Room with a View

Chapter 16 - Anger and Interviews

Miguel pulled up and gave a tiny beep on the horn, admiring the American senorita as she locked her villa door and made her way up the steps to the road and into his little bus.

"Buenos dias, Senorita."

"Buenos dias, Miguel. Restaurante, por favor."

"Si, senorita." He put the cart in gear and headed off down the road. The air was crisp and almost sweet and Glenda closed her eyes for a moment enjoying the sensation. When she felt the cart slow down she opened her eyes and blinked in alarm.

"What are you doing? Don't stop here! No se aqui!" Glenda saw Gary waiting for the cart and she turned angry.

Miguel shrugged and pointed at Gary. This was a guest too. He needed a ride. Gary climbed in beside her and they glared at one another while Miguel sang out his cheery greetings.

"Just drive." She scolded Miguel.

"What the hell's your problem?"

"I wasn't fooled by that pitiful excuse last night, Gary. I saw you and that woman passing your eye signals."

"Hey, we agreed to try and find out about the finances, right? She is the only way in." They kept their voices low enough to avoid Miguel's attention.

"So why the secrecy with me if we're in agreement?"

"Because I wanted to avoid exactly what we're doing now." He sank back in the seat and glared at Miguel in the mirror.

"This whole idea was a big mistake." Glenda hissed.

"I might have known you'd throw up this jealousy card."

"Jealousy? Me? Of you and that- that . . . ?"

"See what I mean? You can't help bringing her into it."

"Bloody right. While you're mining your friend for information you seem to forget who it's for. Damn right I'm angry."

"Look, if anyone should be angry it's me; look at my face." He hoped to blame Shelia instead of the maid for his wound.

"I've seen enough of your face, thank you."

They both got out at Fonda Anita and waited until Miguel drove off. "Don't even think of joining me inside." She started up the steps to the dining room.

"Don't try and fluff me off, Glenda, you're in this as deep as I am." He did follow and they marched into the dining room in lockstep, reluctantly taking a table together. Anita presented menus and the breakfast specials, miffed at their lack of attention or appreciation. She sniffed audibly and swept away, indicating one of her waitresses to take over the table.

"I'm only in this because you wanted that woman to get next to Winston." She lowered her voice and looked angrily about.

"And you thought it was a fine idea at the time." He shot back.

"I had no idea you would- I didn't think you were going to . . ."

"Going to what, boff her? Jesus, Glenda you don't just ask people to do what we wanted and expect them to jump right on board, you have to finesse them into it."

"Well I gather you finessed her all right." She drank from her water glass and made a face. Her mouth twisted into an ugly sneer. "You bastard. You come on to me with all your oozy charm and promises and then you go off with her! Why isn't she with you today?"

"I don't know where she is." He heaved a sigh. "Look, I know what I said and what I did, okay? But the plan was to get him to talk about his deal with Shelia and when she showed up telling me she hadn't learned anything I got suspicious and I spent the night trying to confirm that fact. It wasn't what you think at all. I intended to come back to you but the opportunity just didn't present itself."