Caray, Caray!

Diego reads Isabel's "Dear John" letter and has a hissy fit. He seems genuinely heartbroken, like a little boy who's been forever barred from playing with Hot Wheels.

Ayala presents Teresa with his evidence: the Mallet of Reckoning. She doesn't even recognize it, much less accept it as a murder weapon. She's unimpressed by Ayala's assertion that it's the only object that could have inflicted the wound found on Cristina's skull. Ayala says it could only have been wielded by someone who comes and goes from the hotel at his or her whim. Gravel from the courtyard was also found in the ironing room. (Teresa's face momentarily turns grave when Ayala's back is turned.) He asks, no, begs her to allow him - without forcing him to obligate her - to question the employees. "Very well, as long as it's only the employees," she replies. What a heart of gold. He asks her to send them one by one and reminds her that the interrogations are private.

Elisa asks Victoria to send a telegram to Don Javier first thing tomorrow, advising him of her impending arrival with her son. She hopes to be welcomed with open arms. Victoria asks if she'd also like to send a telegram regarding that favor Teresa was hoping for. "I won't lift a finger for my dear in-law," Elisa snickers. "I'll let the Alarcons smoulder in their own flames. Now prepare my bath!"

Jacinto tells Lupe that he doesn't want to fight. There are things he just doesn't want to tell his father. "Little Rock," Lupe says to Jacinto in English. It's a place in Arizona, Lupe says. (Er, does he mean Arkansas?) That's where Lupe tracked Jacinto's mother to. He invites Jacinto to write to her if he likes.

Benjamin interrupts: The police are questioning people, and they're starting with the chauffeur.

From the foot of the road, Felipe stares at the hotel through moistened eyes. He sniffles and turns, walking away with more resignation than we've ever seen in him.

Julio is back in the room he's shared with Andres for the past month or so. "Here I am, one more damned time," he snarls at his roommate. "This time and the next time and how many more times do I have to see my sister dead? I hate this place with all of my being." But what of Isabel, Andres asks. She turned her back on her family, for you. "She'll have to understand," Julio insists. He's going to find Cristina's killer as fast as he can, and then he'll take Isabel far away from this place. But first he's gonna talk to Ayala.

Meanwhile, Isabel has called Matilde to pick her up in the pueblo. Damn, this is all so much easier now with cell phones. Not to mention non-Victorian mores.

Dr. Vicario still has to deal with poor clueless Alfredo. He says he's given Sofia some laudanum to help her sleep because she was so upset. Alfredo confides that he thinks this place is having a bad effect on her, and he wants to get her out ASAP. The doctor says she cannot be moved. She should stay in bed. After last night's hemorrhage, he fears she might not even be able to reach full term. Any unnecessary movement could provoke a premature birth. She shouldn't even walk, much less take a trip. In fact, the doctor is going to have to start approving all of her visitors, including Alfredo's mother!

In order to fetch Isabel, Matilde needs the car... which means she needs to deal with Diego! (This scene makes me so uncomfortable that I am forced to seek comfort in a Dagoba Xocolatl hot chocolate.) You see, Mati explains, Isabel went out for a walk... that's how she is... so can Mati use the car or should she get one of the servants to fix up a wagon? Diego squelches whatever expressions are fighting to cross his face, and cranks up the phone to call the car for Mati.

Then Diego asks Mati if there's anything going on with Isabel that should worry him. Mati answers truthfully that Isabel isn't well. People are flying out of windows and maids are turning up dead - who could possibly do well in this place? "How can I help her?" Diego asks. Mati says Isabel needs to get her life back. She spends the whole day surrounded by the craziness of her family, so who can blame her for running away? Mati's answer seems to satisfy Diego for the moment.

"Excluding the Virgin Mother, no one has suffered more for her child than I have for you," Angela tells Andres as she tends to his wounds. (But she still raps the back of his head when he questions if it's blasphemy to say so.) He thanks her for caring for him and protecting his happiness, but how'd she get his job back? She reluctantly reveals that Belen is the one who did it. "I knew she loved me!" Andres exclaims as he darts out of his mother's office.

"Nothing out of the ordinary? So it's perfectly normal for your boss to ask you to leave at midnight just when a crime's taken place at the hotel?" Ayala sarcastically inquires of Jacinto. Jac says Diego just wanted to get some air. Everyone was a little upset. "And your boss more than anyone? Where did you go? Alone or with someone?" Ayala's questions come one after another, faster than Jacinto can answer or even think; but they are interrupted by a knock at the door. It's Julio. Jacinto can leave for now. "We'll continue later," Ayala tells Jacinto as he dismisses the boy.

"Sadly, in this country, those who have the least are the ones who suffer the most," Ayala says to Julio. Money doesn't make people immortal, but it does inoculate against a lot of troubles. Julio says he's been a total failure, but he's handing himself over to Ayala in fulfillment of their deal. Ayala indicates that their truce still stands. Julio remains free as long as Ayala can count on his help. And now for the next employee interview...

Andres finally has a reason to thank Belen for a change. She plays all the right cards, acting happy to see him. She loves him, he's glad he believes her, she FORGIVES him (gag), and she missed him. "You're so good. Thank you my love," Andres simpers. A little piece of me dies as she begins kissing him, but let's see just how far she goes this time.

I don't know who drove the car, since Jacinto was being questioned - maybe Matilde drove it herself - but at any rate, she and Isabel are at the hotel now, and Diego is kindly asking how Isabel enjoyed her little jaunt around San Cristobal. He says something about crystal balls or magic crystals that I don't quite understand, but I can tell that I wouldn't like it any better if I understood it. Diego says more nauseating slimy stuff and offers dinner. How Isabel can pretend to be hungry, I don't know.

But when they get through the door, Diego is summoned to Romulo's rooms - to chat with Ayala. Isabel promises to wait for him, but as soon as his back is turned, Isabel runs in the opposite direction. She just has to find out something! She runs to Diego's room while Mati stands guard. Isabel easily finds her letter on Diego's desk, but sees that it's been rumpled and then smoothed and re-folded. What to do?

Diego is impatient with Ayala and seemingly provides little useful information - yet Ayala is scribbling furiously in his notebook. Said scribbling irritates Diego even more. Diego tries to excuse himself prematurely. "Ho no, we're just getting started," Ayala announces. Doesn't Diego want to be around for questioning of the Alarcons? He's practically a family member! Ayala asks Dagoberto to bring in Teresa.

Teresa is arguing with - or, more accurately, being argued with by - Sofia, who is claiming that she just can't. She's sick, why doesn't anyone understand?? "You are my child," Teresa intones. "You are my little sparrow." (Apparently, Teresa used to call Sofia that because of the way she moved her head around like a little bird.) This calms Sofia, and they resume what they've apparently been doing for hours - rehearsing Sofia's story. When Teresa is satisfied, she invites Alfredo in to make Sofia presentable, and says she'll fetch Isabel and Felipe.

In Isabel's rooms, Teresa tells Mati there's no time for fooling around - the police are waiting. She leaves, and Mati opens the door to Isabel's bedroom, where Isabel is crying.

Sofia helps Alfredo rehearse his story to make certain that there are no loose ends with him wandering around without a witness.

Teresa bangs on Felipe's door. There's no answer, and Sofia hasn't seen him all day. Tere, Sofia, Isabel, and Alfredo head downstairs.

Belen leads Andres to her room, throws him onto the bed, and commences kissing on him. She makes him swear that he only has eyes for her. It'll just be him and her ("and the baby?" Andres prompts) forever, she insists. He agrees. She gets him all heated up. She takes his shirt off. And...

"It's just that I love you too much," Andres says, hastily getting up from the bed and grabbing his shirt. "I want to do this the right way." Belen is bewildered. "I want to marry you," Andres explains. "Then let's do it tomorrow," she suggests. He more or less agrees and she makes it clear that the civil wedding is very important. Er, and so is the church wedding. Yes. But the civil wedding is important to do FIRST. It'll be day after tomorrow, I think he says.

Ayala questions the Alarcons as a group (including Diego, blech). Ayala says the crime scene was perturbed. (Sofia is pulling her hair like taffy.) The body was moved. The person who did it tried to hide the murder weapon - this mallet. Not only was the maid's death no accident - it was malicious and premeditated.

Diego asks about the gas. Ayala's not interested in the gas - the valves weren't open when he arrived, and he's only looking at evidence. Teresa and Diego try to tag-team Ayala, accusing him of defending a thief. Sofia brings up the alleged theft from Mrs. Limantur's room, which I dearly hope Ayala will look into. Even Alfredo tries to pile on - but Isabel interrupts. That woman's skull was crushed with a mallet and all they can do is sully her reputation, insinuating that she got what she deserved? She's sick of them thinking they can decide who deserves justice and who doesn't. She's sick of all the hate in this family.

Isabel stomps out, closely pursued by Sofia, who is closely pursued by Alfredo who's nervous about Sofia moving about needlessly.

"That's enough for today," Ayala tells Teresa and Diego. "Tomorrow I'm going to take all your fingerprints."

The Isabel/Sofia/Alfredo train ends abruptly with Isabel slamming the door in their faces. Sofia pounds on the door, looking angry enough to turn into the Incredible Hulk. On seeing her husband's frightened expression, Sofia settles herself and knocks timidly instead. "Isabel? Please? Open up, please?"

Isa opens the door and stands with her back turned, looking as cool and wholesome as a glass of milk as Sofia tells how she and Teresa found Cristina. Sofia mopped up the trail of blood where they dragged her to the ironing room, and Sofia hurriedly hid the mallet. She wasn't thinking and didn't know what to do. Ayala will think she did it. Sofia begs Isabel to help her. Alfredo ushers his hysterical wife back to her room.

Next morning...

Dashing through the dining room, Diego is disgusted to hear Benjamin warmly welcoming Andres back to the job. Yes, the boy knows how to set a table.

Diego is looking for Jacinto. No one in the kitchen has seen him. Diego nabs Belen in the hallway and drags her into Angela's office, and demands to know what Belen has found out about the Alarcons to get Teresa to answer all of her demands. How'd she get her stupid boyfriend's job back? Belen refuses to answer, calls for Angela's help, and even bites Diego's hand. (Now they'll BOTH need rabies shots!) He pulls her away from the window (the window to the service hallway, where she's calling for Angela again) and says she doesn't know who she's messing with.

"Oh yeah?" Belen laughs in Diego's face. "You think you're so important?" His world is about to end, she says. "Doña Angela! There's a HUGE RAT in your office! It's SOOOO gross!!!" Diego rushes out.

Jacinto goes to the cantina for a throw with Violeta. Violeta scoffs. So does Melibea; after all, her daughter is an artiste. But it turns out that Jacinto has plenty of money. Violeta protests. Melibea hesitates; it's more money than Violeta makes in a week. She points out that an artist's wages aren't very stable. Violeta doesn't want to do it, but Meli takes the cash and tells Violeta to be more versatile. She sends the two of them into the curtained room, and Gsdfjksdjlk (I can't remember his name) demands his cut. Meli hands over just enough to satisfy him, but he doesn't realize how much she's withholding!

Teresa lectures Isabel about the need to protect her sister. Who cares about the maid - she was dead when they found her, Teresa says dismissively. Nothing they could do for her. What good does justice do a dead woman? "Your sister is too sick to deal with the accusations, the suspicions, and the police," Teresa concludes. "She's about to lose her mind, Isabel. Ask the Doctor if you don't believe me. I'm capable of all this and more to protect my children." Teresa makes a snide remark about Isabel being too quick to turn her back on those who protect her.

Violeta is pleading with Jacinto. Why can't he leave her alone? Why is he treating her this way? Can't he understand that she doesn't want to see his dumb face any more? Does he WANT her mother to beat her half to death for not following through? Jerk! She takes off her skirt. "This is what you want, right? Come on! I'm not going to feel you or even smell you."

Crying, Jacinto picks up Violeta's skirt, wraps it around her, and hugs her. Confused, she holds her hands out to the sides. "This is what I want," he sobs at her bosom. "Can't you see this is all I want? To just be with you for a little bit, that's all. Without anyone judging us or making fun of me because I say that I love you. That I like you. That you are all I want in this world."

"I thought I was your mother," Elisa guilts her son. "I thought so until now. How wrong I was. You are a coward. I can't have given birth to a eunuch like you. Don't call me 'mother.' What do you mean, 'the woman that I love'? You love her only because I can't give you what she gives you when you are at her side." (I think I mangled this a little, but what she was insinuating was seriously gross.)

"YOU are sick! YOU are crazy!" Alfredo shouts. "I am surrounded by locos in this place." He storms out of his mother's room.

"Let's get out of here," Elisa sobs at Victoria.

Isabel finds Julio waiting in her room. "I couldn't leave without talking to you first," he says.

Next time: Belen threatens Teresa.

Labels: hotel