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“God bless you.”
Fermín swallowed a fistful of sweets and after
a while seemed to recover his natural complexion.
“This boy, the son of the caretaker who heroically lost his scrotum defending the colonies, are you sure his name was Fumero, Francisco Javier Fumero?”
“Yes. Quite sure. Do you know him?”
“No,” we intoned in unison.
Father Fernando frowned. “It wouldn’t have surprised me. Regrettably, Francisco Javier has ended up being a notorious character.”
“We’re not sure we understand you….”
“You understand me perfectly. Francisco Javier Fumero is chief inspector of the Barcelona Crime Squad and is widely known. His reputation has even reached those of us who never leave this establishment, and I’d say that when you heard his name, you shrank a couple of inches.”
“Now that you mention it, Your Excellency, the name does ring a bell….”
Father Fernando looked sidelong at us. “This kid isn’t the son of Julián Carax. Am I right?”
“Spiritual son, Your Eminency. Morally, that has more weight.”
“What kind of mess are you two in? Who sends you?”
At that point I was dead certain we were about to be kicked out of the priest’s office, and I decided to silence Fermín and, for once, play the honesty card.
“You’re right, Father. Julián Carax isn’t my father. But nobody has sent us. Years ago I happened to come across a book by Carax, a book that was thought to have disappeared, and from that time on, I have tried to discover more about him and clarify the circumstances of his death. Mr. Romero de Torres has helped me—”
“What book?”
“The Shadow of the Wind.Have you read it?”
“I’ve read all of Julián’s novels.”
“Have you kept them?”
The priest shook his head.
“May I ask what you did with them?”
“Years ago someone came into my room and set fire to them.”
“Do you suspect anyone?”
“Of course. I suspect Fumero. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
Fermín and I exchanged puzzled looks.
“Inspector Fumero? Why would he want to burn the books?”
“Who else would? During the last year we spent together in the school, Francisco Javier tried to kill Julián with his father’s shotgun. If Miquel hadn’t stopped him…”
“Why did he try to kill him? Julián had been his only friend.”
“Francisco Javier was obsessed with Penélope Aldaya. Nobody knew this. I don’t think even Penélope had noticed the existence of this boy. He kept the secret for years. Apparently he used to follow Julián secretly. I think one day he saw him kiss her. I don’t know. What I do know is that he tried to kill him in broad daylight. Miquel Moliner, who had never trusted Fumero, threw himself on him and stopped him at the last moment. The hole made by the bullet is still visible by the entrance. Every time I go past it, I remember that day.”
“What happened to Fumero?”
