Sebastian turned right when he pulled out of the parking lot in the direction of the retail shops.
"What are you doing Seb?"
"I am taking this suit back."
I frowned. "Are you serious? We can't take our clothes back."
"It was just a test drive. I bought it like an hour ago. I want my $500 back."
"Oh my gosh I am not going in with you." I took out the camera to look at the photos. "What are you going to say when you go in there?"
Sebastian smiled. "I'll just say it hugs my crotch and I feel like it is flammable. I don't feel safe."
I gasped. "Fudge! Sebastian these pictures are horrible!"
"Really?"
"Yeah really. I can't tell if this is an Asian couple, a white couple or a black couple."
Sebastian groaned. "Are you serious?"
"Yep. They are so far away you can't identify them and the lighting sucks. You aren't taking that suit back you have to turn around. We have to go back so we can get a clear picture of the two of them walking out."
"Not one works?"
I sighed. "No! This one is the best and it could be anyone." I held the photo close to Sebastian. "Damn Seb this isn't good. We are screwed."
Sebastian had already turned the Buick around and was in route to the restaurant. "Let's try to catch them. You may have to get out Leah and try to get in position to snap a picture when they get in their car."
Sebastian turned into the restaurant's parking lot. "Damn! That's their Mercedes at the valet station."
Disappointment washed over me. "Gosh this sucks!" I could see Mr. Ho and Mrs. Tang getting into their car. "Now what?"
Sebastian didn't respond. He tapped the steering wheel as we were stalled behind a line of cars.
"They are going to be long gone by the time we get out of here," I said. "We have no idea where they are going."
Sebastian shook his head. "Ultimately they will return to the compound. We will have to catch them there."
"How?"
"I'm thinking."
Sebastian turned left out of the parking lot once we were able to go around the cars waiting in the valet line. The only good news was that I was able to avoid the embarrassment of witnessing him return his suit.
"Okay Leah I have a plan."
When he didn't continue talking I urged him along. "Today Sebi."
"We have to get a photo. We need solid proof to blackmail Mr. Ho. We are going to go to the compound and get a picture."
"And can you share what the plan for this will be? How are we going to get the picture?"
"I am going to call Lupe and have her open the windows to the room they will be in."
I rolled my eyes. "And let me guess we scale the wall look in the window and kazaam take a clear picture?"
"Something like that."
I was frustrated with Sebastian and his so called plan. I started thinking about the compound and how we would be able to do this. Sebastian called Lupe. I liked hearing him speak Spanish but at the moment it was annoying. I tried to patiently wait for him to finish his conversation. After a few minutes he was off the phone.
"I told Lupe to wash the bathroom in the room they use and spill bleach all over so the smell will warrant opening up the windows."
"Are they back at the compound yet?"
"No she will call when they get there."
"Okay so where is their room?"
Sebastian smirked. "That's the tricky part. It is on the second floor."
I sighed. "Our luck."
We were silent for the rest of the drive to the compound. Lupe called when we were a few miles away telling Sebastian they had returned. That was good news because I really didn't want to have to wait again in the Buick for them to return. Sebastian parked across the street from the compound.
"We have to be fast Leah we don't know how long they will be up."
I debated trying to convince Sebastian to give me time to get out of my dress and back into my other clothes. I knew he would nix my request so I got rid of my pumps and grabbed my flip-flops from the back. I threw the camera bag and my purse over my shoulder across my body.
"Sebastian do you know what side of the compound they are on?"
"Yes Lupe told me the location now be quiet because she was going to open as many windows as she could." Sebastian punched in the code to the gate. "Leah please be very quiet and follow my lead."
Of course I said to myself sarcastically while giving Sebastian a head bob. There were multiple bright lights aligning the compound. It was eerie there at night. It had a stale feel to it. I didn't know why anyone would choose to build a house like this. Yes, I would like the one with the government building feel please.
Sebastian stepped on a twig and it snapped in two. He froze and let out a short breath. He gave me a half smile. He pulled me close to him and whispered in my ear, "the room they are in is right up there. See it? The one that is lit up more than the rest."
I saw the room he was referring to. The big window was slid open. "I see it but how are we getting a picture?"
Sebastian guided me so we were up against the wall of the house. "You are going to have to climb up there."
I glared at him. "What? I don't have Spiderman powers."
"There is a trellis," Sebastian replied.
"What's a trellis?"
"That," Sebastian said pointing along the wall underneath the window. "It's called a trellis."
A thin dark wooden waffle looking thing furnished with ivy ran along the compound wall from the ground to the window.
I shook my head. "No way I will be able to climb that, it is way too skinny for my feet to fit."
"Leah we have no other choice. I would do it but you weigh a lot less than me. Come on we have to hurry."
"What if I fall?"
Sebastian smiled. "I will be here to catch you."
I rolled my eyes. "How am I supposed to climb that with the camera."
"Carefully."
We walked along the wall until we were underneath the window. Both of us grabbed the trellis to test its sturdiness. I breathed out heavily and Sebastian put his finger to my lips. I placed my foot in one of the wooden squares. It was scary thin but more sturdy than I expected for its size. I shook my head in disapproval. Leah the mother fudging ninja. I took off my flip-flops and set my purse down. I positioned the camera behind my right hip. I reached both my hands up and gingerly brought both feet into two of the waffle squares. I started climbing slowly as I tested the sturdiness of the trellis. It was so close to the wall that I thought of the cartoons with the characters falling straight back. Sebastian positioned his hands underneath my dress giving my ass a boost. I glared at him and he stopped. I thought I was going to laugh when he responded with one more push on my butt after I had turned back to continue my climb. I paused to regain my composure and focus on my climb.
I was getting to the point of no return when I started to get some anxiety. I didn't particularly like heights. I looked down at Sebastian. "Be ready," I mouthed. My bare feet already hurt from being on my tippy toes as I scaled the contraption. I kept on climbing trying to stay focused on my movement. I was getting in a flow when a dry twig of the ivy pierced my hand. "Ow."
"Shhh," Sebastian whispered.
I looked down at him with a scowl. It was taking forever to climb up to the window. When I was over half way up I looked down and started to doubt my husband's ability to safely catch me. He would be able to cushion my fall but there was no doubt in my mind that we would both be on the ground if I fell. I could hear music coming from the window. I was thankful for the noise. I took a deep breath and kept climbing. It might have been all in my mind but it felt less sturdy the higher I got. I looked down at Sebastian nervously. He gave me a thumbs up which didn't put my mind at ease but did motivate me to keep it together.
After a few more reaches I was just below the window. Now what? How was I supposed to hang on while getting the camera ready? My mind
started to race as I thought about keeping my balance and not making noise. The music was still playing but it was not that loud. I took my right hand off the trellis and reached over my head to bring the camera strap over it. I let the camera hang from my right shoulder while I placed my hand back on the trellis. I reached up with my arms and feet to get closer to the edge of the window. I went up on my tippy toes to take a peek into the window. Holy shit my eyes! Mr. Ho's naked ass was what I saw. I ducked my head down instinctively grossed out by what was just scorched into my retinas, my knees bent into the wood and my butt stuck out. I couldn't move my hands or feet and the camera swung into the trellis. Scared from hearing the sound of the camera crashing I grabbed the camera with my right hand and hung off the trellis trying to reposition my feet so I could get comfortable again.
I felt clumsy as hell but it was like trying to scale a brick wall it felt like there was no place for my feet and hands to go. When I finally felt stable I glanced at Sebastian. His reaction was what I had expected. He was shaking his head fast and motioning me to snap a picture. He then pointed to his watch. I knew he was right after seeing Ho naked we were minutes from the lights going out. I was so blinded by the sight of his ass and the big dragon tattoo on his lower back that was nearly a tramp stamp that I didn't get a look at Mrs. Tang. She might have been in the bathroom or lying down.
I decided I had to go for it and just start snapping. I grabbed the camera with my right hand and started to climb up closer to the window again. Don't think just go for it. Going for it! I had my hand on the camera button ready to snap. I leaned up with the camera ready. My hands slipped all over. I was used to using two hands to take a picture with our bulky Cannon. Here goes. I leaped up conjuring my inner ninja and just as I had my hand on the button a thought crossed my mind. I aborted the action and tried to smoothly bring the camera down but I was so nervous from realizing that our camera makes the loudest noise when we take a picture that I fumbled it. The camera fell out of my hand and the strap jerked off my shoulder. I reacted quickly by reaching out my right hand and taking my right leg off the trellis to try to grab it as it fell.
"What the f-" Sebastian yelled in a quiet whisper as the camera ricocheted off his shoulder and onto the ground.
I dangled from the trellis trying not to slip off completely. My stomach was in my throat and I had tingles running through my body. I finally got both hands and feet back on the trellis comfortably. I nervously looked up half expecting an angry Chinese man to be glaring down at me. I was shaking. I looked down at Sebastian and he was looking up at me with disappointment. I knew I didn't have time to try to sign language why I had dropped the camera so instead I gave him a sign indicating he needed to throw me my iPhone. Sebastian didn't play many sports growing up and his first throw was poorly off the mark. This getting a picture plan was not going well.
Four attempts later I finally had my iPhone in my hand. I made sure the phone's ringer was turned off and opened up the camera app. I took a breath and lifted myself barely over the window's ledge. I held up the phone and started snapping with fury as fear filled every inch of my body. I brought the phone down and glanced at the pictures as quickly as I could. Mr. Ho and Mrs. Tang were dancing together. Naked. The pictures were clear the proof was undeniable.
The task was complete now my focus turned to getting down as fast as possible. With a dress on I had nowhere to put the phone. I turned and dropped the phone down to Sebastian. The wood was unkind to my feet and hands. They were aching and I couldn't wait to be on the ground. The descent was better because I was relieved that this nightmare was about over. My fear was slowly leaving me. It was being replaced by doses of endorphins and I felt renewed energy from the thrill of the sting. I was at the halfway point when all hell broke loose. Simultaneously both my feet broke through the wood and my hands desperately tried to grasp on as I started falling. I hit my chin hard as the trellis disintegrated below me. I let out a yelp just like a dog does when they are caught off guard by being bit by another animal. I crashed vigorously on top of Sebastian and we both hit the ground. It happened so fast. Sebastian instinctively rolled us into the nearby bushes. My breathing and whimpering were loud. Sebastian was on top of me. He put his hand on my mouth to silence me. It was all darkness for me and I couldn't hear anything. I assumed Mr. Ho and Mrs. Tang heard the commotion outside their window but the way they were lost in each other's arms they may have been oblivious.
After what seemed like ages Sebastian spoke. "Okay it's clear," Sebastian whispered. "You okay sweetie?"
I leaned up to a sitting position. I shook my head back and forth then wiggled my legs to test my body to see what hurt. Surprisingly I felt okay. "Damn my chin hurts really bad but I think that is the only damage."
Sebastian used his phone as a flashlight. "Oh sweetie it's all red and swollen." Sebastian softly grazed his hand under my chin. "Damn your arms Leah!"
I twisted them around to take a look. They were all scratched up from that damn trellis. "Are you okay I crashed into you pretty hard?"
"Yeah I am fine. You are the one I am worried about. You sure you are okay?"