In Search of Murder--An Inspector Alvarez Mallorcan Mystery by Roderic Jeffries Page B

floral skirt which flared up each time she and her partner turned.
    Not for him, Alvarez decided. Any woman so immediately attractive would choose wealth, whatever the difference in ages. So often, Jaime’s tastes were impractical.
    â€˜She’d make me give up drinking.’
    â€˜Who is the magician?’ came the call from the kitchen.
    Jaime ignored the question. The dance ended and the couple left the floor. With one more weak joke, the show’s host introduced the next couple.
    â€˜Why doesn’t one ever meet someone like that?’
    â€˜Much better to meet someone less obvious.’
    â€˜You’d choose Lucia from the port?’
    â€˜Someone warm and friendly, who doesn’t admire her refection every time she passes a mirror.’
    â€˜Are you on about youngsters again?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜You’ve had another slice of luck?’ Jaime spoke with the annoyance of someone who was failing to enjoy what others did. ‘Who’s got you dreaming this time?’
    â€˜The cook at Vista Bonita.’
    Jaime pointed at the bead curtain. ‘She’s always said you live for your stomach.’
    â€˜I wouldn’t live without it. And what better way?’
    â€˜You need to be told?’
    Dolores’ head appeared between two strings of the bead curtain. She spoke to Jaime. ‘My cooking gives you no pleasure?’
    â€˜How can you think that?’
    â€˜What do you think Enrique needs to be told?’
    â€˜I … I’ve forgotten.’
    â€˜Your memory would improve if you did not refill your glass the moment it is empty.’ She withdrew.
    Jaime muttered. ‘She’d deny a drink to a man dying of thirst.’
    â€˜Not a drink of water.’
    â€˜She won’t understand that water kills more people in the world every year than alcohol. Have you ever met a woman who can think reasonably? I suppose you’ll say yes because of the new one. She can cook an old pigeon and make it taste like a capon. How many special meals have you had with her so far?’
    â€˜None.’
    â€˜Things not going as well as you’d hoped? You’d better remember the quote in
El Dia
. “Never suffer the pain of gaining what you most desire”.’
    â€˜Written by someone who ended up with more than he started.’
    Dolores began to sing. Jaime picked up the bottle of René Barbier and refilled his glass.

TEN
    S ergeant Grimalt, policia local, phoned just after nine o’clock. Alvarez, newly arrived, used a handkerchief to clear the sweat from his face before he lifted the receiver. ‘Inspector Alvarez, Cuerpo General.’
    â€˜Late to work as usual.’
    â€˜Who’s that?’
    â€˜Two guesses and you’re out.’
    â€˜Emilio Grimalt, since you’re the only policia who has the accent of someone pretending to speak Mallorquin. Is this a social call?’
    â€˜To tell you that you’ve caused my lad a load of extra work.’
    â€˜Won’t do him any harm,’
    â€˜It would cause you to collapse.’
    â€˜Has he been running a double marathon?’
    â€˜I wouldn’t expect you to remember that you wanted to know about the woman who walked a ratter every morning at the same time. She never turned up for a couple of days, then not until nine thirty when you’d said she’d be there much earlier.’
    â€˜What’s half an hour?’
    â€˜Your morning nap in the office.’
    â€˜A gross slander.’
    â€˜Truth doesn’t slander. The dog-walker’s name is Marie Poperen.’
    â€˜Is she French?’
    â€˜A Russian from Moscovitch.’
    â€˜You’re a premature comedian.’
    â€˜The job took my lad hours and hours and you’re showing as much gratitude as if it had been a five-minute doddle.’
    â€˜Where does she live?’
    â€˜A
possessió
about a kilometre and half out of Llueso on the Laraix