- Did you see me, Mr. Commissioner?
mature and portly man, and abundant white hair combed back, busy signing document after document with a magnificent fountain of gold across the large desk, raised his eyes smart and insightful, which seemed to shine upon the black horn-rimmed glasses and outdated, to the newcomer.
-Pass, pass, Valdivielso-invited with a wave of his right hand, hold the pen. Sit down, please.
The chief inspector, tall, slim, dark, bearded and smiling, dressed in jeans, black leather jacket, plaid shirt and white and lumbermen half-boots, due to its superior occupying a chair across from him.
-Sorry for the delay, boss, "he said, apologetically," but I've been around all morning with the subject of the rapist.
"Yes, I know. Do not worry. Just like to know if anyone in your group who can take the lead in that case.
Valdivielso's face expressed some surprise.
"Sure, boss. González, without going any further, is very well trained and knows all the details. But the case is mine and I would fix it personally.
-service requirements are higher than our preferences, Valdivielso, and we need to investigate further.
"You demand. I'm all ears.
"Well. Listen carefully. You know that if there is something I find particularly annoying is having to repeat explanations.
-Forward. I'm listening.
-General Hospital director, good friend of mine sent me a file that contains, among other things, medical records a couple dozen terminally ill patients who died in the hospital during the last six months.
-Being terminally ill is logical that passed away ...
"Obviously, not that they did months before the deadline set by the science and heart failure, when his constant offered a table apparently stabilized.
Valdivielso shifted in his chair, uneasy and concerned. As a good hunter had scented the prey.
- A psychopath loose in the halls of the hospital?
"I think it's not that simple," replied the commissary. I tend to think of a meticulously organized network and intelligence to perform euthanasia on a massive scale.
- Hostias ...! Excuse me, boss. How have they found?
"You could say that by chance, but I am convinced that there is no chance. My friend checked the documentation before giving their approval to be filed, when he perceived some remarkable coincidences. Naturally, he studied the issue thoroughly, point by examining the records point, until its vague suspicions materialized in absolute certainty: Someone has been charged to eighteen people in a few months ...
- How?
"Impossible to know. The alleged victims are buried, most long time, and we can not ask the court for an order of general exhumation based on conjecture. And here's where you come into play.
- When do I start, Boss?
"Wait. Do not be impatient. All cases have their origin on the fifth floor, affect terminally ill patients and, interestingly, the deaths occurred between two and five in the morning.
- The nursing team, boss! It is crystal clear! Some brat illuminated by the spirit of eternal salvation, he wants to avoid suffering to the dying poor.
"That thought at first, but we have definitely ruled out after careful investigation of all staff. We lean more to the night attendant of the sick.
- Damn ...! Sorry, boss. I had not occurred.
- rumors about the existence of a sect calling itself "Peace to men of goodwill", which advocates the right to die with dignity and, of course, euthanasia. Some of its members had successfully broken into the hospital caregivers in cases where family members can not ensure their patients. As you know, these services are contracted orally and there is no check list within the hospital, since attendance is outside the establishment.
"And what do you do, boss?
"You immediately occupy a bed in the plant, such as lung cancer patient. Your file is ready now with all the anatomical and physiological details and clinical. It is a complete and real history. For all the world, you will be a terminal patient. An ambulance will pick you up at home this afternoon, at five, and enter Room 506. Be alone, because of their extreme gravity, to encourage action where necessary. Tell the nurses that no family and needs someone to assist him in the evenings. They will be responsible for expanding the whiff of the bait. Otherwise behave like a normal patient, but do not forget your gun and your transmitter. Two men remain on permanent watch on the visitors' room, waiting for your call. Must sleep during the day, when you can and watch without rest at night, because the person sitting at the foot of his bed could put you in trouble ... insurmountable, I think.
- And so insurmountable! Since then, boss, what a ballot ... Apart from being bored as an oyster, I can send to another neighborhood without me knowing.
"My friend, you chose to be police. If desired, I will provide transportation to offices but, yes, after you resolve this case. Valdivielso
realized it was all said and cursing softly, left the office. Tidied up the papers on his desk, he instructed Gonzalez and went home.
At five and a half, stuffed into a kind of white cloth, with the hospital logo on the chest, lying on his bed in the room 506. Had placed the gun and transmitter in a drawer in the table, because he could not hide under the pillow. There is no reason why a dying use such instruments.
nurses had confirmed that a lady would come to accompany evening, as it were. The woman appeared punctually at ten o'clock. She said it was Eladia and charged seven thousand pesetas a night, he fluffed the pillow, he drew a glass of water, asked if I needed anything else and slept like a blessed, building a comfortable recliner.
Valdivielso spent hours eating the livers in this absurd situation and being careful not to swallow dozens of pills that nurses gave him. However, all was in the strictest normal.
One day, the ninth since joining, Eladia told to attend to another patient, and that since that night I would look another woman, an excellent companion and very good person. Valdivielso welcomed the change, questioning the case was nearing the end, but hoping that, at least, the new was an entertaining conversationalist rather than a sleepy mole as its predecessor.
The replacement was named Manuela and looked like professional wrestling, but seemed to be a friendly and sympathetic women, despite their ferocious appearance.
The chief inspector would have continued his representation Benedictine patience and without further precautions, had it not been because he perceived the strange looks he threw the woman, supposing distracted by reading a book. Be warned immediately. His muscles were tense and your brain awake, like a tiger ready to pounce on its prey.
-Hala, M. Valdivielso: to take your pill so that you can sleep all night through, "said the nurse who had just entered the room toward him pills in hand.
opened his mouth obediently, simulating swallowing the drug, but, as always, held under the tongue and, when the nurse turned around, spit in silence on the opposite corner with the idea of \u200b\u200bdoing away later.
- Nurse, wait! Cried Mrs. Manuela from his chair, taking a boat to stand up grotesque. He spit the pill!
- What do you say? "The girl said, retracing his steps. It's true! That's too bad, Mr. Valdivielso, but too bad ... Come on, be kind and swallow, which is for their sake.
- No, no and no! "Yelled the chief inspector, closing the mouth with all his strength and tried to jump out of bed.
But it was useless.
Mrs. Manuela pinned him with a barrage worthy of a champion and nurse with a master stroke, he introduced the pellet, round and pink, even beyond the garganchón.
-See how nothing has happened, dammit! "The nurse said, heading for the hall. If only a sleeping pill so I can sleep soundly ...
Valdivielso The chief inspector felt his body limp and his brain refused to obey. A deep drowsiness took possession of it and little by little, was sinking into the world of silence. Before going to sleep altogether, thought Mrs. Manuela see how he approached the bed with a syringe, and seemed to feel the sting of the needle in the arm as he listened to the woman's last words:
- Do you see how well, my little boy? Your pain is ended in this valley of tears. An injection of air into the veins and within five minutes you're with the angels.
At three in the morning, Mr. Commissioner was awakened by the incessant ringing of your telephone. Him down, trying not to disturb his wife, accustomed to such interruptions, I slept soundly.
"Tell me," she whispered.
the other side of the thread, someone asked:
- Is it you, Mr. Commissioner?
"Yes, hell, I am. Who is it? What happens?
-I Rodriguez, Commissioner, one of those who are on duty at the hospital.
- Vale, Rodriguez! What the hell is it?
"Well, the inspector Valdivielso just died of a heart attack, boss.
