I found it before Ayala could and fobbed him off with a gold knife.
Your fingerprints are still on it. -Antonio, what's that?
I found it in the garden.
We must give it to agent Ayala. -I'll do so.
What do you want me to do? -Save my sister.
Forget her. We'll destroy the deed and go to the mines.
That floozy will learn her lesson.
I'll find a way to ruin your life, Belén. Yours and that of your friend Gonzalo.
I can still give you back the document. -What is it you want?
You'll go and see a man who'll make a forgery, which you'll give to Gonzalo.
Here it is.
Once Gonzalo has the mines running, I'll claim them and save the investment.
Agents, this is the person who stole the document.
She also stole money from us. I'm sure she's hidden it in her room.
What are you doing? He's completely deaf.
He can't go to war like this.
For now I absolve don Javier Alarcón from serving his country.
I hope he'll recover some day. -Thank you.
You heard perfectly well what the doctor said.
I'll wait for you in Wadi Tameda.
I'm your brother. Don Carlos was our father.
When were you going to tell me who my father was?
His family would never have accepted you.
You also knew about it? That's the secret you kept, right?
I could only think of the harm he'd caused me...
and of that woman who didn't even know of my existence.
So I told her the truth. That was my only vengeance.
Ángela argued with your father that night. And I assume because of you.
I don't know. I don't know.
Grand Hotel
Ask me and I'll go with you.
I can't do that to you.
You think I'd rather make beds and do the washing for the rest of my life?
We'll find work far away from here, at another hotel or somewhere else.
We'll get a small house with a vegetable patch...
Camila, please stop it.
What's the matter?
I want to be alone, that's what's the matter.
It's because of her, isn't it? -No, it has nothing to do with Belén.
So with whom instead?
I can't tell you.
It's her.
Son. I'm here.
The doctor is on his way. He will cure you.
Mother.
Tell my brother Andrés...
that he must forgive me.
I examined the fingerprints on the knife doña Beatriz was killed with.
The result is conclusive.
They belong to...
don Benjamín, the gold-knife killer.
He has amended his testimony and confessed to this crime.
The judge has closed the case. Don Benjamín will be executed.
Thank you, inspector. Now excuse me, Javier has a train to catch.
They expect him in Africa.
Take care of yourself.
We both know whose fingerprints were on the knife...
before your visit to don Benjamín. -I don't know what you mean.
You know it, I know it, and your conscience knows it.
What have you done? -How dare you raise your voice?
You used the knife to blackmail my sister...
and you had me deliver it. -We'll talk about it later in our room.
No, I'm sleeping alone tonight.
Thank you.
I couldn't let you go to prison or be executed.
But you're not my sister anymore.
Why have you come?
I wanted to say goodbye.
I killed them, and now I have to pay my dues.
Don't grieve for me, miss. I think it's only right.
I've arranged for my belongings to be sent to my brother.
There's also something for you. A small package with your name on it.
Maybe it can help you render justice.
Goodbye, miss Alicia.
Close your eyes, my son, and rest.
'Your mother told me to throw this bottle away...
the morning your father was found dead.
As you can see, I didn't. I hope it will be of use to you.'
They sing well. -Wait till you hear the soloist.
Who is it?
Prepare yourself for your first Christmas at the Grand Hotel.
Don't make such a face. It's not so bad.
It won't be the same without Andrés, that's for sure.
Though it's not my job to look for people who haven't disappeared...
or committed any crime, here it is...
the whereabouts of your friend Andrés Cernuda.
Did you see him? How is he?
I believe he's known better times. -Thank you.
There's something else you can help us with, inspector.
You found traces of arsenic in my father's body.
I don't know how you did it, but can you tell me if this bottle...
also contains arsenic? -Of course, with the Marsh analysis.
Can you tell me where you found this liquid?
If it doesn't contain arsenic, it's irrelevant.
The fact that you suspect it does is already very relevant.
I prefer to wait for the result. -I don't.
But do I have another option?
Thank you, inspector.
We're closed.
Andrés.
We open at seven. I can have anything you need ready by then.
If you pay in advance, of course. -Andrés, this is no place for you.
There are worse ones.
You belong at the Grand Hotel. -Your mother fired me.
You think she'll change her mind? Even if, I don't want to come back.
You don't want to forgive me?
Andrés, you're...
the only real friend I've ever had. -I'm not surprised.
I made a mistake.
We both made a mistake. -You sure did.
I've seen Andrés.
How is he? -He misses you.
Did he say that? -One notices such things.
You didn't tell me how he is. -He's fine.
When you go see him again, let me know.
I want you to bring him some things. -Of course.
Have you seen my wife? -She was looking for doña Teresa.
Mother. -What is it? I'm very busy.
I've seen Andrés.
Andrés... -Andrés Cernuda, as you well know.
Don't tell me that undesirable is back. -No. But I want him to come back.
Impossible. I won't humiliate myself by rehiring a waiter I personally fired.
I agree. Andrés shouldn't come back as a waiter.
I want you to recognize his rights. He's my brother.
He may be your brother, but he's not my son.
My answer stays the same: no.
And if all these questions and answers were to end up in the papers?
Nonsense. You can't be threatening your mother. I must have misheard.
You heard me perfectly well.
I've managed to keep the hotel out of the scandal of the gold-knife killer.
Do you really think I'll have trouble handling a wayward girl?
'The Meridian Circle.'
To be more exact, the Meridian Circle of Selected Hotels of Southern Europe.
It will be officially founded next year. This is only for the press and public.
The Atenea in Madrid, the Jaime in Barcelona, the Valéry in Paris...
the Ducale in Venice, and so on.
The best hotels of Southern Europe. -We're as good as any of them.
Except for one detail. Cantaloa isn't Madrid, Barcelona, Paris or Venice.
At the meeting no one objected. It's sad and odd that you do so now.
What do you want us to do, madam?
Meet the obligations I've assumed on behalf of the hotel.
What obligations are those, madam?
The hotels in question will implement a series of improvements.
Unless they've already been made. -Could you be a little more concrete?
Electric lighting. We have that already. A telephone in every room.
We have a phone line, so that won't be a problem.
And central heating. -I see.
I think the Meridian Circle will have to do without us.
We can always join later. -You haven't understood, Alfredo.
I've committed myself. Tomorrow we'll start with the work.
There's no money for it. -This is on my account.
I think you haven't understood.
You can't take decisions without the rest of the board.
I hereby call for a board meeting.
We'll vote, madam. We'll do as the majority says.
Excuse me, madam. Someone's asking for you. A soldier.
I have orders to give you this letter.
This medal has been posthumously awarded to your son, Javier Alarcón.
My condolences, madam.
Javier died in defense of his country.
He'd finally found his destiny.
You really believe so, Mother? Javier should never have gone.
I believe it, as we all do. We'll have three days of mourning.
Shall I take care of the ceremony, madam?
I've spoken to Father Nemesio. He'll hold a mass for Javier's soul.
And we should have a wake, even if there's no body.
If you don't mind, I'll arrange it.
What a tragedy.
I know you don't want my company, but this is no time to be alone.
Yes? -Inspector Ayala is asking for you.
I'll take it from here. -Did you find out anything, inspector?
Do you know what was in that bottle? -Arsenic.
Are you sure? -Without any doubt.
The result is conclusive. It contained enough arsenic to kill a grown man.
So now...
will you tell me where you found this bottle?
I can't give you that information. I first need to inquire into some other things.
What things? I've helped you and I expect something in return.
Doña Alicia, I've just heard about your tragedy.
My deepest sympathy. -Thank you.
What happened?
Her brother... -My brother was killed in Africa.
I'm very sorry. I won't bother you any longer.
Thank you, agent. And don't worry, we'll let you know if we find out more.
Not those, Julio. It's a wake, not a nativity scene.
Doña Teresa has put off the Christmas decoration.
Jesús, what's in these bottles? -Medicines.
From the village pharmacy. Go on, hurry with those candles.
I don't know what was in it. It only carries a date.
That may be enough.
Allow me.
You're lucky, sir. On that day there was only a pick-up for the Grand Hotel.
Doña Teresa Aldecoa.
Did doña Teresa order the medicine?
No, the doctor ordered it for doña Teresa. An expectorant.
A cough syrup? -Exactly.
Could it have contained arsenic? -No.
Arsenic has very specific applications, always in minimal doses.
Letters my mother sent to me when I was studying in Madrid.
Read the last paragraph.
'What's strange is that this ailment, which seemed trivial, is getting worse...
in spite of the medication and the surprising devotion of your father.
He looks after me, he takes my pulse and brings me my syrup at set times.'
And here's another one: -'How full of paradoxes life is.
Remember my worries because I was getting more ill every day?
I stopped taking the medicine and recovered as by a miracle.'
You think your father was poisoning your mother?
That's what it looks like.
But why would he want to do that? -I don't know.
Unless your mother found out. -What?
It may have made her decide to kill him the same way, out of vengeance.
Or perhaps a third party wanted to kill them both.
Who is it? -Your family expects you for the wake.
Thank you.
Madam, my sincerest condolences.
Who could have known I'd be in mourning again so soon?
I know how it feels to lose a child.
You can go and see Andrés any time you want to.
You're right, madam. Forgive me.
You don't have to apologize, Ángela. I appreciate your sympathy.
If there's anything I can do... -Pray for him.
What's going on, sister? -I went to condole doña Teresa.
What will become of the hotel? -I don't know.
Nor do I think doña Teresa worries about that right now.
You're right. There's still don Alfredo. -And don Diego.
Don Diego? -He was don Carlos's right hand.
Now he assists doña Teresa, besides being her son-in-law.
But according to the maids, he hasn't slept with his wife in months.
He wasn't married to doña Alicia when he directed the hotel.
Those were its best days.
I don't think doña Teresa minds.
You're going to burn the sauce. -Thank you, sister.
You could have knocked.
That's a sad thing to hear from my wife.
What do you want, Diego?
You may sometimes seem cold, but we both know you're not.
What's that? -I want to be alone.
What have you got there?
Where did you get this?
Tell me you didn't drink from it. -Why?
Did you or didn't you? -It was empty.
Where did you find it?
That's not the question, Diego.
The question is, what was inside it?
Arsenic.
How do you know?
Your father replaced the medicine with arsenic.
Why?
To poison your mother.
Why are you in mourning, Mother?
Who died? -You, you dunce.
My son.
Excuse me, your brother Javier is back. He's alive.
Congratulations. -Thank you, brother-in-law.
How are you, Javier? Welcome home. -Thank you.
The Moorish cavalry surprised us just after we'd disembarked.
They came from over here.
And we, the infantry...
were here.
We took refuge on a hill.
Me...
This was me. -Please, Javier, that's baby Jesus.
I stood in the centre, to lead the defense.
We held out for hours.
But there were too many of them. We started falling one by one.
Until only I remained.
Defenseless, without ammunition.
It was impossible to escape. -You must have flown away, Javier.
Diego, please, this is serious.
They captured me and took me to their camp, south of Wadi Tameda.
All around me there was nothing but sand.
And more sand.
Excuse me, don Javier. A telegram for you, from the High Command.
I informed the colonel of your miraculous return. He was overjoyed.
Of course.
Yes? -Javier?
Come in.
Alfredo. -A message from the High Command?
Yes. They're happy I survived.
I'm a hero.
Congratulations. Everyone is amazed. They hadn't expected this from you.
What fearlessness, what courage.
What an imagination.
Imagination? -There is no desert in Wadi Tameda.
Nor dunes. There's hardly any sand. Anyone who's been there knows that.
I was near there.
Maybe not exactly there, but... -You deserted, didn't you?
A little.
I fled as soon as we disembarked.
Later I heard that my unit had been attacked on their way to the barracks.
And they believed you'd died in the skirmish.
Why did you come back?
I ran out of money.
Your mother will be upset.
When she finds out? -When they execute you.
I'm sure she'd have preferred you to die in the endless desert sands.
That officer will be back.
He wants to hear the details of my escape.
You have to help me.
It's me, Alicia.
Come in.
I was waiting for you.
Though I know you didn't come to see me.
What you told me about my father... -It's the truth, Alicia.
Though it hurts me to tell you. -Then why didn't my mother die?
She stopped taking the poisoned medicine.
Why?
I discovered your father's plan and had to tell your mother.
At first she refused to believe it, but I asked her to see for herself.
All she had to do was pretend to keep taking it and not do so.
Three days later she'd recovered.
Why didn't you tell me this before? -The one who died was your father.
Why should I have told you if it was only going to hurt you?
I suppose you don't know why my father wanted to kill my mother.
During the time you were away, they were arguing more and more.
About almost everything. Usually your mother got the better of him.
But then something came up your father wouldn't renege on.
I'll be the last to say Javier's a role model, but he's our only male child.
The sooner you make him director, the better things will go when we die.
Javier's a puppet in your hands, that's why you ask me this.
He's your son. You can't forbid him to take over the business.
Even if you've cut him off, he's your heir.
Not necessarily.
What does that mean? -He's not my only son.
He's the only son you've given me. I intend to recognize Andrés.
I won't let you do that. -As if you had a way to stop me.
This hotel is built on my family's land, with our money.
Don't state the obvious. Unfortunately, your father only begot daughters.
His family name and estate would have been lost. The decision is mine.
That would explain why my mother wanted to kill my father, not vice versa.
You're missing a step.
Your mother thought of a way to win the battle...
using the same legal system that stood in her way.
See what needs to be done to get my husband declared unfit.
Your mother's idea wasn't so farfetched.
Your father's conduct over the years had made it easy for her.
He'd shown to be extravagant, he'd had children out of wedlock...
and he'd made enough debts to put the hotel in danger.
Your mother's plan made sense, as long as your father didn't find out...
which in the end, however, he did.
So he decided to kill my mother.
When your father found out she wanted to get him declared unfit...
he decided to kill her.
She'd contracted a minor ailment, which he saw as a perfect chance.
What did my mother do when she realized he was trying to poison her?
You know what she did. She immediately saw the bright side.
She decided to keep the bottle in case she'd need more evidence.
She knew it would clinch her case.
What I don't understand is why I didn't know.
And I wonder how that bottle came into your hands.
Don Benjamín gave it to me.
Why? -I don't know.
Why are you telling me all this now? -I know it will keep you awake.
I love you, Alicia.
I want to show you however I can that I'm on your side.
I hope you don't take it amiss. If there's anything you want, tell me.
Thank you.
Do you suddenly trust Diego? -I trust what he told me.
I only wish I also trusted his intentions.
He's still my husband. -Still?
If my mother wanted to have my father declared unfit, why would she kill him?
Why was your mother so eager to find your father's letter recognizing Andrés?
Why did she destroy it when she did?
If it was written while legally unfit, it had no value.
You're right. I'm going to call the court.
Thank you very much.
What did they say?
They confirmed the verdict was on the 9th.
Was your father declared unfit?
They only give that information to the defendant...
Who's dead. -And to the claimant.
Which is your mother, who may lie to you.
But if they sent notice...
we only have to find it.
This telegram just arrived.
We'll have to wait.
The meeting of the Meridian Circle is coming up.
I need the work contracts for the heating and the phone lines.
And if the board won't authorize it?
You're acting without being sure of the majority vote.
I am sure, my dear. Alicia and Sofía aren't on speaking terms.
Alicia may well refuse to support me, but she won't support her sister either.
And you're sure Javier will? -My son will do as I tell him.
I don't see any reason why Javier would be on Alfredo's side.
You know the geography, roughly. Now to the delicate part.
What happened? -You already know. I deserted.
What happened that you can tell this officer?
As soon as we disembarked, the Moors captured me.
Go on.
Well, that. They captured me. -We won't get anywhere this way.
We have to prepare every detail of your capture and escape.
Every detail, Javier. Let's begin with your capture.
You arrived at Peñón de Vélez, the geography of which you know.
As soon as you'd disembarked, you were captured. How did it happen?
There were hundreds. Thousands. -Javier.
There were three? -Better.
I saw something odd and went on patrol silently, to evade the enemy.
There were signs of the Moors on all sides.
But I was conscious of my duty and followed the trail to the top.
The danger became ever more clear.
I took up a strategic position and equipped myself as best I could.
I was surprised by three of these demons.
They assaulted me without mercy. I resisted all I could, but it was in vain.
I succumbed in exhaustion, with no way out.
Then I lost consciousness. Does that sound better?
Much better. Will you remember it? -I'm sure I will.
Now the escape.
Thank you. Alfredo. I don't know what I'd do without you.
I'm sure you'd help me too, if necessary.
If it doesn't require too much effort, of course.
Do you realize your life depends on me?
Again.
All the best.
Javier.
You're getting along with Alfredo, I see. -He's an in-law.
Do you know there's a board meeting? -Yes.
How do you know? Did Alfredo tell you?
Alfredo told you. Who will you support?
My God, Javier, you must support your family.
Who will you vote for?
You can't vote for Alfredo. Think about the future of the hotel.
Alfredo is the director, and I think he's pretty much right.
Since when do you have an opinion? -I'm a changed man, Mother. A hero.
Don't talk nonsense. You'll vote as I say, alright?
As I said, I'm a changed man. A hero. And heroes take their own decisions.