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Reina scowled as she checked her watch for the third time in the last ten minutes. So far this trip was not what she would have called a raging success. First, Richie called to say he would be late because of some bike trouble, which meant that he would not be able to join her for drinks with Jonathan and his girlfriend. The last thing she wanted was to be alone with the two of them. It only invited a lecture. Part of the reason she had invited Richie to come over was to circumvent the unwanted speech in the first place. Then the flight over had been lousy. Between the baby, who cried incessantly, and the turbulence she'd been unable to take a nap and now Jonathan was late. There were few things Reina hated more than to be kept waiting. Waiting for a latecomer tended to leave her open to running into people she'd rather not see. Not to mention the fact that it was just plain rude especially in light of the cold weather. However, since there was no way she could get past the metal detectors without unveiling her sword she was stuck braving the elements while waiting for her usually anal retentively punctual brother and it wasn't doing a thing for her already foul mood. What is taking him so friggin' long?
Agent Mulder didn't let anything as insignificant as a holiday keep him away from his files. While other agents, including his partner, prepared for the long holiday weekend he planned to take advantage of the time to develop leads on promising looking cases. Since Scully had already left for the weekend he decided to head for one of his favorite spots, a diner a few blocks away where he couldn't go with Scully without running the risk of hearing a lecture about the virtues of healthy eating. As he left the Hoover building he saw a vaguely familiar woman leaning against a light post scowling at her watch. Momentarily disregarding dinner he approached her.
"Ms. Molestador," he said. "I didn't expect to see you again."
Reina turned and raised an eyebrow at the agent, a bemused look on her face, her earlier annoyance momentarily forgotten. "I'm surprised you remembered me."
"It's hard to forget someone connected with one of my more interesting cases."
"And here I thought it was my girlish charm which made me so unforgettable," Reina said. "Instead I have the dubious distinction of being involved in the oddest of odd cases. I think I'm insulted."
"You have to admit that it's not every day that people are beheaded."
"I should hope not," Reina said.
"And then there's the way the evidence disappeared."
"I've cursed out quite a few people about that," Reina told him. "I've never seen such egregious incompetence."
"Your godfather's body and sword didn't disappear due to incompetence on the part of the NYPD. They were taken."
Reina looked at Mulder questioningly. "Why?"
"To keep the truth hidden."
"The truth about what?"
"Does the name Angela Smith mean anything to you?"
"No. Should it?"
"She was murdered about two days before your godfather. She, like Mr. Montoya, had a dubious past and an expensive sword by her side. A sword which showed signs of use just like your godfather's."
"That doesn't exactly scream 'connection.'" Reina told him. "A lot of people collect old stuff. That is how Reynaldo made his living. He was an antiques dealer."
"You mentioned that," Mulder told her. "You also mentioned that he collected swords as well."
Reina smiled ingratiatingly. "So I did. So what?"
"He wouldn't have used any of his swords to fence would he?"
"Excuse me?"
"By your own admission your godfather was a sword enthusiast. At the time of his death he had a sword on him that was ver old, very expensive yet showed signs of use."
"Really?" Reina asked keeping her voice neutral. "That is very interesting."
"Why would he use a sword that valuable to fence with and risk damaging it. If I had a sword that valuable I would make sure I kept it in a safe place."
"I don't know. Maybe he was getting it conditioned." Very thin Reina. She thought.
"On the way to the airport?"
Reina kicked herself mentally. What did you expect? She told herself.
"Mr. Montoya never made it to the airport because you had a visitor. Mr. Mark Tuttle. Plus, at that late hour there is no place that would have been open where he could have taken the sword. In addition, you never said anything about Mr. Montoya retrieving his sword. Therefore I must conclude that he had it on his person from the beginning," Mulder said. "What kind of person carries a sword as a habit?"
I do for starters! Reina thought. "I don't know what to tell you Agent Mulder."
"How about the truth?"
"I've told you the truth."
"You've only told me part of the truth."
To be continued…
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