“I’m going home, Maura.”

The concierge nodded repeatedly. “You’re doing the right thing.”

“I’ve left my books upstairs. They’re for you.”

“I’ll look after them.”

“And the clothes. Do what you think best. Someone in the building might want them.”

“I’ll take them to the Red Cross. There are lots of creeps around here, and I wouldn’t like to find that smart aleck Valenzuela sniffing around where he has no business.”

Alicia went over to the little man and embraced him. “Thanks for everything, Maura,” she whispered in his ear. “I’m going to miss you.”

Maura dropped the mop handle and put his trembling arms around her. “Forget all about us as soon as you get home,” he said in a broken voice.

She was going to kiss him good-bye, but Maura, knight of the doleful countenance and old school, held out his hand. Alicia shook it.

“Someone called Vargas might call and ask for me.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get him off your back. Go on, off you go.”

She got into a taxi that was waiting by the hotel entrance and asked the driver to take her to Atocha. A leaden blanket covered the city, and frost shrouded the car windows. The taxi driver looked as if he’d spent the night, or the entire week, at the wheel, barely clinging to the world with the cigarette butt hanging from his lips. He watched her through the rearview mirror. “Are you going or returning?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” replied Alicia.

When she arrived at the station, she saw that Leandro had gotten there ahead of her. He was waiting at a table in one of the cafés next to the ticket offices, reading a newspaper and playing with his coffee spoon. Two of his heavies were posted against columns, a few meters away. When he saw her, Leandro folded the newspaper and smiled paternally.

“Getting up early won’t make the sun rise any sooner,” said Alicia.

“Reciting proverbs doesn’t suit you, Alicia. Sit down. Have you had breakfast?”

She shook her head and sat down at the table. The last thing she wanted was to annoy Leandro just when she was about to put six hundred kilometers between them.

“There are some common habits among normal people, like eating breakfast or having friends. They would do you good, Alicia.”

“Do you have many friends, Leandro?”

Alicia noticed the steely glimmer in her boss’s eyes, a hint of warning, and she looked down. She dutifully accepted the cup of coffee and the pastry served by the waiter at Leandro’s request and took a few sips under his watchful eye.

He pulled an envelope out of his coat and handed it to her. “I’ve reserved a first-class compartment just for you. I hope you don’t mind. There’s also some money there. Today I’ll put the rest into the Hispano account. If you need any more, let me know.”

“Thank you.”

Alicia nibbled the pastry. It was dry and rough, and she found it hard to swallow. Leandro didn’t take his eyes off her. She sneaked a look at the clock hanging high up on the wall.