Everything seemed to have been forgotten. The peculiar couple had left weeks ago, and life at Más Torrencito had returned to its usual normality: the dogs playing in the fields, the silence interrupted only by birdsong, and Manuela following me faithfully at every step.
But, as is often the case, the calm never lasts long. One day the phone rang. On the other end, the unmistakable voice of the man who had booked the house.
– Hi, I wanted to let you know that a security advance party will be arriving tomorrow to inspect the house and the surrounding area.
I was speechless for a few seconds.
– I beg your pardon?
– Yes, the security team. There will be four people. They will do 12-hour shifts.
12-hour shifts... I thought this was more than I had imagined. But hey, what was I going to do? As long as they took care of their own, I saw no reason to worry… yet.
The «Closets» arrive
The day arrived. At nine o’clock, the silence was broken by the sound of powerful engines. I looked out the window and could not believe my eyes: two black Mercedes Vito vans and a Mercedes G SUV, with tinted windows and no license plates. It all looked like something out of a movie.
Several imposing figures got out of the vehicles. Tall, burly men, dressed in black suits, with dark glasses and an attitude that can only be described as professionally intimidating. If you had seen the look on Manuela’s and my faces… They looked like closets, but with ties.
One of them approached with firm steps.
– Good morning. We are the safety committee.
I had to struggle to articulate a response.
– Ah… yes, of course. Welcome.
I showed them around the house, as I had done so many times before, but this time the situation was completely different. While I was explaining where everything was, one of them, without saying anything, touched his ear and started speaking in a language I didn’t even recognize. For a moment, it looked like a scene straight out of an international thriller.
Perimeter Inspection
The leader of the group looked at me seriously.
– Now that we know the facilities, we will take a walk around the perimeter.
I nodded, but before I could say anything else, the man’s walkie-talkie began to emit a low sound. He touched his ear again and listened intently. Then he motioned for me to follow him.
– What’s up? – I asked, nervous.
– The CNI’s National Security team comes to ask for documentation.
My eyes widened like saucers.
– The CNI? Here?
Before I could process what was happening, a black car, a luxury Mercedes, appeared in the driveway. The chauffeur got out, opened the back door, and out stepped a tall man with an imposing beard, dressed in a suit that looked like it was worth more than my car.
The leader of the «closets» approached him. They greeted each other with a firm handshake, exchanged a few words that I could not hear, and then the bearded man returned to his car and disappeared the way he had come.
The security guy came back to me, as calm as if nothing had happened.
– Simple courtesy.
Courtesy. Of course. I didn’t understand anything, not a damn thing, but it was clear that I was in the middle of something much bigger than I imagined. Meanwhile, Manuela was looking at me with that expression that only dogs have when they know something weird is going on.
Curiosity and Metal Boxes
Before I could recover, the security team opened the van doors and began to unload suitcases and metal boxes. They were huge, like reinforced steel, and with electronic locks.
One of them turned to me.
– Where can we leave these boxes?
After thinking about it, I responded:
– Well… here in the summer kitchen. You can’t see them there and they don’t bother you.
I showed them the summer kitchen and the small bar that went with it. The leader looked around with an almost friendly air.
– Here… you don’t live badly, do you?
I shrugged my shoulders.
– I am not complaining.
He smiled slightly.
– There is a lot of peace and tranquility.
– Well, yes, the truth is yes.
They arranged the boxes in the summer kitchen, but before they left, something caught my eye. The boxes had labels with official codes and stamps on them. I didn’t know what they contained, but my curiosity was starting to eat me up inside.
The Temptation and the Slip of Manuela
When they went for a walk around the farm, I was left alone with the boxes. And of course, my mind started to wander. What will these boxes have?
In a fit of imagination, I called Manuela.
– Manu, come! Smell, smell…
Golden dutifully approached, sniffed one of the boxes, and did nothing. «Well,» I thought, «at least they’re not explosives…or so I hope.»
But then came D. Marcos, another of my dogs, and before I could stop him, he raised his paw and… pissed on one of the boxes!
– NOOOOOOO!
I almost had a heart attack. I grabbed the mop and quickly cleaned everything up, praying that no one would notice. I closed the summer kitchen door and went to take shelter in the main house, trying to calm down. Manuela followed me, as if she knew the chaos had only just begun.
To be continued…
What do the mysterious boxes contain? What does all this security deployment mean? And why is the CNI interested in what is happening in Más Torrencito? The intrigue is just beginning.
Tomorrow you will know more. 😊
From Mas Torrencito we wish you a good day and that your dog accompanies you !!!!
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If you want, you can see our vouchers for weekends, retirees vouchers, at an incredible price…go to www.mastorrencito.com or if you want you can read more history and anecdotes that have happened to us in Mas Torrencito… Click here:
