Heidi took a sip of the liqueur. No one ever offered her alcohol at home—after all, she was only fifteen. She didn’t dare finish the contents of the glass. Leaning back, she met Carlos’s impatient gaze.

"Tell me in as much detail as you can what you saw," the old man whispered.

“Let’s go over this,” Noud began, barely audible but irritated. “Heidi saw you.” He raised his thumb from his clenched fist.

Bernard nodded grimly.

Heidi turned the sun loungers on the poolside near the fence inward this evening. Pablo would only rearrange them in their usual way in the morning. This way, at night, while smoking, Ted wouldn’t be able to watch her every move.

"Rob?"

"Damn it, Ted!" The American jumped at the sound. "What is it this time?" he asked irritably.

He bent down to pick up the book he had dropped in his fright when his neighbor, as was his bad habit, leaned on the stone fence between them.

At the dull thud, Noud sat up in bed with a start. His heart pounding, he whipped his head back and forth, trying to figure out what had made the strange, out-of-place sound. The room was illuminated by the full moon. Beneath the window, he spotted a large sports bag.

In the early morning twilight, María José could feel the gaze of her neighbor, Ludmilla. She didn’t look up at the window, but she knew exactly that the elderly German woman was watching her from there. She involuntarily shrugged her shoulders.

Dajana stood at the living room door leading to the terrace, nervously tapping her nails against the glass as she watched Fabian splashing in the pool. The box where they kept the money Adrian had earned under the table had been empty for two days.

"That was nice, María José," Carlos nodded approvingly when he saw her and Günter parting with a hug.

"What?"

"That you forgave him."

"Forgave that scoundrel who tried to harm my dog?" she snapped. "I’ll never forget what he did!"

– Don’t worry for a second, María José, – Carlos reassured his good friend. – I’ll find out who that scoundrel is who hurt Perla. – He cleared his throat. – With my connections, – he raised his voice to ensure his words reached Ted’s window – I’ll have the culprit by tonight.

The splash and the subsequent desperate whimper made María José leap out of bed in fright. Overwhelmed by fear and concern, she ran down the stairs and out to the yard. Perla was standing there, trembling and in shock under the moonlight.