The Prisoner of Heaven (The Cemetery of Forgotten 3)

Salgado offered him his one remaining hand. Fermín stared at it for a few moments before shaking it reluctantly.

14

Fermín had to wait for the traditional Sunday lecture after mass and the brief period in the yard to go over to Martín and confide in him what Salgado had asked him to do.

‘It won’t interfere with the plan,’ Martín assured him. ‘Do what he’s asking you to do. We can’t risk a tip-off at this point.’

Fermín, who for days had been hovering between feelings of nausea and a racing heart, dried the cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

‘Martín, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but if this plan you’re preparing is so good, why don’t you use it to get out of here yourself?’

Martín nodded, as if he’d been expecting that question for days.

‘Because I deserve to be here, and even if I didn’t, there’s nowhere left for me outside these walls. I have nowhere to go.’

‘You have Isabella …’

‘Isabella is married to a man who is ten times better than me. All I would achieve by getting out of here would be to make her miserable.’

‘But she’s doing everything possible to get you out …’

Martín shook his head.

‘You must promise me one thing, Fermín. It’s all I’m going to ask you to do in exchange for helping you escape.’

This is the month for requests, thought Fermín, nodding readily.

‘Whatever you say.’

‘If you manage to leave this place I want you, if you can, to take care of her. From a distance, without her knowing, without her even knowing you exist. I want you to take care of her and of her son, Daniel. Will you do that for me, Fermín?’

‘Of course.’

Martín smiled sadly.

‘You’re a good man, Fermín.’

‘That’s the second time you’ve told me, and every time it sounds worse to me.’

Martín pulled out one of his stinking cigarettes and lit it.

‘We don’t have much time. Brians, the lawyer Isabella hired to act on my case, was here yesterday. I made the mistake of telling him what Valls wants me to do.’

‘The business about rewriting that garbage of his …’

‘Exactly. I asked him not to say anything to Isabella, but I know him, and sooner or later he will, and Isabella, whom I know even better, will fly into a rage and come here to threaten Valls with broadcasting his secret from the rooftops.’

‘Can’t you stop her?’

‘Trying to stop Isabella is like trying to stop a cargo train: a fool’s errand.’

‘The more you talk about her the more I’d like to meet her. I like women with spirit …’

‘Fermín, let me remind you of your promise.’

Fermín put his hand on his heart and nodded solemnly. Martín continued.

‘As I was saying, when this happens, Valls might do something stupid. He’s driven by vanity, envy and greed. When he feels he’s been cornered he’ll make a false move. I don’t know what, but I’m sure he’ll try to do something. It’s important that by then you’re already out of here.’