Corruption's Price: A Spanish Deceit (44 page)

"In men, yes, unfortunately – from those that seem to think that they are God's gift to women. But you're right; in a woman, no. It's amazing, isn't it?"

"I agree. It also seems so helplessly, or hopelessly, indiscriminate. Men or women. Probably both simultaneously for all I know."

"Has she tried anything on with you? Are you attracted?"

"That, Ana, would be telling too much." Inma tried to frown but it lacked ferocity. "In some ways I am, but I'm far too old for Emilia's roving eye. From what she's told me she likes her 'temporary' partners younger than herself. She was refreshingly honest about that. That said, I did catch her with an expression that made me wonder if she was tempted to make a pass at me."

"You aren't the sheltered Opus Dei convert you were."

"No, I'm not. Miriam sorted that out for me, inadvertently encouraged by Davide. How is he by the way? Did I hear on the family grapevine that he's staying with you?"

Inma raised her eyebrows in not very innocent enquiry and snorted in an unladylike fashion at Ana's expression.

"What about Caterina, or shouldn't I ask?"

"I want to talk to you about Davide, but not in that way."

"Why not? Don't you fancy him? I could."

"You're being naughty and deliberately provocative."

Inma's face showed total agreement at this.

"No, I want to ask you something else."

"Confessions about what to do with your love life? You want to ask
me
? Come on, Ana. Be realistic. I'm not the person for that after all my time sequestered in Opus. You can't imagine I'm equipped to be an agony aunt. My sisters would be far better
confidantes
for your tangled emotions."

"Stop it, Inma! I'm trying to be serious."

"All right, all right, I'll stop playing with you. But I'll have more questions later. Out with it."

Ana was all hesitation now. Inma waited. This was obviously something that mattered. She resolved not to rush her cousin.

"Your business is growing, as you mentioned before. Why don't you hire Davide? His current work at ORS will come to a close soon. I know he's beginning to think what to do next," blurted Ana.

Inma stared, taken wholly aback. Then she began to laugh, so much so that she began to choke.

Paolo, the proprietor, rushed over with a glass of water, saying, "Are you okay,
Condesa
?"

"Yes, Paolo, I'm fine." Having drunk some water, Inma apologised, "That was rude of me. But it is funny, especially as you haven't a clue why."

"What's funny? That I should suggest Davide as an asset for you?"

"Yes. But you still don't know why it's so funny. I'll let you in on a secret. He called me and said in no uncertain terms that I'd be an utter fool – and I am quoting him exactly – if I did not hire
you
. He also said you had the best brain he'd encountered in Spain and would be – wait for it – 'a priceless asset for me'."

Ana was dumbfounded. She gawped at Inma, who giggled afresh at Ana's expression.

"He really said all that?"

"He did. After questioning him at some length I'm in agreement with him. Would you like to work for me, potentially becoming a business partner after learning the ropes?"

This wasn't going as Ana expected.

"What else did Davide say?"

"That would be telling. I won't tell you all, but one aspect convinced me: your age."

"He told you? That miserable, worthless piece of –"

"– Ana, we're family. Maybe not close family but I remember you as a baby. I know you've been masquerading even if I haven't a clue why. But you have. Don't try denying it."

Ana could only accept the truth of this. She'd forgotten that Inma would know. It was still difficult to consider Inma as being related to anybody. To all intents and purposes she had been a nobody when spending all those years in Opus.

"So what about approaching Davide?"

"The thought that had occurred to you had already occurred to me. I'm still wondering about how to raise the possibility. Perhaps you can advise me?"

Monday: Puri

Whatever Puri tried to do failed. Alfredo had arrived in El Rollo from Madrid on Saturday, abject, run-down and completely without spirit. She had never seen him like this. She didn't like it or the implications.

She tried to extract what had happened from him. He had only uttered the barest details, something about how a
Juez de Instrucción
had skewered him and now he himself was
imputado
. Clearly something unexpected had developed.

The obvious person to talk with was Marta. She had three numbers, the infamous smartphone, her office phone number and one at home. The first seemed permanently switched off. She just received the standard network messages about it being out of range or unavailable. The second produced a recorded message stating that Marta Márquez was unavailable until further notice with no given time frame. This was puzzling but plausible, given she was in Madrid.

With some diffidence Puri tried the house number and obtained 'the husband'. He sounded everything that Marta had described. In any case he was a useless source of information. He thought his wife was in Madrid attending some sort of court hearing about some clients and unpaid monies but knew nothing more. He wasn't sure where she was staying. In summary, he was pathetic in his ignorance and damnable for his patent lack of interest. No wonder Marta was drawn to Salvador.

With much trepidation, and with bad feelings about doing so, Puri contacted Salvador. It seemed like a century ago since they had all exchanged mobile numbers when in San Lorenzo de El Escorial. She received no reply but he'd called back on Sunday evening. Her fears amplified. He was aggressive, uncaring about Marta except for anything that might affect him. He was also puzzled that Marta did not call him when he had stayed in Madrid to support her. Transparently his sole focus was on himself. He was reacting as Puri and Alfredo had feared.

She tried sharing this with Alfredo who was now enfeebled. This was not the positive, incisive and confident partner with whom she was used to living. Rather he was a blancmange, virtually incapable of doing anything for himself.

She'd moved into his house in order to look after him for he was not capable of doing this for himself. Now she was at her wit's end. Today Alfredo was sitting in his study mumbling something about a computer and how he should never have done something. No matter how often she tried to persuade him to explain he refused.

The need for a medical assessment was becoming apparent. She phoned her doctor, requesting a visit. He could not arrive until late afternoon.

In frustration she turned on the radio, receiving a new shock. All the discussion was about a
Juez de Instrucción
who was believed to be about to hand down a variety of demands for significant people to appear before him, starting this week. Garibey de Williams? Was that not the name of the
Juez de Instrucción
that Marta had been facing? This was the problem. With Alfredo barely
compos mentis
everything was shrouded in uncertainty. The only information she had was rumour on the radio, thus leaving her at sea. Well, there was nothing more to do for the moment. She should focus on Alfredo.

Puri decided that she'd try to persuade him to go for a walk with her. Her hopes were not high. She turned at a noise behind her. It was Alfredo, still looking awful but at least moving.

"I'm sorry, Puri,
cariño
. I've been drowning in my own self-pity. That's unfair to you and no use to me. Could I beg some coffee?"

"Of course. It's so good to see you roused out of your torpor. I was worried. I can't get hold of Marta, while Salvador brushed me off like an annoying fly. Would you like something to eat?"

"Yes, please. Just some
pan tostado con aceite
would do for the moment, perhaps with some of your delicious tomatoes. Afterwards I'll bring you up to date. I warn you, what I'll say will not be pretty. The implications for us being together are bad, depending on what happens next."

"Have you heard the radio?"

"No. Why?"

"There appears to be rumours about a
Juez
called Garibey de Williams citing many people to appear in front of him. Wasn't he the one that Marta was appearing before?"

"Indeed. He's shrewder than I expected. It may be that I'll be lost in the noise, though that's probably being over optimistic. It's also not the way most
Jueces de Instrucción
operate. However, let me eat and have that coffee before we talk. If you can wait?"

"After all last weekend? Of course I can. And for you, always."

Tuesday: Sala de lo Penal, Madrid

Juez
Garibey de Williams prepared himself. The next days were going to be even more intense than last week's. He had heard the radio reports yesterday morning and had been perturbed about leaks. But Monday had worn on and the rumours had not crystallised into anything solid. It seemed confidentiality remained in place.

Monday night he slept surprisingly well. He had expected to be a bundle of nerves. Instead he felt rested and prepared on wakening. It was almost as if a part of him knew that he was going to be vindicated for those previous injustices he had been unable to right.

He entered the
Sala
to find a large bombastic-looking individual dressed in a Cardinal's full informal regalia – black cassock with scarlet piping and buttons accompanied by a similarly-coloured sash along with a pectoral cross on a chain. On his head was the traditional scarlet
solideo
or skull cap.

This was His Eminence, the Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo, Primate – the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Spain and successor to St James the Great, the country's patron saint. His expression communicated clearly that he expected everybody to recite all this, pay obeisance and be duly impressed.

Juez
Garibey had puzzled beforehand about how to address him. His personal preference was as Señor, for he had little time for the Church. On the other hand, given the questions he was about to put to the Cardinal Archbishop, his instincts urged at least the pretence of appearing to respect his rank. This way, if he made no progress, he would not look petty, yet if he did make progress the 'respect' would act more like an acid.

As before there were the various rituals to be processed before embarking on the meat of the day. Once complete, the lawyer accompanying the Cardinal Archbishop tried to bring issues to a swift close by arguing that it was inappropriate for a prince of the Church to appear in a secular court of law as either a
testigo
or
imputado
. He wasn't very convincing though
Juez
Garibey agreed to keep the matter under review in case any part of the subject matter under consideration should be beyond his own competence and fall under Canon Law.

He addressed the Cardinal Archbishop: "Your Eminence, I wish to ask you about payments apparently made to your predecessor."

The Cardinal Archbishop listened impassively as
Juez
Garibey laid out the transaction trail, which started with the payment by ServiArquitectos to the business of El Cerámico, and from there to Márquez, to 'Cardarzob', and finally into an envelope.

He continued by describing how there were a myriad of successor payments made in succeeding years, all with the same characteristics once Cardarzob provided the common connection point and using the acronym 'CAbp'. He ended by adding up the amounts involved, over a million euros. Finally he asked what His Eminence knew about this.

As expected, the Cardinal Archbishop declined to comment on the affairs of his predecessor, about which he knew nothing. He argued that even if what the
Señoría
said was true it still did not matter because any amounts were simply contributions to the Church made by the faithful.

His lawyer tried not to look upset.
Juez
Garibey had the distinct impression that the first part of his reply had been sanctioned by the Cardinal Archbishop's legal team but that the second was His Eminence expressing his own opinion.

It was as
Juez
Garibey hoped. The Cardinal Archbishop had the reputation of a clever man much wedded to his own self-importance, unlike his predecessor who had been noted for his modesty. To this Cardinal Archbishop only the Holy Father himself could know better what was good for Spain. His inherent arrogance was leaking out.

Juez
Garibey appeared to listen attentively. He swallowed the objection and moved on. "Eminence, I was rather expecting you to disclaim any knowledge of your predecessor's actions. Before you were elevated to your current rank as Primate of Spain, were you not the senior assistant to your predecessor as Cardinal Archbishop?

"I was. But what has this to do with anything?"