Richard House - The Kills

‘These don’t look like notes, wouldn’t you say? The numbers here are telephone numbers for hotels. But these numbers are confirmation or reservation numbers for rooms.’

Does Gibson follow the implication? It isn’t Sutler making the bookings under Geezler’s name. It’s Parson. Would he have any idea why?

Lost for an explanation, Gibson asks if Sandro has spoken with Laura about this.

The man says no. And this is another strange element. Why, when Parson is undertaking such demanding, and ultimately dangerous work, would he ask his wife to accompany him?

It hadn’t seemed so unusual to Gibson. Because of his work Parson was separated from his wife for several months, the simple answer is that he wanted to be with her, and the job didn’t seem dangerous at all.

The problem, Sandro agrees, probably isn’t a problem. In most cases people’s lives are messy and unfathomable, because we are guided by habits and superstitions, ways of behaving which are impenetrable, irrational.

When Sandro leaves, the other man, who has still not spoken, accompanies him.

Gibson catches his reflection in the long mirrors either side of the reception desk, and is surprised to appear less stern and weary than he feels. It is encouraging to hear that Parson has inconsistencies.

Sunlight rebounding off the traffic scores across the lobby in sharp bands. He decides to walk to Laura’s hotel although he does not know Naples.

4.1

The door to Tomas’s apartment stands open in anticipation. Rike has had to hurry, and she makes it to the top of the stairs a little breathless. Tomas sits ready, his notebook open on his lap and a dictionary at his feet. He leans over the notebook and reads with a singular focus. Rike pauses at the door before knocking. It was wrong, she concedes, to call him unhandsome, or to say that he is not handsome. His face is masculine, angular, his mouth, full and slightly pronounced (in profile), has the same effect on her as his hands — a slight out-of-kilter difference in scale, so small in this instance it could easily be imagined.

She knows nothing about him, and realizes that Tomas has offered her no real information. In fact he’s shown little interest in speaking with her about his life, in sharing details, or in impressing her. His one interest is in learning English, a language he already commands.

Rike knocks on the door, steps in, says hello. She takes the seat offered. Once again they chat in German before the session starts.

‘You should have stayed yesterday. Downstairs, in the basement. You should have come. It was very strange.’ The landlord, the janitor, a supervisor, perhaps even someone who has rented the basement, uses the space to store Christmas decorations.

Rike smiles and allows the conversation to settle her.

‘There were reindeer and…’ Tomas clicks his fingers because he can’t remember, then does a dance, something like a dance, he turns about, waddles with his arms at his side. ‘Penguins?’ He pulls a face. ‘Do they have an ass?’

Rike isn’t sure what he’s asking. ‘An S ? Penguins. Plural? I think so. Yes.’

It’s endearing to see his enthusiasm. The first real evidence of warmth. Again Tomas offers Rike a drink. He has sparkling water this time, cold, if she would like. He brings the bottle and two glasses to the room.

‘There are figures which move — you can see they have moving parts. You should take a look before you go today. I don’t think anyone would mind.’ Tomas smooths his hand over the notebook, flattening it. He gives an exaggerated frown. ‘Did you see the police?’

‘See?’

‘The police?’

‘No. I just arrived.’

‘They were here just a little before you. The Kozmatikos boy is missing again. The mother is very upset. She was shouting. You didn’t hear her? It was very bad.’

‘She must be worried. How long has he been missing?’

‘Since this morning.’

‘Do you know why?’

‘Why he runs away? I think it’s something boys do at a certain age.’

Rike smiles and shucks off her shoulder-bag and pointing at the bottle says that she would like a glass of water, please.

‘The news today from Syria is very bad. The government have destroyed two villages in the mountains above Damascus. Two journalists were wounded. They were housing the rebels so they just—’ He makes a magician-like gesture that might mean something exploding or something disappearing.

Today she does not need to steer, and Tomas begins to speak in English without being asked.

‘First, this morning, I took a walk. There are businesses on the side of the building. A café. The supervisor lives in an apartment opposite the speech therapist and the doctor. This morning she was arguing with the people outside as they were unloading a van. She is a midget.’

‘He,’ Rike makes the corrections, ‘is a dwarf, ’ although this sounds wrong. The supervisor was short, she saw him herself. Calling him a dwarf is a little harsh. She reminds Tomas that today she would like him to speak in the simple past tense. She encourages him to stop reading from his notes. ‘Try without them.’ She gestures toward the book. ‘Your notes are holding you back.’

Tomas disagrees. ‘She? The supervisor is a woman.’

‘But yesterday, we met the supervisor?’

‘That was the agent.’ Tomas continues. ‘Christos is a nice man. But he is also a difficult man. This morning there is an argument between Christos and the judge’s driver. The man in the street who waits — with his car. The judge’s driver.’ Tomas pauses to make sure that Rike has understood him.

‘The argument was very quick, and very aggressive. Christos comes, came, as usual to the café. He was there five minutes and the driver arrives. He’s never spoken to his man before and the driver speaks to him, he says, “Good morning,” and asks for a coffee, and sits at the same table. Christos has no idea what to say. He sees the man every day but has no idea what to say to him. When the coffee arrives, the driver drinks his quickly, then he says to Christos, “It always tastes better away from home.” ’

Rike asks Tomas to repeat the sentence to make sure she understands him.

Tomas speaks in German. ‘ It always tastes better away from home. This is what he said. Unusual, no? A little strange. Christos thinks the man is somehow mocking him. He is telling him, he thinks, that he is with his wife.’ And again in German, ‘Christos believes the driver is having an affair with his wife.’

‘Why would anyone think this?’ Rike can’t follow the logic. ‘And after?’

‘And after, Christos returns home and accuses his wife of having an affair. Which she denies, and naturally he doesn’t believe her.’ Tomas settles back. ‘I can tell you the driver isn’t having an affair because I’ve seen him with a young woman who comes to his car. Sometimes they drive away together. I think Christos has the wrong idea. He sees only what he wants to see.’

Rike moves the session along with a simple instruction. ‘Today, like yesterday, we will ask and answer questions. I want lots of questions.’

Tomas nods and says that he will start. ‘Have you heard from your brother-in-law?’

‘He calls every morning.’

‘From Syria?’

‘Yes, from Syria.’