by Al Cooper
Anyway she had to follow by his side, trying to find a little light, a glimmer of hope. Her first and only concern was that Harold recovered, but each passing day she looked him worse. Absorbed in her thoughts, she came back to reality when heard as a knock on the bedroom door, asking permission to enter. That voice was becoming more familiar for her than Harold's because she listened it for weeks at all hours of the day. It belonged to Dr. O'Connor, who more than ensuring the health of Harold seemed to be his bodyguard, because he just left him alone, was aware of the sick by day and night. He slept in an adjoining room, and he had convinced to Carol about the inconvenience of sleeping next to her husband, citing the same reason wielded by him as soon as he opened the door.
- I share and understand your grief, but must realize that he needs rest, now is the best medicine.
She could not say how many times she would have heard that sentence, just knew it was a favorite of Dr. O'Connor, who came to her as soon as he observed that Carol was in the room by more than half an hour. He was so pending on Harold that it seemed he didn't want anyone to approach him, including her. She had to admit that she had never liked him. Willingly had dismissed that guy, but had been hired by express wish of her husband, and while she also didn't know the reasons which led him to take such a decision, she must abide and respect it, as absurd as it turned out to be that he decided to put himself in the hands of a stranger to the detriment of his trusted doctor of lifetime, Dr. Stevens. O'Connor took care of everything, he took more powers than such derived of his job. He decided what should be the right treatment, when and where tests and examinations should be done, the name of the clinics and specialists, visits schedules and the duration thereof. He was strict and intrusive, limited visits to the fullest, and he was always pending to the other side of the door. Carol stood up and motioned to the doctor that both of them left the room and were to the hall. Once there she answered moodily.
- And you must understand that I have hardly had a chance to be by his side since he took ill, and that the shock was tremendous. He was so fine, so full of hope, so full of life ... and suddenly .... I do not understand!
- These diseases are in this way. Notified when it is too late - O'Connor replied, undeterred --
- So ... do you still think that there is no hope? I've heard of a center specializing in brain tumors, in San Francisco. - Carol asked in a tone of despair -
- It's your right to seek another opinion. However, the evidence is such that unfortunately we have no room for doubt. Moreover, in his delicate situation should not submit to more tests and much less to operations. The more quiet he is, the more he can feel good.
- I don't understand neither why he talks so little and so inconsistently. I understand that is exhausted, but sometimes, when I talk to him it's as if he were absent. And when he answered, his arguments look like a child.
- The depth and characteristics of the tumor, together with the committed and delicate operation that has been subjected, have meant that some areas of his brain are severely damaged. For you understand me, we could say that it's just as if he had unleashed a kind of ... Alzheimer, it happens often in such cases.
- Tell me then what I can do to help? - Carol tone was returning to be of a person who felt powerless, unable to find a way to help the man she loved -
- Unfortunately, in his state, there may be times when he even barely recognize you. All you can do is following by his side, giving love, that surely he understands it and that helps him. But remember, above all, needs rest. The medication, chemotherapy, is very aggressive.
Carol retired to her room, she threw himself on the bed and began to mourn. Even being a strong woman who always had fought to the limits of her possibilities, she felt overwhelmed, fragile and without resources. She reproached herself her attitude, refused to accept that she could only be ready for what was coming, but was forced to admit that nothing more could do about it.
XXI
Kelly felt a slap of moisture going down the aircraft steps. The feeling was similar to that she had perceived in her travels to the Caribbean, except that it was accompanied by a strange smell that was hard to identify. She thought people that say that air does not smell were not right. She liked to travel, but preferred to do in her leisure time. She had been in many places of the world: Mexico, Central America, Europe, India, Nepal, Algeria, Senegal, Australia ... and she could swear that the first impact in the form of odor was never the same. It probably would be complicated to explain in a scientific standpoint, but she perceived it so. This time the smell seemed to her that was sweet but without being annoying, full of scents that made it unmistakable.
At the Eduardo Gomes airport did not appear that anyone was waiting for them. She looked her watch, half an hour since they had arrived and as much as she looked around, didn't find any face resembling that of Joao Souza, police Capt. Manaus with whom she had exchanged her photo on the Internet to avoid complications of recognizing each other. At first it should not be difficult, unless he had decided to shave that huge mustache that made him look carefree and kindly.
She turned her head and could see Marvin standing, turning around from side to side and Hanson sitting next her, flipping through a local newspaper. She stood watching Hanson without him noticed it. She had to admit that she felt a tingling could not remember from the time of the faculty, because long ago she had decided to isolate herself and focusing on her work, men did not attract her for long time, despite always feel flattered, focus of attention of masculine gender wherever she was. But now she was beginning to feel something that she thought was lost in her past. Hanson was undoubtedly a very attractive man, but not by physical but by his character and sense of humor. They fit in a perfect way, it was as if they knew for a lifetime. Never a long journey had become so short, she had never laughed so much and never ceased to be surprised by Hanson, because behind that inveterate seducer was hiding a romantic man, sensitive, intelligent, erudite, even in matters that had little or nothing do with his work, such as anthropology and philosophy. It was like he had two faces, one that exhibited in public, and for which he could be accused of spontaneous, frivolous, even shallow. And quite different another that he stored inside, his best kept secret that had opened her showing his depth and concerns. For hours they talked about the divine and human, putting their lives a day, as if they were aware they had been waiting so much time to meet and they might regret wasting any minute. Probably was beginning to fall in love with Hanson, but as in these cases, it seemed to have happened at the wrong time, in a difficult situation, now that in her life had again crossed the Platonic image of her first love, her longed, almost mythologized, Dr. Clerigan.
Carried away by her thoughts to a world that had nothing to do with her surroundings, left her slumber by a voice at her back, in correct English but with a funny accent.
- Miss Adams, I guess.
Kelly turned her head at the same time than Hanson. A portly man of medium height, with a distinctive mustache, wearing a casual uniform of khaki shorts and a hat in his hand was smiling. Not was difficult to guess who he was. She rose to greet him.
- You guess right, Captain Souza, but I believed that I had sent you a photo front. It has a lot of merit you have recognized me by the back! - Kelly said smiling back -
- Not at all, you're unmistakably beautiful from every point of view.
- Thanks, I wasn't told that in this country were so gallant men.
- Not all, unfortunately. Sorry for the delay, I forgot that today, Friday, we must send some statistics to the headquarters.
- I present to detectives Marvin and Hanson.
- I would like to wish you are as at home - Souza said while greeted them - but I'm afraid that will not be possible.
- Surely not because you are not going to try it - Hanson interrupted smiling before Souza will explain the reason which led him to make such a claim -
- Assume that I will try it. But there is nothing that can compare to Manaus, much less to Amazon. But be sure you are going to miss it when leave, you'll see. I am here for twenty years and I only go some days to Rio for the carnival.
- Despite the fatigue of the journey we look forward to start our adjustment period - Hanson said -
- I thought so. Therefore, I propose you accept an invitation to a frugal meal followed by a tour of the city. Then I will ask you to give me your first impression.
- Count on it! - Kelly said while picking up her suitcase.
His federal police fellows in Manaus called Joao Souza Da Lima by the nickname "the diplomat". It was helped not only by his poise and diction, but by his past. Souza was born into a wealthy family in Barra da Tijuca, one of the most elegant neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro. He had traveled half the world with his family since his father, a career diplomat, rarely stayed in the same destination for more than three years. He learned to speak a perfect English, French, Spanish and some Italian. When he came of age, and as a first step to follow in the footsteps of his father, he moved to Rio to study political science, where he fell in love with Davinia, a girl of good family and refined manners. He married her a year before finishing the career, settling in the house of her parents. There began his ordeal. Davinia, in counterpoint to her frail appearance, took a strong character and unruly, which until then she must have hidden. What's more, Souza felt at a complete disadvantage in-laws house. Diplomatic career was long and expensive, so he decided to run a competition for diplomatic officer, getting the number one, and was assigned to the consulate of Argentina in Rio.
Thus managed to convince Davinia to get her out from her parental home at last and rent an apartment in Ipanema. No luck. Of quiet and peaceful character, Souza hated continuous discussions and the whims of spoiled child of her wife whose only concern was appearance and social relations, so much as that she spent twice what Souza won. Taking also on account that his work as an officer didn't satisfy him at all, and in his desperation to escape his reality began to dabble in nature, not was so strange that one day he filed for separation from his wife and then he presented to a competition for sergeant of the federal police in Manaus.
From stage of crisis in life one can only get out by two ways: unfavorably or reinforced. In the case of Souza happened the latter, in fact he always wondered how he would not have noticed before. He liked his work, relationship with his companions was fine and he felt so comfortable in Manaus that he hadn't changed it for anywhere else in the world. From time to time he went alone or with some friend to enjoy the night, and never lacked female company. Although somewhat shy and reserved, he hadn't trouble to tune in with the female gender, but neither he didn't like to abuse of the night nor was a spendthrift, despite earning more money than the money he had time to spend.
There was no doubt that they hadn't found better host than Souza. They thought that if he knew the heart of the Amazon a hundredth part of good than Manaus, success was assured. He could have made a living of tour operator, instead of choosing another much more risky profession. That city in the middle of jungle was a surprise for the three. A world of contrasts, equipped with a tourist infrastructure at the level of places like Aruba and Curacao. Five-star hotels with all facilities, gyms, swimming pools, sports areas and meeting rooms, at the purest style of the great resorts in the Caribbean surrounded by a lush forest, next to slums in the suburbs where poverty was obvious. Souza took them to discover the modern Manaus, a place where, if nobody say you where you are and take you there blindfolded, when they remove the blindfold you might think you're in the midst of a major European city or American. A cosmopolitan city with wide avenues, buildings and parks, malls, where Kelly was particularly impressed that they could get perfumes and clothes of the most famous designers in the world. Not to mention the traditional sites where you could buy typical products, from natural medicinal products to exotic souvenirs from the Amazon.
Then introduced them the historic Manaus, with a colonial flavor that was evident in each and every one of its streets, its buildings, most of which retain the imported architecture of nineteenth century Europe when Manaus became the legendary capital of rubber. Souza showed them its landmark buildings, the houses of the great merchants of the time, the cultural center, the old market square on the harbor, whose design is attributed to Eiffel (a replica of the former Les Halles in Paris), the floating dock, that can accommodate up to thirteen meters differences in water level. As Kelly and Hanson remained highly impressed, Marvin barely was paying attention, neither participated in the talks. He was immersed in an emotional state that could be assimilated to that of a shock, had not yet recovered from the blow. But he knew he had to be ready for that adventure of which the life of Susan depended. But when they finished that tour in the great Opera House, close to their hotel, Marvin, big Opera fan, could not avoid to ask a question of Souza.
- It's awesome, majestic, almost in the jungle, in the middle of nowhere. Who had the idea, the audacity of doing something similar?
- It was late last century, when Manaus was rich and envied by many European cities. The project was the brainchild of a visionary named Domenico de Angelis, who had the whim to attend concerts of opera in a palace in midst of the jungle. Most surprising is that the materials were all, all brought from Europe, including marble, to the point you could say there is no single stone that does not have that source.
- Fascinating. And have also been able to bring here great figures? ...
- No, not so many - Souza replied smiling - It's a little difficult to convince large companies to act in the middle of the jungle. Anyway Pavarotti could not resist temptation during a tourist visit in 1995, although restricted to a small group of officials and authorities. Also Spanish tenor Carreras sang at its reopening in 1996.
- Admittedly, this city is a luxury. - Kelly pointed out -
- Yes, folks, for something is known as the "Paris of the Amazon." But there's yet more. I know you must be more than tired, but it's getting late and the helicopter is waiting.
- Helicopter?,,, - Hanson no friend of the air ride, said, surprised, in fact the company of Kelly had helped him to overcome his phobia but other trip by air wasn’t between his plans -
- I thought you would like to know surroundings - said Souza -
- Yes, yes, of course - replied Kelly smiling, realizing the fears of Hanson - I think that bed must wait a bit yet.
- And tomorrow we have to start working - Pointed out Marvin -
The helicopter tour would have seemed them a dream, unless the three were sharing the same. Souza showed them Manaus from the air first, with emphasis on the sites they had visited. Moving away from the city, they could see that it resembled an island of cosmopolitan life lost in the jungle. Then they took them to the meeting point of two rivers, just where the dark waters of Black River intersect with muddy waters of Solimoes River, the official point of formation of Amazon River, a few kilometers from Manaus, to show them to finish the largest fluvial archipelago in the world, the Anavilhanas, eighty miles upstream from Manaus. But what struck them most was the enormous breadth of the river, over twenty miles in some areas, leading to, from the river border, any clueless visitor could confuse it with the sea.
As culmination Souza invited them to dinner at a typical site, physically surrounded by jungle. They were very tired, but although that Marvin went to bed, Kelly and Hanson could not avoid to end the night knowing the Manaus nightlife of the expert hand of Souza, approaching one of many sites with samba and local rhythms. When it came time to be accountable to sleep, it was two o'clock in the morning. The experience had been unforgettable, a kind of short vacation prior to the challenge that had led up to that paradise.
XXII
Next morning, knowing that his guests need a long and rewarding break, Souza went to pick them up at noon to take them to his
offices in the Federal Police headquarters, located in the modern area. He invited them to enter a small meeting room. What struck them most was not the big map hanging on the front but the wonderful views of the city that could be seen from that fifteenth floor. The jungle couldn't be caught by sight from there, so no one would say they were immersed in it, it was then when contrast impacted on them even more.
After noticing that the three had settled into their seats, Souza began to talk while he was going down the blinds. The light coming through those windows was such that it was difficult to keep eyes opened.
- The first thing I would like to convey is that I feel totally identified and involved with the reason that have brought you here. Rest assured that we will endeavor to clarify this strange case. It's not just my personal opinion, I pass you the feeling of the federal police of Brazil as a representative of it.
