Doctor Doom

 

Chapter 17

DOCTOR DOOM

 

The following day, the doctor rose and after breakfast thanked Liana for looking after him so well. “I feel like new. Today I think I’ll go to the temple with your father.”

 Liana liked the doctor and didn’t want him to leave quite so soon. “Are you sure you want to go to the temple?”

“Yes, of course, I want to see it. Is it far?”

“A little bit, but my father and Curro will take you.”

“I am very grateful to you for all that you’ve done. If there’s anything that I can do for you, it would make me happy. By the way, I’m a gynaecologist.”

Just like all the other women who had met the doctor, Liana had fallen in love with him. The large delicate hands with their long fingers had pleased her when she saw them resting on the bed cover. And now the owner of those hands was going to be off with her father. “You will come back, won’t you?”

“Yes, of course. One of these days,” answered the doctor.

“Good!” Liana said, thinking of how to trap him. Poor Liana didn’t know the slippery doctor.

 

Doctor Doom, Filo and Curro said their goodbyes to Liana and the three set off for the temple. During the trip the doctor observed the plants, the trees, the soil, and the colours of the jungle countryside. All the way there the sun had penetrated the trees, but on arriving at the temple everything took on a dark greeny-black hue but, above all, it was damp.

“Here’s the temple, Doctor. On the large stele of the fish is where an altar used to be, this has no fire in the background. The most famous stone is in the floor and that does have fire as the background.”

The doctor approached the large stele, he wasn’t interested in the fish itself, but what was surrounding it. He knew a lot about the myth but he preferred to appear to be just another tourist. He got out his camera from his rucksack and began to take photos of the stele from very different angles, some close up and others at a distance. “Filo if it’s no problem, I’d like to photograph the floor.”

“No problem, Doctor,” Filo answered.

The doctor’s camera never stopped and when he had finished with the floor, he began to take photos of the temple ruins, the trees, the entrance, and some tourists.

“Doctor, I’d like to introduce you to two special people.” They were Irving and Camette. The doctor was very satisfied with Camette’s appearance but thought that Irving with his elephant hair bracelet and the shark’s tooth was a bit flashy.

“Filo says you were on board the plane that crashed into the sea,” Irving said.

“That’s right,” replied the doctor, wondering what he could possibly have in common with this couple.

“Are you a photographer?” Camette asked.

“I’m a gynaecologist,” the doctor responded.

“Well, what a surprise,” said Camette. “I’m very sorry, but I have no need of your services as a doctor at the moment, I’m not pregnant.”

“I’m surprised at your ignorance, women need gynaecologists for things that have nothing to do with reproduction.”

Camette glanced at him with a smile. “Will you invite me to dinner one evening and tell me some of the stories about the women you have known or treated?”

“I’d be delighted to,” said the doctor, aware of the look of disapproval on Irving’s face.

“Do you know something, Doctor, I’m pleased to have met you. I’m getting fed up with fish, weird people, and aggressors. Irving only gives me problems.”

When Camette had finished speaking the doctor realised what a sad air she had. Irving hadn’t said anything. “Is she your girl friend?” asked Doom.

“I’d like to think so, but the only thing I give her are upsets.”

“I’ve got a wound in my arm and that’s why I’ve been staying at Filo’s house . Now I’m feeling better I’m going to stay at the hotel,” declared Doom.

“Camette and I are staying at the Golden Palms hotel.”

“What a coincidence! I have a room booked at the same hotel,” Doom pretending surprise. “Perhaps we could have a drink together. By the way is there anyone from the crew in the hotel, for example the cabin crew or the pilots?”

“I think so. But the pilots are under careful observation in the hospital,” replied Irving.

“I know, Filo told me. Well, then,” Doom said looking at his watch, “Filo’s daughter will be waiting for us, so we have to go now.”

“Give my regards to Liana, she’s a good nurse, that’s for sure,” Irving said.

The doctor gave Irving a very penetrating stare. “See you two later,” he said catching up with Filo and Curro.

Irving and Camette stood watching as the strange trio left the temple area.

“What a man! He’s highly attractive.”

“He’s conceited.” Irving replied.

“So are you.”

“Fine, so I’m conceited, I’m sorry. But I’m not a gynaecologist. Now we’ll be seeing an endless queue of women after him.”

“You’re jealous, aren’t you? Don’t be silly. The poor man must be sick and tired of women. On the other hand you know that if every girl is after you it’s for something more interesting than professional advice.”

“What have I got that could possibly interest a woman?” Irving asked.

Camette blushed, paused, and said, “Irving don’t play the innocent.”

“Are you going to have dinner with him?”

“Of course, if he asks me. Don’t forget you went out with Matina without telling me. And look at what a night you had. And then when everything turned out badly you looked for me to console you. You are shameless. Why did you go out with her?”

“Curiosity.”

“I can well imagine what pushed you to go to her apartment.” said Camette laughing.

“Leave it. Haven’t I suffered enough?”

“Well, then stop saying silly things about the doctor, all right?”

“All right,” agreed Irving.

 

Back at Filo’s, the doctor asked Liana about Irving’s accident.

“He was brought here almost unconscious, his clothes were torn as if he’d been fighting a wild animal, and with his face all bruised.”

“What was it? An accident?” asked the doctor.

“Doctor, don’t ask Liana, she doesn’t know anything. You’d better ask Irving, he’ll explain with all the details,”  Filo commented.

“Very well. I’ll do that,” Doom answered.

 

The journey to the hotel didn’t take long, then with Filo carrying the doctor’s cases because of his arm, they went to reception. Filo put the cases on the floor and said to Doom, “I’m always out and about. In the mornings I go to the temple, and in the afternoons I’m generally hanging out around here.”

“Thanks, Filo. And you, too, Curro. You’ve both done me a great favour,” said Doom.

Filo looked around, then said quietly, “Doctor, I have to tell you that Irving and Camette are in danger,”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on them.”

“Thanks, Doctor.”

Doctor Doom organised himself and his belongings for his new life in the hotel. He had the photos developed and enlarged so as to be able to study the hieroglyphics better. Irving’s friend had asked the doctor to send him some drawings and photos to study more calmly. The stele of the altar showed nothing complicated, as it was just the fish. The back part had a more detailed design that appeared to be of small fish. The sides of the stele had nothing on them that meant anything to the doctor. Supposedly they showed the date of the stele, but so far no one had been able to decipher them.

The floor was more intriguing because it was still possible to see that it had once been painted red and green, which now was only very faintly visible. The doctor was disturbed by all that was to do with the fish. The doctor’s curiosity was aroused and he wanted to start undoing the incredible tangle he could see around him.

“Who is it?” asked Doom on hearing a knock at the door.

“Irving.”

The doctor opened the door and let Irving in. He had been thinking of how to approach the young man. “Sit down. Would you like something to drink? The waitress has just brought me some lemonade.”

“Thank you. I know that my visit must appear impertinent, but I wanted to speak to you about what’s been happening here.”

“Go ahead.”

Irving explained all the experiences he had had since his arrival, only interrupting his narration for quick sips of the drink. The doctor remained silent during all this time. Irving told him about the findings of the burnt wood and the caves. The map in the museum without the caves being marked. The ancient gold chain that Amanta wore, and the strange relationship between the couple and the curator. Finally, he got up, said just a second and returned from his room with the torn clothes with the stains that Matina had left on them, and described the encounter with her.

The doctor picked up the clothes, put his nose right up close to the stains to smell them and said, “Self-tanning lotion, and you don’t need a beach.”

“What are you saying! She is very tanned and goes down to the beach every day. Why should she use a self-tanner?”

“To appear what she isn’t,” declared Doom.

“What?”

“Think about it well, Irving. A woman such as you’ve described wouldn’t go to a beach that is in a deplorable condition every day.”

“Then, why would she go?” Irving asked, incredulous.

“That is something we have to find out, but I can assure she didn’t go there just to sunbathe. One more thing I’m interested in, when can I meet Osman?”

“I suppose whenever you like. If it’s OK with you, I’ll ask Amanta and Jorge.”

“Very well. What a fascinating and varied group of people are to be found on the island at the moment.”

“Yes, Doctor, there are many types here.”

“Tonight after dinner I’d like you to introduce me to everyone else, what do you  think?”

“Yes, Doctor. See you later.”

Once again alone Doom sat down at the table and thought about all the details that Irving had told him. The murky water made him laugh. Osman’s description gave him a feeling of disapproval, and more still when he thought about Amanta and Jorge. It was while he was writing and thinking that he had the idea of visiting the temple at night. But before that he had to investigate the events before his arrival on the island.