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check. Then he turned to me. “Now,
we go to the manager’s office and talk with the
police.”
    The next few hours were a frightening blur. If it
hadn’t been for Charles, I would have spent at least
that night in prison. And I would have found
myself looking for a new hotel. Even Charles
barely had sufficient pull to keep me from being
evicted. The manager of the Hotel Bamer was not
pleased to have me stay.
    I was trembling as I walked out of that office.
Too much had happened too quickly, and I was
frightened. For myself, for Rick. Charles was at my side, and he guided me to the service stairs. “I
suggest we walk up,” he said softly. “You’re in no
state to be seen.”

    Unable to even think, I agreed. But, by the time
we reached Charles’s room, I was trembling much
less. Perhaps Charles was not as calm as he
seemed, for I noticed his key rattled in the lock.
Inside, I took the chair he indicated and made no
protest as he handed me a glass. I think it was
brandy. Charles took a seat opposite me and
waited. Finally, I said, weakly, “What next?”
    He stared at his glass. “For you? Or Rick?”
    “Both.”
    “You will continue your holiday. Sad. Stunned.
But you will continue. Because you’ll be followed
and that’s the only way you’ll clear yourself.
Besides, you heard the police tell you not to leave
yet.”
    “And Rick?” I asked.
    “Prison. There’s no question about the case
against him.”
    I was angry then. “You seem damn sure! I want
to see Rick! Talk to him. Find out for myself if he’s
guilty or not. Help him if I can.”
    Charles looked terribly tired. “You know, don’t
you, the room will probably be bugged?” I
shrugged impatiently. He sighed. “All right. I’ll try
to arrange it.”
    I leaned back. “Thank you, Charles.” I meant it,
too. “Charles, they said he was smuggling gems.
What kind of gems?”
    His eyes strayed to my hand, which was
touching one of the earrings Rick had given me. Wearily he said, “Not sapphires. Some opals from
the mining region north of Mexico City. Mostly
emeralds stolen from mines in South America and
smuggled up here. From here, Rick’s gang was
somehow smuggling them into the U.S.”

    It was a relief to know that Rick’s gift had not
been stolen. But I knew that I would have to return
the earrings as soon as I could. They were too
painful a reminder of the charges against Rick.
Charles’s voice cut across my thoughts. “Ellen…
I’m sorry.”
    I looked at him and said quietly, “I know that.
But tell me, Charles, why are you helping me?”
    He looked away, speaking roughly. “Because
you can’t seem to take care of yourself! Besides,
you and Rick are still officially-employees of
the company.”
    I was too tired to argue, so I stood up. “I think
I’d better go back to my room, now, Charles. I
have a feeling I’m going to have a long cry, and I
don’t intend to inflict that on you.”
    “Wait a minute.” His voice was surprisingly
gentle as he disappeared into the bathroom,
reappearing with a hot, wet towel. “Press this
against your face first. You still don’t look very
presentable.”
    It was a good suggestion. Afterward, I felt much
better. Alone, I went back to my room. We agreed
it was better that way. I kept telling myself that I
was fortunate to have Charles, who believed I was
innocent. No one else seemed to. It was only as I
crawled into bed that I remembered Charles’s
warning at breakfast: clean anything unusual out of my suitcase. Well, now I knew what he had been
hinting at. And now I knew just how much he
trusted me. Or should I say, how little? My one
small comfort had turned to dust.

Morning found me still awake. I felt more
helpless, foolish, and frightened than I ever had
before. If the basic assumptions I had made about
Rick could be so wrong, how could I trust myself
to judge anyone, or anything, again? Also, how
would I face my family