A PUNGENT AROMA of eau de cologne and American tobacco preceded him. Valls heard his footsteps coming down the stairs, but refused to give him the satisfaction. In lost battles, the last defence is indifference.
“I know you’re awake,” said Hendaya at last. “Don’t make me throw a bucket of cold water over you.”
Valls opened his eyes in the half-light. The cigarette smoke emerged from the shadows and drew jelly-like shapes in the air. The glow of the embers lit up Hendaya’s eyes.
“What do you want?”
“I thought we could talk.”
“I’ve got nothing to tell you.”
“Do you feel like smoking? They say it shortens one’s life.”
Valls shrugged. Hendaya smiled, lit a cigarette, and handed it to him through the bars.
Valls accepted it with trembling fingers and took a drag. “What do you want to talk about?”
“About the list,” said Hendaya.
“I don’t know what list you mean.”
“The one you found in a book in your office at home. The one you had on you the day they captured you. The one that contained about forty numbers of birth and death certificates. You know what list.”
“I don’t have it any more. Is that what Leandro is looking for? Because he’s the person you’re working for, isn’t he?”
Hendaya settled down again on the stairs and looked at him with indifference. “Did you make a copy?”
Valls shook his head.
“Are you sure? Think about it.”
“Perhaps I made a copy.”
“Where is it?”
“Vicente had it. My bodyguard. Before we got to Barcelona, we stopped at a petrol station. I asked Vicente to buy a notebook, and I copied the numbers there so that he too had a copy, in case something happened and we had to separate. He knew someone he could trust in the city, and he was going to ask that person to locate the certificates and destroy them, after we’d got rid of Martín and found out who else he’d given that information to. That was the plan.”
“And where’s that copy now?”
“I don’t know. Vicente had it on him. I don’t know what they’ve done with his body.”
“Is there any other copy apart from the one Vicente had?”
“No.”
“Are you sure now?”
“Yes.”
“You know that if you lie to me, or you hide something from me, I’ll keep you here indefinitely.”
“I’m not lying.”
Hendaya nodded and fell into a long silence. Valls was afraid he would go and leave him alone again for another twelve hours. He’d reached the point at which Hendaya’s brief visits were the only event he could look forward to.
“Why haven’t you killed me yet?”
Hendaya smiled as if he’d been waiting for the question, for which he had a perfectly rehearsed answer. “Because you don’t deserve it.”
“Does Leandro hate me that much?”
“Señor Montalvo doesn’t hate anyone.”
“What must I do to deserve it?”
Hendaya was looking at him with interest. “From my experience, those who boast the loudest about their wish to die fall apart at the last moment when they see the wolf’s teeth, and plead like little girls.”
“It’s ears.”
“What?”
“The Spanish saying is ‘To see the wolf’s ears’. Not teeth.”
“I always forget we have a distinguished man of letters as our guest.”
“Is that what I am? One of Leandro’s guests?”
“You’re no longer anything. And when the wolf jumps upon you, and it will, the first thing you’ll notice will be its teeth.”
“I’m ready.”
“I don’t blame you. Don’t think I’m not aware of your situation and what you must be going through.”
“A compassionate butcher.”
“A thief thinks everyone steals. You see, I know about sayings too. I propose a deal. Between you and me. If you behave well and help me, I’ll kill you myself. It will be clean. A shot in the back of the neck. You won’t even notice. What do you say?”
“What must I do?”
“Come over. I want to show you something.”
Valls moved over to the bars of the cell. Hendaya was looking for something inside his jacket, and for a second Valls prayed it was a revolver and he’d blow off his head right there. What he pulled out was a photograph.
“I know someone was here. Don’t bother to deny it. I want you to have a good look at this photo and tell me whether this is the person you saw.”
Hendaya showed him the picture. Valls nodded.
“Who is it?”
“Her name was Alicia Gris.”
“Was? Is she dead?”
“Yes, although she doesn’t know it yet,” Hendaya replied, putting away the snapshot.
Hendaya raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I didn’t think you were sentimental.”
“Please.”
“You miss female company, eh?” Hendaya smiled magnanimously, then, with a sneer, threw the photograph inside the cell. “All yours. I must say, she’s a real stunner in her own way. Now you’ll be able to look at her every night and jerk off with both hands. Sorry, with one.”
Valls looked at him blankly.
“Keep behaving yourself and piling up those points. I’ll keep a hollow-point bullet for you as a farewell gift, a reward for all the services you’ve offered the fatherland.”
Valls waited until Hendaya had disappeared up the stairs before kneeling down to pick up the photograph.