Corruption's Price: A Spanish Deceit (10 page)

Saturday: Soria

Marta was glad that she and Alfredo had decided to ask Puri to join them again for dinner. For her it had seemed the least she could do, especially once she had learnt, after visiting Laguna Negra high under the Picos de Urbión, that Puri had little interest in Alfredo's political ambitions though she was vitally aware of all that he had achieved – and failed at – over the past decade.

When Marta and Puri had walked around the edge of the lake, looking at the steep steel-grey cliffs, Puri had divulged more. The picture that reached Marta was in many ways Alfredo and Puri were as much partners as lovers. Marta hoped that this would make it easier to open up about the ORS situation. The idea of a third set of eyes had both comforted and discomforted. At least, as they walked and talked while Alfredo prepared dinner, she and Puri had agreed not to open the topic until after dinner.

With another good meal inside them they moved to what Alfredo called his library. It was a rather masculine and unusual room, with four armchairs but no sofas, gathered around a Scandinavian wood-burning stove. This apparently also heated his bedroom and bathroom upstairs. It had emerged that, with Puri's guidance and encouragement, he had invested in various forms of energy efficiency, diminishing the need for electricity, something that reduced the bills and could be depended on in winter.

After dinner the subject of ORS was awoken. While initially reluctant to describe what had occurred in the past, Marta found herself being quizzed more by Puri than Alfredo, and saying much more than intended. She talked through how she'd worked with several organisations, including in the past with Alfredo's law firm, though did not name the others. She described how one owner had decided to repay everything that ORS demanded, one was refusing to pay anything, one was still on a cruise, one was in denial and one had yet to decide. Additionally, there was Alfredo's law firm's decision that she had yet to hear. She looked expectantly at Alfredo. He was giving nothing away.

Puri was unrelenting. What were these monies and why did ORS think that they represented overpayments or the failure to refund credit notes?

Marta was about to explain when Alfredo interrupted, taking Puri through how various businesses and individuals had in the past developed some creative accounting so that they could quietly funnel money from their selected businesses to chosen institutions or individuals, like Marta, to shape favourable decisions. Though he did not put it quite so indelicately, what he described – to Puri's ears – was the purchase of business or political results in order to ensure that this contract would be awarded at that price, or a vote here would favour some new building development, or somebody would be appointed to an influential position.

Puri was blunt: ''This sounds like corruption. Am I right?"

Alfredo tried to deflect her, referring to these events as being part of the past. He described 'habits' that had formed long before as well as during Franco's rule, which persisted through the
transición
to democracy as Spain developed and caught up with the rest of Europe. Subsequently, all were overtaken by the arrival of
la crisis
, the financial meltdown of 2008 and 2009, with its subsequent economic implosion in Spain as its property bubble burst. He spoke soothing, unconfrontational lawyers' words.

They were, unfortunately, inadequate to quieten Puri. She returned her eyes to Marta to enquire, not a little acidly, what her role in all this was. Marta found Puri's focus not easily resisted. There was a calm that demanded honesty.

"I was one of a number of what you might call bag carriers or envelope stuffers. In my case it was for my major clients, one being Alfredo's firm."

Marta hesitated, unsure what to add.

"Continue," commanded Puri.

"I effectively assisted in arranging for double invoices to be paid, for credit notes not to be refunded to their due owners but instead be cashed in, and for the excess monies obtained to be deposited with me. It was my role to distribute those monies to whomever my clients were seeking to influence, sometimes paying for promotional events or delivering unmarked envelopes full of cash. Remember that at one stage the European Central Bank believed that the greatest proportion of 500 euro notes in circulation was in Spain. From personal experience I can believe this. I found those notes discreetly compact and, being cash, they were pretty much untraceable."

"I'm not sure I believe what I'm hearing. You really did this?"

"Yes," confirmed Alfredo. "You must understand what I said earlier. This was primarily a legacy from Franco's era. It was how 'things were arranged' then. It passed through to the democracy that Spain became after the new constitution was approved in 1978. Originally small beer it grew increasingly significant. Not for nothing were some politicians known, like that one in Pakistan, as
Señor
2 per cent, or 3 per cent, or even 4 per cent, depending on how greedy they were."

"I'm flabbergasted. I can't take this in. I'm clearly a stupid, naïve taxpayer and voter. Let's change the subject."

Puri withdrew into herself.

Neither Marta nor Alfredo knew how to continue. They looked bleakly at each other, aware that this was not the reaction either had expected. Plus Puri still had not asked the most vital of questions: which individuals had benefitted?

Thus far all had been generic. Her innocence was not likely to continue.

Saturday: Madrid

As Caterina, Emilia and Davide headed across the Plaza, Felipe turned and, on seeing them approach, remarked to his own companions, "Here they are."

Ana swivelled to greet Davide with a warm smile and affectionate kisses on both cheeks. She did the same with Caterina and Emilia, though with noticeably less warmth. Davide shook hands with Felipe and Alberto as the latter did with Davide's companions.

"Your timing is excellent. I've booked us a table at a
restaurante
around the corner. Ana says it is highly recommended by her family and not excessively expensive – at least for this part of Madrid. She suggests we go to a bar and have a drink beforehand because we can't eat before 10 p.m. In Texas we'd be in bed by then. Not here. It amazes me."

Without waiting any further he placed himself between Emilia and Caterina, grabbed an arm from each and almost frog marched them, with Alberto, towards the nearest bar, chatting away.

Davide was left with Ana. Rather than copy Felipe's technique he preferred to offer his arm, which was gracefully accepted. They followed the others slowly with Davide unsure whether it was her shoes or some deliberate reticence on Ana's part.

They both spoke at the same moment.

"Davide, might –"

"Your shoes –"

They stopped, facing each other.

"Please, Ana, continue. I interrupted."

"If you interrupted, so did I. I want to thank you and ask for your help."

Davide regarded her with surprise.

"I don't mind working for ORS," continued Ana. "In many ways Felipe is considerate. But please understand, I have no 'interest' in Felipe. Yet I have the distinct feeling that he is, or more likely thinks he should be, interested in me. In truth I dressed up like this with these monster heels just so I could tower over him, hopefully putting him off once and for all. This isn't the first time he's asked me out to dinner though it is the first time when it wouldn't have been just us two. If you can in any way encourage him to look elsewhere I'd be so grateful."

She smiled defensively.

Davide saw her in a new light. She was right. Her shoes were spectacularly tall. She was now marginally taller than he, while her half black, half white dress was definitely a statement in itself, as well making the best of her slender figure. How she could walk at all in those shoes he didn't know. Yet he now felt he understood something better.

"If you'll allow me to say so, you look
muy, muy elegant
e – far too elegant and sophisticated for the particular Texas-boy that I perceive Felipe to be. Even our Australian friends, I shouldn't tell you, are furious. You have convincingly, at least in their eyes, hidden them in your shadow. That is a stunning dress! How you can move at all in those shoes I don't know.

"However, relax. I don't think you'll have any problems with Felipe. After appearing as you have this evening, I'm pretty sure he won't bother you in future. My reading of Felipe, and this is also true of Emilia and Caterina, is that he's looking for somebody closer to home, probably an American. If you like, I can try suggesting something to him to root your unpreference in concrete."

Not wanting to offend Ana, Davide omitted Emilia and Caterina's comments regarding native English-speakers. He didn't want to cause offence.

"Your compliments are gracious, Davide, while your confidence is reassuring. It's not that I dislike Felipe. In many ways I respect him for accepting the challenge of establishing a business over here, for moving to Spain and wanting to learn. Spain isn't easy. You are also perceptive about the shoes. They aren't comfortable. I only bought them to try to solve this situation once and for all. If you're able to do anything to discourage him long-term, that would be great.

"Also, if I do say so myself, you look more Spanish this evening than I thought any Englishman could ever do. I'm surprised that Emilia or Caterina are not all over you. Why aren't they? Do they take you for granted? If so, they're mad,
locas
."

Davide flushed.

As they walked towards the bar, he explained about
tío
Toño and Ángela and their conspiracy to upgrade his clothes sense to what
tío
Toño thought he ought to be. Ana giggled in amusement, a sound which Davide found discomfortingly
simpatico
. Was he really becoming more Spanish?

They entered the bar to find the other four standing around an upturned wine barrel already equipped with glasses, a bottle of Cava and a selection of small tapas with some fat-looking olives dripping in oil. The accompanying fresh bread almost steamed with its heat.

Having passed a glass each to Ana and Davide, Felipe did the honours and, seeing that filling six
copas de vino
had emptied the bottle, he waved to a passing waiter to order another.

Felipe said, "What do you think of this place? Cute, isn't it?"

Where Ana, Davide and Caterina cringed in their different ways, and Alberto's face offered no expression at all, Emilia offered enthusiastic agreement. To Ana and Caterina's relief, Emilia was turning her attentions, at least this evening, fully on Felipe. He looked ripe to succumb.

"What were you and Ana discussing that took so long?" Caterina asked Davide.

The truth was Caterina felt uncomfortable in Ana's company. She felt diminished beside 'that dress' (even though she wished she could have had the nerve to buy it, knowing full well that this would require more bravery than she possessed, yet sure it would suit her).

To make matters worse Davide, as he so often seemed effortlessly to do, was clearly getting on with Ana, almost flaunting their fluent intermingling of Spanish and English. Caterina was beginning to feel left out.

Ana's phone rang. She excused herself to answer it and to go outside for a cigarette.

"I didn't know she smoked," commented Caterina

"Nor I," said David. "What do you think of her dress? Quite impressive, no?" Before Caterina could respond he added, to her infinite pleasure, "I think you'd do it more justice."

Sunday: Madrid

Felipe checked his watch. He was enjoying himself. After a good dinner he had felt expansive enough to suggest going to a nightclub. It was proving to be a much more engaging evening than any of them had really expected for a work occasion.

Though it was nearly midnight, all but Alberto agreed. Not only was Ana not making any moves on him, nor seeming to expect him to do (which was even better), but he was enjoying being the centre of Emilia's focus, at least when all were not talking about ORS or office matters. He felt they were becoming a good team. He was thankful he had bothered to book a round table, as this had avoided isolating anyone. His parents had taught him the importance of such social foresight, hence why he had included Alberto, a fellow ORS employee, to even the numbers.

When he had made his original suggestion he had considered two night clubs, both recommended by members of his Retiro fitness group – and with the possibility he might meet some of their number at either of them. There was a sort of informal arrangement.

The first nightclub they tried was closed. He gazed at the locked doors in bemusement.

"Even in Texas no self-respecting nightclub would shut before midnight."

This set Ana off into a loud peal of laughter that bounced and re-bounced off the buildings around. For a moment Felipe was offended until he realised that her amusement wasn't ill-meant. Davide grinned. Caterina and Emilia appeared utterly baffled.

"This is Spain. What I think Ana is trying to communicate, Felipe, is not that it's closed for the night but rather that it's yet to open. Am I right, Ana?"