This is it!! This is really it – el fin…the end. It only took 1 year, 7 months and 23 days since I sent in my first part of THE SPANISH MYSTERY. Thank you all for bearing with me through the ups and downs the last 18+ months with school and work and engagement and marriage and moving and miscarriage and just everyday life. I think I’m going to miss this story, but I’ve got plenty more that want to get out of my mind and onto paper (or disk…whatever) And to Golden Books…as you can see, I’m no threat to you…I’d never make a deadline…so go bother someone else. ¡Disfruten! (Enjoy!)
Chapter Thirty-four
19 marzo
1040 horas
Catedral – Santo BrazoWith slightly trembling hands, Honey dropped a duro (5 peseta piece) in the altar that stood in front of a large display case. A small electric candle at the base of the display began to glow. Nervously, she raised her hand to chest level and then lowered it. She couldn’t go that far. She knew she was supposed to blend in and not draw undue attention to herself, but she couldn’t bring herself to cross herself as if she were praying. She didn’t practice like that and it seemed like lying.
She eyed the thing in the display case. She could not believe that laying in front of her was a mummified arm. She kept telling herself that it wasn’t really an arm – it couldn’t be. The Holy Arm…well, it looked like…she couldn’t think of anything to compare it to. Bizarre.
Stifling a yawn, Honey gazed around the large, dusky room. Even with electric lights, the cathedral still seemed very gloomy. She shuddered to imagine it by candles and lamps like it had been less than a hundred years before, that was even worse. She kept her eyes away from an old man near the back of the chapel area who was knelt in prayer. It didn’t look like it, but it was Agent Calderón. He and Agent Yepes were both in disguise, posing as churchgoers. The Bob-Whites were around somewhere. She, Jim and Dan had come with Agent Francis who had also promised to be nearby. The rest were following in the Mambomobile with Hans. They would be somewhere outside. Honey let out a long sigh which ended like a moan. Sometimes it seemed like this "vacation" had been drawn out into years.
Nearby in the Cathedral
"Jeez, Jim, these paintings are so depressing," Dan muttered as they pretended to be tourists admiring the large paintings in alcoves set in the walls.
"The paintings are depressing?" Jim snorted, "This whole place is depressing! Can you imagine it without electricity…if this place was just illuminated by candles. It would be more suited for a haunted house than for a holy house." Jim was trying to hide his nervousness for his sister. The gloom wasn’t just depressing. There were too many shadowy nooks and crannies that made it simple for someone to hide.
"I’ll say one things for the agents," Dan began again, "They sure know how to get things moving…they left the piso at what – midnight? And then they were back at five with plans and costumes and everything."
"It’s their life…they are probably used to things like this," Jim replied absently.
"I wonder if Trixie is ready for a life similar to this," Dan said, glancing out of the corner of his eye to see Jim’s reaction. He was rewarded.
"What do you mean by that?" Jim asked, snapping back to attention. "Trixie isn’t going to be an international spy."
"True, she isn’t, but she may still become a detective. That was her dream for so long. Detectives have some traits that are similar to spies." Dan sighed, he hadn’t meant to get Jim riled up.
Surprisingly Jim sighed also, "I know. And somehow I’m going to have to deal with that." His tone brightened, "But then again maybe I won’t. This is her first mystery in almost two years. Maybe she’ll decide on a new career goal."
Wisely, Dan didn’t comment. He moved on to the next alcove. This one contained statues, imagenes, of Christ hanging on a cross. The expression of pain that the artist had sculpted on to his face made Dan wince. To suffer so much for those you loved, even after they had treated you so badly…
"I will never ever complain again about my dresses or skirts!" Trixie remarked emphatically as she cautiously exited the Mambomobile.
"No kidding," Di returned with a grimace. "I don’t know how falleras walk around in this get up all day, much less dance!"
Both girls were attired in the beautiful costumes of the falleras. Though beautiful, the dresses were cumbersome. The heavy fabric of the skirts was the least of the problem. The layers of slips and petticoats are what made fast movement difficult. Hopefully they wouldn't have to do any chasing of bad guys as lookouts at the cathedral doors - that was the agents' job.
During the short night, the agents had managed to find two dresses for them to borrow. Juliana had been correct when she had told them that Americans had a hard time blending in to a crowd with their clothing. Honey was really the only one still dressed in her own clothes. Mart and Brian were also dressed in traditional clothing, that of the falleros. Their outfits were much more comfortable and easier to move in than those of the girls. Dan and Jim had switched shoes and jackets to those that appeared more European than their Nikes and Old Navy jackets.
"Right on schedule," Hans murmured from the driver’s seat. "The agents were right."
The Bob-Whites agreed. The agents had told them that a falleros group would be passing through the Plaza de la Reina shortly before eleven. The four New Yorkers dressed as falleras and falleros could join this group and use it as cover to approach the Plaza de la Virgen which was where the cathedral was located.
Quickly Brian joined the girls. Mart paused and picked up something that had slid under his foot as the van had stopped before stepping out of the van. All attention was focused on the parade that was about to reach them, so no one noticed the expression of shock on Mart’s face as he realized what he held in his hand.
"Hurry up, Mart!" Brian called, "We’ve got to get in this group."
Without hesitating any longer, Mart slid the disc into the sash at his waist and joined his siblings and his girlfriend. As he joined them, they were swept into the merry group of falleras and falleros. Mart groaned inwardly. They had made an agreement to not speak unless absolutely necessary. The last thing they needed was to be identified as imposters. It was probably blatantly obvious if any one of them decided to look closely at the Bob-Whites, but everyone seemed to be having too much fun to do that. One close look at Trixie’s hair is all that it would take. Her curls had refused to be coiled into the three buns, one in back and one over each ear, required for a fallera's costume, so a wig had been necessary. It was darker than her natural blonde color and didn’t quite match her features. Mart glanced surreptitiously at his watch. Ten forty-five. Fifteen minutes until Pedro was supposed to show up at the cathedral. They weren’t that far from there right now. He could see the Micalet, and from what he remembered of Tony’s tour the other morning, the Micalet was right next to the cathedral. In fact the little alley like street that they would walk through with this small parade was named Micalet. How he wished that he could see the agents and hand over the disc.
1100 horas
la Calle Micalet"Trix?" Di muttered under her breath.
Making a quick survey of their street companions, Trixie responded softly, "What?"
"Where are the agents?"
Trixie shrugged. Agent Francis had told them more agents had been called in, along with the local authorities, but he didn't go into details about where anyone would be.
After walking through the large Plaza de la Reina, and continuing through the winding alley that led between the buildings to the cathedral, the falleros had reached the huge flower-adorned effigy of the patroness of Valencia - La Virgen de los Desamparados. Bunches of flowers had been placed on the lattice structure that constituted the body of the virgin. Juliana had told the girls that over 35,000 bunches of flowers had been placed on the virgin by the falleras and falleros the day before. These bouquets made a floral tapestry weighing close to 30 tons! Diana was glad that her allergies were all dust related or she'd be sneezing worse than Trixie's fictional buddy, Ferdinand.
The falleros group that consisted of four extra slowly dispersed and mingled with the crowds. Some posed for pictures with tourists, while others appeared to be relaxing. Trixie and Di scanned the crowds until they caught sight of Trixie’s brothers.
As the boys approached them, Di ducked her face and clutched Trixie’s arm. Trixie glanced at Diana and then looked up. She caught a glimpse of Pedro as he slid through the side door of the cathedral.
"He’s here," she said hoarsely as Brian and Mart joined the, "Pedro is here."
"Anytime now, anytime," Honey whispered to herself as she leaned against the stone pillar near the Santo Brazo’s resting place. Nervously she switched the CD case from her right hand to her left and back again.
When the agents had arrived at the piso early that morning with disguises for her friends, they had also brought her a U2 album with a CD inside. As far as she knew, there wasn’t any way that Pedro could tell that the disc wasn’t the real thing.
"You came," a voice whispered behind her.
Whirling around, Honey found herself face to face with Pedro. Instead of the fear she had expected at this confrontation, she suddenly felt an amazing amount of courage.
Steadily she replied, "Of course. We want to get rid of this silly thing," waving the case at him, "Our whole vacation had been a disaster thanks to you and your friends."
Feeling secure and thinking that this was going to end easily, Honey continued, "So here, take it and leave!"
Instead of grabbing the case, Pedro roughly grasped Honey’s arm. "I’m no idiot, mujer! You have been working with the local authorities and with Interpol. This place is probably filled with poli." With a fiendish grin he added, "You know, I have to check and make sure this is for real. If this is not the item that my friend really sent to me, there may be some problems."
Honey felt a chill run down her spine. How would he be able to tell? It looked like the same CD that Jim had found in his backpack. Swallowing back the instinct to scream she glared at Pedro, "If we do have the police here, do you think that they’d just sit there and watch you walk out with that? They’d already be closing in on you." Honey hoped that she sounded convincing. She wasn’t even sure what she was saying anymore.
Pedro’s face became dark. He looked as if he wanted to fling the CD away. "Where is the real disc? WHERE IS IT?" His voice echoed through the mostly empty stone building. Wrathfully he kept going, "The mark is missing. There is no marked song! THE MARK IS NOT THERE!"
The fury in his voice made Honey want to curl up and hid "That disc is worth more than your life! And until I get it, your life is mine!" He pulled a gun from his waistband. "Your friends over by the cruz, they’ll not mess with this. Nor will those worshipers."
Gulping to keep the fear from bursting out of her mouth, Honey tried to think of a way to get out of this. For the first time, she noticed the priest that was in the far doorway. For a moment, she hoped that it was someone on their side. Then she recognized the sardonic grin of Arabe. Her eyes moved over to where Jim and Dan were standing, motionless in front of the scene of the Crucifixion. Her eyes pleaded with them to not do anything that would cause Pedro to shoot. He didn’t seem as unstable as Sergio had, or the one who had jumped from the Sagrada Familia, but that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t try something desperate now that he was so near his goal.
Pedro pulled Honey in front of him, using her as a human shield. Brandishing his gun over her head, he yelled something in Spanish. Not understanding the words, Jim and Dan understood the tone. He was telling them to sty inside and not try to follow them.
Before the agents or the boys could even move, Arabe had stepped into full view and pointed his gun at them. "It would be best if you would lower yourselves to the floor right now," he said gruffly. "It is best that you do what I say!" At that moment a small, hardly noticeable door swung open. It struck Arabe squarely in the back. Almost in slow motion he followed his own orders and fell to the ground. Dan leapt across the few yards separating them and grabbed the gun.
Steadily he trained it on the terrorist. "Now, it would be best if you would not move," he growled. Raising his eyes briefly to the doorway, he caught sight of Diana, frozen in shock at what was lying at her feet. "Nice work, Di."
Joining them Jim asked, "Di, did you see where Pedro went with Honey?"
Nodding her head affirmatively, Di explained, "Yes, there’s really only one way out of this plaza right now – back along the street - Micalet. Trixie, Mart and Brian took off after them."
Another priest and the old man dressed in black hurried over to the small group. Agent Calderón smiled slightly at Arabe, "Finally, we have you. This will make many people the world over happy today." Arabe snarled and cursed him. The priest, who turned out to be a Valencian police officer, quickly handcuffed the angry terrorist. Agent Yepes appeared suddenly and asked, "Diana, how did you know where to find that door?"
Diana answered, "Well, I knew that I was supposed to stay outside, but after Tony left with Honey and the others took off after them, I thought that I should find you all. When I turned around, I was right in front of this door. It didn’t look like it was used often, but it opened quite easily. I didn’t know that someone would be right in front of it."
"Lucky for us, Arabe was," Jim said quickly. Turning to the agents and police officer he continued, "There are other agents and officers outside, right? Someone is going to make sure that my sister gets away from that man unharmed?"
"Of course, no worries," Yepes said rather quickly. Agent Francis was to have been out near the ofrenda, but neither Yepes nor Calderón had seen him. Yepes had called in the back up that had been waiting over at the Plaza de Ayuntamiento the moment that Pedro had stepped into the cathedral. The plazas weren’t that far apart – maybe five minutes walking – but there were so many people milling around the center of the city right now, he could only pray that the others made it in time.
Brian and Mart moved swiftly through the crowd, unhampered by the full, heavy skirts that Trixie was wearing. Wanting to scream, Trixie was forced to slow down as people pushed at her from all sides, everyone wanting to go see the flower covered Virgen. "Now I know what salmon feel like when they swim upstream," she muttered in frustration as she lost sight of her brothers.
The crowd seemed to be thinning. She must almost be to the Plaza de la Reina, which was close to a main street. If Pedro made it that far, they could lose Honey. Where were the agents and local officers that were supposed to be all over the place today?
Honey stumbled again as Pedro yanked her behind him as he shoved through the crowds of tourists and valencianos. Trying to focus on a way to get away, Honey paid less attention to where they were going. Suddenly her arm felt as if it were being pulled from its socket. Pedro had tripped over one of the twisted beggars that had planted himself in the middle of the street. Trying not to fall, he had pulled on Honey. Gritting her teeth in pain, she managed to keep her balance. Glancing back she felt a little hope as she saw Mart and Brian not far behind. Unfortunately, Pedro too had seen them. Yelling loudly, he waved his gun in the air. Honey realized that soon they would be at the bus stops in the Plaza de la Reina. He could climb on any of those buses or work his way out in to the busier streets that let to the very center of the city and she would have no chance of rescue by her friends.
"You are a burden already. Hostages always are. Where is the real disc and you can go free."
Honey wished with all her might that she could tell him, but she had no idea where the stupid thing was.
Shrugging he said, "You have until we reach the paradas, then you will have to choose – tell me or die."
‘Great. Just great. That is so not the kind of ultimatum that is going to work.’ Honey tried to not think about what Pedro had just said as he pulled her into the plaza. As they neared the bus paradas, Pedro swore.
"Your amigos, the agents, are there, waiting. They won’t get me without harming you." He turned so that Honey was between him and several men approaching with guns drawn. Pedro placed his own gun firmly against her temple. He said nothing, but his actions explained that he had nothing more to lose.
Honey heard a shrill whistle. The bob-white whistle!
Pedro turned, not releasing his hold, and faced the direction from which they had just come. He saw something glint in the blond boy’s hand. The boy held it up so that Pedro could get a clearer look. It appeared to be the disc.
The cry of "ULTIMATE!" rang through the plaza as the CD went airborne. Now Pedro released Honey and backed up to catch the disc. Mart had aimed high and the disc sailed over Pedro and landed in the street.
As three police officers converged on Pedro with guns aimed, a large red bus drove over the CD. Mart could swear that he heard the crunch. Several minutes later, after the local police and most of the agents had left with Pedro and Arabe, and everyone was gathered around Honey to make sure that she was okay except for a dislocated shoulder, Mart slipped over to the bus stop. He didn’t know how many tons the bus weighed, but it had done a good job at totally destroying the disc. He shook his head. It seemed strange to know that it was all over. And it had all started because someone had slid an innocent looking CD into Jim’s backpack. This was one mystery that they couldn’t even blame Trixie for searching out. This one truly had searched them out and then hunted them down.
Chapter Thirty-five
19 marzo
2200 horas
Hospital La Paz"Aren’t visiting hours long over?" Dan asked Hans as they exited the elevator on the fourth floor – which in New York would actually be the fifth floor – of the hospital.
"Normally they end at 9:00," Hans explained, "and visitors are limited to four per patient."
Dan mentally counted who all would be in Tony’s room and he laughed, "Well, we’ll only exceed the limit by four times! Will everyone fit in Tony’s room?"
Hans grinned, replying, "We should. I believe that Señor Contreras explained to the hospital staff that this was a government debriefing and it could only take place at this hour. Also, he explained that uninvolved parties were not permitted in the debriefings, so Tony’s roommate was moved."
While Hans asked the on-duty nurse, who was also a nun, which room Tony was in, Dan realized that this was the third time in just a few days that they’d been at the hospital. First, when Tony and Trixie had been brought in after their ordeal in Sagunto and second, earlier that afternoon when Honey had had her shoulder examined. The doctor had given her a sling to wear to keep her from moving her arm too much so that her shoulder could heal.
By this time, the two men had reached Tony’s room. Laughter rang out and was quickly shushed. The rest of the group was already there. Dan and Hans had been detained trying to find a parking spot.
"Okay, Mart, what in the world did you shout as you threw the CD?" Agent Francis was asked. He had been a bit behind the Belden brothers in the pursual of Pedro and Honey, hemmed in by tourists.
Coloring slightly, Mart said, "Ultimate."
The Interpol agents looked at each other in confusion.
Hurrying to explain, Mart continued, "Ultimate is a game we play with a Frisbee. It was the only thing I could think of to get Pedro to focus on me as I threw the CD."
Honey smiled and reached over Diana to squeeze Mart’s hand. "I always knew I liked Ultimate for a reason. Thanks again, Mart."
"Ultimate. I played that with Waxter and Swing and their friends once," Tony said, struggling to sit upright in his hospital bed, "What I want to know is how you found the CD in the first place. Last I had heard, you guys had been unable to find it."
Mart briskly related how the disc had slid from under a seat in the van as he had got out that morning. "It was the strangest thing," he concluded, "the van hadn’t moved, it was like someone pushed it out so I could find it. And besides that, I don’t know how the CD even got in the van – I never had it in there."
The room was silent for a moment. It was strange the way the disc had been found. Finally Honey chuckled, "Well, maybe that’s another mystery for the Belden-Wheeler Detective Agency." Everyone else joined in the laughter, and turned to Trixie to see her response.
"I think you may be right, Detective Wheeler," Trixie said with a grin, "It’s probably time that we took a new case."
As the group continued to laugh and joke, Jim let out the breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding. He thought back to the short conversation between himself and Dan that morning in the cathedral. He didn’t want to be responsible for shattering Trixie’s dreams or holding her back; he just wanted her to be safe. He’d lost too many precious things in his life already.
Feeling someone staring at him, he turned and saw that Tony was watching him carefully. Tony looked as if he were about to say something to him. The last thing Jim wanted was to explain to Tony his feelings about Trixie. He wasn’t stupid, he knew that Tony was attracted to Trixie and her vivacious personality. Turning the other way Jim asked, a trifle loudly, "Agent Francis, what will be done to Pedro and Arabe?"
The room fell silent as all eyes turned to the English agent. "Both men were taken into custody by the Valencian police. They will most likely be sent to Madrid for trial. Arabe is not a Spanish citizen, so he will probably be sent back to his own country. Convicted members of ETA are usually sent to prisons in the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands or North Africa. I feel that Pedro will probably end up in Melilla, which is in Northern Africa. He should be put away for a long time."
"And what about their contact in England, the one who planted the disc on Jim?" Brian asked.
Señor Contreras cleared his throat and spoke; "Bernard took care of that himself. He knew that he had gone too far this time and that eventually all the information he had put on that disc would be pulled from him somehow. When the guards went to remove him from his cell this morning, he was dead." Once again, the room was silent. So many people had died because of a list of names.
Wanting to rid the room of the gloom that had settled over it, Señor Contreras changed the subject. "So, what are you going to do tonight? Are you going to return to your piso or are you going to go experience the crema?"
Slowly the Bob-Whites began to talk about the crema. "What I want to know," Diana said loudly to be heard above the chatter, "is why do you burn all that hard work?"
For the first time, Tony’s mother spoke. Until now, she had been sitting quietly by her son’s bed, watching the group. She spoke softly, in simple sentences. "The fire is for two propósitos. First it is to celebrate spring – tomorrow is the first day. Second is to clean us. To get rid of our bad thoughts and sentimientos and be clean for the spring."
"Is that why so many of the fallas depict the evils of society?" Trixie asked.
"Yes, that is one of the reasons," Tony answered. "It is, in a way, like the New Year’s Resolutions that many make - to begin anew. So many things are born in the spring, it is good to have a rebirth of yourself and to forget the bad."
Nodding in agreements, Hans said, "It is true and often we forget that to go on with our lives we sometimes need to put the bad things that have happened to us behind. I think that these men that have been causing us all so much trouble this past week have never been able to do that, and that is what led them down the path that brought them so much trouble."
"Yes, I think that you are right," Señor Contreras conceded, "but let us now put them in the past." With a look at his watch he added, "I think that the time that the hospital has allowed us is well over. If you want to experience the crema from the beginning, you should be on your way now." Laughing he finished, "Not that it won’t be going on for awhile. The falla of the Plaza de Ayuntamiento is the last to be burned, at one in the morning. The small ones, los infantiles, will be the first to go."
The agents arose in unison. Speaking for the group, Agent Yepes said, "We thank you for your help. This was not the vacation that you had planned; that we know. But the service that you have done for Europe and the world, it is a very great thing. Someday I hope that you can return to my country for a real vacation."
After shaking hands all around, the four men left. Then the Bob-Whites began to say good-bye to Tony. He waved them off. "No need for this. I will be at the station when you leave tomorrow. I’ve had enough of this place."
Promising to be at the station early the next day, the Bob-Whites trooped out the door. The Contreras’ and Hans and Juliana followed. As Jim walked out the door, he heard Tony say his name.
"Yes?" he replied politely, still not comfortable with this man.
"I wanted to return this to you," Tony said, reaching for a package on the bedside table. "It is your sweatshirt. Trixie forced me to wear it. It was probably one of the things that saved my life."
Gingerly, Jim reached for the package, "Uh, thanks."
Grinning, Tony said, "Don’t worry, my mom washed it. She is amazing. There’s not even a bloodstain left."
"That’s fine. I’m glad that it helped you," Jim said lamely, turning to leave.
"One more thing, Jim," Tony’s tone caused Jim to stop and turn back. "Trixie is a very special person, with a very special talent." Tony paused and thought for a moment about what he wanted to say. Before he could continue, Jim spoke up.
"I know. I’ve known that since I met her and she helped me get my life back. Without her I don’t know what would’ve become of me – or what will become of me," he hoped that Tony would get the underlying meaning of what he said.
"I understand, I wouldn’t want to lose someone like her either," Tony replied. "But if you don’t let her follow her dreams where they lead her. If you try to force her to do something other than what she feels she has to do, you might just do that." Taking a deep breath and deciding to risk saying exactly what he was feeling he finished, "And if you lose her, someone else might just be there to find her."
Trying to keep his temper from flaring, Jim asked bitingly, "And might you be that someone?"
Softly Tony responded, "I might be. I would like to be."
Knowing that if he said anything right now he would later regret it, Jim abruptly left the room. He avoided the elevator and found the stairs. He knew he needed the several flights of stairs to regain his composure before he joined the others.
After Jim’s hasty retreat, Tony fell back against the pillows on the bed. He let out a large sigh. He hadn’t meant to say quite that much to the young man, but it had just happened. At least he had been honest – he would like to be someone important in Trixie’s life, but not for awhile. She was still a kid. Years weren’t the only thing that separated them, nor was it just an ocean or cultural differences. He had seen so much since he had turned nineteen and entered the mili that he felt decades older than his twenty-three years. Sometimes he wondered if he had made the right choice to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He enjoyed this life and he was good at his job. However, at times life just seemed too complicated and dangerous to ever settle down. As for settling down with a wife and family, he didn’t want to put someone he loved through the trials and fears that his mother had faced, never knowing for sure if her husband would return from a ‘trip’ or not. And then again, he couldn’t see himself being content as a panadero like his dad.
Groaning he rolled onto his uninjured side and decided to sleep. Before sleep overtook him, he thought back to the teachings he had learned from Waxter and Swing. How did all of that fit in with everything else? He just couldn’t be sure if he was really part of a grand plan or if he was just here by chance and it didn’t matter how his life turned out. God had answered his prayer that night on the hillside in Sagunto. That he knew; so why couldn’t he make up his mind about everything else?
"Señor, es tiempo a tomar tu pastilla."
Gratefully Tony swallowed the painkiller that the elderly nun handed him. Now he would be able to sleep without all these confusing and conflicting thoughts.
Chapter Thirty-six
20 marzo
1235 horas
Estación del Norte"This week has flown by!" Mart said as he sank down on a bench in the waiting area with the other Bob-Whites.
"You’re kidding, right?" Trixie asked in amazement, staring at her almost twin. "This week seemed to have lasted for years!"
Brian laughed at his siblings, adding, "Well, maybe not years exactly, but I’d say a good year and a half."
"What are you Beldens laughing about?" Dan asked as he joined the siblings to wait, "Another inside joke?"
Before any of them responded, Di and Honey returned from the restroom. "What time does our train leave?" Honey asked, "Do we have time to make some purchases?"
"The train leaves at 1300 hours, ma’am, so you have about twenty minutes until we board," Mart responded, "Will that be enough time for you women to buy every souvenir in sight?"
"More than enough, thank you, sir," Honey retorted, "And for that comment we will definitely refrain from buying any of the candy that we were planning on buying for you."
In a flash, Mart was on his knees in front of Honey, "I beg of you, no, I plead with you, I supplicate, implore, beseech and implore you to forgive me for my thoughtless words."
Honey looked at Di, "Well, should we let him come too?"
Di shrugged, "I guess so. That way he can carry things so you won’t have to with your bad shoulder."
Honey fingered the sling she was wearing that was to remind her not to use her arm and shoulder after it had been set the day before. "Good idea, Di. Okay Mart, you’re forgiven as long as you refrain from employing multisyllabic words in everyday conversation for the remainder of our journey."
As Mart agreed, Di asked the rest of the group, "Do any of the rest of you want to come? There’s a great candy store and also a place where you can get T-shirts and stuff – even paelleras."
Dan took her up on the offer and the four headed to the small shops located at the front of the station. Brian and Trixie remained seated, keeping an eye on the luggage.
"Quite a trip, wasn’t it, Sis?" Brian remarked.
"It sure was, it sure was." Trixie smiled, "Not all of it was good, but the good parts were wonderful."
"Good parts, like what, your first kiss?" Brian couldn’t resist teasing his sister just a little.
Blushing a little, Trixie said, "Well, yes, that too. But I was thinking more of getting to see Juliana and her family. And all of the people we met…"
"Like Tony," Brian interrupted, wanting to try out a theory of his own.
Trixie’s blush deepened, confirming his theory, and she continued "Sure, and the Mambos and even the Interpol agents." Changing the subject she asked, "Do you know what the best part of all was?"
Curiously Brian asked, "No, what?"
"Our conversation on the train down from Barcelona," Trixie smiled at Brian, "I feel whole again, like our family is back together. I kept you at a distance for too long. I hated that feeling."
Brian slid closer to Trixie on the bench and hugged her, "I like that feeling too. Moms and Dad will be thrilled about it."
Wryly Trixie added, "Yeah, maybe that will counterbalance their anger when they find out about us being mixed up with terrorists and the danger we all were in."
"Truthfully, Trix, I think it will. We’ll all be home and we’ll all be together and we’ll all be getting along. That’s all they really want."
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Jim joined them. "I have all of the tickets now. It took me forever to get the ticket agent to understand what I was trying to tell her. It’s too bad that Hans had to work today and that Betje woke up sick so Juliana couldn’t bring us. We could’ve used their translating skills."
Trixie eyed a bag in Jim’s hand inquisitively, "What’s in the package Jim?’
Sticking his tongue out at her playfully, he said, "You’ll just have to wait and see, Shamus." Winking at Brian he switched the conversation, "Can you believe how clean the streets are today? If I hadn’t witnessed all the burning and partying last night, I wouldn’t believe it myself."
"No kidding, you can’t even tell that anything was burned anywhere." Brian shook his head, "There’s no garbage, no ashes, no burned marks on the ground where the fallas went up in flames, nothing. The streets are cleaner than any I’ve seen since we’ve been here."
Trixie said slowly, "Well, after what Señora Contreras said last night, it makes sense. They want everything to be clean and fresh for the first day of spring."
Brian snickered, "Yeah, fresh and clean like the drunk guy we almost tripped over as we walked down the street to the bus stop a little while ago?"
Punching him lightly, Trixie retorted, "You know what I mean. After all the fires last night, you can’t even smell any leftover smoke. And the city was so quiet when Jim and I went to the store with Juliana this morning, wasn’t it Jim?"
Nodding he agreed, "It was like the whole city was asleep."
"They probably were," a deep voice from behind them said.
In unison the three Bob-Whites turned and saw Rafa Contreras standing behind them.
"After a week of hardly any sleep, the whole city seems to catch up today. And when they finally wake up, the falleros start thinking about next year’s falla and planning what they’re going to do." The older man shook his head; "I’m just glad that my daughters don’t have too much to do with that part, they just have to worry about the dresses and the dancing and all of that."
"Were you able to see any of your daughters last night at their fallas?" Brian asked courteously.
"Actually, they are all part of the same fallero group. We went and consoled them as their fallas burned – and then sent them home with their husbands." Rafa smiled, "No matter how many years they do this, the falleras still become so attached to their falla that as it burns, many of them weep."
"Where is Tony?" Trixie asked, looking around.
"Well, the doctors would not release him yet. They tell him tomorrow – Tony was furious. But there was nothing I could do." Patting Trixie’s shoulder he waited as the other four Bob-Whites joined them and then continued, "Tony thanks you for helping apprehend Pedro. He has been after him for several years. He does regret that he cannot be here to say good-bye. He did say that he felt that he would see you all again sometime."
Jim tried not to feel too happy about not having to see Tony again, or too displeased at the thought that they might run into him again somewhere down the road. As these thoughts were going through his mind, he happened to look at his watch.
"Guys, our train pulls out in less than five minutes!"
Hurriedly the Americans said good-bye to the retired intelligence officer and grabbed their backpacks and suitcases and headed down the platform to their assigned car.
"Espera," Rafa said as he grabbed Trixie’s arm.
Puzzled she turned to him, "Yes, Señor Contreras?"
"Tony wanted me to give you this," he handed her a small envelope, "and I wanted to tell you something. You have talent. You seek answers and have a way of finding the truth, use it. You will find a way to develop it, that I know." Smiling he said, "We will meet again, here in Spain, you will be back."
Even more puzzled than before, Trixie slid the envelope into her pocket, shook Rafa’s hand, "Thank you, sir. I’ll do my best."
Turning she ran down the platform to where she saw Jim standing in the doorway waiting for her. Smiling she handed him her duffel bag and climbed aboard. She knew she had talent, she just wasn’t sure how she wanted to use it. She thought that she had grown out of her dream of being a detective, but now she wasn’t sure. Her smile faltered as she sat down in the seat by Honey with Jim across the aisle. Would she lose Jim if she went after her dream? If she gave up her dream, would she lose herself? Not wanting to face the answer to either of those thoughts, she turned to Honey and began to talk with her best friend like she hadn’t done in months.
20 Marzo
Hotel near las Ramblas
In Barcelona
2330 horasQuietly so not to wake Honey and Diana, Trixie slipped out of bed and went out to the central patio area. It was hard to believe that exactly a week before she had sat out here thinking about the strange happenings at the airport. She would never have thought that things would have turned out the way that they had.
Leaning against the back of the same bench, she had sat on last week, Trixie opened the envelope that Tony’s father had handed her at the train station that afternoon.
Inside there was a folded piece of paper. Only a few lines were written on it.
Trixie,
Never forget your dreams – they are a part of you.
You saved my life; I will never forget that, or you.
Hasta la proxima vez,
Tony
Carefully refolding it, Trixie returned it to the envelope. She sighed and looked up to the stars above. She was surprised that she could see them here in Barcelona. She loved Spain, as crazy and as dangerous as their trip had been.
‘Hasta la proxima vez’ Tony had written. Until the next time. Did he really think he would see them again? Did she want to see him again? The rate of her heart told her the answer. And she knew that somehow she would be back to Spain someday.
Epilogue
13 June
Crabapple Farm
Sleepyside-on-Hudson, NY
5 p.m. Trixie stared at the small battered package sitting on her desk beside the fallera doll Jim had given her as a memento of their trip to Spain a few months earlier. The package looked as if it had been bouncing around in a backpack for years. The writing was unfamiliar, as were the stamps.She looked at the stamps a bit more carefully and suddenly realized where the package had come from.
"España," she whispered to herself. Her heart began to beat faster.
‘Who could be sending me something from Spain?" she queried. The writing didn’t belong to either Juliana or Hans – their script had a bit of a European flair to it. It wasn’t Tony’s either, it didn’t look at all like what he had written on the note he had sent with is father. No, this reminded her of her third grade teacher’s cursive, every letter at just the right slant and perfectly formed. The only thing odd was the 7 being crossed in the zip code.
She spent a little more time inspecting the address, looking for clues to the sender, as there was no return address. As for her own address, it wasn’t complete. It read:
Trixie Belden
Sleepyside – on – Hudson, NY 06179
EE.UU.
"It’s a good thing that Sleepyside was still a relatively small town," she mused, "and that Belden isn’t that common of a name." Still having no idea who could be sending her something from Spain, Trixie opened the small box.
A small envelope with her name on it was folded around a tissue wrapped lump. A moment of panic hit Trixie. Could this have something to do with Pedro and the whole ordeal with ETA? Should she continue opening it?
‘Calm down, Belden, Pedro and Arabe will be in jail well into the next millenium and the others that were involved are all dead.’
After removing the envelope, she unwrapped the tissue paper from its contents. A small golden pendant on a delicate gold chain slid into her open palm. For some reason, the sight of it caused her stomach to lurch and she felt as if she were looking at something that came from a place she never thought she would see again.
Quickly she reached for the envelope and opened it. A short letter, written in the same writing as the address on the package, was inside.
Dear Trixie,
You are probably going crazy trying to figure out who sent you this strange package. This is going to seem strange, but there is a reason behind it. You may not remember me, but I met you in the airport of Barcelona when you arrived in Spain three months ago. We talked about Spain and how it felt to visit the country. I was returning after an absence of several years and I shared with you my love, or should I say passion, for españa. I could tell from your eyes that you too, would develop a passion for my adopted country.
From the newspapers here and from the Mambos, I heard that you and your friends had quite a visit to this country and especially to Valencia. I’m very thankful that none of you were injured and that right won out over wrong -- once again. The battle is always there and must continually be fought.
One day you will return. You may not realize it, but deep down you know that. This is a small token to help you keep españa close to your heart and know that you have a destiny there. It isn’t much, but it makes a unique necklace. I wore one like it until I returned. I then passed it on to my youngest sister who one day will come to Spain to visit and eventually stay.
Tu eres española, y no lo olvidas.
Isabel
In stunned silence, Trixie re-read the letter. Of course she remembered Isabel, the American woman she had met in the airport. The woman had said things to Trixie that she had been unable to forget, even with all the crazy circumstances that arose during the trip in Spain and still upon returning home and finishing the school year.
A day hadn’t gone by where she had not thought about Spain and the people there. Her parents had been surprised when she returned home and announced that she wanted to take a course in Spanish from the community college in White Plains during the summer while she was working. Trixie wanting to attend school during the summer was something no one had ever envisioned happening. But she was, and she was enjoying it.
She looked closely at the pendant on the necklace that had been sent to her. A delighted smile touched her lips. It wasn’t much, as Isabel had said, but it was more than enough to bring back memories.
Out loud, she said, "Now I really know why there are holes in a 25 pesetas coin." She unfastened the clasp and reached behind her neck to re-do it. The golden coin felt cool against her skin.
"Yes, Isabel, I will return. I will not forget."
The End