“Fortunately for us, whoever removed the items neglected a box of silver milagros, which was packed separately from the other things. I’ve left it down there until the police can take a look. As a precaution, I’ve locked the cellar door.” I took the large iron key from my pocket and held it up. “I thought I should let you know why the cellar is off limits until further notice.”‘ Then I turned to Maria. “Can I have the key to your desk?”
“Yes, but-”
“I want to lock this key in there. It’s cumbersome. Yours will be easier to put on my key ring.”
“Oh.” She dug in her purse and gave me a smaller key. The lock was one of those flimsy ones that could easily be opened with a credit card or nail file. In front of all the witnesses, I locked the cellar key in the desk drawer and pocketed the other one.
“Now,” I said, “let’s get on with our party.”
Everyone began filing out, and I went into my office. I slipped Maria’s key on the ring with my others and put the ring in the deep pocket of my dress. Everything was ready now; the trap was set, and I had only to explain it to Kirk when he showed up at the opening. It was time I got on with my duties as acting director.
I turned to see Tony standing in the door. “Elena, may we speak a moment?”
“Sure, Tony.”‘ I motioned for him to come in. He slouched into the room and stood, looking uncertain, in the middle of the Peruvian rug.
“Elena, those things in the cellar-why must you show them to the police?”
“Why? Don’t you think I should?”
“I did not say that. I do not even know why they are there.”
“Don’t you, Tony?”
“How could I know? I was not in the cellar.”
“Weren’t you?”
He rubbed a slender hand over his forehead. “Elena, you are giving me questions for my questions.”
“Yes, I am. What exactly is it you want, Tony?”
“I want to know about those things you found in the cellar.”
“They’re not in the cellar anymore. Someone took them.”‘
“What were they?”
“You know what they were, Tony.”
He clenched his fists. “I do not know.”
“Tony, the police are going to ask to see your passport.”
“My… what is my passport having to do with it?”
“It is ‘having to do’ a great deal. There are stamps in it, all sorts of little colorful stamps with dates on them. They’re proof of all those trips to South America.”
“Trips?” He tried to look innocent, but only succeeded in looking trapped.
“Trips. You might have been able to cover up buying the airline tickets-if you people hadn’t been so stupid as to use the museum’s travel agent and checkbook-but you can’t hide the proof in your passport. I guess you might rush home and destroy it and claim it’s been lost. But customs, both here and in South America, also keeps records.”
Tony’s face was ashen.
“You see, I know about it, Tony. All of it. I’ve only been waiting until after the opening to take it to the board-and the police.”
“Elena, why are you doing this? The museum… the scandal…”
“The museum will survive the scandal. I’ll see to that.”
“But where is your loyalty?”
“Loyalty? You talk to me of loyalty? Where was yours when you entered into this scheme?”
“Frank said it would not hurt.”
“Frank said a great many untrue things in his lifetime.”
“Elena, the dead… he is not even buried yet.”
“That doesn’t change the facts.”
“Elena, you must not do this!” He took a step forward, and lifted his arms as if to put his hands on my shoulders. Suddenly I was frightened. In my anger, I had set up a potentially volatile situation. I should never have spoken to Tony at all. He might be the killer. He might take his incriminating passport and run. He might never be apprehended.
I reached up and took his hands, almost recoiling at their touch. They were icy and trembling. “Okay, Tony, calm down.”
“But you must not do this!” His voice rose.
“Hush! Don’t yell.”
“Think, if not of me, of Susana. Think of what will happen to her. Deportation. Disgrace…”
“All right, Tony. I tell you what. We’ll talk about it after the party.”
A slight gleam of hope came into his eyes. Was it an act?
“You will think again about this? For the good of the museum? And Susana?”
“I’ll think about nothing else during the party. But, Tony, you have to do your part.”
“My part?”
“You must bartend as planned and say nothing of this to anyone-even Susana. For the good of the museum.” I released his hands, and his arms went limp at his sides.
“Elena, you will not regret this.”
If this wasn’t an act, I felt sorry for Tony-victimized by a greedy young wife who probably withheld her affection if he didn’t provide all the pretty things she desired. Used by Frank in his profit-making scheme and at the same time abused and ridiculed in front of others. And now he seemed to believe I would change my mind about revealing the embezzlements because he had pleaded for the sake of Susana.
I began to see the embezzling scheme more clearly. It was like a giant board game, with Frank pushing around the static figures of Vic, Tony, his stupid brother Robert, and his mistress, Gloria. All of them had done as Frank wished, and all of them had been caught.
Well, hadn’t Frank been caught, too? Caught in the most final way?
fifteen
El Cinco de Mayo. The day of the victory over the French at Puebla. Back then in 1862, my forebears had triumphed against overwhelming odds. With luck, I would do the same tonight.
I stood near the arch to the central courtyard, surveying the scene. It was only seven o’clock, but the museum was already jammed. At fifty dollars a head, this crowd would fill our coffers. Funny-a week ago the thought would have excited me. I would have been scheming how to keep Frank’s hands off the money long enough for me to acquire some really good landscape paintings, build up our reform period collection. But now, my plan for tonight was much more vital, my freedom probably dependent on its result.
Which one of my friends and colleagues was the killer? Which one of these people-whom, by and large, I liked-was I going to trap and deliver into the hands of the police? I felt nervous, excited, and a little ill. I wished it was all over.
I glanced at the door, where Maria and Jesse sat at a table, accepting tickets and handing out corpinos, red carnations with red, green, and white ribbons. Maria wore her hair swept up on her head, and her lips and fingernails were as bright as the flowers. In between arrivals she would turn to Jesse and whisper behind one hand, her dark eyes flashing. He grew merry, then serious, then merry in turn, and he whispered back. The diamond ring glittered on Maria’s finger.
Life had altered radically for Maria and Jesse. No more Tio Taco, no more rotund Robert, no more threats of not exhibiting the camaleones. Maria and Jesse stood to have a happy life together-if one of them hadn’t killed Frank. I watched them, eyes narrowed, for a moment, then went into the courtyard.
The buffet table had been set up along the left side. Already it was surrounded by gaily dressed people reaching for quesadillas and taquitos, jicama and guacamole. As I approached, Vic emerged from the kitchen, carrying a platter of flour tortillas. Isabel followed, giving instructions on where to set it. She looked haggard, and there was a blossom of orange soda pop on her ruffled peasant blouse; the opening had taken its toll on her.