Toward the Light by Bonnar Spring

Author:Bonnar Spring
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Published: 2020-02-15T16:00:00+00:00

Luz wasn’t noticeably clearer by late afternoon when Dominga called for her to read. It was their third session, and for the first time, Martin Benavides was on the porch when Luz arrived. The rooftop structure that housed the elevator also included several rooms, which Luz had assumed were storerooms. Martin and Raul de la Vega stood talking by an open door. Behind them was a small room with a desk and walls lined with books. When de la Vega left, Martin moved a high-backed wooden chair from his study to the edge of Luz’s peripheral vision and listened. Distracted by his presence, Luz stumbled over words and lost her place so many times that Dominga finally plopped her fat hand on the side of her bed, scattering magazines and peanut hulls, and said, “Go now. Come back when you’ve remembered how to speak Spanish properly.”

Luz returned to Cesar. Unless she could get her emotions under control, the door to Martin Benavides would slam shut as quickly as it had opened. She and Cesar had begun a game of cards when the doorknob rattled, and Bobby stuck his head into the room. He was back, as Delores had said he would be. Bobby looked different. Jazzed. Maybe even high on something. He jittered, hips thrusting, shoulders swinging. He licked his lips; sharp white teeth showed under his vacuous playboy grin.

“We’re doing holiday photographs in the garden.” Bobby squinted at his son. “White shirt, a nice sweater. Blue, if he has one.” He snapped his fingers at Luz. “Comb his hair.”

And he was gone again. Cesar, who’d jumped to his feet when he saw his father, flopped onto the couch. He buried his head in the cushion, his hands curled into fists at his side.

Gently, Luz said, “Let’s get you dressed.”

Asshole. How could he disappoint Cesar like that?

Out in the garden fifteen minutes later, they encountered a mob scene of gardeners decorating the portico with holly garlands, a dozen strangers in casual clothes, some holding big white umbrella-things, some tinkering with little black boxes. Luz found Bobby and showed off a spiffy Cesar. The man looked his son up and down as Luz would have inspected a plucked chicken at the market.

“Yes, that will do, señorita.”

“Should I stick around?”

“Ah.” Bobby edged closer, resting his fingers lightly on her arm. “Not necessary.” He squeezed her arm before releasing her. “I’ll bring him back when we’re done.”

This was it. Lethargy forgotten, Luz rushed back to Cesar’s room and removed Richard’s replacement drive from its hiding place inside a hollow crucifix above Cesar’s bed. Tucking the flash drive into the pocket of her sweater, she jogged along the soft carpet to the seldom-used stairs where she’d have a greater chance of escaping notice than if she used the elevator. Luz pushed open the heavy stairwell door and dashed one flight down to the second floor. Bobby’s suite stretched the entire length of the north side of the corridor.

Her hand rested on the doorknob. Someone could be waiting there for Bobby.

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