Free Madeleine & the Mind by Felicia Mires

understand English.
    "Inglais. Inglais," she said.
    "No."
    The dividing door opened, and Steven walked in and sat beside her.
    She glared at him. She should have locked the door.
    He reached for the paper she'd been writing on, and she slapped at his hand. "Behave."
    "Inspector Banderas. May I speak with Inspector Banderas?"
    "Inspector Banderas? Si. Si. Una momento, por favor."
    Madeleine waited. She hoped that meant the Inspector was coming.
    "Inspector Banderas here, may I help you?"
    "Inspector, this is Madeleine Price. You said I could call if I had any problems."
    "Ah, Senorita Price. Don't tell me you are in trouble again."
    "I'm afraid so. Someone tried to kill me today."
    There was silence a few moments.
    "Inspector? I'm serious. I don't know what to do."
    "When you say someone tried to kill you, are you saying someone tried to rob you again?"
    "No, no. Not like that at all. Someone purposely tried to kill me. Look, can you come and see me? It's very difficult to explain on the phone."
    "Where are you?"
    "The Institute of Resources and Technology. Do you know it?"
    "Si. I'll be there in an hour."
    "I'll be waiting out front."
    Madeleine hung up.
    Steven was now holding the list of questions.
    She took it from his hands. "Where's your keeper? Dr. Hanover?"
    Mike stepped through the door.
    "I told you I needed to use the phone. What is Dr. Faraday doing in here?"
    He didn't look the least bit guilty. "Sorry. He was through the door before I knew where he was going. I figured you'd throw him out if he got on your nerves."
    "I have an appointment in an hour. Could you please keep an eye on him?"
    "Of course."
    Madeleine looked back at Steven. He grinned at her with the innocence of a child, and she ruffled his hair. "Please go sit with Mike like a good boy."
    Madeleine was waiting, without her shadow, at the entrance to the Institute when Inspector Banderas arrived. Steven had tried to follow her out of her room, but she pushed him back and told him no.
    The Inspector greeted her warily. "What have you got yourself into, Senorita Price?"
    "It was a good idea not to come in a police car. Let's walk through the grounds. This place has too many ears."
    He followed her around the side of the building. They ambled along as if they had no specific direction in mind. When they passed the pool, Madeleine paused. Many bathers frolicked in the waters. After work hours, it was a popular place.
    "This is where it happened. Look at the building. There are very few windows on this side because this is where the scientists have their lab."
    He nodded, although he couldn't possibly have understood what she was getting at. Thank goodness for a man who let a woman tell a tale at her own speed.
    She led him away from the pool to a secluded bench.
    "You see, the attacker could be fairly confident no one would see him. If someone happened to come out to the pool, he could have said it was an accident...that he didn't realize I was drowning."
    His eyes widened, but other than that, he made no response.
    "I'll have to tell you everything."
    She started at the beginning with Dr.Faraday's accident and ended with the conversation she'd heard at the maze.
    He listened patiently. When she finished, he sighed. "May I see your leg?"
    Madeleine pulled up her pants leg.
    "You say no one but you and the mute heard this conversation."
    "True, but Dr. Faraday isn't really a mute. Physically, he's very fit."
    She handed him the list of questions. "Do you think you could investigate these?"
    He read the questions on the list. "Have you considered what connection the American consulate might have with this? There was no reason for them to know about the needs of Dr. Faraday unless someone at the embassy is involved."
    "That's another thing. Since I've been here, no one besides those scientists have communicated with me at all. The physician didn't show up until today, and he had very little to say. Wouldn't you think in a high security facility such as this