Zdravko woke at the sound of the car horn blaring. He got to his feet and brushed himself off. \u201cOver here,\u201d he called, then turned to the tree he\u2019d been leaning on with its sawed-off log for a seat. He thought of Robert Gjoeb sitting there in the cool, not asleep but just thinking, the light angled above him and the smell of pine needles. Maybe not even thinking.
\n\u201cZdravko,\u201d said Rusim squeezing through the shrubs.
\n\u201cRusim,\u201d said Zdravko turning around.
\n\u201cYou\u2019re the Shakespeare then, isn\u2019t it? You find anything?\u201d
\n\u201cI found a seat in the forest.\u201d
\n\u201cForensics are still fluffing around. But that cottage is a shell.\u201d
\n\u201cPower on?\u201d
\n\u201cNo power. What seat?\u201d
\n\u201cWe need to check when it was turned off. You sure there\u2019s nothing?\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019m sure.\u201d
\n\u201cThen all we\u2019ve got is a log.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat log?\u201d
\n\u201cThis one.\u201d
\nRusim leant to one side to look at what was behind Zdravko. \u201cI\u2019ll check the power,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cGood.\u201d
\nThere was only so much you could learn from a log seat. It was built for someone short. Or maybe for someone who didn\u2019t like to share. Most likely a man, if you could gauge from the wear. But a man who knew how to get his hands on a chainsaw. And a plum property in Mafiaville.
\nZdravko and Rusim walked back to the cottage.
\n\u201cHe was a smoker,\u201d said Rusim.
\n\u201cI know,\u201d said Zdravko.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Zdravko woke at the sound of the car horn blaring. He got to his feet and brushed himself off. \u201cOver here,\u201d he called, then turned to the tree he\u2019d been leaning on with its sawed-off log for a seat. He … Continue reading