Blood Wedding Read Online Free Page B

afternoon.’
    ‘A pretty girl. You couldn’t miss her in a town like this.’
    ‘Sí,
very pretty.’
    ‘The Teniente won’t like it. He hates having to deal with the foreigners.’
    They arrived in silence at Ahmed’s house. Max rang the doorbell.
    ‘Max what a surprise! I’m still waiting for Leila. I hope you haven’t found a terrorist gang.’
    ‘Nothing like that. Can I come in?’
    ‘Certainly. The study again?’
    This time Max preferred to stand . . . Ahmed looked at him, waiting.
    ‘I’ve very bad news for you Ahmed.’ It was somehow reassuring to use his first name. ‘The police have just found Leila’s body. She’s—she’s dead.’
    ‘Dead? What do you mean? She can’t be—no, can’t be.’ His voice started to break.
    ‘It looks like murder.’
    ‘Murder? I don’t understand.’
    ‘Neither do we. We suspect her neck was broken, and her body hidden in the Jola ravine.’
    ‘My precious Leila, my precious Leila.’ Ahmed tried to hold back the tears, but sobs came.
    ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.’ Max put his arm around the crumpled shoulders. There was nothing he could say. ‘I’m so sorry, Ahmed. When you feel up to it, we would like you to formally identify the body. You can do it now or later, whatever you prefer. If now, we can do it before she’s taken away. Or we could go to the mortuary in Granada in a couple of hours.’
    ‘Now . . . but . . . I must have a few minutes alone to pray.’
    Ahmed stumbled from the room. There was a racking, retching sound. Ahmed was bent over double, vomit on the floor. Max gently helped him up. Ahmed muttered his thanks, closed his eyes, and in a whisper stammered out his prayer.
    ‘In the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all being. He is compassionate and merciful. He is the master of the day of judgement. The day of judgement is certain to come; this is beyond doubt. Those who are in the grave, God will raise to life.’
    Ahmed turned to Max, repeated his thanks, and staggered off to the bathroom. Max returned to the study, stood awkwardly, turning the pages of the book on the table, seeking comfort. There was none. Ahmed returned pale, but upright.
    ‘Let’s go. No . . . I need some white cloth to shroud her. Just wait a minute, please.’
    Ahmed left and returned a few minutes later with two white sheets on his arm. Guevarra was waiting outside in the car. With quiet dignity, Ahmed thanked her for waiting. He asked no more questions. Only the shaking of his hands betrayed him. It was dark now. González had finally arrived, and was talking to Judge Falcón. An ambulance and the forensics van partially blocked the road. Leila’s body was already in the ambulance, covered by a red blanket. A line of a Lorca poem went through Max’s head: ‘Everything else was death, only death.’
    González came over to Max, sweating profusely and smelling of alcohol. ‘I gather León asked you to come and help, Max. But we can manage. Bad news this. Always happens on the day off, doesn’t it. Sod’s law. I was working on my land, and the mobile reception is lousy. I barely had time for a wash and brush up, and get into uniform. Don’t want Falcón to think we’re a bunch of scruffs.’
    He turned to Ahmed. ‘Thanks for coming straight away. But we need a formal identification of the body. Are you okay to look?’ González sounded surprisingly gentle.
    ‘Is she—is she . . .?’
    ‘It’s okay, her face is fine.’
    Ahmed and González entered the ambulance. Guevarra was crying. She fumbled in her pocket, and took out a pack of cigarettes. ‘A cigarette, sir?’
    ‘No thanks.’
    A grim-faced González was the first to come out.
‘Sí
. It’s his daughter. He’ll be out soon. He says he has to shroud the body.’
    A few minutes later Ahmed scrambled out, his face like a death mask. He was stooping badly, and he stumbled as he walked. Max helped him upright.
    ‘Is there someone