Noud winced as the soles of his feet touched the hot, black sand.
“I told you to bring water shoes.”
“You did, and I forgot,” he grumbled. “But how come it doesn’t burn you?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.
“My skin’s not just thick on my face,” Bernard laughed. “Over there will be fine,” he said, pointing to the base of the cliff.
The two men dropped their bags in the shade of the rocks that surrounded the small cove, covered with finely crushed black pebbles. It was still mid-morning, and the beach was practically deserted, and the beach was practically deserted. Except for one or two sunbathers, no one else seemed ready to start their day at the beach yet.
“You go first,” Noud asked eagerly.
Bernard shrugged.
“The guy who was on the plane with them said they spotted you and completely lost it. They had a screaming match right there in front of everyone.”
“They couldn’t have seen me,” Noud stammered, unsure. “They were waiting at the gate for the Madrid flight, and I was at the Frankfurt gate. Plus, our planes didn’t even leave at the same time.”
“It doesn’t really matter. Sooner or later, Carlos is bound to figure out that sometimes we’re the ones messing up his game. If he hasn’t already.”
Noud waved it off.
“No way. He’s still stuck on that theory that we’re smuggling goods.”
“It really makes no difference,” Bernard reassured him.
“And back home? What’s the situation? Ted?”
“That guy has completely lost it.”
“How so? Because of Carlos and María José disappearing?”
“Not at all,” Bernard groaned sarcastically. “He didn’t even notice that two people had gone missing from the complex.” He grinned and turned his face up to the sky. “He immediately noticed Carlos was gone, but he didn’t even register that the old lady was missing.”
“Seriously? But he’s always watching everyone! He writes something in his stupid teenage diary every single day!”
“From what I’ve seen, lately, let’s just say he’s been focusing on one thing.”
“On what?”
“On who,” Bernard corrected him with a sly tone.
Noud raised an eyebrow.
“No way…?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Catwoman?”
“That’s right.”
“I can’t believe it! Our elusive Ted is going to screw up over something this ridiculous?”
“If we’re patient, I’d say that’s exactly how this game will end.”
“Or…” Noud grabbed Bernard’s shoulder excitedly, “we could jump in and speed things up.”
“You can’t just jump into this game,” Bernard shook his head.
“You can jump into anything if you’ve got the right tools.”
“I don’t know, Noud, it seems pretty risky.”
“You’re right. That would be way too dangerous,” Noud said with mock resignation. “After all, what’s a little matchmaking compared to drugging two old people and dragging them to the other side of the world on a private jet, with doctors on board just in case?”
“I knew you’d find something to blackmail me with.”
Bernard let himself fall back limply onto the beach mat. He covered his face with a folded towel, making it clear he had no interest in continuing the conversation for now.