‘How long had you been seeing Sra Jimenez?’
‘A year or so,’ he said. ‘That was the first time I’d been back to the Edificio Presidente since we met … Such is my luck.’
‘And Marciano Ruiz?’
‘You’re as curious as the Inspector, aren’t you?’ he said. ‘I’m easily bored, Don Javier. Marciano and I see each other when my ennui peaks.’
Perez came in, told Falcon which room the prostitute was in and took over.
The girl was sitting at a table smoking while she stacked and unstacked two packs of Fortuna. Her hair was cropped unevenly on her head as if she’d done the job herself without a mirror. She stared at the dead TV screen straight ahead of her, blue eyeshadow, pink mouth. A blonde wig hung off the back of an unused chair. She wore a tartan miniskirt, a white blouse and black boots. She was tiny and still looked of school age, but the depravity she’d seen on her extended truant was worn into her dark brown eyes.
Ramirez turned on the tape, introduced her as Eloisa Gomez and announced himself and Falcon.
‘Do you know why you’re here?’ asked Falcon.
‘Not yet. They said it was a few questions, but I know you guys. I’ve been here before … I know your games.’
‘We’re different to the usual guys,’ said Ramirez.
‘That’s right,’ she said, ‘you are. Who are you?’
Falcon shook his head a fraction at Ramirez.
‘You were with a client last night …’ said Falcon.
‘I was with lots of clients last night. It’s Semana Santa,’ she said. ‘It’s our busiest time of the year.’
‘Busier than the Feria?’ asked Ramirez, mildly surprised.
‘Without a doubt,’ she said, ‘especially the last few days when everybody comes from out of town.’
‘One of your clients was Raul Jimenez. You went to see him last night in his apartment in the Edificio Presidente.’
‘I knew him as Rafael. Don Rafael.’
‘You’d met him before?’
‘He’s a regular.’
‘In his apartment?’
‘Last night was maybe the third or fourth time in his apartment. Normally it’s the back of his car.’
‘So how did it work this time?’ asked Ramirez.
‘He called the mobile. My group of girls bought three mobiles last year.’
‘What time?’
‘I didn’t take the call. I was with someone else … but it must have been midnight. The first time.’
‘The first time?’
‘He only wanted to speak to me, so he called again around twelve-fifteen. He asked me to come to his apartment. I told him I was making a lot of money on the plaza and he asked me how much I wanted. I told him one hundred thousand.’
Ramirez roared with laughter.
‘That’s Semana Santa for you,’ he said. ‘The prices are ridiculous.’
The girl laughed too, relaxed a notch.
‘Don’t tell me he paid that,’ said Ramirez.
‘We settled on fifty.’
‘How did you get there?’ asked Falcon, trying to settle it down again.
‘Taxi,’ she said, lighting up a Fortuna.
‘What time did it drop you off?’
‘Just after half past twelve.’
‘Anybody around?’
‘Not that I saw.’
‘What about in the building?’
‘I didn’t even see the conserje, which I was glad about. There was no one in the lift or on the landing and he let me in before I rang the bell, as if he’d been watching me through the spy hole.’
‘You didn’t hear him unlock the door?’
‘He just opened it.’
