Free Barcelona 03 - The Sound of One Hand Killing by Teresa Solana, Peter Bush Page A

the fact that we had found Brian’s corpse. On the other hand, as it was no secret, we made the most of the curious assignment from Teresa Solana and how we intended enrolling at a Zen centre.
    â€œThe peculiar things you two get up to!” said Joana, who still hadn’t digested the fact I’d left a secure job at the bank to work with Borja and that Montse had abandoned her job as a school counsellor to set up an Alternative Centre in Gràcia.
    â€œBut the place we are going to investigate is not at all like Montse’s,” Borja made clear.
    â€œYou mean it’s an establishment for the well-to-do, don’t you?” asked Montse.
    â€œI hope so,” said Borja with a smile. Lola grimaced.
    â€œHomeopathy is a much more natural form of medicine,” my sister-in-law suddenly declared, even though she was immediately on the defensive. “All chemists sell it. I take it too.”
    Borja said nothing and Montse and I simply goggled at Lola. We were surprised because if Lola is a fan of one thing it is antibiotics, ibuprofen and paracetamol, which I knew she hadn’t given up because I’d caught her swallowing a pill just before lunch.
    â€œWell, it’s all yours,” interjected Joana. “I reckon all those things are a lot of tosh.”
    â€œBut lots of people believe in it. So I reckon it must work.”
    â€œThe fact that a huge number of individuals believe something to be so doesn’t imply that it is so,” I suggested tentatively.
    â€œDoesn’t it? Well, if people believe in it, it must be for a good reason,” came her defiant response.
    â€œCome on, Lola, lots of people believe in horoscopes, in kidnappings by beings from other planets or in UFOs, but that’s no proof that they actually exist.”
    â€œPeople believe in UFOs because so many have been sighted.”
    â€œSo if people have seen them, how come there is no definite proof they exist? At the end of the day, all we have as evidence is what the people who claim to have seen one say,” I replied.
    â€œThat’s because governments keep it from us, just like they do with alternative therapies. They would rather people stuffed themselves with medicines that damage their livers or kidneys, so that pharmaceutical companies can make a bomb.”
    â€œOh, that’s all we needed! The famous conspiracy theory!” I retorted sarcastically. But Montse kicked me under the table. “The problem, Lola, is that before antibiotics were discovered, people simply died, if you remember.”
    â€œMany illnesses can be cured by homeopathy, without antibiotics,” she countered. “That’s a well-established fact.”
    To be frank, as far I was concerned, the jury was still out on homeopathic medicine, and I decided to end the discussion right there and let Lola have the last word. Borja very deftly channelled the conversation to noir novels and Teresa Solana, whom only Montse had read, on the recommendation of one of her customers. After coffee, Joana said she was going to stretch out and disappeared into her bedroom. Montse and Lola also got up and slumped on the sofa, but not before they had subtly invited us to clean the kitchen. Borja and I obediently donned our aprons and started washing up.
    â€œThe next present you get from me will be a dishwasher,” grumbled Borja. “I’ve a friend down in the port who—”
    â€œNo thank you very much! I don’t want to hear another word about any of your friends! I bet it’s illegal!”
    â€œShush! Not so loud, or the girls will hear you…”
    â€œAnd talking of risky business, have you heard from your statue friend?”
    â€œNot yet. But he said it would be at least a fortnight…”
    â€œYou know I’m not keen on hiding it here,” I carped.
    â€œTake it easy, kid. I said it’s only a matter of days.”
    We finished the washing-up in