“When the old marquis died and álvaro took charge of the estate, he gave me and my husband the caretaker’s lodge for as long as we live. And a very generous allowance that will be enough to allow us, if we choose, to retire anytime we want. Nobody’s going to kick me out. álvaro already made sure of that.”
He allowed Herminia to hug and kiss him, then readjusted his clothing and brushed a couple of imaginary spots from his jacket. What moved him even more were the words she whispered in his ear: “Please watch out for yourself.”
He went toward the door but paused to look more closely at the pale spots on the wall where Santiago had broken his hand. “About that one thing you told me concerning the night Fran died: you said you were sure he’d taken up his drug habit again. What made you think so? You have access to the whole house. Maybe you saw something?”
“I didn’t find syringes or needles or the sorts of things he used at his worst, if that’s what you’re asking. But I knew that nothing good was going on, because I saw his supplier. I saw that man the night Fran died, but he’d already been sniffing around the estate for days. I told the police. I was sure it was him. I know him well, he’s a boy from Os Marti?os. I’ve always respected the family, they’re good people, but, well, you know . . . When the demon of drugs gets into a house, nothing can be done.”
“Where was he?”
“Elisa took a snack out to Fran, but I wasn’t about to go to bed and just leave my boy there. When I finished here, I went to my cottage to get a coat and go see him. That’s when I looked out a window toward the stables, and I saw that rascal slinking along the back road. He was trying to stay hidden behind the hedges, and he took the road that leads directly to the church. You can imagine what I thought.”
“Did you go all the way to the church?”
“I intended to, but then I saw Elisa come out of the manor and head that way.”
“Elisa? Are you sure it was Elisa?”
“This old lady’s eyes are perfect, thank you. I saw her by the light from the house lamps when she came out. Then she used a flashlight to find her way, so I had a perfect view of her.”
“So you decided not to go there.”
“My dear, if a young lady goes looking for her fiancé, an old lady has no business getting between them. I stayed home and watched television with my husband.”
“Did you see her come back?”
“In fact, I did. The truth is that I kept an eye out, and I saw her come back not too much later. I suppose Fran didn’t want to come back with her.”
“Do you think she saw the drug dealer?”
“I doubt it. I always worried about Fran, but when they came back from that clinic, Elisa was cured and pregnant, and she took her health and her future with Fran very seriously. She’d never have left him alone with that lowlife, for she’d have known very well what the man was up to.”
Manuel weighed her declaration and was about to step out. “Herminia, did you see álvaro that night?”
“Of course. I saw him at dinner before he went to bed. Why do you ask?”
“Never mind. No reason.” He turned back to the door. “No reason at all.”
He stepped out into the morning, where although the mists on the estate grounds were beginning to dissipate, the light was murky and the temperature hadn’t yet begun to rise. He walked toward his car, regretting that he’d left álvaro’s jacket at the inn. Café wagged his tail anxiously, leaped out of the vehicle as soon as Manuel opened the door, and scampered down the road. Manuel looked after the dog and saw Elisa and the boy appear. The Raven had called him the little bastard, and that epithet echoed in Manuel’s mind as he stood in the middle of the road and saw the boy’s excitement at the sight of the animal. The dog was equally enthused, bounding in delight but not willing to let the child get close enough to pet him.
Manuel looked toward the upper windows of the west wing and felt a dark satisfaction when he saw the gloomy figure posted in her glassed-in terrace. On the bust of Pallas. Manuel went forward, scooped the giggling boy up in his arms, and raised him high in the air. He hugged the child, perfectly aware the dowager was watching and would see him taking the boy’s side. In that moment he became aware of a deep and genuine affection for the child.
When he looked up again, the Raven was nowhere to be seen.
Elisa seemed delighted to see him. She took his arm and they strolled. She waited until Samuel had run well ahead of them in pursuit of Café. Then she said, “Thank you, Manuel.”
That surprised him.
“Lucas visited me yesterday and told me some of the things Fran said that night. Things I knew and was always sure of, but that I really needed to hear.”
Manuel could only nod.
“He said you made him realize he should tell me. I think you know how much that means to me. All the pain and suffering these years have brought, the doubts; because though I was convinced, I won’t deny that there were moments I gave in to those doubts. Thank you, Manuel.”
“Elisa . . . that night?”
“Yes?”
“You didn’t mention that you went back to the church later.”
“I suppose Herminia told you she saw me leave the house. I saw her at the window of her cottage. The reason I didn’t mention it is that I didn’t enter the church. Just as I got to the churchyard Santiago was coming out. He told me Fran was fine, but he was praying and didn’t want to be disturbed.”
Manuel halted, and she was forced to do the same. She looked at him.
“But did you even see Fran?”
“I saw him closing the church door after Santiago.”
“Did you tell this to the police?” he asked, even though he already knew the answer.
“Really, I don’t remember if I did; anyhow it wasn’t important. I wasn’t allowed to enter the church, and I’ve always felt guilty about accepting that. I shouldn’t have paid any attention to Santiago. I should have been at Fran’s side.” The self-accusation in her voice told him this wasn’t the first time she’d thought this.
He offered her his arm again, and they resumed their walk. “Did you see álvaro that night?”
“álvaro? No.”
“Or anyone else?”
This time she was the one to halt. “What’s this all about, Manuel? What are you aiming at with these questions?”
He couldn’t hide the truth. Not from her.
“In the days before Fran died, a drug dealer from around here was seen snooping around the estate. That night Herminia saw him walking in the direction of the church.”
“But that can’t be,” she said, confused. “You heard what Lucas said. Fran didn’t commit suicide. He wanted to live; he wanted to share his life with me and his son.”
“But one thing doesn’t disprove the other,” he replied, recalling what Herminia had said. “Perhaps he wasn’t yet completely over his drug habit, the way you were.”
“Oh, no, Manuel, you’re wrong. You’re mistaken!” She dropped his arm and went ahead of him to the boy.
She took Samuel’s hand and set out toward the manor without saying goodbye. When they reached the entrance, Samuel turned and gave him a little salute.
Manuel opened the car door, carefully helped Café inside, and placed the book he’d recovered from the safe on the driver’s seat. Feeling watched, he looked up and again saw the dark profile of the Raven upon her watch. He took out his cell phone and called the number he’d added to his contact list that same morning.
“It’s Manuel,” he said when Lucas answered the call.
“Good morning, Manuel.”
“Hi,” he said, his eyes never quitting the figure in black watching him from the glassed-in terrace. “I’m at As Grileiras, and I just talked to Elisa. She thanked me for encouraging you to tell her what happened.”
“I did exactly what I promised you: no more lies. Not even by omission.”
“That’s the other reason I called. Nogueira said the two of you had a discussion, and from what he said, it seems to me you didn’t mention your doubts about the identity of the person you saw that night.”
“I already told you, Manuel, it could have been anyone.”
“But you thought it was álvaro. Often when our mind tells us something, it’s because somehow we’ve gathered enough information to reach that conclusion.”