When Barcelona Lost Its Sanity: An investigation by Inspector Alex Cortes by Riccardo Braccaioli

Author:Riccardo Braccaioli [Braccaioli, Riccardo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Escritor Tokenizado Publishing
Published: 2024-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

23

Karla had stirred memories for Alex about the not-so-solemn funeral in New York.

The thousands of little memory boxes in our heads often awaken through associations of ideas.

Álex stared out the window, and as he recalled his trip to New York, the image of Barcelona disappeared amid the fog of memories.

He had decided not to go to the funeral alone, and although it wasn’t entirely ethical, he had persuaded Emily to accompany him. His lack of travel experience and the language barrier were crucial points in convincing her to come along. He’d impulsively suggested it on a video call to her in London. Álex had only met Mary’s middle-class parents once when they visited Barcelona for a few hours during a Mediterranean cruise that departed from the city. They had invited Álex, believing he should be present at the funeral since he had been part of Mary’s last days. They had paid for three nights for two at The Plaza Hotel overlooking Central Park.

Within hours of booking their flights, they were in the American city. They didn’t even notice the jet lag, excited for their first trip together despite the circumstances.

The spacious room Mary’s parents had reserved for him was a dream. Huge windows overlooking the city’s green lung were vertiginous. The fifteenth floor dominated the city’s skyline. The bed was enormous, with a beautiful golden crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and the scent of fresh flowers from the vanity filled the air.

“A dream,” Álex thought. He had only seen things like this in movies.

They had left their luggage and gone down to dinner, returning early, knowing they would feel the time difference the next day, on the day of the funeral.

They only woke up the following day after several cups of American coffee before taking a taxi and arriving just in time at the Church of San Juan el Divo. The Gothic style architecture reminded him of Notre Dame in Paris.

The stairs were cordoned off, and the heavy-set men with earpieces wouldn’t let anyone in without an invitation. Álex showed the guard his invitation on his phone as limousines carrying VIPs arrived non-stop.

The funeral was quick, in tune with the city’s rhythm, and felt like a formality that people had to attend only to leave as soon as possible. The tall Gothic columns and immense aisles filled and emptied for the following funeral like a production line.

Mary’s parents greeted everyone, shaking hands and kissing attendees. When it was Álex’s turn, the mother burst into tears, and Emily slipped away, uncomfortable. The parents thanked him for coming and invited him to spend the next day at their house.

Afterward, Álex and Emily walked back to the hotel via Central Park, a few kilometers’ stroll away. The charm of the walk ended when it began to rain, forcing them to hurry back to the hotel.

“When it rains, a yellow cab costs a fortune,” Álex thought.

Finally, they found a cab and arrived at the hotel, strolling through the same halls many Hollywood stars had passed.

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