Under the Spanish Stars

by Alli Sinclair

  ‘I caught your friend Salvador ransacking your room late last night,’ said Federico. ‘And mine.’

  Katarina held her chin high, not believing a word of Federico’s, although after her discussion with Salvador there was a small chance he might have gone looking for more letters from the supposed teacher in France. But why would he bother with Federico’s office?

  Deliberately sounding indignant, she said, ‘Salvador would never go behind my back. Or yours.’

  ‘Well, he did this time,’ Federico growled. ‘He’s violent and cannot be trusted.’

  Looking at Raul, she asked, ‘What’s he talking about?’

  ‘You don’t need to worry, Katarina. Does she, Federico?’ Raul widened his eyes at Federico, trying to relay … something. What were they up to? And why did her heart feel like it had just plummeted to murky depths?

  ‘If she insists on being nosy, then she should see this.’ Federico lifted his shirt to reveal a saucer-sized bruise below his ribcage. ‘Your friend left a calling card. What do you think about that?’

  ‘What?’ She covered her hand with her mouth. ‘There is no way Salvador would hurt anyone. He’s not violent.’

  ‘When he is sober, maybe, but when he’s drunk that’s a different story.’ Federico pulled his shirt down and tucked it into the top of his trousers.

  ‘It must have been an accident. He mustn’t have seen you.’ Katarina shook her head and Raul placed an arm around her shoulders. She shrugged him away.

  ‘Your friend Salvador is fired,’ Federico spat out.

  ‘But he’s …’ She let the words fall away. A lump stuck in her throat and she swallowed hard, but it wouldn’t budge. What had sent Salvador off the deep end? It couldn’t have just been her letter. Or could it? Guilt swamped her.

  ‘I think it’s best we go.’ Raul guided her towards the door and she went along with him, keen to get him alone to press for answers. Something was off about Federico, but she couldn’t figure out what it was.

  ‘Fine. Go.’ Federico waved them away and returned to tidying his desk. For a room that was supposedly ransacked it looked awfully neat.

  Katarina and Raul walked in silence down the hallway and exited the theatre. They stood in the alleyway, and she leant against the wall, clutching the painting against her chest.

  ‘What’s going on, Raul?’

  He looked up and down the alley. ‘Let’s go for a walk.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Please, Katarina. This is not the place to talk.’

  ‘Where is a good place, huh? No matter where we go there are ears wanting to take the smallest snippet of conversation and turn it into something bigger, something dangerous. Since Franco—’

  ‘Stop it,’ Raul said between gritted teeth as his eyes scanned the alley.

  ‘Why should I? No one’s safe. I’m tired, Raul. Tired of working towards something I have no idea will eventuate. Even if they do succeed, what state will our country be in anyway?’

  Raul stepped towards her and grabbed both her arms, his fingers digging into her skin. ‘You have to stop talking.’

  ‘Why? It’s my fault Salvador’s missing and—’

  Raul leant in and whispered harshly, ‘You need to come with me.’

  * * *

  The mid-morning sun shone above the Alhambra, which towered over Plaza Nueva, the bright blue sky creating a picture perfect backdrop. Unfortunately it was marred by Raul’s hand firmly gripping Katarina’s as they crossed the plaza.

  ‘When will you tell me where we’re going?’ Katarina shook her hand free of Raul’s and she halted their forward momentum.

  He grabbed her hand and tugged it. ‘You’ll find out soon enough. Let’s keep going.’

  ‘I’m not going any further until you tell me where we’re headed.’

  ‘We’re visiting a very good friend of yours.’ He emphasised the last few words and raised his eyebrows.

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Who do you think? Let’s go.’

  ‘Sal—’ Her voice trailed off, not wanting to say his name out loud in case ears were listening. How did Raul know where he was?

  ‘We need to hurry.’

  ‘Please, tell me what’s going on.’

  Raul leant in, his warm lips against her ears. ‘You have to trust me.’

  She wanted to, but his weird mood sent alarm bells ringing. If Salvador were with her right now, he’d … and that was the point. He wasn’t and it appeared Raul could rectify this.

  Giving in, she started walking again and Raul hurried her through the ancient alleyways of Sacromonte, their breath coming out in short, sharp bursts. Then Raul took a left turn that led them to a dead end where three small doors leading to who-knows-where were the only escape route. Taking out a key, Raul unlocked the battered middle door. Katarina followed him inside, stopping just over the threshold to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness. He placed his finger over his mouth and they silently walked through a couple of empty rooms to the back of the house where he stopped in front of a closed door and rapped the distinctive four-count beat of a tientos palo. Raul waited a moment before entering and Katarina followed. When she saw a large, hulking form huddled in the corner, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around him.

  Wincing at her touch, Salvador moved away and said gruffly, ‘You shouldn’t be here.’

  ‘As if I wouldn’t.’ She rested her hand gently on his forehead where a large amount of blood had congealed. Turning to face Raul, she narrowed her eyes. ‘I assume this is Federico’s work.’

  Salvador adjusted his position on the floor, his expression one of pain. ‘You should sit down, Katarina.’

  ‘I’m fine standing.’ She rested the painting against the wall and her gaze travelled from one man to the next. ‘What happened?’

  ‘It doesn’t matter.’

  ‘You’re joking, right? You look like you’ve been beaten to a pulp and your wife is worried sick because you haven’t been home.’

  ‘I can’t go home, not for the moment, anyway. Federico knows where I live and I need to stay away from him in case he tracks me down. Claudia’s safe for the time being, although I’m going to need your help.’

  ‘I asked you to leave things alone.’ She didn’t like lecturing, but she’d warned Salvador to let things be. ‘You’ve done yourself out of a job.’

  ‘I’ll survive and I’m not so sure you’ll want to be working for Federico for much longer, either.’ Salvador and Raul exchanged glances.

  ‘Enough with the secrecy.’ She crossed her arms.

  ‘All right.’ Salvador ran his battered hand through his hair. ‘So I’d suspected something was up with you a while ago. Subtle changes in your steps, a happier demeanour … little things that only someone who knew you well would notice. At first I thought it was because we were out of the café cantante and finally earning money then I suspected it was being with Raul again—’

  ‘But we only talked about that last night.’

  ‘Katarina,’ Salvador gave her a warm smile, ‘do you think I am blind? I wanted you to believe this because you opened up a little and I was happy to see this. But the letter …’ He sighed. ‘That letter set off fireworks of worry about you. Yes, I did go snooping in your room but I did not leave it in a mess. When I found nothing I suspected Federico had preyed on you and recruited you for … something.’

  ‘Why Federico?’ she asked, her heart pounding. How could she be so naïve as to think she could keep something this major from Salvador?

  ‘Why not? It was you he wanted in the opera flamenca and he only took me on because you wouldn’t come otherwise. Up until last night, I’d thought it was because he believed your dancing would bring in the crowds but with the discovery of that letter and you being so evasive, it made me wonder if Federico had singled you out and gotten his claws into you for his own nefarious needs, or maybe on behalf of the Lobo Brothers.’

  ‘Their support of Franco isn’t any secret.’


  ‘I am aware of this.’ Salvador rubbed his rib gingerly. ‘Raul has told me what you’ve been doing.’

  She opened her mouth but Raul interjected. ‘You need to hear him out, Katarina.’

  Salvador nodded his thanks and said, ‘I know your heart is in the right place and your reasons for doing this are far from questionable.’

  ‘I …’ She held her head in her hands. ‘I’m so, so sorry for putting you and Claudia and the baby at risk.’

  ‘We cannot change what is. What you need to know is when I looked in Federico’s office I found something far worse than your letter.’ Salvador nodded towards Raul who reached into the bag beside him and pulled a small notebook tattered around the edges. He handed it to Katarina, who opened the first page, her eyes adjusting to the low light.

  As she flicked through the pages she recognised Federico’s distinctive handwriting that listed her name, along with Raul’s, Salvador’s and every other member of the opera flamenca, as well as some of the audience members who attended on a regular basis. Underneath the names, in perfectly round writing, were descriptions of what they did on particular dates and, most disconcerting, notes about anti-Franco sentiments that had been uttered within Federico’s earshot. She flicked through the pages and came to a section describing Katarina’s dance steps in detail.

  ‘Why would he do this?’ Her hands shook and the pages rustled.

  ‘Why do you think?’ Salvador pointed at Federico’s writing. ‘Are these the moves you were instructed to do by your fictional flamenco teacher?’

  ‘Yes,’ she gulped. ‘How could he have written them down in such detail? I dance them so quickly.’

  ‘Incredible memory,’ Raul said. ‘He’s always had it.’

  ‘Why the notes, though?’ Katrina closed the book and dropped it on the floor like it was a hot coal. She turned to Salvador as he retrieved the book. ‘Won’t he notice it missing?’

  ‘There were many, many notebooks, so I doubt he’ll realise it straight away. I had to grab at least one to show you and Raul because obviously this is of great concern to everyone—especially you two.’

  ‘But he couldn’t have any idea about what we’ve been doing, right? Besides, we’re his drawcard. Why would he turn in the people who make the company money?’ Katarina asked, fear swelling in her belly.

  ‘The Lobo Brothers,’ Raul said, shaking his head.

  ‘What about them?’ she asked.

  ‘I’ve been doing some digging because I suspected Federico’s cantankerous moods had something to do with his relationship with them. After all, they bankrolled Federico’s dream of owning a dance company and nothing comes for free.’

  ‘What did you find?’ she asked.

  ‘Not as much as I wanted to. That was another reason I was with Federico this morning. He’d hunted me down because he wanted to plant this story about Salvador and he thought I’d buy it. I planned to use that opportunity to put my feelers out about the Lobo Brothers as well. Unfortunately, you interrupted us.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I was intent on finding Salvador.’

  ‘You couldn’t have known.’ Raul breathed heavily through his nostrils. ‘When you showed up I’d just asked him what the Lobo Brothers wanted in return.’

  ‘He was so angry.’

  ‘I know. When we worked together years ago he never lost his temper, always looked out for others. He had great zeal for promoting flamenco and making sure its rich culture didn’t fade into oblivion. That’s why he jumped at the chance of taking on this dance company.’ Raul shook his head. ‘Why he would associate with Franco supporters is beyond me.’

  Katarina tilted back her head and stared at the rotting beams. Bringing her eyes level with Raul’s, she asked, ‘He’s making notes and passing the information on to the Lobos, isn’t he?’ She nodded towards the book in Salvador’s hand. ‘Can I have another look?’

  Salvador handed it over and she scanned the pages again. The Ruiz family … Maronna family … Rodriguez family … ‘All these audience members he’s listed are known anti-Franco supporters. Ernesto Ruiz was arrested only last week and accused of treason and Henri Maronna was arrested three weeks ago.’ A gasp caught in her throat. ‘Oh god, Federico wouldn’t.’

  ‘I’m afraid he already has,’ said Raul.

  ‘But why? Surely he wouldn’t turn in the greatest patrons of his theatre? And if he’s done it to them what would stop him from doing it to his own cast members? Although isn’t that shooting himself in the foot?’ A bolt of fear zapped her.

  Raul said, ‘There are always other dancers willing to take our place at a moment’s notice. The audience may not like it at first, but they’ll keep coming regardless. The theatre has made its name, now.’

  ‘Is the theatre a front?’

  ‘I don’t think it started out that way but who’s to say the Lobos aren’t getting more money for passing on information?’

  ‘And who’s to say Federico isn’t?’ Bitterness came out with every word Salvador uttered.

  ‘This is not good.’ She rested her back against the wall, the cold stones biting through her thin coat. ‘So if they’re passing on information, it’s only a matter of time before they dig further.’ Nausea swelled in her belly. ‘They’re going to find out about our connection to the Maquis, aren’t they?’

  ‘It’s not a possibility, it’s a definite,’ said Raul.

  ‘But you’re his friend! How could he turn you in?’

  ‘Friendship counts for nothing in this day and age.’ Raul stared at the wall.

  ‘I’m so sorry, Raul.’ Even though she and Raul had set out to do the right thing by the people of their country, it had now come at a horrendous cost.

  ‘There’s something else you need to know.’ Raul paused, dark shadows covering his face. ‘Last night I heard a ruckus when I was rehearsing so I went to investigate. I thought perhaps someone had broken in, but when I got close to Federico’s office I could hear him yelling at Salvador and it broke into a physical fight.’

  ‘Why didn’t you stop them?’ she asked.

  ‘Things have been tense around here, so I thought they were just blowing off steam. I followed Salvador out to tell him Federico would get over it but that was when Salvador showed me the notebook he swiped when Federico wasn’t looking.’

  ‘You knew all of this last night, yet you didn’t tell me?’ His lack of faith in her hurt.

  ‘I needed time to figure it out.’ He drew his lips into a tight line.

  ‘But we made …’ She didn’t finish the sentence, not wanting to let Salvador in on her most private moments with Raul. Forcing herself to continue, she said, ‘Then Federico met you at the markets. To tell you what?’

  ‘To tell me about Salvador’s supposed trashing of your room. He brought me back to the theatre to show me, but when I followed Salvador last night I noticed your room hadn’t been touched. I knew then Federico was lying and he’d messed up the room before he found me.’

  All this information was hard to take in but she needed to grab it and store as much as she could. For months they’d relayed messages undisturbed and it had lulled them into a false sense of security. And that had now been dramatically destroyed by a man who they’d thought was neutral.

  ‘I’m guessing he trashed my room because it would turn me against Salvador and I’d stay with the company. How could he have possibly known Salvador would want to look in my room for any reason?’ Clapping her hand across her mouth, she said, ‘Did he hear us talk about the letter?’

  ‘Absolutely not,’ Salvador said. ‘Perhaps catching me in his office gave him the idea to trash yours and blame me. Who knows what his reasons are. All I know is that I have to lie low until this blows over—if it ever does.’

  ‘I don’t understand why he would go to these lengths to oust Salvador and keep me. After all, he makes lists about what I do, he … oh, dear Lord—keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’

  ‘There’s no need to hit the
panic button yet but I’m guessing somebody in the Franco camp knows something’s not right within the company. That’s probably why the Lobos have Federico on the job.’ Raul placed his head in his hands. ‘He’s got himself in a hole and I really don’t think he knows how deep this goes.’

  Katarina wiped the thin layer of cold perspiration from her forehead. ‘But we don’t know for sure what he’s doing this for, right? Maybe it’s some strange habit he has, maybe—’

  ‘Stop, Katarina,’ Raul said. ‘We all know what this is and now we have to find a way to deal with it.’

  CHAPTER

  21

  Charlotte exited the lift of St Thomas’s Private Hospital, her head barely registering that her feet were back on Australian soil. Her heart, however, knew the sorrow of leaving Mateo behind in Granada. She walked up to the nurses’ station and, before she had a chance to ask one of the staff, Steve popped out of nowhere.

  ‘You look like rubbish.’

  ‘Thank you for the most special welcome back,’ Charlotte said and lightly punched her brother in the arm. ‘What do you expect after spending a kazillion hours in the air? I wanted to see Abuela now so I’ve come straight from the airport.’

  ‘I can tell.’ Steve sniffed.

  ‘Very funny. So how’s she doing?’ They walked towards Abuela’s room and paused outside the door.

  Steve gave a slow shake of the head. ‘She’s not going up or down—that’s the mystery. We should have seen some development one way or the other. As we know, though, Abuela is tough—’

  ‘As old boots.’

  Steve offered a sad smile. ‘Do you want me to come in with you?’

  Charlotte shook her head. ‘Thanks but I think this needs to be done one on one.’

  ‘Sure. I’ll call Mum and let her know you’re here.’ He whipped his phone out of his pocket.

  ‘Where’s Dad?’

  ‘Away on business.’

  ‘What a surprise.’ She didn’t bother hiding the sarcasm.

  Steve shrugged and had already dialled their mother’s number. He turned and ambled down the hallway as he chatted on the phone.