Stolen Heart

Chapter 26

When Lana and Jack entered the room, Lana was relieved to see her purse on the table in the center of the room. Yet when she looked up, she was startled to see an older man sitting behind the table, staring at them. He was dressed in a suit and wore multiple gold rings. His gold cane resting against the small square table. He motioned for them to take their seats across the table from him.

Lana was trembling but stilled slightly when Jack put his arm around the back of her chair.

"Hello," the old man said. Lana instantly saw his pearly white teeth when he spoke and the wrinkles along his cheeks.

"Uh, hi," Jack said. Lana raised her eyebrows, unsure who the hell this guy was.

"So, who wants to tell me what happened? Why did you steal from my museum?"

Lana and Jack both looked at each other, eyes wide.

Jack started to speak but Lana quickly cut him off. "I can tell you."

"Okay, miss. Go ahead."

Lana told the man about the box. She didn't leave out any detail. She re-told him all the events leading up to that point and even shared the details that her grandmother may have left her some sort of inheritance. She could feel Jack's gaze on her, and he shifted in his seat when she shared that part, but Lana was done. She just wanted it all out in the open and to be out of there as quickly as possible. If the man knew everything, maybe he would let them off easy.

The man didn't say a single word throughout Lana's story. Occasionally he would tap his foot once or twice, but he sat back with hands intertwined, resting on the table in front of them.

As soon as Lana finished, the man spoke. "Wow. This is quite a story. Anything else to add?"

"We're really sorry about it. We tried to get a hold of you, but this was sort of our last resort," said Lana, and she looked at Jack, who was nodding in agreement. He let her speak, which she was thankful for because as much as she was annoyed with him, it was her idea.

The man unhooked his fingers and shook his head. "Now let me tell you a story. A long, long time ago, likely well before both of you were born, I met this beautiful woman at an event here in Marrakesh. It was love at first sight. As soon as my eyes landed on her, I knew I had to make her mine.

"Her fiery personality only added fuel to my infatuation. Yet, much to my dismay, I soon found out she was married to someone very well-known and powerful in Morocco. Someone, who, if he found out I wanted to steal his bride, could lock me away for life or even have me hanged."

Lana gave a side glance to Jack, whose eyebrows were raised. Like her, he probably wondered where this story could be going.

"I was head over heels infatuated with this woman. While I am a powerful man here, I am not too proud to admit I had no power like her husband. So, I needed to be secretive about how I pursued her.

"To prove my love to her, I would often send her extravagant gifts in secret. Including gold and jewelry that has been passed down in my family for many generations."

Lana and Jack looked at each other again. Oh my God, wait what?

"Yet, there's no greater pain than unrequited love. While she accepted my gifts, she remained faithful to her husband. Over the years, I would never forget this woman or the things I gave to her. I had heard she left Morocco with her young daughter after her husband died and moved to America. But I had never heard anything after that. Still, I'd never forget.

"Then, after over fifty years, while on a business trip to America, I just couldn't believe my eyes. Sitting before me was one of the gifts I had given her."

Lana's eyebrows raised. 

"I quickly purchased it and needed to retrieve the precious heirlooms inside." The man clasped his hands together, and Lana and Jack were leaning forward on the edge of their seats, trying to hold onto every word this man was saying.

"Today, my friends, when I received a call from Monica, I was so intrigued why someone would want to steal an empty gift box I had given my love all those years ago.

"And I became even more intrigued when the woman who walked in here today looked exactly like my love all those years ago." The man eyed Lana, and a wave of ice slid through her. Jack shifted his seat closer to Lana's and tightened his grip on the back of her chair.

She quickly cleared her throat, "H-how do you know it's empty though? Did you have a key?"

"No, unfortunately I did not have a key. The only one that exists for the gifts I had given her now rests on you." He glanced down at the necklace resting against Lana's top. "I was simply too eager, and so my team did an X-ray scan. Unfortunately, all the precious jewels and diamonds were gone. I decided to just keep it in my museum of things I've collected over the years from my travels."

Lana took in a sharp breath when the man pulled out the box from her bag. He placed it on the table in front of them.

"Go ahead, miss. Please open it so that you can see what's inside."

Lana looked at Jack, who gave a nod that it was going to be okay. She pulled forward the necklace from around her neck, took it off, and inserted it into the front of the box. The key fit perfectly.

She turned the key and opened it to find...

Nothing.

There was nothing in this box. The inner lining was a black velvet material and nothing else. The three of them hunched over the table to see more closely, but all sat back down when nothing else was spotted.

"I am sorry, miss. Please keep this box to remember your grandmother with and please take your money back." The man slid cash across the table.

Thoughts kept flying through Lana's mind, and she couldn't think straight. Jack reached for her hand underneath the table, but she instantly moved it back from his touch. She could feel marbles weighing down her throat and wanted to run. Run away from everything. Run away from Morocco and Jack and just go home.

The man stood up as Lana quickly wiped a falling tear.

"You really do look just like her. A shame that I never could be a part of her life. Anyways, you both are free to go. Please enjoy the rest of your stay in Tangier." And with that, the man grabbed his cane and walked out of the room. A guard immediately came in and led them out into the hallway and then out of the facility.

***

😢 Lana's having a tough day. Please leave a vote to try to cheer her up. Thanks for reading! ♥️