THE LAIR OF THE DEVIL

After finding the receipt for a lettuce in Mrs. Witowski’s handbag, the two partners of Enigma Consultants S.L. stood in front of the grocery store ‘The Forbidden Fruit’, located across from the Church of the Nativity in the East Village. Jacob was looking closely at a papaya. “What’s the name of this?” he asked the clerk. “Papaya.” “Papaya? That’s no name for a fruit. Is that really its name or you just call it that?” “Papaya is an exotic fruit, man. Very sweet. Why don’t you taste it?” “No thanks. It would be like eating my grandmother,” answered Jacob putting the fruit back in the drawer. “Papaya’s what he called his grandma,” Michael explained to the clerk while Jacob was muttering, “Papayo must be turning in his grave…” “Hey men,” the clerk suddenly exclaimed, “looking for something in particular or just watching?” “Are you the owner?” inquired Michael. “The owner is Mr. Beelzebub.” Michael and Jacob winced. “Do you call him that or is that his real name?” asked Michael. “Men, you’re so annoying with the damn names of things!” “Don’t you know that Beelzebub is one of the devil’s names?”“What are you talking about?”Suddenly, a man burst into the store and addressed the clerk: “Those garlics you sell repeat on me. Look!” And he opened his mouth wide letting out a long, slimy, swaying tongue thick as an arm and similar to an octopus tentacle. “Shut your trap, you dumb broad! You’re gonna scare away customers!” Obediently, the man closed his mouth, and quickly went back the way he had come. Meanwhile, Michael had taken the opportunity to sneak behind the counter into the back room. (TO BE CONTINUED)