Water-Blue Eyes by Domingo Villar Page B

which division produced it and so on. When he finally got the right number, there was a feminine voice at the other end.
    ‘Good morning, Solutions and Concentrates, how can I help?’
    ‘Good morning, Ramón Ríos here.’
    ‘Don Ramón, what a surprise!’ The woman faltered and tried to fix the comment that had just slipped out. ‘I’m sorry, Don Ramón, what I meant was
    ‘Don’t worry, it would have been strange not to be surprised ,’ he reassured her, tipping a wink at the inspector. ‘Who am I speaking to?’
    ‘Carmen Iglesias.’
    ‘Hi Carmen. I’m trying to find out something about one of our products. Would that be possible?’
    ‘That’s what we’re here for, Don Ramón,’ replied the woman, obviously eager to please.
    ‘Do we produce formaldehyde?’ asked Ríos.
    ‘It depends what you mean.’
    ‘I understand your division produces it,’ explained Ríos.
    ‘We don’t actually produce the substance, Don Ramón, but we do work with it. We buy it from the manufacturer and here, in Solutions and Concentrates, we treat it and bottle it according to the different ways our clients might use it,’ clarified Carmen Iglesias.
    ‘The thing is, I’m here with some friends who’d like to know a few details about the process. Would you mind helping them?’
    ‘By all means, Don Ramón.’
    ‘I’ll put them on in a moment, Carmen, but before that letme tell you that your voice sounds very…’ Ramón Ríos trailed off, searching for the right word, ‘charming.’
    ‘Thank you, Don Ramón,’ said the woman, amused.
    Caldas bent over the telephone.
    ‘Good morning, Carmen, this is Inspector Caldas.’
    ‘From the radio?’ Carmen’s voice betrayed emotion.
    ‘You see?’ said Estévez just before Caldas gave him a withering look.
    Caldas accepted the woman’s congratulations, and her assurances that in Solutions and Concentrates they never missed a programme of Patrol on the Air. But as soon as he saw an opening he limited himself to the subject that had taken them to the laboratory.
    ‘Carmen, would it be possible to obtain a list of the clients who buy formaldehyde from you?’
    ‘In all concentrations?’ she asked.
    ‘In all concentrations?’ repeated Caldas, looking at Ramón Ríos in search of an explanation.
    Ríos shrugged his shoulders and bent over the phone.
    ‘Carmen, would you be kind enough to explain to the inspector and me what you mean about the concentrations?’ he asked.
    ‘It’s quite simple, Don Ramón, every formaldehyde solution is a different product, used for different things. We have solutions ranging from a concentration of eight per cent formaldehyde, as used by paper manufacturers and tanners , up to solutions with thirty-seven per cent formaldehyde , which is what we normally send to hospitals, and then we have…’
    ‘I need the second one, Carmen,’ interrupted Caldas. ‘Is it possible to know which medical centres you provide with thirty-seven per cent formaldehyde solutions? I’m particularly interested in your clients here in Vigo.’
    ‘Of course, inspector. The best thing would be to speak directly to Isidro Freire, the representative for the area. He’s in charge of the sales of all our products in Vigo.’
    ‘Would it be too much to ask you to transfer me to Mr Freire?’ asked Caldas.
    ‘Not at all, inspector, but Isidro had an appointment and I saw him leave a moment ago. I don’t think he’s even had time to reach his car. If you like I can call him on his mobile and ask him to wait.’
    ‘If that’s not a problem …’
    ‘Of course it isn’t, inspector. I’ll call him right away.’
    ‘Many thanks, you’ve been very kind.’
    ‘You’re welcome, inspector. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll leave you so I can make that call.’
    ‘Just another thing, Carmen,’ interrupted Ramón Ríos, who never missed a chance.
    ‘Yes, Don Ramón?’
    ‘I was wondering how old is the owner of that lovely voice?’
    ‘Thanks, Don