The authorities turn a blind eye, so it’s not our problem. It’s just one of those regulations enacted for appearance’s sake, to please some bigwig, that’s impossible to enforce. We just want to know how much your firm paid Pablo monthly.”
“He picked up around fifty dollars a month,” Fonseca said, dying to relight his cigar but suspecting that cops smoking lousy Populares might envy his excellent Cohiba.
Trujillo turned in his chair to face Pena. “Fifty dollars at the present rate of exchange is 1,050 pesos, plus 325 or 340 from ACOREC, that’s close to 1,400 a month. Not bad for a single man.”
“Not bad,” Pena agreed.
“But it still doesn’t explain how Pablo could have saved $2,900,” Trujillo said as he turned to lock eyes with Fonseca again.
The general manager appeared to be mystified. “Did you say
dollars?”
“Exactly. We found the money at his place.”
For a moment Fonseca stared vacantly at the closed door behind the cops. “I must order an audit immediately.”
“Good idea,” Pena said. “But right now we would like to take a look at Pablo’s workspace.”
“Certainly.”
“We would appreciate it if you’d come with us.”
“Sure.”
Pablo Miranda had shared his cubicle with the man in charge of procurement, who was out buying office supplies. The only odd thing the cops found were ten new VHS-format video cassettes in the third drawer of a filing cabinet.
“Did Pablo’s work include using video cassettes?” Pena asked.
Fonseca shook his head. “We don’t even have a VCR here,” he said, then relit his cigar with a gold lighter. No throwaway for the comrade, Pena noticed.
“Maybe he bought these for someone else,” Trujillo said. “Any big video fans among your employees, Comrade Fonseca?”
“I’m not aware of any.”
The general manager seemed a little tense, Pena thought. “Well, we’ve taken up a lot of your time, comrade,” he said. “We will just check in with you before leaving, after we’re finished with other people here. Who should we talk to first? His closest friend maybe?”
“That would be Rivero, the guy who sits at that desk there, but he’s out. So, just take your pick. I’ll send Anita to introduce you to the other comrades.”
The rest of the staff had nothing to add. Pablo had been a nice guy, always sharing a joke and a laugh, a very conscientious employee. What had happened to him? After almost two hours questioning the nine members of staff, Pena and Trujillo returned to Fonseca’s office.
“Are you done? Please take a seat,” the general manager said.
“Yeah, we’re done,” Pena said as he slid into an armchair. “Except for the cleaning lady and the gardener. We talked to all the others, including Rivero, who arrived half an hour ago. We want to thank you for your cooperation, Comrade Fonseca.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s my duty. I hope you found a lead, something that will help you solve this case.”
“We may have, yes, we may have,” Pena mumbled with deliberate ambiguity. He knew what was coming. The boss would try to find out what they had discovered. “Please, let us know the result of this audit you’re ordering,” he added.
“I most certainly will.”
“You have our numbers.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well, I guess that’s all for now,” said Pena, slapping his thighs and rising to his feet.
“Just a minute, Major. I’m curious about something.”
Here it was. “Yes?”
“All these questions about the women in Pablo’s life … Is there a sex angle to his murder? You suspect he was killed by some jealous husband?”
“It’s a possibility, comrade. You know, single guy, still young, money in his pockets. At this stage, we can’t dismiss any possibility.”
“I see. Well, I wish you luck, comrades. I want the killer found and sentenced.”
“Thank you, comrade,” Trujillo said. “But luck is a small factor in criminal investigations.”
It was probably then that Lady
“He picked up around fifty dollars a month,” Fonseca said, dying to relight his cigar but suspecting that cops smoking lousy Populares might envy his excellent Cohiba.
Trujillo turned in his chair to face Pena. “Fifty dollars at the present rate of exchange is 1,050 pesos, plus 325 or 340 from ACOREC, that’s close to 1,400 a month. Not bad for a single man.”
“Not bad,” Pena agreed.
“But it still doesn’t explain how Pablo could have saved $2,900,” Trujillo said as he turned to lock eyes with Fonseca again.
The general manager appeared to be mystified. “Did you say
dollars?”
“Exactly. We found the money at his place.”
For a moment Fonseca stared vacantly at the closed door behind the cops. “I must order an audit immediately.”
“Good idea,” Pena said. “But right now we would like to take a look at Pablo’s workspace.”
“Certainly.”
“We would appreciate it if you’d come with us.”
“Sure.”
Pablo Miranda had shared his cubicle with the man in charge of procurement, who was out buying office supplies. The only odd thing the cops found were ten new VHS-format video cassettes in the third drawer of a filing cabinet.
“Did Pablo’s work include using video cassettes?” Pena asked.
Fonseca shook his head. “We don’t even have a VCR here,” he said, then relit his cigar with a gold lighter. No throwaway for the comrade, Pena noticed.
“Maybe he bought these for someone else,” Trujillo said. “Any big video fans among your employees, Comrade Fonseca?”
“I’m not aware of any.”
The general manager seemed a little tense, Pena thought. “Well, we’ve taken up a lot of your time, comrade,” he said. “We will just check in with you before leaving, after we’re finished with other people here. Who should we talk to first? His closest friend maybe?”
“That would be Rivero, the guy who sits at that desk there, but he’s out. So, just take your pick. I’ll send Anita to introduce you to the other comrades.”
The rest of the staff had nothing to add. Pablo had been a nice guy, always sharing a joke and a laugh, a very conscientious employee. What had happened to him? After almost two hours questioning the nine members of staff, Pena and Trujillo returned to Fonseca’s office.
“Are you done? Please take a seat,” the general manager said.
“Yeah, we’re done,” Pena said as he slid into an armchair. “Except for the cleaning lady and the gardener. We talked to all the others, including Rivero, who arrived half an hour ago. We want to thank you for your cooperation, Comrade Fonseca.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s my duty. I hope you found a lead, something that will help you solve this case.”
“We may have, yes, we may have,” Pena mumbled with deliberate ambiguity. He knew what was coming. The boss would try to find out what they had discovered. “Please, let us know the result of this audit you’re ordering,” he added.
“I most certainly will.”
“You have our numbers.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well, I guess that’s all for now,” said Pena, slapping his thighs and rising to his feet.
“Just a minute, Major. I’m curious about something.”
Here it was. “Yes?”
“All these questions about the women in Pablo’s life … Is there a sex angle to his murder? You suspect he was killed by some jealous husband?”
“It’s a possibility, comrade. You know, single guy, still young, money in his pockets. At this stage, we can’t dismiss any possibility.”
“I see. Well, I wish you luck, comrades. I want the killer found and sentenced.”
“Thank you, comrade,” Trujillo said. “But luck is a small factor in criminal investigations.”
It was probably then that Lady
Similar Books
