“That might have been because he wants to finish all his projects before retiring.”
“Retiring? Did he tell you he was retiring?”
“But he mustn’t,” he added frantically after I told him what Bécquer had said. “He shouldn’t make such a big decision right now. Bécquer loves being an agent and he’s good at it. Of course he’s upset now, but he won’t always feel that way. His clients would understand if he takes some time off. Losing the use of his legs and his career at the same time could be too much, even for someone as strong as he is.”
“Are you suggesting he may be thinking of killing himself?”
Richard remained silent for a moment as if considering my question. Then he shook his head. “No. Bécquer loves life too much for that. But he needs help to adapt to his new situation. He needs friends. Knowing he has decided to retire only makes my request more pressing.
“Please, Carla, promise me that you’ll check on him tomorrow and on the following days, as often as he will allow you to visit him. I don’t want him to be alone.”
I promised. Not only because he was right that Bécquer should not be alone, but also because I wanted to know the truth. Was Bécquer really human? And if he was, who had changed him and why? The only explanation I could think of was that the Elders had punished him for making Beatriz immortal. But if they had, where was Federico? And why hadn’t he told me?
Chapter Sixteen: The Consequence
After I dropped Richard at the station I called Madison to let her know I was coming home. The call was mainly for my own peace of mind, because, as usual, she didn’t seem to care whether I was in Princeton or being eaten by a shark, as long as I was back in time to chauffer her around. And right then, as she was grounded, she had no need for me.
I had just crossed the toll bridge over the Delaware and was back in Pennsylvania when my phone rang.
“Carla? Can you talk?” Federico’s voice broke through the speaker, his Spanish accent thicker than I remembered it.
“Bécquer is not answering his phone,” he continued, after I confirmed I was alone.
“Have you tried his cell?”
“Yes,” he said. Switching to Spanish, he rushed on, “Both his house and his cell. Have you seen him? Are you sure he can’t walk?”
I pulled to the shoulder because I didn’t trust myself to drive, and told him about our meeting, Bécquer’s confession that he was retiring, and Richard’s account of Bécquer’s accident and of his staying at the hospital.
“Hospital?” Federico interrupted me. “Bécquer was at the hospital?”
“He was unconscious when they found him. Rachel called an ambulance.”
“Don’t you see, Carla, if he is still immortal — ”
“ — they would have noticed he’s not human.”
“Exactly.”
“But he is immortal, isn’t he? He is still immortal.”
“I don’t know, Carla. Something is wrong.”
“You mean it’s possible for an immortal to become human again?”
“Sí,” Federico said after a slight hesitation. “Es posible. The Elders have the power to do so, and Bécquer did break the law by making Beatriz immortal, but even if they made him human, he shouldn’t be paralyzed. He was walking when I left him.”
“You knew the Elders could make him human and you left him alone? How could you? Why didn’t you wait until the Elders had passed their sentence?”
“I never thought they would apply such penalty given that it was Beatriz who stole his blood. Besides, why do you act so surprised that I left? You know I’m only allowed to be with Bécquer for a week and you were the one who told me I had to let him make his own mistakes, if I wanted him to stop acting like a child.”
Yes. I had said that. Maybe the fact that my children never followed my advice had pushed me to giving it too freely. If people were going to listen to me, I would have to be more careful, or more precise, when expressing my opinions.
“I didn’t mean it literally, Federico. I didn’t expect you to leave him when he was still in recovery.”
“He was doing much better when I left,” Federico insisted, “and he had Rachel to care for him. Obviously it wasn’t enough and now he’s in trouble. So, at the risk of eliciting his fury, I’m coming to check on him.”
“Do you want me to pick you up at the airport?”
“No. Matt will drive.”
So that’s why Matt was not with Bécquer anymore. I should have guessed they were together, for their mutual attraction had been evident last time I saw them, but somehow, the thought had not occurred to me.
“Matt — ” I stopped. Whether Matt and Federico were together was none of my business. “Where are you now, Federico?”
“Washington. Washington, D.C., which means we’ll be there later tonight, but until we arrive, could you please go back to Bécquer’s house, and stay with him?”
“I … I don’t think it’s a good idea. Bécquer chose not to tell me of his condition. I think he will hate to see me now.”
“I don’t care whether Bécquer hates it or not. I just don’t want him to be alone tonight.”
“David, his nurse, is with him,” I argued because I found the idea of intruding into Bécquer’s private life so late in the evening intimidating.
“A nurse? A nurse he could trick without even trying. You don’t know Bécquer as I do, Carla. It’s not like him to push a publisher to sign a book contract in such a hurry. That, and the fact that he’s retiring, troubles me.”
Federico sounded relieved when I told him I would stop at Bécquer’s on my way home. “I’ll take care of everything when I get there, I promise. But could you please contact me after you see him? Or better still, tell Bécquer to call me?”
I called Madison again after my talk with Federico, to let her know I might not come home until much later. When she didn’t pick up, I sent her a text message.
It was close to seven when I drove up the narrow driveway and into the expanse before the main entrance where I had parked in the afternoon. The Jeep was still there, which meant David was in the house. Or so I hoped, because, apart from the two lamps flanking the front door, the house stood in total darkness.
I turned off the engine and stepped outside. The bang of the door closing, the cracking of the gravel under my feet, the beep from my car lock, the snap of the doors locking, each and every sound came back eerily amplified against the black silence that surrounded me.
Somewhere along the way, the rain had stopped but the clouds still must have covered the sky, for I could not see a single star and the house loomed in front of me, an imposing shadow against the dark sky.
I hesitated as I reached the stairs. It was clear visitors were not expected at this time, or welcomed, and at the thought of facing Bécquer or, worse still, of having him refuse to see me, filled me with such dread, my whole body hurt with the urge to flee. But my promise to Federico bound me to at least try.
Forcing my legs to move, I climbed the steps to the porch and knocked. Nobody answered. I knocked again, slamming the iron knocker hard, then grabbed the knob and twisted it. To my surprise, it turned under my hand and the door opened.
I stood still, for a moment, straining my eyes to see. It was even darker inside, the only light being the one coming from the porch. No, not the only one, for, after a moment, I saw a faint glow to my right. Then, I heard a sound, the unexpected sound of someone cheering.
“Bécquer?” I called. When there was no answer, I crossed the hall into the great room, and then stopped.