Midnight in Madrid (37 page)

S
he walked back to the hotel.

It was evening now and a warm evening gripped Madrid.

In a way, she felt suddenly very alone, that strange kind of loneliness that one can only feel in a large city when one is surrounded by millions of people, but all of them are strangers, and everyone else seems to be in the company of someone else.

Back at the hotel a short time later, she wandered into the bar on the first floor. She ordered herself a cognac and sat at a quiet table in the corner. From her table, she could watch the street and the nearby gardens.

She settled back and relaxed.

She pondered. Peter’s flight would have departed by now. So he was well on his way back to Shanghai. Federov was back in Zurich, Rizzo in Rome. What a weird world it was. Violent, beautiful, and unpredictable, a world in which an ancient carving of a slain man of peace and charity could set off a bloody chain of events.

She had already decided what she would do. She would check out the next day and go somewhere. Maybe Paris. Maybe London. Not Washington just yet. Maybe back to Barcelona.

That was it, she decided after another sip of cognac. Back to Barcelona. No one would know her there; this time no one would find her. She fingered the pendant at her neck, then released it.

She could use the relaxation and a week at the beach. If she worked it right, it would seem as if she had never left. She looked forward to finishing her vacation.

Then her eyes glanced to the left, from the gardens and skylight of a great city to the entrance to the bar. Her eyes focused on a man who had just entered, and the shock of recognition was immediately upon her.

He was ruddy faced and wore glasses. He wore a light blue suite, white shirt, and tie. He had one of those straw hats that she always associated with men in their sixties or musicians of the Buena Vista Social Club.

“Oh, Lord,” she muttered to herself.

The man, Sam Deal, spotted her at the same time and smiled. Then she realized. It was the week of September 18, and as promised, Mr. Collins had sent an emissary.

And of all people, he had sent Sam. His South American hatchet man.

Sam grinned broadly, walked to her, and sat down.

“Hello, Alex,” he said.

“Hello, Sam.”

“Funny coincidence. Fancy meeting you here, Alex LaDuca,” he said.

“It’s not fancy, and it’s not a coincidence, either,” she said. “But as long as you’re here, you might as well order a drink.”

Sam signaled to a waiter who was already on the way over. Sam ordered something cold and powerful.

Then he turned back to Alex.

“Venezuela?” she asked.

“Order yourself another drink,” Sam said, “and I’ll explain.”

I
n addition to having visited Spain, the author is grateful to many sources for background and research on Madrid and the Spanish Civil War. Among them, the
New York Times
, the
Washington Post
, the United States Department of Justice, Wikipedia,
The Columbia Encyclopedia
, and
The Encyclopedia Britannica
. Also,
The Spanish Civil War
by Hugh Thomas, originally published in 1961 and revised in 2001, remains a definitive account of that tragic stretch of history. The wonderful book for children
Farolitos for Abuelo
by Rudolfo Anaya was also an excellent introduction to the traditional use of luminarias in North America. And as usual, I’m grateful to my good friend Thomas Ochiltree for his endless insights on international politics and diplomacy. At Zondervan, at various times, Andy Meisenheimer, Bob Hudson, and Alison Roth saved me from the thicket of my own verbal excesses. Thanks, guys. Equally, I’m ever grateful to my wife, Patricia, for her help, advice, and support in more ways than I can ever calculate.

The author welcomes comments and correspondence from readers either through the Zondervan website or at [email protected].

The Russian Trilogy

Conspiracy in Kiev

Noel Hynd

A shrewd investigator and an expert marksman, Special Agent Alexandra LaDuca can handle any case the FBI gives her. Or can she?

While on loan from the US Department of the Treasury, Alex is tapped to accompany a Secret Service team during an American presidential visit to Ukraine. Her assignment: to keep personal watch over Yuri Federov, the most charming and most notorious gangster in the region.

Against her better judgment—and fighting a feeling that she’s being manipulated—she leaves for Ukraine. But there are more parts to this dangerous mission than anyone suspects, and connecting the dots takes Alex across three continents and through some life-altering discoveries about herself, her work, her faith, and her future.

Conspiracy in Kiev
—from the first double-cross to the stunning final pages—is the kind of solid, fast-paced espionage thriller only Noel Hynd can write. For those who have never read Noel Hynd, this first book in the Russian Trilogy is the perfect place to start.

Softcover: 978–310–27871-9

Pick up a copy today at your favorite bookstore!

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