'It means we're close,' she said, shrugging. 'I shouldn't have said it. It's police business. It slipped out because I was tired. I wasn't thinking properly.'
'Just tell me the name of the group,' said Fernando. 'They all have these crazy initials like MIEDO-Martires Islamicos Enfrentados a la Dominacion del Occidente.'
Islamic Martyrs facing up to Western Domination.
'You didn't listen.'
He frowned and replayed the dialogue.
'You mean they weren't terrorists?'
'They were terrorists, but not Islamic ones.'
Fernando shook his head in disbelief.
'I don't know how you can say that.'
Ferrera shrugged.
'I've read all the reports,' said Fernando. 'You found explosives in the back of their van, with the Koran and the Islamic sash and the black hood. They took the explosive into the mosque. The mosque exploded and…'
'That's all true.'
'Then I don't know what you're talking about.'
'That's why you've got to forget about it until it comes out in the news tomorrow.'
'Then why can't you tell me now?' he said. 'I'm not going anywhere.'
'Because suspects still have to be interrogated.'
'What suspects?'
'The people who are suspected of planning the bombing of the mosque.'
'You're just trying to confuse me now.'
'I'll tell you this if you promise me that that will be the end of it,' said Ferrera. 'I know it's important to you, but this is a police investigation and it's totally confidential information.'
'Tell me.'
'Promise me first.'
'I promise,' he said, waving it away with his hand.
'That sounds like a politician's promise.'
'That's what happens when you spend time with them. You learn too much, too quickly,' said Fernando.
'I promise you, Cristina.'
'There was another bomb that was planted in the mosque which, when it exploded, set off the very large quantity of hexogen which the Islamic terrorists were storing there. That's what destroyed your apartment building.'
'And you know who planted the bomb?'
'You promised me that that would be the end of it.'
'I know, but I just need to…I have to know.'
'That's what we're working on tonight.'
'You have to tell me who they are.'
'I can't. There's no discussion. It's not possible. If it came out, I'd lose my job.'
'They killed my wife and son.'
'And if they are responsible, they will face trial.'
Fernando opened up a pack of cigarettes.
'You'll have to go out on the balcony if you want to smoke.'
'Come and sit with me?'
'No more questions?'
'I promise. You're right. I can't do this to you.' Falcon and Ramirez were ringing the bell as Zarrias's taxi turned out of Calle Castelar. Eduardo Rivero opened the door, expecting it to be Angel coming back for the notebook he'd forgotten. He was surprised to find two stone-faced policemen in the frame, presenting their ID cards. His face momentarily lost all definition, as if the muscles had been deprived of their neural drive. Geniality revived them.
'What can I do for you, gentlemen?' he asked, his white moustache doubling the size and warmth of his smile.
'We'd like to talk to you,' said Falcon.
'It's very late,' said Rivero, looking at his watch.
'It can't wait,' said Ramirez.
Rivero looked away from him with faint disgust.
'Have we met?' he asked Falcon. 'You seem familiar.'
'I came to a party here once, some years ago,' said Falcon. 'My sister is Angel Zarrias's partner.'
'Ah, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…Javier Falcon. Of course,' said Rivero. 'Can I ask what you'd like to talk to me about at this time of the morning?'
'We're homicide detectives,' said Ramirez. 'We only ever talk to people at this hour of the morning about murder.'
'And you are?' said Rivero, his distaste even more undisguised.
'Inspector Ramirez,' he said. 'We've never met before, Sr Rivero. You'd have remembered it.'
'I can't think how I can help you.'
'We just want to ask some questions,' said Falcon.
'It shouldn't take too long.' That eased the tension in the doorway. Rivero could see himself in bed within the hour. He let the door fall back and the two policemen stepped in.
'We'll go up to my office,' said Rivero, trying to reel in Ramirez, who'd gone straight through the arch to the internal courtyard and was brushing his large intrusive fingers over the rough head of the low hedge.
'What's this called?' he asked.
'Box hedge,' said Rivero. 'From the family Buxaceae. They use it in England to make mazes. Shall we go upstairs?'
'It looks as if it's just been clipped,' said Ramirez. 'When did that happen?'
'Probably last weekend, Inspector Ramirez,' said Rivero, holding out his arm to herd him back into the fold. 'Let's go upstairs now, shall we?'
Ramirez snapped off a twig and twiddled it between thumb and forefinger. They went up to Rivero's office where he showed them chairs, before sinking into his own on the far side of the desk. He was irritated to find Ramirez examining the photographs on the wall: shots of Rivero, in politics and at play with the hierarchy of the Partido Popular, various members of the aristocracy, some bull breeders and a few local toreros.
'Are you looking for something, Inspector?' asked Rivero.
'You used to be the leader of Fuerza Andalucia until a few days ago,' said Ramirez. 'In fact, didn't you hand over the leadership on the morning of the explosion?'
'Well, it wasn't a sudden decision. It was something I'd been thinking about for a long time, but when something like that happens it opens up a new chapter in Seville politics, and it seemed to me that a new chapter needed new strength. Jesus Alarcon is the man to take the party forward. I think my decision has proved to be a very good one. We're polling more now than in the party's history.'
'I understood that you were very attached to the leadership,' said Ramirez, 'and that moves had been made before now to persuade you to hand over, but you'd refused. So what happened to make you think again?'
'I thought I'd just explained that.'
'Two senior members of your party left at the beginning of this year.'
'They had their reasons.'
'The newspapers reported that it was because they were fed up with your leadership.'
Silence. It always amazed Falcon how much Ramirez enjoyed making himself unpopular with 'important' people.
'I seem to remember that one of them even said that it would take a bomb to get you to give up the leadership and, I quote: 'That would have the satisfying side effect of removing Don Eduardo from politics as well.' That doesn't sound as if you were actively thinking about giving up your position, Sr Rivero.'
'The person who said that was expecting the leadership to be conferred on him. I didn't think he was a suitable