Hot Revenge Box Set 4

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…

end of town… the

Nothing hangs together.

elbow, nodding down to

“Sim. Thank you.”

table, and he glances at my guide. “Senhor Hughes…” He stabs a finger at my page. “You not go this place. Is bad place for nice English cavalheiro like

that I ‘can’t speak the language’…

place very bad. Many bad men

“Woman? Que tipo de bad men

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

I say.

“Sim, muita violência.

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

me, closes it, then slaps it down on the table. “Bad

bad woman

then up again, nodding. “Prostitutes, sim. But há sim one

bad woman. What she

so many. Bad men gone. Not like other cities. Since two years, bad men here again. And this woman is baddest. She is…” He splutters for a moment… “She same as prostitute. She has man. Then

is sounding deeply

Juliana…

woman, her name? What does she

at me

“The bad woman… A mulher má… Her

upheld, he shrugs. “Ninguém sabe.

does she

Again, that blank stare…

raising my hand to my head… “Tall?” … Then lower… “Short? Alta?

at my city guide, repeating, “Bad place. Bad

Hughes? We have many artista famoso there. And we have parques…” He nods

on, nodding as he jabs fingers at places where

a trick: an obvious trick: ten minutes later I’ve signed up for subscriptions on a variety of Brazilian newspapers, or at least, their English editions. I can read Portuguese, but it doesn’t come

delving into the newspaper archives, I know what I’m looking

Sao Paulo organised crime… Then as an afterthought, add,

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

Hmmm…

Narrow it down…

Names of

but

largest gang is enticing recruits with

of the Most