The meal goes smoothly enough, albeit with a lot of negotiating the rapids and under-currents of good manners and courtesy.

Beth’s pregnancy proves a safe topic of discussion, with none of the pitfalls and booby traps lying in wait if we talk about anything closer to home. Mitch is a star, repeatedly shifting the conversation back onto the imminent birth of Beth’s and Richard’s new son.

Later, in a quiet moment with Michael, “My apologies,” I say. “Tact isn’t one of Georgie’s virtues. It never was.”

His answering smile is wry. “Like father, like daughter.”

*****

Klempner

Two weeks and… nothing…

Not a whisper. Nothing I can find.

Sitting in the corner of Antonio’s, I’ve spent a pleasant afternoon, but frustration gnaws at me. Hickman reports that all is well, but…

Has Juliana given up?

?

Not fucking likely…

Antonio’s cafe has become somewhat of a routine. Misgivings nudge me, reminding me that I shouldn’t develop such habits…

… Making myself vulnerable…

But, with nothing to go on, what the hell else can I do?

On the other hand, there has to be some reason for the address to have been used in Finchby’s invoices.

Perhaps I just need to wait.

But what am I waiting for?

How long can I keep doing this?

Still, in the meantime, while I wait for my mystery to unravel, the old man is genuinely good company. And also, a mine of local information.

Finishing a cup of the excellent coffee, I consult a local guide, comparing my list of addresses to a local map, looking for some pattern, seeking inspiration…

Access to road…

Access to the ports…

Whereabouts of police stations…

to the poorer end of town… the red-light district…

Nothing hangs together.

at my elbow, nodding down to my

“Sim. Thank you.”

Hughes…” He stabs a finger at my page. “You not go this place. Is bad place

‘can’t speak the language’… “What’s the

Many bad men there. And badder

“Woman? Que tipo de bad

close. “One time, since many years, this city….” He sweeps his arms out in circles all around…

I say. “Much

vigorously. “Sim, muita violência. Muito

I smoke an imaginary cigarette and again he nods. Then I mime injecting myself… “Cocaína…? E

book from me, closes it, then slaps it down on the table. “Bad place, Senhor. And bad men.” He wags a finger at me.

woman too? A

“Prostitutes, sim. But

woman. What she

other cities. Since two years, bad men here again. And this woman is baddest.

sounding deeply

Juliana…

her name? What

stares at

again. “The bad woman… A mulher má… Her name?

upheld, he shrugs. “Ninguém sabe.

mystery? What does

Again, that blank stare…

“Tall?”

forefinger at me, then at my city guide, repeating, “Bad place. Bad

“You like o museu de arte, Senhor Hughes? We have many artista famoso there. And we have

as he jabs fingers at places where ‘Nice turista

Brazilian newspapers, or at least, their English editions. I can read Portuguese, but it doesn’t come so naturally as reading in English. I

into the newspaper archives, I know what

search term… Sao Paulo organised crime…

blinks: 139,000, 000 results, starting with a Wikipedia

Hmmm…

Narrow it down…

tap in another search. Names of criminal gangs sao

time, but

gang is enticing recruits with

the Most Lethal Criminal Organization

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