Where is Rebecca?

Collins

"Do you think I am stupid? I gave birth to you. Just because you know computers does not mean you can trick me."

"Mom, this is not about computers right now. You wrecked everything I have been working on. I do not even know how to fix the holes I found myself in."

I could not sit down from the moment I walked into my mother's house. I tried to tell myself this was a dream, but it was not. The software is gone. I pointed my finger at her, angry.

"If you did not drug both of us, none of this would have happened."

"What happened? That you brought some random woman to me and called her your fiance…"

"She stole my project. My antivirus software. I have been working on it for so long."

"You should blame yourself. For once, I was smarter than you. How would the woman you brought say your favorite meal is shrimp and grits? You hate that food. If you had brought your real fiance or just married the girl I have been telling you to marry, this would not have happened..." She stopped and looked into my eyes. "I wanted a grandchild. So even with that stranger you wanted to use to fool me, I drugged you both. Wait a minute. Did you sleep with her?"

"I am talking about something important, and you are focused on sex. I do not know this woman."

"Then why would you let a woman you do not know into your house?" She asked, her voice and her hands acting like this was all my fault.

"If you had not drugged us, how could she steal my software? I have been working on this project for a very long time. I was about to invite you to the launch of this amazing invention."

"Are you not the one who made it? Can you not just make it again?"

"I am talking about the time it will take to make it again. And besides, how can someone just come and steal all my hard work?"

"Was she a prostitute? If that is the case, let us go find her."

Those words from my mom finally snapped my brain back into place. She should not have been the first person I ran to.

"You have your own thoughts. Can I help?" My mom pulled me from my daze.

"Excuse me," I said. I turned and walked out of her house, moving fast toward my car.

"Collins, please wait…" Her voice changed all of a sudden. She thought I was so angry that I was leaving her. But she was not wrong. I was furious.

"Collins! Collins!" She yelled, but all she heard was my car engine starting. I drove straight to see Luke. Calling him would not work. He needed to take me to that woman.

Both my hands gripped the wheel as I tried to think outside the box.

Desperation must have made Rebecca steal my software. I can give her whatever money she wants to get my stuff back. But wait, am I really making excuses for her stealing from me?

No, I am not excusing her. I just want my property back. I would not call the police.

Are you not being an idiot if you do that?

Different thoughts kept popping into my head. But they all pointed one way: Get my software back.

But that does not change the fact that I enjoyed sleeping with her. To be honest, I did.

Just shut your mouth. This is not about sex. It is about my missing property.

******

The second I got out of my car and started walking toward Luke's huge mansion, a lot of thoughts hit me. Thoughts that, if I had them while driving, I would have figured out how to handle them.

Here is something you needed to know about Luke. He was not my friend. He was my rival back in college a few years ago. But somehow, he had reached out to be friendly, something he was never good at when we were in school.

I was never jealous of him back then. He was the one competing with me.

He wanted to be the best student by any means necessary. Cheating ways. Sabotaging my projects.

He would secretly connect wires together to break my circuit or do things like that.

He was a real danger who changed little by little. But sending me holiday cards or calling me once in a while created some kind of undefined friendship.

So when I accidentally called him because I was exhausted, he suggested a maid to cook for me.

I should have said no. And it would have looked really weird if I told him he was not the person I meant to call.

This time, let whatever looks weird just be weird. Sympathy got me into this mess.

All these thoughts were running through my head until I pressed that doorbell and a woman opened the door. Honestly, I was not expecting to see Rebecca.

The woman looked at me, and it was clear we had never met before.

"Good morning, sir. Who are you looking for?" She asked. Without thinking, I said,

"I am here for a woman named Rebecca." It came out without me planning it. She looked at me, and her eyes told me she knew that name or had seen that person.

I was waiting for her to say something when we both heard Mr. Luke's voice.

"Who is at the door?" His voice hung there, and right away, the woman who had been comfortable with me changed her whole look.

"A strange man, darling."

She should not have added the word "strange" to that sentence. That made Luke appear behind her in seconds while I was still standing at the door.

I saw shock in his eyes. Maybe he thought I would call first. This was a crazy visit. Normally, I should have called. He was not my real friend.

"Mr. Collins, wow. This is a surprise."

I moved like I wanted to step inside, but Luke did not get out of the way. He carefully switched places with the woman, and she stood next to him.

"What can I do for you? Hmm... It is just the two of us in this house."

I did not ask how many people lived there. His words did not make sense.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Collins?"

"Where is Rebecca?"

"Rebecca? Who is Rebecca?" He looked at my face, waiting for me to answer.

"The woman you sent to me as a maid. Do you not know her name?"

"I do not know her as Rebecca…"

"Fine. Forget the name. Where is she?"

"I do not know."

I felt this harsh reality on my skin.

"What? But you are the one who sent her to me."

"Actually, I do not know any Rebecca. All I did was request a maid from a service app and send them your address."

"Are you serious?" I yelled, angry.

"Please calm down. I thought I was helping you. Did the maid do something…"

"She stole something from me." I stopped and blew air out of my mouth. "Listen, I want to see her. I will offer her whatever money she needs. Do you have her phone number?"

"You are not hearing me. I do not know who came to your place. You should not have given her that much freedom in your house. She is a stranger, and I blame you for whatever she did. Her job was to cook for you. The kitchen and the dining table should have been her only spaces."

"What is the name of the service app? I want to contact them."

"I do not actually have the app, but I have their phone number. I can give it to you."

"Great. Give me the number. Let me call them."

Luke looked very uncomfortable as he searched his phone. I was expecting him to give me the number without any issue. His face said he wanted me gone.

He was taking too long to give me the number.

"What name did I save the number under?"

I could see him typing on his phone. All I could do was hope he was looking for the number.

"Here it is," he said and smiled. Relief washed over my face. I did not want anything from him except to call that number.

I dialed. It rang. I held the phone to my ear.

They did not answer. I called again. Same thing.

"They are not picking up…" Before I could finish, Luke said,

"I told you, I am leaving with my darling." He put his hand on the woman's waist. As he pulled the door closed and stood closer to me, we all heard it. The sound of a plate smashing against the floor.

"Who is inside the house?" I looked straight into Luke's eyes. I did not even have to think about it.