their power. That way Heydrich would find me all the more inclined to agree with him when eventually he decided to show up. Probably he was still fast asleep in his bed.
If that was how I was supposed to feel I decided to do it differently. So instead of breakfasting on my fingernails and wearing out my cheap shoes pacing round the room, I tried a little self-relaxation, or whatever it was that Dr Meyer had called it. Eyes closed, breathing deeply through my nose, my mind concentrated on a simple shape, I managed to remain calm. So calm I didnât even hear the door. After a while I opened my eyes and stared into the face of the bull who had come in. He nodded slowly.
âWell, youâre a cool one,â he said, picking up my magazine.
âArenât I just?â I looked at my watch. Half an hour had gone by. âYou took your time.â
âDid I? Iâm sorry. Glad you werenât bored though. I can see you expected to be here a while.â
âDoesnât everyone?â I shrugged, watching a boil the size of a wheel-nut rub at the edge of his greasy collar.
When he spoke his voice came from deep within him, his scarred chin dipping down to his broad chest like a cabaret tenor.
âOh yes,â he said. âYouâre a private detective, arenât you? A professional smart-ass. Do you mind me asking, what kind of a living do you people make?â
âWhatâs the matter, the bribes not coming in regular enough for you?â He forced himself to smile through that one. âI do all right.â
âDonât you find that it gets lonely? I mean, youâre a bull down here, youâve got friends.â
âDonât make me laugh. Iâve got a partner, so I get all the friendly shoulder to cry on I need, right?â
âOh yes. Your partner. That would be Bruno Stahlecker, wouldnât it?â
âThatâs right. I could give you his address if you like, but I think heâs married.â
âAll right, Gunther. Youâve proved youâre not scared. No need to make a performance out of it. You were picked up at 4.30. Itâs now seven â â
âAsk a policeman if you want the right time.â
â â but you still havenât asked anyone why youâre here.â
âI thought thatâs what we were talking about.â
âWere we? Assume Iâm ignorant. That shouldnât be too difficult for a smart-ass like you. What did we say?â
âOh shit, look, this is your sideshow, not mine, so donât expect me to bring up the curtain and work the fucking lights. You go right ahead with your act and Iâll just try to laugh and clap in the right places.â
âVery well,â he said, his voice hardening. âSo where were you last night?â
âAt home.â
âGot an alibi?â
âYeah. My teddy bear. I was in bed, asleep.â
âAnd before that?â
âI was seeing a client.â
âMind telling me who?â
âLook, I donât like this. What are we trawling for? Tell me now, or I donât say another lousy word.â
âWeâve got your partner downstairs.â
âWhatâs he supposed to have done?â
âWhat heâs done is get himself killed.â
I shook my head. âKilled?â
âMurdered, to be rather more precise. Thatâs what we usually call it in these sort of circumstances.â
âShit,â I said, closing my eyes again.
âThatâs my act, Gunther. And I do expect you to help me with the curtain and the lights.â He jabbed a forefinger against my numb chest. âSo letâs have some fucking answers, eh?â
âYou stupid bastard. You donât think I had anything to do with it, do you? Christ, I was the only friend he had. When you and all your cute friends here at the Alex managed to have him posted out to some backwater in Spreewald, I was the one who
Frankie Blue
john thompson
Alaina Stanford
Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright
C.W. Gortner
Helena Newbury
Jessica Jarman
Shanna Clayton
Barbara Elsborg
James Howard Kunstler