'It wasn't la americana, was it? I've heard about her from Felipe and Jorge. They said she'd leave a man as hollow as a spare suit.'
'I think we should concentrate on what we're going to say to Carlos Vázquez, José Luis.'
'No, no, no, she's not the one. La americana is Juez Calderón's latest squeeze.'
'Who did you hear that from?' said Falcón. 'The guy's just announced his engagement, for God's sake.'
Ramírez laughed, a mirthless guffaw. The lift stopped. They went into Vázquez's offices to be confronted by a large painting of an abstract city-scape – vague lights and building outlines coming through fog. It struck Falcón that this was the sort of piece that Ramon Salgado might have sold.
'I'll lead this discussion,' said Falcón. 'I don't want you to instigate anything, because I know things you don't, José Luis. It's important.'
'And I know things you've never even thought about,' said Ramírez.
Falcón wanted to know what those things were, but one of Vázquez's junior lawyers was already on top of them. They were shown into Vázquez's office, which had a view of the back of the buildings on Calle Balbino Marron. Vázquez asked them to sit down while he continued to read through a document. There was a large map of Seville behind him on which the locations of various projects were shown in different coloured squares. Vázquez threw the papers in an out-tray and sat back. Falcón introduced Ramírez and Vázquez took an instant dislike to him.
'So I'm getting the full weight of the homicide squad,' he said.
'That painting in your reception area,' said Falcón. 'Who's it by?'
'That's an interesting question,' said Vázquez, lost for a moment.
'He likes to get warmed up first,' said Ramírez, smiling.
'It's by a German called Kristian Lutze. I understand it's an abstract of Berlin. He's done another one of
Cologne which hangs in the foyer of Vega Construcciones.'
'How did you and Sr Vega acquire them?'
'Through an art dealer here in Seville called Ramon Salgado. He… of course, you know, he was murdered.'
'How did Sr Vega know Ramon Salgado?'
Ramírez slumped in his chair, bored.
'I don't know,' said Vázquez.
'Not through you?'
'I have to confess that it's not really my interest. It was a gift from Rafael,' said Vázquez. 'I like cars.'
'What sort of cars?' asked Ramírez.
They looked at him. He shrugged.
'Can I smoke?' he asked.
Vázquez nodded. Ramírez lit up, sat back, hands behind his head.
'Is this social,' asked Vázquez, annoyed, 'or something else?'
'Sr Vega was running two projects with Russian partners,' said Falcón. 'Vladimir Ivanov and Mikhail Zelenov.'
'They aren't strictly partnerships,' said Vázquez. 'Vega Construcciones was contracted by two Russian clients to provide technical help. They were being paid for architectural plans, site engineers, gang supervisors and some equipment. On completion of the structure Vega Construcciones were also to be involved in the interior planning – air conditioning, electrics, lift installation, plumbing… that kind of thing.'
'These are unusual projects for Vega Construcciones,' said Falcón. 'Normally they do all the physical work while the partners supply the necessary finance and… in recent times, as far as I know, they've always retained a controlling percentage in the projects.' 'That's true.'
'Who owned the land on which the two Russian projects were being built?'
'The Russians themselves. They came to Rafael with the proposal,' said Vázquez. 'They are not Seville-based. Sr Zelenov has had some projects in Marbella and Sr Ivanov is in Vilamoura in the Algarve. It was easier for them to contract the work out than start up their own companies.'
'Are they linked, these Russians?' asked Falcón. 'Do they know each other?'
'I… I don't know.'
'So you dealt with them separately?' said Falcón.
'Two unusual deals with different Russians out of the blue,' said Ramírez, interested now.
'What's the point you're making?'
'All you've got to do is answer the questions,' said Ramírez.
'Could you show us on that map behind you where the two Russian projects are located?' asked Falcón.
Vázquez pointed out two green squares which were amongst a mass of orange. Falcón flipped through his notebook and went up close to the map.
'And what is unique about those two locations?' asked Falcón.
Vázquez looked at the map like a schoolboy who knows the right answer but whose confidence has been shattered by a brutal teacher.
'Even I can see it,' said Ramírez.
'I don't see what this has got to do with Rafael Vega's death,' said Vázquez, angry now.
'Just answer the question,' said Ramírez, putting a big meaty elbow on the desk.
'They are both in locations where all the other projects are being developed by Vega Construcciones,' said Falcón.
'So what?' said Vázquez.
'We've spoken to Sr Cabello. He pointed out that, of the properties he brought to Vega Construcciones on the back of his daughter's marriage to Rafael Vega, two held the key to the development of whole areas. One area owned by Vega Construcciones and the other by another developer, who without Sr Cabello's plot would be unable to develop it. When Sr Vega came into ownership that developer had to sell out to Sr Vega or… friends of Sr Vega. That's what those two Russian plots have got in common.'
Silence, apart from some flamboyant smoking by Ramírez, who was enjoying his boss's magic show.
'This is admirable footwork on your part, Inspector Jefe,' said Vázquez. 'But are we any closer to understanding what happened to Sr Vega?'
'Sr Vega's Russian friends were known mafiosi. We think they were using these projects to clean up cash they'd been making from people-trafficking and prostitution. Why was Sr Vega involved with these people and why was he giving them extremely advantageous deals?'
'You can't possibly prove any of this.'
'Perhaps your office was involved in the property deals. Possibly you have the deeds here and a record of payments made?' said Falcón.
'You could remind yourself now,' said Ramírez.
'The only documents I have are the contracts for the building of the projects, which are in the archives, and the person who runs that is on holiday.'
'So the property deals were done direct between the original owner of the land and the Russians?' said Falcón. 'Did Sr Vega ask the original owner to give the Russians a sweet deal, which he would make up to them elsewhere?'
'I really don't know, Inspector Jefe.'
'But we could have a look at the sale details of the other plots – which I assume, as Sr Vega's lawyer, you were involved in – and make a comparison of the prices paid,' said Falcón. 'You do have those details here, don't you, Sr Vázquez?'
'I told you, the person who runs the archives is…'
'It doesn't matter. We can, of course, talk to the original owners of the plots. That's just the fine detail that the court will require,' said Falcón. 'What we'd like to know is why Sr Vega was involved with these Russians and expediting their money-laundering operations.'
'I don't know how you can justify that remark,' said Vázquez. 'There are two projects with these Russians. There are two contracts. There are two clear sets of books which show the financial involvement of both parties.'
'We've been around to see these projects,' said Ramírez. 'They were looking a little bare of people without the illegal labour.'
'That's the Russians' problem, not Vega Construcciones.'
'In that case,' said Ramírez, 'maybe you can tell us why Sr Vega kept another set of books for these two projects – the official version for tax purposes and his private version, which was the reality.'
'You might also venture an opinion on why Sergei, the gardener, has disappeared since the discovery of the body,' said Falcón. 'And why Sr Vega was getting social visits from his Russian clients at his home on Noche de Reyes, for instance. Doesn't that sound a little more intimate than the usual business partner?'