Ana dressed quickly and they were soon seated at a computer. Ben accessed Wikipedia first, but said he didn’t need a history back to the dark ages so switched to a travel site. They confirmed that a river did run through the town and accessed photos showing the extreme topography of the mountains and the precarious-looking location of the town.
“This is it!” She turned and smiled at Ben, then asked, “So what’s your end game, sir?”
“My end game is to invite you to come with me to Ronda. It sounds like a perfect get-away to me. What do you think?”
“Seriously— you and me? Trouble free? But what about Valerie?”
“Her parents arrive momentarily—maybe already. I talked to Dad and he thinks it would be better for her to be urged toward reality without me in the vicinity. Doctors will supervise and her parents will be there to support her. The more I’m involved or make myself available, the more she could resist and want to stay dependent on me.”
“Wow! This is a lot to take in. But it’s good stuff now.” She jumped up and threw her arms around Ben. “I would absolutely love to see Andalusia, and finding my abuela’s little town will be icing on the cake.”
“I doubt it’s a little town anymore, thanks to tourism. My Dad is going to help get things arranged. Maybe we can take advantage of his connections again. His buddies are good at finding empty seats on planes that are supposedly full.”
“Yes, I’ve seen him at work. Airplane seats are probably the least of it. There’s no doubt he’s a valuable ally!”
Ben laughed and told her they needed to get busy preparing to leave at a moment’s notice. Just then his mobile phone rang, with Olivia on the other end. He spoke with her briefly, learning that Hugh hadn’t quite been able to keep from spilling the beans. But Ben didn’t care. He had awakened with no throbbing of his injuries, and with a day or so of beard growth any discoloration on his face wouldn’t show. He felt strong again and up to the task, whatever it might be. He called his father’s room and told him where they would be going. Hugh asked about their preferable form of travel, but Ben was mainly concerned with how long it would take. He was told to have some breakfast and wait for a call. They went into the dining room to wait. Ana said she was probably too excited to eat, but managed to down a large pastry with her coffee.
Hugh called within a half hour. The first option was a flight to Madrid, and then the hour and a half flight to Málaga-Costa del Sol airport. There they could rent a car for the drive to Ronda. Or they could take a train from Madrid to Ronda. But that took over three hours. It was all coming at Ben too fast. He asked Hugh to slow down. The point was that there was no decent direct flight from Pamplona airport to either Málaga or Ronda. Madrid was a must.
Ben said he would discuss it with Ana and get back to him as soon as he could. After trying to keep things straight when he talked to her, he decided to simplify by asking his father which means of transport in which combination would take the least amount of time. They moved to the lobby to wait. It wasn’t long before his phone rang and the litany of travel choices began again.
Ben had to stop him. “Dad! How did you get so much information so fast?” Hugh laughed on the other end of the line. “Please, Dad, just tell me the fastest route.”
Hugh said he’d get back to him soon. Ben rang off and sat back. He told Ana there were too many choices, and he would like her input. She said she agreed that the best route was the fastest one, but she hoped they would have a chance to see the landscape other than from the sky. Considering modes of travel triggered a memory. She had forgotten to tell Ben something else she had learned from Inspector Macias.
“Ben, I forgot to tell you what became of the rental car you left on the street. I was too focused on the Annunciata issue.”
“Oh boy… I probably have some hefty impound fees to pay. And I may have to drive it back to the airport.”
“No worries. He had it taken to the local rental office, and there are no fees.”
Ben nodded, smiling. “Macias is a good guy.”
“Yes, he was very charming and helpful to me when I asked him for that information.”
“Of course he was charming.” Ben quickly got up from the chair and pulled Ana up from hers. He looked around the room, and seeing that no one was watching, he gently held her face in his hands, kissed her cheek, and said, “A man is automatically charming to a beautiful woman.”
“Whatever works,” she said, loving his comment, but loving his touch even more.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
After a quick dinner in the hotel dining room and coffee in the lounge, Ben and Ana decided to make it an early night. A short while later Hugh looked for them in the lounge. They weren’t there, so he decided to try Ben’s room. While in the elevator he considered whether it was wise to appear at the door without calling first. He decided to chance it, regardless of any possible awkwardness. Ben answered his rapid knock and invited him inside. Ana heard them talking and came through from her room. The three sat down and Hugh began to submit the travel information he’d garnered, hoping for their approval. He was quite businesslike in his presentation but gave off an air of excitement, as if he were the one embarking on a small adventure. He advised a combination of air and train travel. They would fly from the small airport closest to Pamplona, landing in Madrid. There they would change planes for Málaga-Costa del Sol, where they could board a train bound for Ronda. Ben nodded his approval and looked to Ana, whose expression was somehow reticent.
“I had really hoped to see the landscape from ground level,” she said, wondering if Ben would remember her request from their first conversation about the trip.
Ben jumped right in and said, “You’ll definitely see everything you want to see. I can promise you that.”
“Maybe you could rent a car and do a little touring,” Hugh added. “And I’d imagine there are good views from the train. In any case the trip from Málaga to Ronda isn’t very long.”
Ben asked, “So, time-wise, how long is this trip—counting stopovers?”
“Well, you could actually fly from Madrid directly to Ronda, but it would be a small plane. Takes about three and a half hours. And we don’t know how Ana feels about smaller planes.”
She made a face that strongly conveyed her opinion. Since that wasn’t going to be an option, Ben asked, “How long is the drive from Madrid to Ronda?”
“Too long. At least six hours.” Ben’s father said. He put up his hand to signal that the scrutiny of routes was at an end. “All right,” he continued, “I think this is best: Pamplona to Madrid, about an hour with a thirty-minute stopover; the flight from Madrid to Málaga, an hour and a half. Then the two of you can choose whether to get a car and drive to Ronda, or take a train. It’s a little over an hour either way. How does that sound?” He glanced from one to the other then added, “Ana sees some scenery and the whole thing takes around four to five hours tops.”
The two looked at each other, nodded and smiled. “Done deal,” he said. “Now what do I need to do— probably give someone a credit card number?”
“All taken care of, son. Your mother has been on her tablet researching hotels, and she found one that she thinks is just the ticket. If you would rather make your own arrangements, that’s fine and we’ll understand. But you both have had so much on your plates. We want to make it easy.”
“Dad, what can I say? You’re the best. Thank you.”
Ben and his father stood up and shared a manly embrace with the requisite pats on the back. Ana found it hopeful that Ben didn’t wince from pain. After expressing her own appreciation, she cited her meager travel wardrobe as a reason to hurry down to the hotel shop. Ana didn’t really need to explain. Both men understood the workings of the female mind when it came to shopping. Hugh told Ben that he would try to deliver a printed itinerary before morning and emphasized that they would need an early start.
“Thank Mum for me, please, and tell her I’ll see her before we leave. I k
now her taste is impeccable in most things, so it’s probably the same with hotels. I’m sure she remembered that I like small places— family run. If you want every amenity, just stay in London.”
His father nodded in agreement, told his son goodnight and headed down to the bar for a nightcap. Ben expected his mother would join him to gossip about the whole thing. He leaned against the door, crossed his arms and looked at Ana, smiling but cautious. “Wow, I guess we’re really doing this. Are you good with all of it?”
“It doesn’t seem real right now, frankly. It’s such a departure from everything we’ve experienced together so far.” She paused then said, “Well, almost everything.”
Ben nodded. “I know what you’re referring to, but saying that part was the best part doesn’t sound like much considering that virtually everything else was just awful.”
“Trust me, it was definitely ‘much.’ Now I need to grab my wallet and get down to the shop! I’m tired of having basically nothing to wear and looking ill-suited to the environment.”
Ben shook his head, teasing, and opened the door for her to leave. She promised to use her own door when returning in order to avoid disturbing him. Sleep did seem to be the best idea so he took a quick shower, dried off, threw the towel aside, and slid into bed. But sleep didn’t come easily, and he was relieved a while later to hear Ana unlock then close the door to her room. What she might wear didn’t matter to him. She was everything he wanted just wearing jeans and that gaudy tourist tee shirt with the jeweled crown. He would never forget easing it above her breasts during their brief escape from reality. Knowing she was there on the other side of the door brought relaxation, and he drifted off.
With the two bags from the shop nestled in the chair, Ana undressed, splashed water on her face and slipped into her one nightie. While closing the drapes she took one last look at the lighted plaza below before climbing into bed. Once quiet, Ana noticed how fast her heart was beating. She was unsure of what this trip with Ben would mean to her life, so she told herself to just breathe and trust that all would be as it should be. Ana had never believed in destiny. Yet at this point it was difficult to deny that some unseen force had conspired to bring her to this pivotal moment. It all could have gone so differently, and she shuddered at the thought. She began a mental list of everything that was good in her life. Like counting sheep, the exercise urged her into the arms of Morpheus.
* * *
It was barely light when the phone rang in Ben’s room. It was a wakeup call from the concierge, evidently set up by his father, who had said they would need an early start. He went to the adjoining door and listened for any sound that might indicate Ana was awake. It was quiet. He knocked several times before she answered in a sleepy voice, “Okay… I’m up.” She rolled over and emitted a quiet groan. It had been a restless night, courtesy of her uncertainty.
“We need to get packed. Dad will probably be bringing the itinerary any minute.”
Ben turned toward the bathroom and saw an envelope that had been pushed under the door while he was sleeping. It contained the itinerary and plane tickets, along with a note saying that at eight a.m. there would be a hired car in front of the hotel ready to take them to the airport. Rather than yell through the door again he telephoned Ana’s room. She reached for the phone by the bed and answered, seeming startled to hear Ben’s voice on the other end telling her they had to leave soon.
“Yes, I understand… I’ll hurry,” she said, throwing back the coverlet.
A quick look out the window revealed a cloudy sky, and beyond the city’s skyline a ridge of darkness seemed to be moving toward the city. Within fifteen minutes Ana had readied herself, gathered her belongings, and checked the room for anything left behind. She knocked lightly and went through to Ben’s room, without waiting for him to answer. He came out of the bathroom half dressed, shirt in hand. He put it on and quickly buttoned it while Ana stood by, quietly admiring him. Ben smiled as he snatched the familiar leather jacket off the chair, but he didn’t say a word.
“I’m ready to go,” Ana said. “I just need my luggage brought through so you can call the desk to have it picked up.”
“I can manage two pieces of luggage. It will save time.”
Ana was wary and questioned his choice. “Remember your shoulder… and everything else that hurts.”
He countered immediately. “Nothing hurts,” he said, his tone adamant, then hoisted the two bags— one in each hand.
“You know best,” Ana said, thinking that it was the wrong moment for any type of challenge to his masculinity. She hoped it was true— that his injuries had mended.
They entered the elevator and moments later walked out into the hotel lobby. Ben’s parents were seated there and stood to greet them. The previous night Paris had requested a breakfast-to-go for two, to be ready by eight in the morning. Two coffees and a cellophane bag of pastries sat on the table next to where she had been sitting. She picked up the coffees and handed them to Ben, then gave the bag to Ana. Before goodbyes were said a middle-aged man in a suit came through the entrance and went to the desk to have the concierge notify the McKinnons that their car had arrived.
Hugh spotted him, and figuring he must be the driver, waved him over to their group. They conversed for a moment and Hugh showed him the bags. The man picked them up, nodded respectfully to both women, and exited the hotel. They all followed him out and waited while he stowed their belongings. Ben commented that hiring a limo was a bit over the top.
Hugh laughed and said, “Nonsense! Nothing but the best for our hero and heroine.”
The driver then opened the rear door, motioned to his passengers, and said, “We really must leave or you may miss the flight.”
Ben suspected that the man wasn’t a limo driver by profession, but more likely another Interpol friend of a friend reciprocating as a professional courtesy for some previous favor done. There was a bit of drama in Paris’ goodbye. She found it difficult to contemplate having Ben out of her sight again after what had happened. Hugh lovingly admonished her for being tearful and they all embraced, Ben assuring her that the purpose of this separation was for pleasure. After one last kiss on his mother’s cheek he ushered Ana into the back seat, but then hesitated before getting into the vehicle.
He faced his parents and asked a last one-word question. “Valerie?”
“Doing well,” his father said. “Her parents are with her, and as soon as she’s a little stronger they plan to return to London and stay on with her for a while. It’s been decided that she’ll do best under the care of a therapist with whom she’s familiar. That’s Kate Locksley.”
Ben felt a great sense of relief. With a last wave to his parents he climbed into the back seat beside Ana. As the vehicle pulled away he reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She was reminded of the first night and the taxi ride to her hotel, Ben holding her hand, gritting his teeth in pain. So much had happened. She wondered if he was remembering as well. As if on cue, each turned to the other, smiled, and took a deep breath, letting it go slowly as if releasing all the fear and danger of the past weeks.
The vehicle was headed south toward the same ridge of dark clouds that had been advancing on the city. Just as they left the environs of Pamplona and turned onto the airport route, the sky opened up. A summer cloudburst reduced visibility so badly that the driver pulled over to wait it out. Though intense, it passed in minutes, allowing the driver to continue. Ana expressed her concern about the delay and the plane’s departure time, but the driver assured them the distance was short and they would make it with time to spare. The small airport was nestled between rolling plains, and in the distance a gentle slope of green foothills, washed clean by the rain, caught the morning light. The vehicle slowed and stopped in front of the entrance marked ‘Iberia.’
The driver got out quickly and opened Ana’s door before retrieving their bags from the trunk. Ben climbed out the other side and waited with Ana. He tried to tip the driver,
but when he refused it was clear that he didn’t chauffeur for a living. They each thanked him, took their bags and went through the entrance for departures. The check-in line was short and soon they were crossing the tarmac to board the plane.
When they had settled into their seats Ana couldn’t help but comment that she was amazed nothing had gone wrong so far. Ben urged her to change the cynical perspective so it would be easier for him to do the same. She knew he was being facetious, yet there was a degree of truth in what he said. Making the shift from a mindset of danger and crisis to one of relaxation and romance didn’t come easily. The ‘buckle seat belts’ light came on and the flight attendant went through her protocol. The plane began to move toward the runway, where the pilot waited for clearance to take off. Soon they felt the plane increase speed, and moments later they were airborne.
The landscape below was familiar, the same golden expanses and gently undulating hills they had seen on the flight to Pamplona. Both were having moments where comprehension of recent events seemed beyond them. Ben settled back in the seat, his expression pensive, a distant look in his eyes. Any residual pain was now emotional. It would be a long time before he came to terms with his part in the death of Gareth Logan. He bore no moral responsibility, yet that was cold comfort. Time passed without conversation, and Ana sensed that quiet was best while he struggled with leaving the whole experience behind him. She wondered if he would ever return to Pamplona of his own accord.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The flight from Madrid landed on schedule and they easily made the connecting flight. A short while later the plane made a smooth landing at Málaga Costa del Sol airport. While Ben waited at the luggage carousel, Ana made a quick dash to the cash-point for Euros. He was surprised when his phone rang, and his first reaction was fear that something was wrong. It was his father calling to say he had decided to re-check the train schedule for Ronda and found that the trip took two and half hours. Previously he hadn’t considered all the stops and decided to take it upon himself to make other arrangements. A private car company would provide their transportation to Ronda. The driver would be waiting outside the airport exit with a sign reading ‘McKinnon.’ Ben expressed his appreciation and confirmed the fact that the last thing he wanted was to spend over two hours on a train.
Good Deed Bad Deed : A Novel Mystery Page 35
