Salty and Cara: Silent Waters 3 + 4
Love and crime in a world of fruits and vegetables – A tasty fable. Second story, third and fourth episode (Easter special – double feature): Events begin to slide.
Old Familiars
She had not consulted her parents beforehand, but had simply gone there. So she had no idea what to expect when she rang the bell at her grandfather’s house in Belle Court. A zucchini answered the door. He looked her up and down and asked peevishly: “Good afternoon, madam. And who might you be?”
“My name is Cara Mabola, and I am here to see my grandfather.”
A jolt of lightning struck the poor servant and he began to stutter: “I am so sorry, Milady, I did not know. After all, it has been years since I last saw you. Please come in, I will inform the Lord immediately.”
“I did not announce my coming, he might be a little upset.”
“Surely he will be pleased, please follow me into the great drawing room.”
Moments later, she heard a cry from upstairs: “Who has come? My granddaughter? What does she want?”
Cara smiled. As expected.
A stern rebuke. “Yes, I am aware of that!” Silence, then a sonorous but insistent voice. “All right, if you leave me be after that, I’ll go greet her. …. bet, she wants money. That’s all they ever show up for!” Loud and distinct footsteps down a large staircase, then the door opened.
The slim and rather tall starfruit who entered the room looked a lot like her father. Only older and without that gentle smile. When he approached her, he said nothing, just stared. As he got closer, she got up and walked towards him. He had tears in his eyes.
When he still did not talk, she offered the first words: “Good day, sir, I am aware that my visit may not be convenient, but I would like to have a few words with you. About my parents. And about my family.”
He answered in a weak voice at first, then it became stronger: “You look just like your grandmother when she was young. So much resemblance, it’s astounding.”
This was not what she had expected: “Again, I am sorry to intrude, but I would like to know more about my family.”
Now the old rough fruit had regained his posture. Perhaps there had been a hint somewhere in what she had said to bring him back to himself.
“That starfruit. Cheap and flimsy thing, all she wanted was our money. She acted like she was a grand dame or something, but she came from nothing. An artist. Who ever heard of a starfruit becoming an actor? She dazzled him and your father was stupid enough…”
“Are you talking about my mother? She was poor and you did not approve of her marriage. Is that why you never came to visit her?”
“Oh, we came to visit. Until she insulted me. Your grandmother could not let it go. She was always crazy about her son, even lent him the money to start his business, but then … one day … she was gone.” He had sat down in a large chair next to the family tree and stared into the air.
“I’m sorry. I did not know. But why did you forbid me and Philip to come over?”
“Forbid you to come over? Why would I do that? You are my grandchildren. She did it to punish me for not lending them money when your father lost his in that ridiculous gamble of his. There was no point in pouring more into that hole. She would have spent it all in no time.”
“Did my father come by recently?”
“He stopped coming after his mother died. He blamed me for her death. But it was a robbery in the mountains. She would not take the tube, so I could not find out, because our family is very well known here. We have been members of the inner chamber for a long time, and I am an advisor to the king. So if she had gone by tube, they would have told me… . But if she had just talked to me…”
She tried a few times to speak to him again, but her grandfather seemed lost in his own world, so she got up and left the room.
Outside in the hall was another Starfruit who looked a lot like her father. But she had his touch of kindness and humor. His sister – and her aunt – Philippa.
“Hello Cara. I could not believe it when Zuccho just told me you were here. Come on, let me give you a hug, it’s so good to see you. And you look so much like my mother. Has anyone ever told you that?”
“He just did. And then he said my parents are worthless,” and she pointed to the door of the large drawing room.
“Ah, don’t mind him. He is very happy to see you. It’s just a bit of a shock after all this time. How is my big brother? I really miss him. He does not come around anymore. And how is your mother?”
“Your father is the same as always. And my mother too. That’s why I don’t see them very often these days.”
“Why, have you done something bad to incur the wrath of her divinity?”
“I fell in love with a cucumber.”
“Really, that’s great! I am happy for you. Is he around?”
“I forgot that you do not mind mixed relationships here. Yes, he is here, but he has work to do, so I came here by myself first.”
“Are you kidding? A starfruit for a wife? Everyone around here would be happy to have you at their side. Even the king has a starfruit as his favorite mistress.”
“Unfortunately, my mother does not think so. And in New Valley, mixed relationships are not really accepted. You can officially bond, but not raise your own offspring. Not that Mother would allow anything close to a bond. She would have Salty killed before it came to that.”
“Why don’t you two come out here. The two of you could get bonded and raise offspring of both kinds, starfruit and cucumber. And since you are financially independent, buying a house would not be a problem. If Father does not even give you one as a bonding gift.”
“I am what? What do you mean, financially independent?”
“You’ve got to be kidding, Cara! Has your father never told you that your grandmother left you a small fortune? She was madly in love with you when you were little. Called you her little sun.”
“I have my own money… . This is news. Salty will be so surprised when I tell him.”
Her aunt laughed, “Yes, tell him and bring him here. I would love to meet him.”
Cara left the house, muttering to herself. She walked along the shady path through a beautiful blooming garden and boarded a water taxi waiting on the private canal in front of the house.
– End of Episode 3 –
***
Under the Surface
Salty had seen a lot of big companies, but Comosus Estates definitely set its own standard. The entire building was covered in a series of multicolored waterfalls running over smooth stone surfaces. You could tell that Big Valley had two things in abundance: water and money.
Still, this was no pleasure visit, so he did not take more than a moment to admire the architecture, but proceeded to the front desks, which were set up in front of another large waterfall. In it, small moving scenes were projected, telling the history of the engineering company.
“My name is Master Quentin Cumberman and I am here to see Sharon Khakira.”
He rarely used his academic title, but this seemed to be the right occasion.
“Oh yes, the investigator from Emerald Insurance. Miss Khakira has been expecting you. If you would follow me, please.”
The neatly dressed cucumber led the way to a large glass-paneled gallery that not only overlooked the entire atrium, but also had a breathtaking view of the valley with the large lake in the background. He took a seat and waited.
A moment later, a Khaki in a particularly pretty coat dress entered the room and smiled at him.
I must remember to take Cara shopping here, he thought, she would look stunning in that coat.
“It’s so good to have you, Master Cumberman. We are glad that Emerald Insurance responded so quickly after we informed them of the discrepancy.”
Discrepancy is a nice way to put it. This is as many Swallowtails as the Mayor of New Valley has to spend in an entire year, and it has already cost at least one fruit its life… Salty continued his train of thought.
Miss Khakira must have realized that her words were a bit too euphemistic, because she added: “Of course it is quite a scandal that it took so long to come up at all. We are really more than happy to help clear up any questions that may remain.”
“There are indeed some unanswered questions, Miss Khakira,” Salty replied in a rather reserved tone. He did not have to play nice here. This was insurance fraud, punishable in both valleys, and since there had already been a victim, all parts involved would be wise to offer the utmost assistance. The king of Big Valley and the mayor of New Valley and the big families around them might sometimes cut corners, but they both hated it when someone messed with the economy. Especially when the economy of both of the major valleys was involved.
“I understand there are some documents and records I can look at. At least my client was guaranteed that.”
“Sure, Master Cumberman, if you would follow me to the inventory. We will have to go through some security procedures before we can actually go in there, but I have taken the liberty of preparing the necessary formalities so that we will only have to do a minor search of your bags, sir. I am sorry, but it is mandatory.”
Someone slipped very smoothly through all these procedures without you noticing for a long time, Salty thought as he followed his guide through a maze of long and shiny corridors, a standard search station and a series of electronic gates until they finally entered a room full of machines.
“I’ll leave you with the Master of Inventory, Benjamin Butternut. He knows all about the case and has prepared the material you will need to look at.”
“Thank you, Miss Khakira,” the investigator was now all business and very curious about what he would find.
” … We are glad that Emerald Insurance responded so quickly after we informed them of the discrepancy.”
‘Discrepancy’ is a nice way to put it. This is as many Swallowtails as the Mayor of New Valley has to spend in an entire year, and it has already cost at least one fruit its life… Salty thought.
– End of Episode 4 –
Side Notes:
- Quite unusually, this is neither the last post of the month nor of the edition. Because there is a special post coming up on Saturday, March 23rd …
This is the second adventure of Salty & Cara – a juicy love affair entangled in the complex web of crime and corruption that covers the vast mountain and valley landscape of the ‘Fruitable’ civilization.
Missed the last episode … ? (Salty & Cara – Silent Waters, Episode 2) Here it is [ I< ]
And what happens next … ? (Salty & Cara – Silent Waters. Episode 5) Here it is [ >I ]
You have no clue, what is going on at all? Here is how it all started: [‘Salty and Cara. The Crime Story‘]
Needless to say, the stories about Salty and Cara are pure figments of my imagination. No resemblance to any person or place – present or past – is intended. But I am sure you have already figured that out 😉