were beautiful people. Paul was a good looking middle-aged man wearing an expensive polo shirt and hat and flat-front khakis. He had a strong smile which made it seem like he was in control of every situation. His skin was tanned slightly freckled with a slight reddish hue and he confidently looked up and down at Mia as he was being introduced. He found her beautiful and smiled.
Deone noticed her husband smiling and felt the cold blood of jealousy run through her. She also looked at Mia but with much less appreciation and with piercing jealous eyes. She was a few years older than Mia and dressed in a chic, body-hugging, knee-length black dress with a green necklace made out of oddly shaped pieces of glass. She knew she was beautiful but she wanted all her husbands attention and could not stand women like Mia who could obviously be beautiful without any effort. Forcing a smile she shook Mi’s hand and said “My pleasure”.
Paul smiled and extended his hand to Mia. Holding on to her hand he asked “Did you put any money on Shadow Dancer? For the first race?”.
Mia politely tried to taker her hand back as she answered “Can’t say that I did. Why, are you giving me a tip? He’s fifteen to one. Doesn’t seem at all favored.”
Paul let go of Mia’s hand and looked at his watch. He looked back at her and with a sly smile said “Still five minutes to post, put a few thousand on him, you won’t be sorry. If you are, I’ll owe you one.”
Mia stood up. She had a sense that somehow Paul knew what he was talking about. He talked as though he knew some inside secret and was letting Mia in only because he liked her. “I think I will.” she said and smiled confidently at Deon, who looked absolutely furious, she walked to the stands to place her bet. Smiling at her good fortune.
A few minutes later the race started and Shadow Dancer took off out of the gate hugging the inside of the track all the horses three year olds took off like rabbits when the gun went off. Shadow’s jockey fought off the others trying to edge him into the rail. Fortunately Shadow was two hands bigger than the others and not easily pushed about. His jockey commanded the field with mastery pacing Shadow holding back just enough to make the break at the straightaway when the post position would lose it’s value. Seconds went by as three horses from the field crowded closed to Shadow. Mia stood in her box as the pack flew by clumps of turf tossed everywhere with a pounding sound as if it were a stampeded of buffalos. The excitement was palpable.
Shadow having conserved his energy on the inside track let loose on the straightaway. He broke free from the others even more and pulled decisively ahead and made the last stretch look effortless.
Mia turned to Paul and smiled as Shadow Dancer fulfilled his prediction. She headed to the racing window and presented her ticket. The attendant nodded in appreciation as he counted out 30,000 dollars. Handing her the money he said in a strong southern accent “Lucky bet, huh?”
Mia took the money and playfully shaking it at the attendant answered “Smart money always listens”.
Mia was happy. The great thing about betting on races was the unexpected wins which involved so little effort. Suddenly she had come across another 30,000 dollars which she could invest training Polo. Mr. Emerson was waiting for her as she walked back from the racing window.
He took her by the arm and in confidence told her quietly “That Paul was right. His syndicate owns several of the other horses as well. He gave you a tip: they make lots making sure that the right horse wins. Big money...”.
Mia didn’t quite understand what Mr. Emerson was hinting at. She had just followed someone’s hunch, right? She could have just as easily lost her bet, like anyone playing with lady luck. So she answered Mr. Emerson’s hints with “I could have lost too. After all it’s gambling. The world’s full of those who lost on a sure bet ”.
Mr. Emerson looked at a large man wearing a tux. He looked serious and busy as several people came up to him with some sort of news of the race. He had the same darkness about him that had troubled Mia about Eduardo.
Nodding toward this man Mr. Emerson told Mia “That’s Robert Packwood, president of the syndicate. They had four horses in today alone. Believe me you couldn’t have lost -- nobody crosses that man and stays in the game”.
Mia looked startled. She was just beginning to grasp what Mr. Emerson was hinting at. “Are you saying the race was fixed?”
Mr. Emerson looked down and spoke quietly, hinting that Mia should also keep her voice down. “Fixed isn’t the right word”, he said, “Pre-arranged is more accurate. He won because he was a long shot and drew a good pole position. They don’t care who wins, they just want to make sure they know beforehand. The bigger the odds the better the payoff. I made sure to enter your horse in a race where the syndicate has no representation. That way Polo has a chance to show his stuff”. Mia nodded. She understood. But she didn’t like it. She had never liked things which were not fully clear and transparent like running river water. As an athlete her attitude had always been that all people should start from the same starting line, run the same race without extra hurdles or unexpected turns or help. Everyone should have the same opportunities. Pre-arranged races: something was surely wrong with them.

A big ball was thrown in the evening for all those who had attended the race during the day. Mia came wearing a luxurious dress which matched the color of a full moon exactly. It had a deep v-cut in the front, making it elegant and sensual, and also a deep v-cut down her back, showing her perfectly tanned and smooth skin. She had done her hair very simply: she had tied it behind her with a strand wrapped around the base holding the rest in place. Her dark shiny, silky hair, contrasted with her light gown wonderfully and Mia looked simply strikingly beautiful. As soon as she walked in Paul approached her. He grabbed an extra glass of champagne to bring to her and as he handed her the glass smiling he asked “So, what will you do with you winnings?”.
Mia took a sip of the champagne and looking over the rim of the glass answered “Most likely invest them in a worthwhile project. Thanks for the tip. I won quite handsomely. Maybe next time I can repay you. I plan on entering my three year old in the Derby”.
Paul’s look changed just slightly. A cunning, business-man light came into his eyes. Casually, however, he asked Mia “How’s he doing?”
Proud of her beautiful horse Mia answered “Excellent, very strong, very excellent bloodlines. Today was his first race and he finished in the money. Ask Mr. Emerson about him”.
In the same casual tone of voice, as though he was just making unimportant comments, but looking at Mia closely Paul said, “perhaps you’d like to syndicate him”.
Mia had been waiting for this point. She wanted to make a statement about how she felt regarding this syndicate. Clearly and forcefully, therefore, she answered Paul “If I need the financial backing of course. But at this point everything is covered. Thank you for the offer anyways.” She glanced over at a group of Latin Americans talking to Robert Packwood. “It seems as if Mr. Packwood has quite an interesting group of followers.”
As she prodded Paul with her insider information Mia noticed Deon walking towards them. She looked beautiful in a flowing red dress with a silky and long scarf wrapped around her neck, but her face was contorted in anger. She was obviously annoyed at seeing Mia speaking with her husband and was coming over to break up their conversation.
Before she could get to them Mia left Paul saying “Excuse me, here comes your wife. I don’t think she’d be too happy to find you talking to me. Ciao”.
As Deon approached Paul to reprimand him Mia walked toward the buffet table. She was glancing at the large shrimp ice sculptures which were presented in an astonishing variety of ways when she realized Jane was standing next to her.
“Hi Mia”, said Jane casually, although an unusual tone of anxiety could be noticed in her voice. “How did things go when you got back?” she asked.
“Fine Jane, nice to see you. I got back this morning”, said Mia, grabbing a plate and putting a few different styles of shrimps on it. “what are you doing up here at Saratoga.”
Without making any other questions or comments Jane quickly and seriously asked Jane “Eduardo wanted me to ask you if you delivered the calendar boxes to his driver?”.
Mia bit into a shrimp and not noticing Jane’s nervousness casually answered “Of course. The van driver was a few minutes late, but he picked them right off the curb. Why, didn’t they get to the distribution center? What would I want with a few thousand calendars in Spanish anyways?” Mia looked at the Latin Americans standing next to Packwood. One glanced over at her.
“Jane, I’m leaving soon I start a new job for Runner’s Choice and I need to get some sleep. Can I come by and take you to lunch tomorrow? I am worried that you are getting into things over your head. Maybe I can help. I don’t think Eduardo is an honest businessman”.
Jane looked troubled. “Sure” she answered, but her mind was obviously somewhere else, following a large problem from the coast of Ecuador to her doorstep.
Mia finished her last shrimp, put her plate down and quickly hugged Jane before heading out of the ballroom.
Jane stood still as a statue for a few minutes and then turned to leave as well. She needed to find a solution but as hard as she tried she could not come up with anything. She grabbed her coat from the lobby and decided to walk down Broadway to her suite rather than take a cab. It was only a few blocks anyways. As she walked by immersed in her thoughts she did not notice that a car slowly approached her and stopped by her side. She was startled when she looked over to find a limousine by her side. The window rolled down and a beautiful red headed girl wearing sparkling silver eye make-up spoke to her curtly. “Get in. Eduardo wants to know what you found out from your friend”.
Jane knew she was alone in an almost deserted park. There was no point in running or screaming. “Might as well deal with it now” she thought. The door of the limousine opened and without saying anything she got in. Inside the limousine two men were accompanying the red-headed girl. Jane was made to sit between them as the limousine drove back to the city and then headed down toward the docks. In a dark corner it stopped and Nikki, the redhead got out, followed by Jane between the two men. They walked towards a waiting twenty four foot Boston Whaler center console speed boat which took off as soon as they were on board. No one said a word but Jane knew they were heading to one of Eduardo’s yacht that he kept docked in Brooklyn. She felt her insides growing cold and stiff. She did not know what was going to happen but she knew it was going to be cold and dark.
Eduardo’s evil side, which she had always known was there, was now going to be revealed to her. She felt the icy coldness grow within her as they approached the yacht, sitting quietly in the pitch black water.
Right before they arrived Jane turned to Nikki and quietly asked “When did Eduardo come to the States, Nikki?”
Without turning to look at Jane, Nikki answered “He came today. He doesn’t like it when shipments don’t turn up. Especially ones with the street value of millions. Customers aren’t happy. No one is happy”.
Jane felt like she was going to faint. The ice in her stomach ran up her spinal column and into the back of her head. She started to sweat icy drops. Once on the yacht Jane was led to one of Eduardo’s rooms. It was a spacious living room with tan leather couches and a light blue carpet. The walls were also painted light blue and decorated with large paintings lighted with brass lamps. Eduardo was sitting on a large couch with a small table next to him. On the table were a champagne glass and a cold bottle of champagne. Next to him a skinny blond sat dressed only in pink silky lingerie. She was watching television and stroking Eduardo’s leg. Eduardo was opening the champagne bottle as Nikki knocked on the door and walked in. Jane was pushed in behind her.
Eduardo looked up and put the bottle down on the table. He looked serious and annoyed, but tried to keep up a playful appearance. Looking intently at Jane he said “Jane, I came myself because you never called me back. What happened to your friend Mia?” his voice rose and became angrier as he asked “What happened to my cocaine? Our man at the airport said she checked through fine. Our driver disappeared and so has our cocaine?”
Jane was trembling but she tried to look steadily at Eduardo. She knew her life was worth nothing to this beast of a man and that he would kill her if he felt she was lying or deceiving him. Even if he didn’t get any of his products back he would kill her just to get some revenge.
“I didn’t see Mia until a few moments ago, Eduardo. I spoke with her at the after race breeder’s banquet. She told me she delivered all the calendars to a man in a delivery truck. She told me he was late. She has no idea we used her to smuggle in the drugs. She thought I was accusing her of stealing the calendars.”
Eduardo looked down and was quiet for a moment. He pulled out a switchblade from his pocket and started to trim his cuticles. Suddenly he rammed it into the mahogany top of the table next to him. The blond woman startled moved away. Nikki looked down and did not move. Jane tried to keep looking at Eduardo’s eyes but felt the coldness spread throughout her body.
Eduardo stood up and screamed into Jane’s face “Dammit! I’m not playing here. Its three million dollars of cocaine missing. It hasn’t been turned into the police. Nothing! Gone, evaporated! You are the one that brought all the girls in. I paid you very well. Now one of the mules has disappeared with the cocaine and you will tell me how to find her! I’ll question here myself.”
Jane suddenly reacted. She realized Mia’s life was also in danger. She answered Eduardo “So you can do what? Terrorize her? Believe me; Mia would not sell your cocaine. She’s a Christian she reads the bible everyday. She doesn’t sleep around like other models. She has never done drugs in her life. She has never even touched the stuff. She’s straight as a bullet. I’d like to tell you more but I’m not going to tell you where to find her. It wasn’t part of the deal and I’m not getting her wrapped up in more than I asked her to do. I should have never let her take the risks she did. She could have gone to jail and she wouldn’t even know why”.
Eduardo listened and looked at Jane with hatred for a second. He then motioned to Nikki who quickly and efficiently grabbed a handful of Jane’s blond curls and pushed her head towards Eduardo. Jane struggled in surprise trying to turn away but Nikki’s grip was like iron, she had probably done this many times before.
Eduardo put his face close enough to Jane’s that she could smell his rotting breath and see his dark catlike eyes which seemed to glow with a sinister red light. He stroked her check and said “It’s a pity to waste such a beautiful face, Jane. Sure you won’t change your mind? You’ll never work again, except, maybe as a whore”.
Jane was sickened by Eduardo’s breath and tears were streaming down her face as she tried to free herself from Nikki’s painful grip. Looking into Eduardo’s eyes she wanted to spit at him as she spit out “I’d rather be a whore than tell you where my friend is. She didn’t steal your cocaine. You are looking in the wrong place!”
Eduardo grabbed the knife from the table and slowly, as though caressing Jane’s check again, he drew it down drawing a line of bright red blood behind it. Jane’s eyes were wide with terror. She tried desperately to get loose from Nikki.
“Last chance Jane, before you need plastic surgery”. He drew the knife back over the line he has made, pushing in harder, drawing out a thicker river of blood. Jane screamed, trying to kick Nikki behind her.
Eduardo took the knife and drew another deep straight line right under Jane’s left eye. Blood was freely flowing all over Jane’s face, and started to drip down her neck. Jane was frantic. “You bastard!” she screamed and spitted at Eduardo. Eduardo turned back to the table drew a handkerchief from his suit coat pocket to clean the knife. He poured a glass of champagne and turned to look at Jane crying and covered in blood. After a few more seconds he nodded at Nikki to release Jane.
Jane fell to the ground and put her hands up to her face, in complete terror.
With no emotion in his voice at all Eduardo said to Jane “You show what happened to you to your friend Mia. Tell her if we don’t get the cocaine or the three million dollars the same thing will happen to her. She will have to look over her shoulder her whole life.”
Eduardo nodded again and Nikki opened the door. The two men who had been escorting Jane rushed in and grabbed Jane under her arms pulling her out of the room. They loaded her back onto the speed boat yacht tender took her to the dock and then put her back in the limousine. Jane’s mind raced as if she was in a dark subterraneous tunnel. She was afraid to open her left eye because she did not know if Eduardo had cut the pupil as well. Her right eye was also covered in blood and she kept it closed most of the time as she sobbed in pain. No one spoke. Everyone knew what to do and where to take her. As the limousine drove past Central Park the passenger’s door opened and one of the men pushed Jane out of the car. The door closed and again the window rolled down. Nikki’s face, just like a few hours before shone out in glimmering make-up under the street light.
With hatred in her voice Nikki yelled at Jane “You find your friend and tell her she’s going to get the same thing if we don’t get our stuff back”.
Her window rolled up and the limousine screeched away as Jane was left crumpled on the grass like a broken doll. She was a sad sight. A beautiful figure in a silver dress with her hair all out of place and her face and the front of her dress covered in blood. She laid on the cement trembling for a few minutes. Then, as if in a gaze she walked up and started to walk to Mia’s hotel hoping that she had already gotten back from Saratoga. She walked right through the lobby as though nothing had happened. The doorman stood with his mouth open as though he had just seen a ghost. A woman standing by the checkout desk screamed. Jane slowly walked toward the elevator, apparently not noticing anything that happened around her. It was like she was dream-walking. A security guard quickly walked toward Jane as she reached the elevator and the door opened. Inside the elevator were Mia and Mr. Emerson, who were heading to the Hotel’s restaurant for some coffee. Mia stepped back and screamed as she saw Jane. Mr. Emerson held tightly onto Mia’s arm and tried to push her behind him to protect her instinctively. He looked completely pale.
Mia quickly gained her composure however, and rushed to Jane’s side. Grabbing her by the waist Mia asked frantically “Jane! What happened to you? Your face, oh my God! You are all cut up”.
The security guard and Mr. Emerson both helped Mia hold up Jane as she began to crumple in her arms. Mr. Emerson was shaking his head in disbelief.
“Mia, I think she might be in shock. My limo’s outside. Let’s get her to the hospital right away”. He nodded to the security guard who picked up Jane and carried her quickly to the front door. Mr. Emerson’s limousine was waiting there and Mr. Emerson told his driver to rush to the hospital while the security guard gently laid Jane down, with her head on Mia’s lap. Mia stroked the blood-clotted hair that had stuck to Jane’s forehead and whispering that everything was going to be ok, while tears streamed down her face.
Mr. Emerson called ahead to the hospital to let them know they were coming and then called Georgia to let her know what had happened. As they arrived to the hospital a gurney was waiting for them and Jane was rushed in. Mia tried to follow but a nurse told her she would have to wait outside. Mia insisted and it was only Mr. Emerson’s caring arms which kept her from running after her friend. She turned and sobbed on his chest.

Hours went by before Mia or Mr. Emerson heard anything about Jane’s condition. Mia had refused to go home. She had been pacing back and forth in the hospital waiting room glancing desperately after any doctor that walked by. Finally a doctor dressed in surgical clothes covered in blood, and looking tired approached her. He pulled down his mask as he came close to her.
His face was furrowed. He looked at Mia intently from beneath dark heavy eyebrows and asked “Are you Jane Davies’ friend?
Nodding and wanting to know what had happened as quickly as possible Mia answered “Yes, yes. Is she going to be ok? I mean her face? It looked like deep cuts...”
“The deepest cut lacerated the skin to the bone” said the Doctor with certain sadness in his voice, “It’s amazing she didn’t loose more blood. I stitched it back up and taped it. She is going to need extensive plastic surgery and possibly epidernatoplasty”.
Mia was pale; she looked as though someone has hit her and knocked all the air out of her. “Her career. She’s a model. I mean will you...” she said, incoherently.
Nodding Dr. Greenberg answered what Mia was trying to ask. “Will she recover without any scar tissue? It depends on the formation of keloids. Everyone reacts and heals differently. Right now we’re just worried about infection... a cut like that so close to the brain. We did treat her for infection. Whoever sliced her didn’t sterilize the knife first. Just pray that the infection has been contained. The important thing is that your friend is alive. When you go in and see her just cheer her up. That’s what she really needs”.
He smiled kindly at Mia and turned to go. Mia breathed deeply a few times to calm herself before walking towards Jane’s room. She opened the door slowly and found Jane’s face bandaged up. Her eye was swollen and bruised and her checks were covered with white gauze and tape.
Jane looked at Mia as she entered the room and smiled almost apologetically. “I must have been out of it when I came to your hotel. Please close the door”.
Mia felt her hear beating so quickly. She felt on the verge of tears again. It hurt so terribly to see her beautiful friend laying there. She wanted to know who had done this, and why.
“What happened, Jane” asked Mia softly, walking toward Jane’s bed, “Who did this to you?”
Jane closed her eyes and answered “Eduardo. He thinks you kept something that belonged to him”.
“His calendars? I gave them to his driver, I told you already.”
“I know”, said Jane looking at Mia kindly “I believe you, but he doesn’t. And... It wasn’t just calendars...those boxes were full of cocaine. You were tricked into carrying back cocaine”. As Jane said this she blushed with shame and her eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry Mia. I really shouldn’t have dragged you into this. I know you hate drugs, but the money was so good and I wanted you to have it for your horse, your career...” Jane’s voice faded out. Mia did not answer but quietly walked to the window and looked down at the rushing traffic. After a couple of minutes she turned back with teary eyes and with a tone of desperation asked Jane “What am I supposed to do now? Jump out of this window? Kill myself? Jane! He cut you up because of me? What is he going to do to me?”
“I wouldn’t stick around to find out”, replied Jane. “Go back home. I never told him where you were from or anything about you. If I had he would have never cut me up. I didn’t sell you out Mia. I was stupid and greedy, but I didn’t sell you out. You can’t see me anymore after this. He is probably going to have somebody follow me”.
Mia grabbed Jane’s hand and patted it to calm her. She tried to make a joke “Cocaine? I brought back cocaine through customs at Kennedy? I couldn’t even get through with a Rolex watch last time I came back from Europe and this time I got through with cocaine. How much?”
Jane looked at Mia sadly. “Street value?” she asked. Mia nodded. “Three million”, said Jane. “It all disappeared and they figure you got it”.
Mia continued to pat Jane’s hand. “We will sort this out” she said. “Just try to get some rest tonight, and I will as well. We will do this together, ok?”. Mia caressed Jane’s arm until Jane fell sleep from exhaustion and from the tranquilizers the nurses had given her. Mia looked at her with pain in her face. Quietly she turned and left the room.
As she walked down the corridor she walked past a young woman wearing a tight blue blazer and dark khaki pants. It was Detective Yolanda Liedeux from the NYPD. Liedeux looked after Mia but Mia did not notice her at all, she was immersed in her own thoughts and fears.

Walking out the front of the hospital Mia headed towards the first parked cab. She opened the door and got in. The driver, who had been glancing through a newspaper, looked at Mia through the back view mirror and asked “Where to lady? Uptown?”
Mia opened her wallet looking for a card. She pulled it out and read it. Then looking up to the driver said “Yes, take me to the Dakota, please”. The driver was touched by the pretty eyes swollen by tears that looked at him from the back view mirror. He nodded and without saying anything else he pulled out from the hospital and drove to the Dakota. He knew the woman sitting in his cab was too sad to talk.
When the cab pulled up to the Dakota Mia handed the driver a twenty dollar bill and without waiting for the change got out and walked through the front gate of the building. The night guard quickly approached her and barring her way asked firmly “Can we help you Miss?”
“I know it’s kind of late, but could you please ring Ms. Swan?”
The guard looked closely at Mia for a second and then walked over to the intercom.

A minute later Mia was sitting in Georgia’s elegant, if somewhat flamboyant, living room. She had told Georgia everything, between sobs and tears, as soon as she opened the door. Georgia got her to sit down and after calming her a bit had offered to make her a nice cappuccino to calm her nerves. She walked back to Mia, wearing an elegant housecoat in blue and red silk, with a deep navy art deco cup in her hand.
“Here we go. One cappuccino with low fat milk. Now sip it and relax, darling”, she said as she sat down next to Mia. “Why don’t you stay here until you leave for the Runner’s World job? You don’t ever have to come back if you don’t want to. I’ll destroy your files, your j-cards; no one will be able to track you anywhere. Go by a new name, a new identity!”
Mia looked into the cappuccino, like she didn’t realize it was meant to be drunk. Without moving the cup she asked Georgia “What about when they catch up with me?”
Georgia waved away Mia’s fearful words with her usual exaggerated gestures. It was like she was swatting away flies. She firmly told Mia “You can’t live your life in fear hiding under rocks young lady. Go to God for safety. Let His angels watch over you. Your guardian angels will protect you. Let them. In the meantime, just stay out of harms way. Out of sight, out of mind. They’ll soon forget about you. Most likely they have more money than sense”.
Mia nodded and smiled tiredly. Georgia quietly took her to a guest room. She would stay there for the evening. Georgia called Mia’s hotel and asked for her things to be packed and given to her driver. In the morning he would pick up Mia and take her to the airport. She was flying out west for her Runner’s World contract. Until she was out of New York Georgia didn’t want her out of her sight.

**
Mia’s contract with Runner’s Choice took her to the Colorado Rockies. There, in the middle of the mysterious and dramatic Rocky Mountains Mia was dressed in a light blue and white trendy runner’s outfit and the company’s newest lines of shoes. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail and she looked fit and beautiful as she glistened with sweat running against the bright blue sky and red rock background.
The photographer Terry shot her pictures from the back of a pickup truck riding next to Mia. “Great”, he would say as he focused in on Mia’s face, her h