“I’ll watch to make certain you make it.” Alejandro walked over to the rail, and Gian Carlo swiftly appeared by the gangplank below and waved. Alejandro untied his towel and picked up a sandwich. “He looked so damn good in an officer’s uniform, but he’s not very bright, is he?”
Gian Carlo’s question about her taking over Jaime’s photography jobs was so damn obvious, but she’d not seen it coming and wouldn’t comment on his intelligence. “He’s paid for how he looks, so let’s leave it at that.”
“All right. You haven’t eaten anything. There must be something on the tray that appeals to you.”
The sliced chicken sandwiches had crisp lettuce and thick slices of tomato. She picked up one and wrapped it in a napkin. “I’ve completely lost my appetite. I’ll take this home. The cookies look good too.” She filled another napkin with some.
“What about some grapes?”
He was teasing her, but she couldn’t appreciate his humor. “This is fine. I’m really worried, Alejandro. When people are in trouble in the movies, they always get out of town. Maybe I ought to be on board the Goddess when she sails.”
He rested his hands lightly on her shoulders and spoke in a soothing tone, “You’re a model who takes photos in her spare time. You can’t be the only one with a camera, and owning one shouldn’t be considered suspicious.”
“It shouldn’t, but I doubt Robles and Mesa are reasonable enough to grasp the fact. I don’t want to make you late. Better go and shower.”
“I won’t be a minute. Come to my place tonight. I’ll provide the dinner this time and show you the loft.”
Her mood was already so dark she didn’t need to stay home and brood with the kittens. She managed a faint smile. “Thank you. I’ll be there.”
They’d left her condo early, and when Alejandro brought her home, she was relieved the paparazzi weren’t camped nearby. Maybe they’d met their quotas for the day when they’d photographed her fleeing the police station. “Hi, Henry. I hope you’re having a quiet day.”
“Thank you. It’s too quiet, but I always have a book handy, Miss Santillan.”
She went on upstairs, greeted Fatima and the kittens, put the sandwich and cookies in the refrigerator and went on into her room and lay down across the bed. Sleep was underrated in her view, and she always found a nap helped no matter what the problem, but today she couldn’t quiet her mind. She soon g
ave up the attempt to rest, put on a leotard and went into her studio to dance. Ballet required intention in every step and gesture, and she was grateful for the distraction as well as the exercise.
Once finished, she knotted the ties of a flowing dance skirt at her waist and entered the kitchen, looking for the sandwich she’d brought home. She saved the chicken for the kittens and ate the lettuce-and-tomato sandwich leaning against the counter while Fatima rearranged the cupboard holding the pots and pans. Romeo ran into the kitchen and right out.
“Are the kittens getting in your way, Fatima?”
“They see me coming and hide.” The nested pans straightened to her ideal, she stood and brushed her hands. “You still look tired, Ana. Maybe you should tell Alejandro you need a night for yourself.”
Ana opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of stuffed olives. She ate three before responding. “This is a really good sandwich. We went on board the Mediterranean Goddess this morning. Have you ever been on a cruise?”
“In other words, I should mind my business. Bruno’s taken me out in a fishing boat, which isn’t comparable, but that’s enough ocean for me. I made the lemon cookies you like so much. If there’s nothing else for today, I’ll go upstairs and look in on Mrs. Diaz. She needs a little company now and then.”
“That’s very kind of you. Take her some cookies and tell her I said hello.” Fatima looked in on several of the elderly condo residents who lived alone. “I ought to have a tea in the afternoon and invite Mrs. Diaz and whoever else would like to come.”
“When you have time,” Fatima suggested and said good-bye.
Ana hadn’t heard anything more from Paul Perez, but if she lost other jobs, she’d have plenty of time to entertain her neighbors.
Alejandro found a vegetarian restaurant and ordered their vegetable stew and several salads for their dinner. He drew new placemats and wished he had a real dinner table he could set more formally, but he bought a bouquet of mixed flowers and hoped that would do. In jeans with a dress shirt, he was comfortable and ready, but when Ana didn’t arrive by the time he expected her, he feared she’d run into trouble.
A call to her cell went to voice mail. He tried again in ten minutes with the same result. Certain something had to be wrong, he drove to her building, and the night security guard came out from behind the counter to speak with him.
“The police came for Miss Santillan about an hour ago.” He checked the sign-in sheet. “An hour and fifteen minutes ago. They were very rude.”
“Did they arrest her?”
“No, but they insisted I not alert her before they went up to her condo, and they brought her down with them a few minutes later. She was dressed as though she planned to go out, but they didn’t give her a chance to leave a message.”
“Thank you.” Alejandro strode out to his SUV and drove straight to the police station they’d visited that morning. He’d pay Ana’s bail if she’d been arrested, but he feared she’d be stuck in a cold cell all night. She didn’t deserve to be treated so badly. While he hadn’t been waiting for a chance to rescue her, he was glad he had the wherewithal to do it.
Chapter Nine
Detective Robles and Mesa escorted Ana into the rear entrance of the police station rather than enter through the front doors as they had that morning. She doubted they had any desire to protect her from bad publicity, however. She wished they’d given her time to call Alejandro and hoped he’d know she wouldn’t stand him up. After the morning they’d had there at the station, maybe he’d be relieved if she didn’t show. Elena Covarrubias wouldn’t appreciate being called out at night, which added another unfortunate layer to her situation.