Fifty metres ahead and across the street, Rado finally saw the BMW i8, the same kind of green he’d seen on his phone. He crossed over ul. Solunska.
\n\u201cHey Radi! You forgot to keep in touch!\u201d
\nRado turned to see Nadejda walking the other way across the street towards Bulevard Vitosha. She was dressed in jeans and a T shirt.
\n\u201cNadejda!\u201d he called back.
\n\u201cRado!\u201d
\n\u201cWhat you up to?\u201d
\n\u201cNothing.\u201d
\n\u201cMeet you round the corner in twenty minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walking up to the BMW, Rado pulled out a key from his pocket and opened the driver door. He got in and cranked up the engine.
\nEvery engine had its own sound. This one was brilliant and mournful at the same time. He pulled out and drove off in a westerly direction.<\/p>\n
Sure enough, half an hour later, Nadejda was sitting at her seat drinking god knows what. It wasn\u2019t even possible to know what Nadejda was drinking. They kissed either cheek and Rado pulled up a stool, grumbling as if it were an effort.
\n\u201cHeard you got pulled in,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cSince when did you hear that?\u201d
\n\u201cSince this morning.\u201d
\n\u201cShit. You got ears.\u201d
\n\u201cI got ears,\u201d Rado agreed. “Eagle ears.” A ginger haired barman ventured close enough for Rado to wave him away. Although not overly tall, Rado was built like he could squash a waiter in one hand.
\n\u201cGuess you\u2019re not drinking then,\u201d said Nadejda.
\n\u201cI got a Porsche to go. But why am I telling you this?\u201d
\nNadejda said nothing.
\n\u201cOh yeah,\u201d Rado sighed to himself.
\n\u201cSo what else do you know, Radi? I mean about my comings and goings.\u201d
\n\u201cCops shot some guy. They killed some guy at The Grand.\u201d
\n\u201cThat was me. I was there.\u201d
\n\u201cThat\u2019s what I heard. Crap.\u201d
\n\u201cHe was a nice enough guy.\u201d
\n\u201cToo bad.\u201d
\n\u201cToday\u2019s my day off.\u201d
\n\u201cI should fucking hope so.\u201d
\n\u201cAnd now I know so many cops.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d
\n\u201cI got friendly with some cops.\u201d
\n\u201cSpeak in the Irish.\u201d
\n\u201cI fucked a cop, ok?\u201d
\nRado went silent for about two seconds. “I suppose, one day, we might have to thank you for that.\u201d<\/p>\n
After a while, Valentina turned up and Rado had to go.
\nFor a madame, Valentina had a singular calmness and tidiness to her manner that said all was well. Fret not. Policemen were human beings. Some of the best. She once knew a very bad man who got locked up. He was a pimp.
\nValentina also laughed like a trooper. She did a lot of things that only half covered the truth. It wasn\u2019t seemly to punish the whole truth. Even the very cold hard truth needed the odd slant of sunlight and a breath of fresh air. A walk round the exercise yard.
\n\u201cPoor Maria,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s a first for everything. I feel for her. She\u2019ll be right as rain. I told her so myself.\u201d
\n\u201cMaria\u2019s a foosball.\u201d
\n\u201cNadejda! That girl has talent, don\u2019t mistake. Native talent. Exactly so, I believe. Dortmund. Liverpool. A year. Maybe two.\u201d
\n\u201cOklahoma Thunder.\u201d
\n\u201cNow there\u2019s a very good name.\u201d
\n\u201cShall we eat?\u201d
\n\u201cLet\u2019s go outside.\u201d<\/p>\n
Outside was a small courtyard with umbrellas. Under an umbrella Valentina looked like another person.
\nNadejda pulled out a cigarette. \u201cYou are so beautiful,\u201d she said.
\nValentina smiled.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fifty metres ahead and across the street, Rado finally saw the BMW i8, the same kind of green he’d seen on his phone. He crossed over ul. Solunska. \u201cHey Radi! You forgot to keep in touch!\u201d Rado turned to see … Continue reading