Chapter 56: Watching from a Distance
Xavier clicked his phone screen off with a quick motion. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly through his nose. He stared intensely at the ocean for a moment before finally turning back to Agatha and Melynda, who were still waiting for an explanation.
"Frans," Xavier called out in a voice that was calmer but still firm.
Frans walked over, lowering his binoculars. "Yeah, Boss?"
"Stand down on the red alert. Those drones don't belong to Vargo. They belong to a land development team on the north side of the cliff. They are just mapping out the territory," Xavier explained.
Agatha let go of the folding knife she had been gripping behind her waistband. She felt her blood flow return to normal, but curiosity still took over her mind. "Then what about the report of Vargo being at the market?"
Xavier sat back down in the rattan chair. He placed his tablet on the table and swiped the screen so Agatha could see. A low quality surveillance recording showed a man in a black hat standing in front of a fish stall.
"He's there. That is definitely Vargo," Agatha whispered. She watched the man's movements. Vargo was pointing at several fish and handing some cash to the vendor.
"Why does he look so calm?" Melynda asked. She leaned in and watched the tablet screen. Her floral dress swayed in the sea breeze coming through the glass opening. "Does he know we are here?"
"It doesn't look like it, Mom. The surveillance team reported that he came alone on an old motorcycle. He's staying in a small shack near the fisherman's wharf, about twenty kilometers from here. He has been there for three days," Xavier answered.
"He's hiding in the most unexpected place," Agatha muttered. Her eyes didn't leave the figure on the screen. "He's not carrying heavy weapons. Just a shopping bag."
"Are we going to hit him now? We have enough men here," Frans asked, still standing behind Xavier.
Xavier shook his head. He leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. His rolled up work shirt was a bit wrinkled now. "No. If we attack in a public place like that, we'll attract the police and the media. We are here for a vacation. We're staying put."
"You want us to just sit here while he's that close?" Agatha's voice rose a pitch.
"I want us to observe. If he doesn't move toward us, it means he really doesn't know our position. Him being at that market is pure coincidence because this area is a great hiding spot for someone like him," Xavier explained.
Agatha stood up and walked toward the glass terrace railing. The sea breeze hit her black t-shirt, making it cling to her slim frame. "This feels weird. We're sitting here enjoying juice while the guy who wants to kill us is buying fish at the same market."
"That is called strategy, Agatha. We have control over the information. He doesn't," Xavier said. He got up and approached Agatha. "Frans, set up a secret surveillance team. Don't use our drones. Use long range cameras from a high point around the market. I want to know every person he meets."
"On it, Boss. I'll take care of it," Frans replied before stepping out quickly.
Melynda let out a sigh of relief. She picked up her drink again. "So we're staying? I really do love the ocean view from this villa."
"We're staying, Mom. But no one goes out the gate without a heavy escort. And Agatha, you stay under my watch," Xavier said while touching Agatha's shoulder.
Agatha gently brushed Xavier's hand away, not out of anger, but because of the lingering restlessness. "I want to see the live feed in the monitor room. I can't just sit around here."
Xavier nodded. "Fine. Let's go downstairs."
The three of them walked to a room on the lower floor that Frans' team had turned into a temporary command center. Several monitors displayed angles of the villa, and now they included video clips from the traditional market area.
"Look at that," Agatha pointed to one of the screens.
Vargo was seen leaving the market area. He got onto an old, rusty moped. A plastic crate filled with vegetables and fish was tied to the back of his bike. The man didn't look left or right. He just put on his helmet and drove away slowly, leaving the crowd behind.
"He looks like a regular local," Melynda said, standing behind Agatha's chair.
"That is what makes him dangerous. He can blend into any environment," Xavier added. He pulled up another chair and sat next to Agatha. "Frans, follow him back to his shack. Use a civilian car. Don't get too close."
"Monitor one is following, Boss," one of the operators in the room reported.
For the next hour, the room was silent. The only sounds were the hum of the computers and the ticking of the wall clock. They were all glued to the screen following Vargo's journey past the quiet coastal roads.
Vargo finally stopped at a small wooden shack sitting alone on a rocky beach. He got off the bike, carried his groceries inside, and closed the door. No one else was visible there.
"He really is just hiding or maybe waiting for his wounds to heal, just like you," Xavier said while looking at Agatha.
"The wounds in his soul will never heal, Xavier," Agatha answered shortly.
"At least for this afternoon, he won't be a threat to Mom's tea party," Xavier said with a hint of a joke to lighten the mood.
Melynda gave a thin smile. "In that case, let's go back up. I've already ordered a nice lunch. We shouldn't let that criminal ruin our appetite."
Agatha hesitated for a moment. She still wanted to stare at the screen until Vargo came out again. But she saw the trace of anxiety Melynda was trying to hide.
"Alright. Let's have lunch," Agatha said finally.
They returned to the upper terrace. The long wooden table was now filled with various fresh seafood dishes. The aroma of garlic and grilled fish filled the air, mixing with the scent of salt from the sea.
Xavier poured water into Agatha's glass. "Eat. You need the energy to stay alert, right?"
"You aren't going to take your eyes off that tablet even while eating, are you?" Agatha teased when she saw Xavier place the tablet next to his plate.
"I can do two things at once very well," Xavier replied. He began cutting the fish on his plate with neat movements.
Melynda tried a spoonful of her soup. "This tastes amazing. Xavier, you have to try these clams."
"Later, Mom," Xavier answered shortly. His eyes occasionally flickered toward the screen, which still showed the closed door of Vargo's shack.
Agatha took a piece of bread and chewed it slowly. She looked out at the open sea, which was now turning orange as the sun began to go down. Below them, the waves kept hitting the cliff with the same force.
"Xavier," Agatha called out softly.
"Yeah?"
"If he's still there tomorrow and doesn't do anything, are we just going to leave him be?" Agatha asked.
Xavier put his knife down. He looked at Agatha seriously. "As long as he doesn't threaten our safety here, we'll remain observers. I don't want to get our hands dirty in front of Mom. But if he takes even one step toward the path to this villa, I'll handle him myself."
Agatha nodded. She felt a bit of peace hearing that answer. She went back to eating, trying to enjoy the rare moment where they could sit together as a family even though death was lurking just a few kilometers away.
The sun got lower, creating long shadows across the villa's green grass. In the distance, small lights from fishing boats began to flicker one by one in the vast sea.