In the year 2018, Count Constantine Kontoyiannis together with his wife, Sophia, offered a Carnival party in their mansion, located in the outskirts of the city. Although their economy was precarious, they decided to celebrate with their friends and, with high personalities of the economic world. The invitations carefully designed in an old thread paper, inherited by the family and used for unforgettable celebrations, with gold letters and a seal splashed with vibrant colors, would attract the attention of the guests. No one understood the meaning of this intriguing seal. It was to be used for a hidden purpose..... The requirements were strict, reminiscent of the Venice Carnival. To do so, they would have to wear masks, jewelry and clothing that evoked that era in history.
As the evening of Carnival Monday arrived, the butler and servants, who out of loyalty, worked at the mansion, graciously welcomed the guests. Among the guests were Count Bruce Gottesman and his wife Kelly, Baron Tony Lee and his wife Martha, the wealthy businessman and art investor Gregg Dupuy, the exotic dancer Katiuska Maxwell and the renowned Vladimir Raymond, known in the underworld by the nickname "Helicopter" and unknown to all the other guests.
They all went into the main hall. There the first thing that glittered were antique candelabras bathed in pure gold. No one understood why they were there.... The astonishment continued when they saw the table with a delicate handmade tablecloth, made on the Island of Madeira, withered by the passage of time and that, betrayed the economic fissure of Count Kontoyiannis. But the exquisite buffet with flavors from other lands, as well as the select beverages, made us forget that detail.
The rest of the guests had the same sensations as the illustrious guests but, everything is dissipated when in the atmosphere an indefinable emotion is felt by all... It would even lead them to forbidden games. The events would begin from the first dance....
The orchestra began with the waltz Blue Danube by Strauss. The couples would follow in time to the music. Between movements Gregg's attention was drawn to Sophia. The experience as a former courtesan, which was the role Sophia represented with her attire, gives free rein to his imagination.... At the end of the waltz they begin to serve the exquisite food. That was the propitious moment for the servants to begin executing the plan.... Each employee had selected an important guest, who would be marked with a vibrant colored stamp. In that case the special ink would only be seen in detail in full darkness.
The light is extinguished... Innocent splashes of ink appear on the dresses or body of a guest. Opportunely, the candles arranged in the candelabra are lit... emitting golden sparkles. Excited by the strange event, the murmurings began:
-What does this mean? asks Katiuska naively.
-I guess it's a different way to have fun, Gregg answers.
The lights come back on, the chandeliers go out, and the ink disappears as if by magic. The guests applaud and praise the witticism.
The exotic dancer's show begins.... everyone attentive to learn a strange dance from the island of Bali; they don't even know that Kelly and Martha have been marked with the stamp.
Gregg is close to Sophia; she takes the opportunity to offer him a famous impressionist painting by Theodore Géricaut. Gregg accepts the offer and wants to see the painting before paying the high amount of money. Sophia takes him to the library to show it to him. The lights go out again. There Gregg takes the opportunity to get closer to Sophia.... She accepts his unseemly but exciting advances. Without intending to, they give free rein to their instincts....Constantino goes to the library and enters just as the lights go on. Amazed, he discovers his wife in the middle of love-making. The emotional impact causes him great pain. He feigns physical pain and falls to the floor. His wife carries him to the bedroom. There, in confusion, Constantine changes his plans while his wife discreetly returns to the living room.
Once again the lights go out and suddenly there are screams....
-I was robbed, I was robbed, Kelly shouts.
At that moment Martha puts her hands to her head, but it was too late... the ruby and sapphire tiara that her husband had given her was gone.
Everyone is speechless. No stranger is present... No one notices the absence of the butler who quickly carries the diamond and emerald necklace and the tiara to Constantine's room. In the darkness the helicopter hired by Vladimir arrives... Constantine and the butler prepare for their escape.
Again the lights are turned on. This time the lucubrations begin.
-Who is the thief? asks Katiuska
-We must catch him, says Count Gottesman and his wife Kelly.
-I suspect he is among us, replies Baron Lee.
Sophia is addressing her guests:
-Please let's calm down, everything will be solved. I promise you.
All perplexed see how a helicopter takes off, from the gardens, from the mansion...Constantine and the butler manage to flee.
Kelly reacts:
-And the butler?
Sophia gives the order:
-Find him
The employees obey but the butler is no longer in the mansion. When the employees realize this, they turn pale, but decide to keep the secret until they talk to Constantine.
Sophia immediately calls the police. The police arrive an hour later. They search the entire mansion for traces. They start looking for clues. But for the moment they arrest everyone until the robbery is cleared up. Due to the circumstances everyone is a suspect.
In the interrogations made to each one of the attendants to the party, it was proved that none of them was involved. The employees of the mansion had yet to testify. They maintained their innocence until, feeling unprotected, they confessed that they were carrying out the orders of Count Kontoyiannis. They were sentenced for complicity and an international arrest warrant was issued for the Count and his butler.
THE LAST PARTY by María del Carmen Sánchez Copyright © 2023
April 21, 2023
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
