Rusim needed a drink so they stopped into a local bar. The Moreni was built out of stone and varnished wood in the style of a chalet and stood next to a carpark and bus stop on the main road. A handful of punters sat at their tables drinking, talking, or playing Four Square. A giant of a man with a black moustache stood behind the counter.
\nRusim ordered a vodka for himself and a lemon soda for Zdravko. \u201cEver seen this man?\u201d he asked holding out a photo of Gjoeb as the barman poured his drink.
\n\u201cNot recently,\u201d deadpanned the barman in a voice deeper than hell.
\n\u201cMaybe a year or two ago?\u201d
\n\u201cNever seen him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Zdravko and Rusim sat at a table apart. Two men who looked like they might have owned the place sat talking in the corner. Or maybe they owned the whole mountain. One thing for sure, one of them owned the Bentley parked outside.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re missing something up here,\u201d said Zdravko.
\n\u201cMaybe,\u201d said Rusim as he pulled the phone out of his breast pocket and took a call. \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d he said, putting the phone in his other hand. \u201cGo,\u201d he told the phone. After that he just listened or mumbled assent. \u201cRun a check of furniture removal outfits around the time the power was cut. And let me know how the ID check on the video\u2019s going,\u201d he said finally and clicked off. He looked at Zdravko and said: \u201cThe power was turned off two weeks before Gjoeb\u2019s sentencing. Nothing from customs. Nothing from the bank.\u201d
\n\u201cI like this guy already,\u201d said Zdravko.
\nRusim knocked back his vodka and looked over at the bar. \u201cGjoeb\u2019s got a lot of cash.\u201d
\n\u201cIn which case he\u2019s gone.”
\n“In which case he had a double identity before he went inside,\u201d said Rusim stroking his beard with the upside of his fingers. \u201cRobert isn\u2019t even a Hungarian name,\u201d he added.
\n\u201cHungarians are wierd,\u201d said Zdravko.
\n\u201cI need a smoke,\u201d said Rusim.
\nThey got up and walked out to the smoking area, collecting Rusim\u2019s new drink from the bar on the way. Outside, the afternoon was contemplating an even more fantastic version of itself. Zdravko walked up to the railing and stood looking at the mountains. \u201cThis is just too beautiful,\u201d he said as Rusim finished lighting his cigarette. \u201cMakes me want to go to sleep.\u201d
\n\u201cYou can drive,\u201d said Rusim.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rusim needed a drink so they stopped into a local bar. The Moreni was built out of stone and varnished wood in the style of a chalet and stood next to a carpark and bus stop on the main road. … Continue reading