Corruption's Price: A Spanish Deceit (23 page)

To Isidoro's disbelief and horrified astonishment
el
Presidente del Gobierno
had rolled over, offering no resistance or even deferral to, or respect for, legal procedure. Instead he had assured His Eminence that he would do whatever he could to see that nothing continued.

What shocked Isidoro even more was his prime minister's lack of empathy with any of those who might have suffered. Pastor Nieves' approach appeared to be based on acceptance of the Cardinal Archbishop's assertion that priests could not behave immorally and were, therefore, incapable of doing wrong so there could be no need to investigate anything. This was typical of Pastor Nieves head-in-sand approach. It repelled Isidoro.

Before the Cardinal Archbishop departed, he had gallantly held forth his hand to be kissed by Isidoro, who declined to the manifest disapproval of Pastor Nieves. The latter, instead, had bowed reverentially to press his lips to the cardinalatial ring.

Isidoro decided to try dissuading Pastor Nieves in private. His arguments fell on closed ears. Just as with other unwelcome issues, like corruption, Juan Pastor Nieves simply did not believe it mattered or that there was anything which needed doing now or in the future.

Leaving the Prime Minister, Isidoro felt despair crashing over him. His task was to assist his head of government. The latter, when anything did not suit his predisposition, merely ignored what he hoped would wash away with the next tide.

What should he do? How Isidoro wished Hernando hadn't died.

CHAPTER TEN

Uncertainties Continue Breeding

Thursday: from Madrid to Marbella

Davide had decided not to take the high speed AVE train from Madrid to Málaga. It was certainly the fastest and most comfortable way, only taking about three hours. The snag came after that, moving from Málaga to Marbella some sixty kilometres further south west along the coast towards Gibraltar. This meant either taking a bus, which was unpleasant, or renting a car. In the end he had decided that for two renting was simpler, cheaper, plus more flexible. They could visit other places and drop the car back in Alcobendas on Monday morning.

He had gone out and done the paperwork at Atocha before returning to pick up Caterina. By calling her just before he arrived in Malasaña she was ready with both their overnight bags. They set off to negotiate the Thursday traffic out of Madrid before joining the A4 south towards Jaén, to skirt Málaga before heading onto Marbella.
Tío
Toño had been surprised (and audibly intrigued) that Davide was finally coming, and with a lady in tow.

After about 50 kilometres Davide turned off the A4, much to Caterina's initial puzzlement. She had kept silent until Davide drove into a place called Valdemoro and subsequently onto Seseña. After this brief excursion he re-joined the A4.

It took Caterina another ten or so kilometres before she said, "Was that by any chance an example of one of the concrete cities that Felipe mentioned?"

"Congratulations! Right first time. I'd never seen one in practice and thought we should. Hope you didn't mind."

"Yes and no."

"Meaning?"

"I'd no idea of the scale of such concrete hell. Felipe's description was abstract. Having driven through I'm astonished by the hubris of the developers. Who would want to live there? Where would they work? How would they get to work? Madrid's is a long way from there. I assume that in summer places like that must bake under the sun and freeze in winter."

"Pretty much so, as I understand it. I confess to being both intimidated and appalled. How can people have conceived of ..."

Davide's voice trailed away, unable to think of anything to add.

"Davide, I've got two questions, one of which I've been meaning to ask for some days and the other from yesterday."

She glanced at him. He was concentrating on driving but nodded she should continue.

"Okay, let me start with the second. What do you think about what's happening at ORS?"

"I wish I knew. I don't, but I may have an inkling. Actually, this was another reason to accept
tío
Toño's invitation."

Davide's thoughts drifted back to his discussion with
Juez
Garibey. The more he reflected, the more he felt something was missing or that, equally, he had failed to spot an element staring him in the face. What it was he didn't know. It was as if there existed an extended dimension. In fact, almost since he had started to help ORS, he had felt this. In part it was why he had asked Caterina to Madrid, and been equally surprised that she agreed, not that he had expected the sex-crazed Emilia (if he believed Caterina's). Yet neither been able to help so far, other than to copy someone else's phone in error.

No, something was out of sync. He hoped that
tío
Toño might provide him with a different insight. It was exasperating.

"You've disappeared on me, Davide."

"Sorry, Cat. Whoops! Sorry again, Caterina. Yes, I recall all too clearly how you shrivelled Conor for calling you Cat. That was fun to watch, except for him.

Caterina remembered. She had been fed up with her boss always calling her Cat and had thrown a verbal book at him, accompanied with her iciest expression. Looking back, she wondered at her nerve. Normally she was not one to pick fights or to argue with her superiors. Yet this was also what she thought she might have to do with Davide. It was her own uncertainties that were making her ever more irritable.

"Well?"

"I have this odd discomfort that Ana knows something more that she shared with Pedro but not us. I wonder what it could be."

"Now you say it, I have the same sensation. You know, I think it's bound up with those photos, and perhaps something else."

"I wish we had your laptop with us and were able to show some of what was on the phone to
tío
Toño. It's a pity we had to leave it in Alcobendas."

Caterina opened her mouth but snapped it shut immediately. No, she decided not to say anything.

Instead she offered: "I also wish I had my laptop with me. Just a tablet and smartphone isn't enough, especially when you have your laptop. I feel naked."

"I sympathise. I'd hate to not have mine. Can you last the next few days?"

"With difficulty; great difficulty. If I'm sulky you know why."

"With me, possibly. With
tío
Toño ... If he likes you he'll make you feel the most perfect woman in the world. I'm sure he will."

"And if he doesn't?"

"He will. There's nothing he prefers more than beautiful female company. You more than qualify. I'll be lost within a dim shade outside of which only you and he will shine. Just you wait."

"Davide, you are a cretin at times. Yet you do have a way with words. I'm now flattered, embarrassed and apprehensive all at once. How can I match up to such expectations?"

"Relax. He's an
osito de peluche
."

"Osito de ...
?"

"Teddy bear. He'll be like putty before you ... just like I am."

"Hah! Fat chance!"

Caterina lapsed back into silence before realising that he had done it again – diverted the conversation, albeit in pleasing ways, from what she really wanted to raise. Oh well. Other opportunities would occur before the end of the weekend to ask her other question.

Thursday: Emilia

Emilia woke late to hear Caterina disappearing, luggage in tow. Shortly afterwards her phone rang. It was Ana, suggesting lunch on Saturday, also mentioning that Felipe had rethought during the previous evening and asked her to SMS everybody to tell them not to turn up on Thursday. In effect, today was a free holiday. Ana had been puzzled by his generosity but not unhappy. Emilia agreed to meet Ana in the Glorieta de Olavide at about two thirty on Saturday.

The good news was that if Ana had sent text messages to everybody that should mean Alberto would be unexpectedly free. She called him from bed, without pausing to think further.

"Alberto, why not come to Malasaña for lunch and afterwards we can go see a movie or whatever we fancy?"

"Come to Davide's place?"

"Yes, and later we can go find somewhere to enjoy ourselves."

Alberto agreed a touch doubtfully. He was not certain that he wanted to see Caterina or Davide. On the other hand they did provide him with a measure of protection from Emilia.

The trouble was that he felt as attracted to her as she seemed to be to him. Hiding this from her was going to be difficult but if they were out in a bar or such like he should be safe. He reconsidered. Actually, in a cinema he could not be so sure. He had the clear sense that Emilia was someone with extravagant appetites. In some circumstances that would have suited him well. Played right this could be so much more satisfying than going out with any of his local contemporaries. The real question was: could he play it right? She didn't behave how he expected.

For her part Emilia was delighted. She had no intention of going out for lunch. Checking the kitchen she saw more than enough to feed the pair of them, including the best
jamón serrano
, fed on acorns according to Ángela who was not due at the
piso
today or Friday, which Emilia loved. Spanish
jamón
she had heard of even in Australia. The reality was so much better than its reputation, which was already stellar. Now all she had to do was mix a salad, make sure there was chilled cava and beer and wine and get ready.

A pleasant feeling of anticipation suffused her. Leisurely she prepared. She had only just finished when the doorbell rang. What good timing.

Alberto was in a good humour when he arrived. Even better, Emilia was simply turned out. He had feared that she would be dressed to kill. But, with Caterina and Davide around and it being the middle of the day, that was probably an erroneous cause for concern.

She was shorter than he remembered, probably owing to an absence of heels. She was neither thin nor too fleshy. Despite lacking the overt good looks of, say, Ana or Caterina, Emilia was without doubt sassy and sexy. However simple the dress, it revealed more than enough of strong yet shapely legs to allure.

Without Davide and Caterina present she might be tough for him to stay away from, which he was sure was the best policy. Make her want him and hide that his objective was to start something special with her for the long term. Maybe he could escape Spain's employment misery by accompanying her to Australia. This was tempting, though it would upset his parents in the extreme. Anything, however, to escape the misery of crisis-hit Spain was worth pursuing.

Emilia recognised the pleasure in his eyes. She congratulated herself for going for the simple approach, tempted as she had been to vamp herself up – as she would probably have done back home. Europe, or at least Spain, was improbably proper. She only needed to visualise Ana.

Refocusing, Emilia smiled at him, "You'll be delighted to hear that Davide and Caterina have gone to Marbella. We've the place to ourselves. I've prepared a light lunch, nothing much and not special. What would you like to drink?"

Her charm was manifest. Yet Alberto was suddenly terrified. He was expecting to be in control. In seconds, and how he couldn't fathom, she was in taking the lead. He was alone with her. This wasn't what he'd planned.

"A beer, if you have one," he spluttered.

Grinning to herself in amused anticipation, Emilia fetched him a bottle, followed by pouring herself a glass of white wine. The cava could wait for a more appropriate moment to celebrate.

"What would you prefer to do? Have a drink on the
terraza
and eat later or eat now? We've the whole
piso
just for us."

"Which is exactly what I didn't want or expect," Alberto voiced to himself, fortunately failing to engage his vocal chords. Doing his best to act cool and relaxed, he chose the
terraza
. That at least was safe. Unfortunately, as they opened the doors, a light rain, resembling an autumn mist, descended. While Emilia did not seem to care, he started back.

"Maybe we should stay indoors."

"Don't be a wimp. This isn't rain. I've heard you Spaniards are terrified of the threat represented by a drop of moisture in the sky appearing fifty kilometres away. Come on out! We can shelter under the sun umbrella if you're scared of getting wet. If you feel cold, wrap your arms round me. I'm usually hot enough."

"I bet you are," he responded as suavely as possible, all the while feeling that it would have been much safer to stay at home.

There was nothing to do but follow her outside.

Saturday: Madrid

Alfredo sat at his desk in his Madrid offices. It was unusual for him to be there on a Saturday, but not unknown. For the first time in a long while he was nervous. As an officer of the courts what he had done was morally unacceptable as well as illegal. Hopefully he had arranged everything with his usual care, and in such a way that there could be no trace back to him. He wondered when he might hear more.