Part 18 (2/2)

'We are trying to trace a man who went missing in May of this year, Dr Lizancos. We have received a report that he was seen going into Pa.s.seig de Gracia 83 on the morning of the fourteenth of May, so we're talking to the people who work in that building.'

'Ah.' The lizard head nodded with understanding. 'But as you see, I am now retired. I very rarely go to the consulting rooms.' The slit of his mouth stretched a little in a smile. 'But how curious. They send two lady policemen from London. This missing person is not dangerous?' He gave a dry cackle.

Neither woman smiled back. Kathy said, 'Is it possible you were at Pa.s.seig de Gracia 83 on the fourteenth of May, doctor?'

'I don't think so.'

'Could you check your diary?'

'I no longer have need of a diary,' he replied, the smile gone.

'Do you know a Barcelona family by the name of Verges, by any chance?'

'I can't recall anyone of that name.'

Kathy handed him the photograph of Charles Verge.

'Have you ever seen this man?'

He studied it for quite a long time, then handed it back.

'I'm afraid not.'

'You must have an address book . . .' Kathy began, but he snapped across her sentence.

'If such a book existed, I should not consider showing it to the police without official authorisation at the highest level. Perhaps I will telephone Captain Alvarez.'

Kathy realised that he had sensed that this was the way to get rid of them. 'I don't think we need to bother you further, doctor,' she said reluctantly, and they all got to their feet.

Linda suddenly gushed, 'This is just an amazing house.'

The old man eyed her. 'Do you know anything of Catalan Modernismo?' he asked in a superior tone.

'Very little,' Linda replied, and Kathy thought, but I'm sure we're about to learn.

'Did you notice the Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau near here? Yes? This is by the same architect, Domenech i Montaner-in my opinion the greatest Catalan architect after Antoni Gaudi. It was designed as the house for the hospital superintendent.'

If Charles Verge had ever met this man, Kathy wondered what they would have made of each other's architectural tastes, for it was difficult to imagine anything less like the spare van der Rohe pavilion Verge had so admired.

'Well, it is remarkable.' Their eyes had become accustomed to the light and they could make out a ma.s.sive stone fireplace at the end of the room and another extravagant fountain in the courtyard outside like the one in the front garden.

Lizancos gave a rasping chuckle. 'You won't see this in London, eh?'

'Oh, goodness no! And did you work at the hospital, doctor?' Linda beamed him a big, warm smile.

'I worked in many hospitals, and I had a private clinic.

Ah, I see what you mean-the superintendent's house. No, it was sold by the Sant Pau many years before I bought it.

It's too big for me now, of course. I should sell and go live in a little apartment.'

No, Kathy thought, you belong together, you and the house and Maria.

'That would be a shame,' Linda said, oozing s.e.xy charm. 'You must have been a wonderful surgeon. The CGP have told us about your brilliant work with their men.

Don't you miss it?'

'I'm too old.' He held up a hand to show them the tremor.

'Oh, I don't believe that.'

The lizard couldn't altogether resist the warmth of that lovely smile. Despite himself, Kathy could see, he wanted to stretch out and bask in it. 'Ah well, hacer de la necesidad virtud. You know that saying?'

'Make a virtue of necessity.'

'Your Spanish is good.'

'I know one too. La mujer y el vidrio siempre estan en peligro.'

'Ah!' Lizancos' face creased in a leer. Linda giggled and spun round, knocking a gla.s.s figurine from the table at her elbow. As it spun towards the edge of the table Lizancos' hand flashed forward and caught it cleanly.

'Oh! I'm so sorry.'

Lizancos scowled with irritation, the spell broken.

'Maria will see you out,' he snapped, replacing the ornament carefully on the table.

'You did that deliberately,' Kathy said, when they were back in the taxi, heading for the city centre again.

'Yeah, I wanted to test his reactions. I didn't go for that shaky hand c.r.a.p.'

'You thought he was faking it, too? I noticed the trembling stopped when I mentioned the Verges.'

'Yeah, and when he held Verge's picture his hand was steady as a rock.'

'What did you say to him just before you knocked the figurine?'

'A woman and gla.s.s are always in danger. It's a saying.

Lapped it up, didn't he? So, what do we do now?'

'I'd like to check out the private clinic that he mentioned. See if he really has retired.'

'You think he may have done a nose job on Charles Verge?' Linda asked.

'It's a possibility. I didn't like the way he answered my questions. Do you think he really doesn't keep a diary?'

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