38
They arrested me, believe it or not. I called the Guardia Civil. . not the Mossos; no way did I want Ramon’s people dealing with this. . on my mobile phone. I waited for them, told them an acceptable version of the story, and took them back to the summerhouse.
Their response was to stick me in a van and drive me to Figueras.
I wasn’t there for long, though. I called the nice lady in the Consulate and she had me released inside fifteen minutes. There was never a problem, really. Fortunato’s body didn’t go into the sea; it was recovered, and they were able to determine that he had shot John and Lucille, just like I said.
They also found the safe-deposit keys and the note on his body; that clinched it. The whole thing was hushed up, of course, as always. The official story was that the three of them had died in a fire-fight when he had gone to arrest them for Capulet’s murder. My part in it was never mentioned; my name didn’t even make the Spanish papers, far less the British tabloids.
I went to see Vero, of course; they had fed her the official version too, but I could tell she didn’t believe it. So I told her what had really happened, including the bit about Gabrielle. By that time the Guardia had rescued her from the brothel, and handed her over directly to the Filipino consul, in person.
The only thing I left out was what happened at the end, but from the way she thanked me, I suspect that she guessed that too.
I couldn’t stand to see Shirley, though, not then anyway; I couldn’t have lied to her. Thankfully, she had gone back to the UK to make arrangements to bury her son, and begin what would turn out to be the recovery of the family business.
Once I’d done more or less right by Vero. . which took me a couple of days. . tidied up the mess in the house, and sampled a couple of the better wines in my new cellar, there was nothing to do but lock the place up, hire Sergi as a caretaker, and bugger off back home, a couple of days early for the premiere.
Ellie loved it, of course. I was the star attraction, and so was she, done up to the nines in the new dress I’d bought her, and with a professional hair and make-up job. She even picked up a bloke at the party afterwards; big Darius Hencke, one of the wrestling crowd for whom I’d fixed guest invitations.
The nephews would love that, I reckoned.
I had another surprise at the reception too; Susie turned up after all. In Glasgow, she can go anywhere she wants.
Once Ellie’s limo had taken her and Darius off to God knew where, she and I went back to my place; for a board meeting, she said.
In the morning, after I’d told her all. . and I do mean all. . about what had happened in Spain after she’d left, she told me what she’d been doing.
‘I’m late, Oz,’ she said.
‘What do you mean? It’s Saturday; you’re not working today are you?’
‘No, you fucking idiot. I’m late; as in ten days late. I’ve done a test and I got the black dot.’
‘You mean …’
‘I mean there’s going to be an heir to the Gantry empire, my dear.’
‘Fucking hell!’ I’m never at my most articulate on a Saturday morning.
‘What are you going to do?’ I asked, when I could.
‘I’m going to have a baby.’
‘Just like that?’
‘Yup.’
‘Our baby?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Whatcha gonna call it?’
‘Something appropriate, given its parentage. Damien, maybe, if it’s a boy. Or Lucrezia, if it’s a wee girl.’
‘Should I ask you to marry me?’
‘What a lovely proposal!’ She let out a peal of laughter. ‘Don’t be daft. Susie doesn’t love, remember?’
‘That’ll change in eight months or so.’
‘True. But not that much. Like I said back in Spain, think of the couple we’d make. Doesn’t it scare you?’
‘No.’
‘Well it bloody should. Anyway, it’s academic; I hate to remind you, my boy, but you’re married already.’
‘I’m not so sure about that.’
‘The Crown Office would be certain, if you tried marrying me. Listen, the only things I’m going to think about till next October are my baby and my business. You go and make your movie, and sort yourself out.’ She looked at me, and her eyes went all soft.
‘But if you want and you can make it, I’d like you with me when he or she arrives. You’re my minder, remember.’
‘It’s a deal.’
She left an hour later. . just before Ellie came in like a trollop, still in her new dress. . and that’s the last time I saw her. I phoned her every couple of days though, all through my intensive acting class.
That was worthwhile; it took the confidence I’d built up in Spain, broke it down and then built it up again, even stronger.
So, Hollywood, here I come. My plane gets into LAX in twenty minutes. Prim won’t be there to meet me, but I’ll see her when I get to Miles and Dawn’s place.
And what am I going to do about that situation?
Quite frankly, the Devil alone knows.
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On Honeymoon With Death ob-5 Page 27