Chapter 36 - The End of Everything / January 1976

January 1976

POV Luke

Seven of January. Isabella returned yesterday with her boyfriend and friends from the city of Brighton. They spent the turn of the year in the seaside town. I did not spend the holidays in Brighton, I spent with friends in London and with drug users of course. I have one more year of college. College of Veterinary Medicine is long. Bella commented to me that everyone wanted to stay longer in Brighton, but the guys will make some new photos for the A NIGHT AT THE OPERA promotion tour for America's tour.

I heard from my friend Isabella that Queen will tour the United States later this month. It's time to put the plan into practice. I spoke to Michael, Roger's father, and the boss, the big drug dealer. Queen and EMI are already starting to make big bucks because of the album's big sales in the UK and the United States. Queen from day to night has become a worldwide hit in the rock world.

"Do what has to be done, Luke," said the chief. "Call my fellow Brightoners!"

I called Brighton's cronies and explained how they would have to act, quietly, without anyone mistrusting. After I spoke with them, I said to Michael,

"Do your part again, Michael. Follow Isabella, beg her to talk to you and the rest I'll take care of myself. Roger will be very disappointed to hear that your beautiful girlfriend is talking to you again.

"I'll do my part, Luke," Michael said, smiling.

POV Isabella

Eight of January. Rog and I are in my apartment, dating. We're in the living room, kissing. He smiles between his kisses. I caress his beautiful blond hair and then he hugs me and puts kisses on my lips.

"I'm so happy, my love," said Roger, smiling. "At last Queen is succeeding, I have you with me, my beautiful one. In three weeks the boys and I will be leaving for the United States of America on tour. I so wanted it to be me.

- Love, I have my job, my studies. I promise that when I can, I'll go on a tour with you, I'll join you. Well in the period that you are in the United States, I will be returning to work in college and to my Masters. I said affectionately to him.

"Promise that when you can, you travel with me for some Queen tour?" His presence at the shows makes me so good ... "Rog said affectionately stroking my face.

"I promise my blond drummer that when I can I'll go on a Queen tour with you, okay? I said to him, kissing him.

He smiled and kissed me back.

- OK my love. And promise me you'll never talk to Michael again if he comes looking for you, "Rog said earnestly.

"Sweetheart, why did you talk about your father at such a sweet time between us?" I said without understanding.

Rog looked at me thoughtfully and said:

"I do not know, I have the impression that now with Queen being successful, he can look for you again, to convince you to talk to me, so I can talk to him. My love, if by chance, Michael approaches, say you do not want to talk to him okay? That there is nothing more to talk to him. That everything you've said in the past he has to understand: that I do not want to talk to him and you do not want to talk to him either. You promise?

"I promise, my love," I said to him, kissing him on the lips. "He will not get anything from me."

Roger hugged me tightly.

- I trust you my love. - he said.

The next day, Rog began some photo shoots with the boys for the release of the NIGHT AT THE OPERA tour in America. On January 10, I got into my Mini Cooper and headed toward the Shopping Center. I need to get some clothes for me. Rog has been in a photo studio with the boys this time. I drove quietly through the streets of London. From time to time I would look in the rearview mirror of the car if someone was following me. I do not want Michael to watch my step too. Half an hour later I arrive at the mall. I park my car in the parking lot of the mall singing tire. I get out of the car and into the mall and start walking in clothing stores. I buy some things. After two and a half hours at the mall, I decide to go to the food court to have a snack when someone pulls my arm:

Hello, Isabella. Michael said.

- Michael. Why are you here? He is following me? I said, puzzled.

"Can we talk for a moment, for God's sake?" I promise to be brief, Isabella. I imagine Roger does not want you to talk to me, I know my son, and I know he asked you to. Michael said.

- Of course he asked. - I said irritated - Roger does not want to talk to you, Michael, I'm sorry.

"Isabella, please, let's talk a bit, I promise to be brief." I need to tell you some things. Michael said. - Please.

I look at Michael and sigh.

"Let's have it fast, I'll grab a bite." I will not be long, "she said irritably.

Michael and I sat down at a table and I made my food order. I looked around, afraid someone was watching me, even Roger himself.

- What you want? I said impatiently.

"Isabella, please convince Roger to talk to me, he must forgive me. I regretted everything he did to me. My son has to forgive me, "Michael said in despair.

"Michael, I'm sorry, but Roger does not want to talk to you any more. I can not do anything else. I had already talked to him again, but he does not want to see you, does not want to talk to you. Please, leave me alone, leave Roger alone. I'm sorry for everything, "he pleaded.

"One day, I believe, with faith in God, Roger and I will understand each other." We will not be fighting forever, we will not be in pain forever, not at all, "Michael said, standing up. "I really do see that you can not do anything else to help me anyway, thank you very much.

"I'm sorry, Michael," he said sadly.

At this moment Michael leaves my presence, disappearing in the mall. I sigh in relief. Soon my salad comes and my orange juice. Roger can not even dream that I said it again, even if it was for a few seconds with Michael. I promised my boyfriend and if Roger would know that I spoke to Michael once again, he would lose all confidence in me. You'd be disappointed in me.

POV Luke

Michael and I had been there since six in the morning in front of the building where Bella lives. About ten o'clock in the morning she leaves with her car in the building and I begin to follow her without her noticing. I can accompany Bella in the distance. She parks the car singing tire in the parking lot of the mall. After she got out of the car, Michael and I left without her noticing and started following her at the mall. She went into some stores and bought clothes. He told Michael that it was time for him to act. As Bella headed toward the mall's food court, Michael tackled her. He persuaded her to talk a little. Michael is smart, he fools Bella right. I took the pictures of Bella and Michael, quickly as they spoke. I had arranged with Michael. After Michael left Bella's presence, he came to meet me.

"Did you take the pictures?" Michael said.

- Took. In two days, this photo will be with Roger, but before that, let's put the other part of the plan into practice. He said laughing maleficently.

I go to a payphone and tell the Brighton cronies to act now in the afternoon. Roger will only return with his friends at night, after a day of photographs.

"As soon as Bella gets to your apartment, I'll call you guys," I told the cohorts.

Michael and I were still watching Bella. After a short time she left the shopping center and headed for the parking lot and followed. Bella was going to her apartment. After she walked into her apartment, I went to a pay phone near the building and called Brighton's entourage and passed on Isabella's phone number.

"It's with you now!" Do the second part of the plan, "I said and quickly hung up the phone.

Bella has the key to the apartment Rog shares with Les. Les is in Truro and only comes back at the end of the month. The plan will work out. I already have Roger's address.

POV Isabella

I had arrived from the mall and bought some new clothes I needed. Rog called me shortly after. I said I had just got home a short time ago. He said he'll be taking pictures of the boys until seven at night.

"Will you make dinner for me tonight, my love?" He asked affectionately on the phone.

"I'll go, my love," I said, smiling. "About five o'clock in the afternoon, I'm going to your apartment, preparing dinner.

- OK my princess. Love you so much. See you later, "he said, smiling.

- I love you too. See you later, my love. "He smiled and he hung up the phone.

One in the afternoon. I take a shower and then put on warm clothes. About two o'clock in the afternoon, the telephone rings again.

- Hello? May I help? - I say.

"Are you Isabella Marins Linstey?" Said a male voice.

- It's me! She said without understanding. - What is going on? I'm listening to voices in the background.

The man who was talking to me on the phone started laughing.

"Listen to Isabella, I'm with your grandparents here in Brighton. My cronies and I kidnap them and we want money, you hear? We want MONEY to be released! Said the male voice.

"You kidnapped my grandparents?" She said, already frightened.

"Yes, little doll, and we want money so they can be set free." I might as well ask for money from one of your uncles, after all, I know your grandparents have a pub here in Brighton, but, we do not want your family's money. We want money from Roger Meddows Taylor. We know he's your boyfriend, Queen's drummer, who is now making good with the band and who is already making enough money to pay for their grandmothers' ransom, "the man said.

"It turns out that Roger is not with me right now," I said in a shaky voice. "And he's not making that much money either.

"Is it really the little doll?" I'll be nice to you. I want 5000 thousand pounds, okay? Turn around. And I want this money until four in the afternoon. And for you to see I'm not kidding your grandmothers are with me.

At that moment he hands the phone over to my grandparents.

"Bella, my love, we were kidnapped," my grandmother cried. "But please find another way out. Do not use Roger's money.

"Bella, my beloved granddaughter, do not despair. We'll find another way out of this. Do not ask Roger for money, "my grandfather said.

The man picks up the phone and starts laughing.

"I want you to go to Roger's apartment, I know you have the key to his apartment." Go to his apartment, get all the money you find there and transfer it to the account number I'll tell you right now, until four in the afternoon. Otherwise, I'll kill your grandparents. If you do not make the transfer until four in the afternoon, your grandparents will be killed. And do not even think about saying that to Roger, because if you open his mouth we'll kill him, sugar. We know that Roger is in the XXX photo studio with his bandmates. If you call him, he'll be a dead man. There are comparsas of mine, in front of the studio, waiting for some glide from you. If you open your beautiful mouth to your boyfriend, in addition to losing your grandparents, Roger will also be dead! Said the calculating man.

I took out a paper and pen and with the trembling hand I wrote down the account number.

"I'll do as you asked," I said in a trembling voice.

"Good girl." "At four o'clock I'll call you to see if the money has already settled," the man said, hanging up.

I get my bag and documents and get into my car again and drive at high speed to Roger's apartment. I'll come into your apartment, then, I have the key and I'll go to your room. I look for money in every room of his room, until I find in his closet drawer, in the middle of the drawer of socks, a large cake of money. There is a written paper: tour money. There were ten thousand books he had collected from the Japan tour and the end of the year with the release of A NIGHT AT THE OPERA. Rog had commented on these ten thousand pounds, that he would buy a new house for himself and maybe a new car, and now I'm going to steal five thousand pounds from my own boyfriends. I got five thousand pounds. Half of the money I kept where I was. I leave Rog's apartment and go to the bank and transfer the money to the account number I wrote down. After I do that I go back to my apartment. I was shaking, nervous, crying. I can not speak to Rog. I thought about calling the police, but if I do, my grandparents will also be killed. I go back to my apartment and four o'clock in the afternoon the man calls me and says:

"Very well, sweetheart. You did your job well. Congratulations! The five thousand pounds is already in our account. Congratulations! Do not even think about telling your boyfriend or the police. Your grandparents will be released, but if we learn that Roger is aware of what happened or that he warned the police, we killed his grandparents, understand?

"I see," she said, crying.

- Great. Very well. Soon your grandparents will contact you, from their home, "the man said, hanging up.

I cried copiously. I stole Rog, my boyfriend, to save my grandparents.

Half an hour later, my grandparents called me and said that they were well, that they were in captivity for a few hours, but that they were now released. They said they were also threatened, that if they say something to the police, the bad guys have me killed and killed Roger. I cried with them. My uncle talked to me on the phone and said that everything was fine now. After a while I hung up the phone. I cried non-stop, lying on my couch. So I called Luke and I broke up with him, everything that happened.

"I'm sorry, my friend. You are living in a very difficult situation. But, I can think of something to help them. Said Luke.

"Luke, please do not do anything. I do not want you to be threatened too later, if they find you, "she said, crying." I'll figure something out. "

At five in the afternoon I went to Rog's apartment and prepared dinner. I wanted to tell my boyfriend everything that happened that afternoon, but I can not. At seven-thirty Rog came to his apartment and kissed my lips and said he would take a quick shower to have dinner. I would sleep tonight in your apartment. At dinner time Rog praised my food and commented cheerfully on the photo shoot. I smiled forcibly, I was distant thinking because of everything that happened ...

"Are you all right, my love?" I'm finding you worried, "Rog said.

"Nothing, my love, is that my grandparents called me this afternoon. My grandfather went to the doctor, he was not feeling very well. He was feeling intense pain in his arm. He'll do some exams - I lied to Rog.

"I hope your grandfather gets well quickly," Rog said. "He's a very strong man.

"I hope he looks good," he said sadly.

Rog hugged me and said that I should not worry so much, that everything will work out. I wanted to cry, but I could not do that. I cried inside.

POV Roger

It's January 12th. Before I went to another photo shoot with the boys, the porter in the building said that a letter had arrived for me. I go down to the entrance of the building and pick up the mail. It is a white envelope, without a sender. Just written to the care of Roger Meddows Taylor.

- Who brought that envelope? I asked the doorman.

- It was a boy on a motorcycle. Said it was for you, which is in your best interest. Said the doorman.

I thanked the doorman. I went up to my apartment and went to change clothes. I will not have time to see this envelope now. I have to be in the photo studio in a half hour. I open the drawer where my socks are and see the cake of money I have there. I'll get the money. With ten thousand pounds, in the coming weeks I can already buy a house, a new apartment and get out of here. I decide to take the money cake and decide to keep the other five thousand pounds, elsewhere, when I miss the rest of the money.

- It's not possible. I had ten thousand pounds here. Since you only have five thousand pounds now? - said without understanding and began to look elsewhere, to see if I had left anywhere else, but, I did not find.

My God. Did someone come into my apartment and steal five thousand pounds? But who? There is security in the building and only Bella has access to my apartment, taking away my mother and sister who are in Truro. Did Bella get five thousand pounds for some emergency and did not talk to me? At night I call her and talk to her.

I spend the day taking pictures with the boys. Around seven in the evening, when I arrived at my apartment, Bella was there, finishing preparing dinner. I kiss her on the lips and say I'm going to take a shower and that we need to talk. After I take the shower, I'm having dinner with Bella. She tells how her day was and I tell her how mine was. After dinner, Bella begins to wash dishes and cutlery, while I remember the letter I received this morning and go to my room and open the envelope. When I see it are photos of my girlfriend with my dad in the food court of the Shopping Center talking and there is still a note saying:

"Do you miss five thousand pounds, Roger? So your girlfriend stole from you. Ask her what she did with the money. ''

I get in shock and tears form on my face ...

To be continued.