Free A Rip in the Veil by Anna Belfrage Page B

The only reason Diego had hired Diane Wilson’s company had been to get at Alexandra Lind, an opportunity to get her alone and browbeat her into telling them what had happened to Ángel. Now it had all gone wrong: no Alexandra Lind, and no more Diego. Hector fisted his hand and caressed the thick gold ring that adorned his ring finger.
    Hector took his time studying the barren surroundings. There was nothing here, nothing that would help him learn where Diego had ended up. Ignoring his audience of two, he walked out to stand in the exact centre of the crossroads, and there he crouched to lay his palm against the warm asphalt.
    “ Adios , Diego.” Poor bastard, he’d never cope in a world without fast food and modern amenities. He straightened up and rubbed at his bruised thigh, courtesy of that panicked jump out of the studio window a couple of days ago – stupid thing to do, he’d been far too distraught about Diego to make much of a cat burglar. Still; he had to try. He needed one of those paintings, and even more now that Diego was gone from his life.
    He turned to look at them, two rather apprehensive young people standing very close together.
    “Strange isn’t it? First Alexandra goes missing – is apparently held somewhere against her will for some months – and on the day she reappears, her mother vanishes, never to be heard from again. Unfortunately.”
    It had been one of the happier days in his long, long, life, the day Ángel called him to tell him he’d found her – not the witch herself, but her daughter, an Alexandra Lind. Was he sure? Yes, Ángel had yelled – well, he was almost sure, like ninety-nine per cent sure. So what did Hector want him to do? Well, that had been easy. At last; a golden opportunity to snare the witch once and for all, and if the daughter was somewhat battered as a result, well, so be it – blame it on the mother, not on him. Hector’s brow creased together; damn Mercedes! Somehow she’d evaded his elegantly baited trap, and in the process taken Ángel with her. How?
    “You don’t really like her much, do you?” Diane said.
    “Who? Mercedes? No, her I don’t like, but then why should I? She’s a witch. This is all her fault, she’s the one who started it, dragging me out of my time.”
    “Oh dear.” Diane made a tut-tutting sound. “And why, one wonders. What did you do to her?”
    “That, Ms Wilson, is none of your business. Let’s just say that she has utterly destroyed my life, and for that I would dearly want to make her pay.” She made a derisive sound that Hector chose to disregard. At times it was better to ignore than punish – the aftermaths could be so tedious. He did one last, slow turn, bidding Diego a mental farewell. And now who would share all his secrets? Hector sighed; years of companionship left one very vulnerable to the darker sides of solitude.
    “We might as well drive back,” he said. “There’s nothing to see here, is there?”
    “What were you hoping for? A neat little sign post saying Time Node ? An open hole to another dimension in time?” Diane’s voice was loaded with sarcasm. “You know, something – anything – to corroborate your rather weird story.”
    “Are you calling me a liar?” Hector sank his eyes into her.
    “Yes, I suppose I am – or delusional, take your pick.”
    “I am not delusional,” Hector said through gritted teeth. This young woman was beginning to annoy him. He forced himself to un-claw his fingers.
    “None of this time travelling stuff is true!” Diane said.
    “No, of course it isn’t,” John broke in. “There must be a logical explanation.”
    “Of course,” Hector sneered. “I can’t wait to hear it. How will it explain the dry car in the middle of the downpour? Or her rusted phone? Or my poor Diego?”
    “I don’t know,” John mumbled.
    “No of course you don’t, because there isn’t one.”
    “There must be,” Diane said.
    “There isn’t; trust me.” Hector turned to