Page 21 of Rhythm Of Redemption

Accompanied by the policeman, he stepped inside to find several unfamiliar individuals carrying out a search of his home. Making his way across the room, a stocky figure wearing jeans and a polo shirt drew nearer. With an air of authority, he extended a hand and introduced himself as Detective Mike Russell, head of the team assigned to investigate a drug trafficking and money laundering operation they believed was based on the island.

Logan's heart raced as a sense of panic overtook him as he desperately tried to make sense of the situation. Yes, they’d had a few problems with drug dealers trying to peddle their wares in the club these last few months, but nothing that warranted the involvement of an international task force searching his house. And as for money laundering allegations, Logan was meticulous in ensuring that all his business dealings were above board, especially after hearing about the lengthy jail term handed down to an acquaintance of his for tax fraud. “There must be some mistake,” Logan stammered, his voice tinged with a mix of anxiety and annoyance.

Mike's response cut through the air, devoid of sympathy. “There's no mistake.”

Determined to clear his name, Logan reached for his phone. “I can assure you that all my business interests are completely legitimate. We follow every legal requirement. Here, speak to my accountant. He’ll vouch for me.”

Mike's expression remained unyielding. “We will be contacting your accountant in due course. But for now, I strongly suggest that you speak to your lawyer.”

Clutching his phone tightly, Logan called the familiar number of his lawyer, Antonio, his mind racing to summarise the chaos unfolding around him. In a few brief sentences, he conveyed the urgency of the situation. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Antonio's sleepy voice came through before ending the call.

Lou stepped into the room, taking in the flurry of activity and strained atmosphere. “Is everything okay?” Her question hung in the air, mirroring his own unease. “Only I really need to get back.”

Amidst all the commotion, he’d completely forgotten about Lou. “Um, yes, sorry,” he admitted with a tinge of guilt colouring his voice. “It's just a misunderstanding, that's all. My lawyer will have this cleared up in no time.” I hope.

Anger surged through him at the sight of a policeman interrogating Rosa, his housekeeper. “Excuse me,” he quickly turned to Lou before storming into the kitchen, where the policeman was questioning Rosa and jotting down details in a small notebook. “Hey,” he roared. “What do you think you're doing? Leave her alone.” He instinctively wrapped his arm around Rosa's shoulder, his tone softening as he spoke to her. “¿Estás bien?” Rosa nodded, her eyes welling with tears. “Lou,” he called, beckoning her with a gentle wave of his hand. “Would you mind taking Rosa outside for a breath of fresh air?”

“Of course,” she responded, offering a reassuring smile as she took Rosa by the elbow and guided her towards the back terrace.

With Rosa out of earshot, his attention shifted back to the policeman, his voice laden with disdain. “Who the hell do you think you are, coming into my home and harassing an old woman? Does it make you feel good or something?”

Unperturbed, the officer closed his notebook and coolly responded, “I’m just doing my job, señor.”

Logan marched back into the living room; his eyes fixed on the detective. “Your officer has no right to interrogate my housekeeper like that.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Look, I’ve been more than patient with you, but unless you’ve got a search warrant, I demand that you and your men get out of my house right now. Otherwise, your boss will hear from my lawyer.”

Retrieving a document from his pocket, Detective Russel confidently presented it to Logan. “I think you'll find that this grants me the right to be here and speak to anyone who may prove useful to the investigation,” he stated with a self-assured smile.

Seizing the document from the detective's grasp, Logan quickly scanned its contents. His Spanish wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough for him to understand that it was a valid search warrant, formally issued by the local court.

The screech of tires outside jolted him into action as he hurried outside to greet Antonio. “What’s going on?” he demanded, exiting the car.

Handing over the search warrant, Logan nervously stood by for Antonio's verdict. “Who's running the show?” he asked, quickly ascending the front steps. “A local officer?”

Logan shook his head, replying, “No, it's an American,” gesturing towards Mike.

Restlessly pacing the front terrace, he impatiently waited for Antonio's return. However, when Antonio eventually came back, the news was far from good.

“Well?” Logan asked nervously.

“You're currently under investigation as part of an international money laundering oper-”

“Yeah, I got that part,” Logan impatiently interrupted. “But there must be a mistake, right? You know I would never involve myself in anything related to money laundering or drugs.”

“Calm down … I’m on your side, but it seems that your name’s been flagged in connection with someone who’s been on their radar as an importer of Class A drugs.”

“What the fuck? Did he give you a name?”

“No, but they must have presented enough evidence to get this warrant.”

“Evidence? What kind of evidence?”

“He wouldn’t say, but I assure you, I’ll find out.”

“That's just great,” Logan muttered, lowering himself onto a step. “Did he say how much longer they'll be here?”

“Well, here's the thing. While the investigation is ongoing, all your assets will be frozen.”

“You mean my bank accounts?” Logan pondered, thinking he could manage without access to his cards for a couple of days.

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