The Zul Enigma (27 page)

‘Carlos, I…’ her voice
cracked and she couldn’t finish the sentence.

Carlos was surprised. Even
though they’d worked together well at the beginning, he had never warmed to
Corrinne. Their personalities clashed and although he couldn’t deny she was
excellent at her job, sometimes he was close to despising her for that
overbearing attitude and what he considered to be sanctimonious devotion to
OOSA. He thought her cold and unyielding. She was Austrian for God’s sake. So
he was shocked to glimpse this soft side he’d never seen before. She really did
care. He felt a pang of remorse. He shouldn’t have got so irritable with her in
the past. After all, she’d only been trying to do her job.

‘Are you coming back
here?’ she’d regained control and her voice was strong again.

‘
Sí
. Tomorrow.
They take me to the penthouse first. Then I meet Greg at the office in the
afternoon.’

‘How long are you
staying?’

‘One night.

‘I was planning on
coming in tomorrow, so I’ll get to see you before you go. Then what?’

‘I fly to Madrid Monday
morning and they take me to Hospital Psiquiátrico.’

‘How long for?’

‘I have no idea. Depends
what’s wrong.’

‘At least you’ll be near
your family.’

‘If they’ll let them
visit.’

‘Oh Carlos…’ she looked
as if she was groping to find the right words, ‘… I know that sometimes we’ve
rubbed each other up the wrong way…’

‘Sometimes?’

‘Carlos! But I do admire
what you’ve done here. The changes? And all that new technology? I know I was
against it, but things do work so much better. I just want you to know that. I
don’t know what I’d do without holovideo now,’ and she laughed her
characterisic tight-lipped laugh.

‘
Muchas graçias
señora
,’ he said. ‘And hey – I haven’t been the perfect boss. I get
moody with you when you’re just trying to do your job. I’m sorry. Truth is I
don’t know what I’d done without you.’

‘I just can’t believe
all this,’ the tears Corrinne had been trying to fight back overflowed and
rolled down her cheeks. ‘I never imagined… not this…’

‘Corrinne. Don’t. You
make me cry too.’

She blew her nose and
sniffed. ‘Should I arrange something? A farewell lunch?’

‘Oh Jesus! I have no
heart to celebrate. You know Greg deactivated my tag? Imagine how I’ll feel
tomorrow coming in wearing a visitor’s pass?’

‘It might help if you
talk to people. Tell them it’s all been blown out of proportion – that
it’s all a big mistake – that you’re the victim here.’

‘Is that what you
think?’

‘Yes, I do.’

Loyal Corrinne.

‘And you mustn’t lose
touch,’ she continued. ‘If there’s ever anything I can do… now or in the
future…’

Carlos knew her concern
was real and her offer sincere. It was unexpected and because of that all the
more touching. ‘
Graçias
, I won’t forget.’

‘Now what about your
things?’ her voice was business-like once again. ‘Send me a list for the office
and I’ll prepare everything today. We’ll have another virtual meeting later to
sort out any queries. What time’s good for you?’

‘I leave here at four.’

‘Let’s say 7:30 this
evening my time, that’s 2:30 for you. And if there’s anything you can’t take
tomorrow, I’ll airfreight it later. Will you be able to contact me? Once you’re
in hospital?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘At least I’ll know
where you are.’

‘
Sí
. And…
Corrinne… thank you, thanks for everything.’

***

The phone in Carlos’s room rang. It was Mary telling him that Drew was on his
way up. Before he could protest she’d hung up.

A few minutes later he
heard a rap. Carlos had no intention of letting Drew in, but the knocking grew
intense and then unbearable. He flung open the door. He was livid and Drew was
taken aback by the hostile expression on his face. He looked so haggard it was
pitiful. Drew took a stride forward to give him a hug.

‘Mate. I’m sorry. I’m
so, so sorry.’

Carlos stood there arms
stiff at his sides. Then slowly his fingers curled up to make fists and he
broke out of Drew’s clutches, arms flailing. He barged Drew out of the door
making him trip over the rug in the hallway and his shoulder hit the wall with
a thump as it broke his fall.

Drew steadied himself.
‘Charlie boy, please…’

‘You… you
bastard
.’

‘I wanted to wish you
a…’

‘What? A happy time in
hospital? You fucked my wife, you fucked our friendship and you fucked me. Now
go fuck yourself before I kill you.’

***

Mary helped Drew on with his coat. ‘You weren’t up there long. How is he?’

Drew struggled to put
his arm in the sleeve. His shoulder was stiff where he’d fallen against the
wall. ‘Not good. He looks like a broken man.’

‘He hardly talks any
more. He’s very down.’

‘Any further down, he’d
be dead and buried.’

Mary shook her head.
‘All that waiting didn’t help. Too much time hanging about with nothing to do
but think. We tried to amuse him but all he wants is to be left alone. He just
sits in his armchair all day with his headphones on staring out of the window.’

‘Is he on medication?’
Drew asked.

‘No,’ Mary passed Drew
his gloves, ‘perhaps it would be better if he was.’

***

‘Hi. Where are you?’

‘I arrived in Europe
this morning.’

‘Listen. I just got back
from the house. He wouldn’t see me, wouldn’t even talk to me. But here’s the
good news. Our friend with the ex-boyfriend troubles called. She just met his
secretary who talked to the boss and they’re flying him in by private jet
tomorrow morning.’

‘To the office?’

‘Yes.’

‘That
is
good
news.’

‘The boss will meet him
there tomorrow afternoon.’

‘If it’s a private jet,
they’ll fly out of the military base. I know someone there. Perhaps I can get
the flight plan confirmed.’

‘You don’t leave
anything to chance, do you?’

‘What else?’

‘Our friend will take
the magazines to the office tomorrow and try to get in to see him. I doubt
they’ll let her, but it’s worth a go.’

‘How committed do you
think the big boss is to our cause?’

‘He’s the one that got
them to bring him to the office. I’d say we can rely on him.’

‘Our friend –
being on the spot like that – she could be a big help.’

‘Have you got a plan?’

‘After what you just
told me, I think I have.’

‘Question. Why are you
doing this?’

‘It’s hard to turn your
back on old friends when they’re down. I’m shocked at what he’s got himself
into and I want to put a stop to it before it gets worse.’

‘Well I’m bloody
grateful you’re around to help. Let’s hope we can get him where he needs to
be.’

‘Don’t worry. We will.’

***

Carlos was picking at his lunch when she walked into the dining room. He heard
the door open and looked up expecting Mary. But it wasn’t Mary. It was the
Barbie Doll.

‘Hiya, Carlos. How are
you doing today?’

Her up-beat tone pumped
up his adrenaline level.

‘How do you think,’ he
said, dropping his knife and fork with a clatter and shoving his half empty
plate to the centre of the table.

Barbara’s mouth formed a
silent circle as she sat down opposite him. ‘I thought you’d be excited. Going
back to Madrid and all.’

Carlos grunted, stealing
a glance as she leaned across and poured herself coffee from the cafetière.
With her stiff lacquered hair, perfectly painted face and acrylic talons, all contained
within a barricade of throaty perfume, Carlos couldn’t imagine any man ever
wanting to get near her. As far as sensuality went, Corrinne had her beat hands
down, although in the grooming stakes Barbara made her look like a bag lady on
a bad day.

‘I popped in for a
couple of reasons. Firstly, I wanted to wish you good luck,’ her voice rose as
if she was asking a question and Carlos raised his eyes to the ceiling.

‘Carlos, I
mean
it,’ her bracelets jingled, sliding up her arm as she lifted the cup to her
lips. ‘I hope the doctors in Madrid can help you.’

‘There’s nothing wrong
with me.’

‘I do believe that’s
what you think.’

He stared at her as if
an unpleasant smell was wafting over the table.

‘The car will leave here
at 4:10 prompt. You’ll go to the White House helipad where you’ll take a
chopper to Andrews Air Force Base.’

‘You mean you’re not
coming with me?’ Carlos asked.

‘I wish I could. I would
have loved to do some sightseeing and take in a concert or two,’ she said
smiling, ignoring his sarcasm. ‘You’ll land in Vienna at 8:30 local time
tomorrow morning. Greg Howard also flies in tomorrow. He’s flying into Europe a
day early to see you.’

‘Fantastic!’

‘And he thought you’d be
pleased.’

‘Pleased? Why? He sold
me out to you people.’

Barbara sighed. ‘He
believes you need closure.’

‘Now everyone’s trying
to shrink me. He feels guilty, that’s all. He wants to make himself feel better
by telling me goodbye. He doesn’t care about me.’

‘How about your Admin
Assistant? Corrinne isn’t it?’ At Carlos’s silence she tapped her nails on the
tablecloth. ‘Surely you’ll want to see her? She’s worked for you how many
years?’

‘What do you care?’

‘You’re right, Carlos.
It doesn’t matter in the slightest to me who you say goodbye to and who you
don’t, but if I were sitting on your side of the table right now, I would
care.’

Carlos stared at her
coffee cup. Her lipstick had left a crimson semi-circle on the white china. It
looked like blood.

She tried a different
tack. ‘Are you feeling any better?’

‘How, for Christ’s sake,
do you think I’m feeling?’ he snarled.

‘Is there anything you
want to tell me? Anything you want to share? Any new… visitations?’

Carlos folded his arms
across his chest and stared at her, his expression as inviting as a brick wall.

‘The reason I’m asking
is because I’ll call Dr Sopalana again tomorrow. To confirm when you’ll arrive.
It would be useful to give her an update on how you are.’

‘Hey, that won’t take
long if you have your way, will it? One word will do. Crazy!’

‘Carlos, I’m really not
your enemy. I’m trying to help you.’

‘Oh like I believe…’

Barbara held up her hand
to silence him. ‘What we’re doing… it’s for the best… it’s best for you.’

He flung his arms in the
air and glared at her, pure hatred streaming from his eyes. ‘It doesn’t look
like that – from
my
side of the table – Barbara,’ he said
parodying her words, ‘and for your information, I don’t need your kind of
help.’

She dropped her gaze but
still didn’t give up. ‘That’s the problem, Carlos, you think you don’t, but you
do.’ She tried again. ‘Look, I really don’t care whether you cooperate or not.
But a word of advice? Cooperate with the doctors. Tell them everything. It will
go better for you if you do.’

‘I’m sick of your
threats.’

She leaned back in her
chair and shook her head without displacing a single hair. ‘It’s not a threat,
Carlos. Just the way it is. Listen to me. For your own good.’

‘Why?’ Carlos jumped up
and jabbed his finger at her. ‘You’ve lost me my home, my job and my freedom.
Why would I listen to you? Now get out of my face.’

Barbara studied the oily
film on the surface of her coffee, watching it congeal on the inside of the
cup. Then she lifted her wrist, checked her big gold watch and stood up. ‘I
need to get going,’ she said, ‘it’s gone one thirty.’

CHAPTER 16

Five minutes after Barbara left Carlos was still fuming. He poured a cup of
coffee hoping it would calm him. But when he took a sip it was cold and that
made him even angrier. He clinked the cup back onto the saucer and stalked up
to his room to pack. Since he’d brought hardly anything with him from Vienna,
it took no time at all and he found himself with a couple of hours to kill
before leaving.

Normally he’d have used
the time to surf the net for the latest headlines, especially if he’d been
deprived of communications for a few hours let alone a few days, but since
being incarcerated in the safe house he’d become increasingly indifferent to
what was going on in the world outside. It was nearly too much effort to check
the weather forecast.