“What could I do? I hid it again. Where nobody will find it, of course.”

“Bring it to me,” whispered Alicia, seductive.

“No way. I’m getting to know you. I wouldn’t bring you a water pistol. You’d be capable of filling it with sulfuric acid.”

“You’ve no idea what I’m capable of,” she snapped.

Fermín looked concerned. “I’m beginning to imagine it, crocodile woman.”

Alicia wielded her innocent smile again.

“Neither you nor Daniel know how to use a weapon. Give it to me before you get hurt.”

“So you can be the one to hurt someone?”

“Let’s say I promise I won’t hurt anyone who doesn’t deserve it.”

“Oh, fine. Why didn’t you mention that before? In that case I’ll bring you a machine gun and a few grenades. Fancy any caliber in particular?”

“I’m serious, Fermín.”

“Exactly. What you have to do is get better.”

“The only thing that will get me better is doing what I have to do. It’s the only thing that will guarantee that you’re all safe. And you know it.”

“Alicia, I’m sorry to say that the more I hear you, the less I like the tone and drift of your conversation.”

“Bring me the weapon. Or I’ll get hold of one.”

“So you can die in a taxi again, but this time for real? Or chucked into an alleyway? Or in a cell at the hands of butchers who will cut you up into little pieces for fun?”

“Is that what’s worrying you? That I might be tortured or killed?”

“It has crossed my mind, yes. Look, between you and me, and don’t take this personally, I’m up to my eyeballs with you dying on me all over the place. How am I going to bring children into the world and be a decent father if I’m unable to keep alive the first child I became responsible for?”

“I’m not a child anymore, nor are you responsible for me, Fermín. Besides, you’re brilliant when it comes to keeping me alive, and you’ve already saved me twice.”

“Third time’s the charm.”

“There won’t be a third time.”

“And there won’t be a weapon. I’ll destroy it today. I’ll crush it and scatter the bits over the docks of the port: I’ll feed them to those rubbish-eating fish, the ones with a fat belly you see on the surface, stuffing themselves with pigswill.”

“Not even you can prevent the inevitable from happening, Fermín.”

“It’s one of my specialties. The other is dancing cheek to cheek. End of discussion. You can look at me with those tiger eyes as much as you like, you’re not going to scare me. I’m not Fernandito or any of those bumpkins you manage so skillfully by flashing your black stockings.”

“You’re the only person who can help me, Fermín. All the more so now that we have the same blood in our veins.”

“Which at this rate is going to last you as long as a turkey at Christmastime.”