The Prisoner of Heaven: A Novel Read Online Free PDF

lovely. The fact is, it’s so hard to find books with a positive message these days, the sort that make you feel really good about yourself, instead of pushing all that violence and depravity so in vogue today.’
    Fermín rolled his eyes. He was about to open his mouth when I stopped him and dragged him away from the customer.
    ‘I know what you mean, madam,’ my father agreed, looking at me out of the corner of his eye, and implying with his expression that I should keep Fermín bound and gagged because we weren’t going to lose that sale for anything in the world.
    I pushed Fermín into the back room and made sure the curtain was drawn so that my father could tackle the situation unhindered.
    ‘Fermín, I don’t know what’s up with you. I realise you’re not convinced by all this business of nativity scenes, and I respect that, but if an Infant Jesus the size of a steamroller and four clay piglets lift my father’s spirits and on top of that pull customers into the bookshop, I’m going to ask you to set the existentialist pulpit aside and look as if you’re part of the choir, at least during business hours.’
    Fermín sighed and nodded, looking abashed.
    ‘Of course, Daniel,’ he said. ‘Forgive me. I’d be prepared to walk the road to Santiago dressed up as the tooth fairy if that were to please your father and save the bookshop.’
    ‘All you need to do is tell him you think the crib idea is a good one, and play along with him.’
    Fermín nodded.
    ‘Consider it done. I’ll apologise to Señor Sempere later for overstepping the mark and as an act of contrition I’ll contribute a little nativity figurine to prove that even large department stores can’t beat me at Christmas spirit. I have a friend who had to go underground who makes those lovely traditional squatting figurines – the “crappers” – in the image of Franco, so realistic they give you goose pimples.’
    ‘A lambkin or a King Balthazar will do.’
    ‘Your wish is my command, Daniel. Now, if you don’t object, I’ll go and do something useful and start opening the boxes from the widow Recasen’s lot. They’ve been here for a week gathering dust.’
    ‘Shall I help you?’
    ‘Don’t worry. You get on with your stuff.’
    I watched him make his way to the stockroom at the far end and put on his blue work overalls.
    ‘Fermín,’ I began.
    He turned round obligingly. I paused for a moment.
    ‘Something happened today that I need to tell you about.’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Actually, I’m not quite sure how to explain this. Someone came in and asked after you.’
    ‘Was she pretty?’ asked Fermín, trying to look jolly but unable to hide a flicker of anxiety in his eyes.
    ‘It was a gentleman. In pretty bad shape and rather odd looking, to tell you the truth.’
    ‘Did he leave a name?’ asked Fermín.
    I shook my head.
    ‘No. But he left this for you.’
    Fermín frowned. I handed him the book the stranger had bought a couple of hours before. Fermín took it and stared at the cover without understanding.
    ‘But isn’t this the Dumas we had in the glass cabinet at three hundred and fifty?’
    I nodded.
    ‘Open it at the first page.’
    Fermín did as I asked. When he read the dedication he suddenly went pale and gulped. He closed his eyes for a moment and then looked at me without saying a word, seeming to have aged five years in as many seconds.
    ‘When he left the shop I followed him,’ I said. ‘For the past week he’s been living in a seedy establishment where they rent rooms by the hour, on Calle Hospital, opposite the Hotel Europa, and from what I’ve been able to find out, he uses a false name – yours, in fact: Fermín Romero de Torres. I’ve discovered, through one of the scribes in La Virreina, that he had a letter copied out in which he referred to a large amount of money. Does any of this ring a bell?’
    Fermín seemed to be curling up, as if every word I spoke were a blow raining down on him.
    ‘Daniel,