Each day we returned to the hotel in time for a light lunch. Then Val joined me in my room. From time to time I caught a brief glimpse of Vidal as he hurried into or out of the elevator. He gave me the impression of a man trying to cram thirty-six hours into twenty-four hours and just succeeding.
I had the evening to myself. Val and Vidal with business associates did the night club rounds: a chore, Val told me that drove her nearly crazy with boredom. During the evenings, after a solitary dinner, I took long walks around the city. I was free to think over Val’s proposed plan. Providing Vidal agreed, it seemed to me to be a solution, although not a lasting nor entirely satisfactory one. But after some thought, I decided it was certainly better than nothing. As Val seemed sure that we ran no risk of detection, I was prepared to be convinced too. I wondered what Massingham would say when I told him I was leaving the firm to work for Vidal. Would he think it unethical? Could he make difficulties for me? Val had said she would persuade Vidal to give me a three year contract. If she succeeded, then I needn’t worry about Massingham’s reaction. How would Rhoda react? I would have to compensate her by giving her extra money for her lunches and buy her a small car so she could get to and fro now she wouldn’t have me to drive her. I doubted if she would give a damn one way or the other.
Val had warned me that I must have patience.
‘I have to catch him in the right mood and when he is less busy,’ she said, as we lay on the bed together. ‘I’ll watch for my chance as soon as we get back.’
Although I thought often of her claim to be possessed by Vidal, I didn’t broach the subject with her again. She seemed willing to accept my disbelief and I dismissed the spirits and the devils as an hysterical phase that was, I hoped, now in the past.
Then something happened that made me wonder if, perhaps, she hadn’t been exaggerating.
On our last afternoon at the hotel, we had made love and were lying side by side on the bed in my room. Val’s hand rested lightly on my arm. I was completely relaxed and drowsy. Every now and then the thought that tomorrow we would be leaving San Salvador kept edging into my mind. The past days had a dream-like quality. Although San Salvador had been disappointing as a city, it would still remain a shrine to me of the four most wonderful days in my life. Tomorrow I would be back to face Rhoda’s careless sluttishness. I wondered in what mess I would find the apartment. The cleaning woman didn’t come in on Saturdays or Sundays. It was my job to keep the place reasonably decent over the weekends. I was fully expecting to return to chaos, but I was too relaxed and happy to give this more than a moment’s thought.
Then suddenly without warning, Val’s fingers gripped my arm so violently, her nails cutting into my flesh, that I gave an involuntary cry.
‘Val! What is it?’
I jerked my arm free and stared at her.
There was an expression of terror in her eyes that frightened me. She had turned pale, her lips were trembling and I could see she was shivering.
‘Val!’
She scrambled off the bed, and with desperate haste, began pulling on her stretch pants.
‘He’s here!’ she gasped. ‘He’s come back! I always know! I get this awful pain when he is near!’ She dragged her shirt over her head, thrust her feet into her sandals, then ran over to the mirror.
‘He can’t be here!’ I said, but her panic was infectious. I too began to throw on my clothes. ‘It’s not four o’clock. Rivera told me he wouldn’t be back until eight.’
‘He’s here!’ She dragged my comb through her hair, then paused, bending double, her hands pressed to her sides. ‘God! It hurts!’
I was dressed now.
‘Stop being hysterical!’ I exclaimed, angry that she was frightening me. ‘He can’t be here! Sit down! You have a cramp!’
‘He’s here I tell you!’ She moaned, pressing her sides. ‘Go down! Stall him until I get to my room. Quick!’
The panic in her voice flustered me. With by heart thumping, I left the room, ran to the elevator and pressed the call button. As I stood waiting, I told myself she was dramatising a situation that didn’t exist. Rivera had told me that Vidal had gone to Santa Rosa de Lima to visit the owner of a sugar plantation. Rivera had been gloomy. ‘It is a very long, hot drive, Señor Burden,’ he had said. ‘Poor Jose He will miss his siesta. He won’t be back before eight.’
As the elevator door swished open and I moved into the lobby, I saw Henry Vidal. He was standing by the reception desk, collecting a thick packet of mail.
The sight of him gave me such a jolt, I stood rooted, a cold sick sensation developing in the pit of my stomach.
As if sensing my presence, he turned abruptly. Then he came towards me, his short, thick legs taking bouncing strides.
‘How is the sightseeing?’ he demanded in his squeaky voice. His hard little eyes searched my face. ‘Nothing much I am sure. Well, she had to come. I warned her. Women are obstinate. No sightseeing this afternoon? Too hot for her, I suppose. She wilts in the heat. It’s never too hot for me. I thrive on it. She is in her room, resting, of course, when she should be exercising in the pool. She hasn’t enough to do.’ He began to flick through the envelopes. I tried to think of something to say, but my mind was a panic-stricken blank. ‘We leave tomorrow.’ His little eyes lifted to my face, then back to the envelopes. ‘We will be down here at 07.45. Handle everything, Mr. Burden. Tips... baggage... I don’t have to tell you.’ He looked up. ‘Accept two hundred dollars for your service. My wife tells me you have been most helpful. Thank you,’ and moving around me, he entered the elevator and was whisked out of sight.
Val would be back in the suite by now. Would she give herself away? I thought not. It had been a narrow escape... too narrow.
There were a few people around the pool. A number of small children splashed and yelled. I went down the steps and into the sunshine and walking as far from the pool as I could get. I sat down under a sun umbrella.
My mind was crawling with alarm. How had Val known Vidal had returned? Could she be psychic? I recalled how her face had been contorted with pain as she had pressed her hands to her body. I get this awful pain when he is near. I had read about mediums and spirit sessions in the newspapers but I had dismissed these odd people either as fakes or cranks. I was sure Val wasn’t a crank.
Possessed?
When at school I had studied the Bible. Now I remember reading of people being possessed of the devil. Val had said Vidal was a devil.
I recalled what she had said: Evil spirits do try to possess people. He is evil! He is a devil!
I now wanted to question her and to listen, without scoffing, to her answers. But I would have no opportunity to talk to her until we returned to Paradise City. Then another thought occurred to me: a thought that turned my mouth dry.
Was Vidal suspicious of her and of me?
I got up and walked around the back of the hotel to where the waiting taxis were parked. There was just a chance that Jose, Vidal’s driver, was still hanging around, but, of course, he wasn’t. As I was re-entering the hotel, I spotted Rivera lounging in the shade, talking to one of the hotel porters. I moved towards him and he seeing me approaching, got to his feet and joined me.
‘The last day here, Señor Burden. Very sad for me. The Señora perhaps would like a nice drive when it is cooler?’
‘I don’t think so.’ I was surprised he made the offer until I remembered he was thinking of his tip. ‘Mr. Vidal returned unexpectedly. I doubt if she will be going out.’