A small orange glow briefly illuminated a woman’s face.
Alerted by the sound of her approach the figure rose. ‘The guy at the desk said you wouldn’t be back till late.’
‘I got stood up for a corpse.’
‘Do the cops think it’s me?’
‘Yes, for the moment.’
‘They’ve killed my friend Nikki. That’s fucked up.’
‘Yes.’
‘You dating the cop?’
‘In his mind maybe, not in mine.’
‘You go for coffee three times with a guy in Albania, you’re as good as married.’
‘You said you needed time to get out of Tirana.’
‘I’m out of Tirana.’
‘I thought you meant somewhere slightly further afield.’
‘I did.’
‘You picked here?’
‘It’s the last place your cop friend’s going to think of looking, but it’s not my final destination.’
‘The guy working the front desk is my cop friend’s father; it may not have been the best choice.’
‘It was your fucking suggestion and, like I say, it’s not my final destination.’
Keira crossed to the lounger opposite Lule and perched on the edge.
‘I’m not sure the police are the ones you should be running from.’
‘I’m thinking this is maybe your first time in Albania. You don’t think it’s weird that we’ve never met before today, and yet this evening they showed up at my flat?’
‘We took your licence plate.’
‘And who passed it on to the two assholes I saw going into my apartment block? I knew soon as I saw them they were Clan. Was it you?’
‘I don’t know anyone in the Clan.’
‘That’s what you think. If it wasn’t you passed on my address it was your cop friend or that bitch sitting beside you in the car this afternoon. Either way, you know someone in the Clan.’
‘How come the killers didn’t see you?’
‘I’d crossed to the shops to buy some cigarettes soon as I got out of the car. Smoking’s supposed to be bad for your health. In this case it saved my life.’
‘Everything that’s happened since I arrived in Albania has been weird, but I’m not convinced the cops are the enemy here.’
‘Every cop in Albania has a brother or a cousin works with the Clan. You want anything done, someone taken care of – you don’t go to the Policia, you tell the Clan first. If they can’t get one of their own to fix the problem then they get their cop cousin to sort it out. Make it look like an accident. You understand what I am saying? A butterfly flaps its wings in Albania, it’s because the Clan controls the weather.’
‘Why do you think they would be after you?’
‘Is none of your business,’ replied Lule as she swigged back some more beer.
‘A few hours ago, outside your mum’s house, you tried to shoot me. Earlier this evening, outside your apartment, you stuck a gun in my neck. It has become my business.’
Lule looked up, giving her the stare now. ‘Okay, let’s put it this way: I’m not in the fucking mood to talk about it.’
‘D’you still have the gun?’
‘In my bag. Why?’
‘I miss it: feels like the edge has gone from our relationship.’
‘I can get it out and point it at you if you want.’
‘You ready for another beer?’
‘Sure. Is there a bell you ring or something?’
‘No.’
‘How d’you order?’
‘There’s someone on his way already.’
‘You want to go back inside?’ asked Lule.
‘Here’s fine,’ replied Keira. ‘I’m not good with crowds.’
Keira arched forward and slid her hand inside the pocket of her jeans, hunting for roll-ups. That was when she noticed a slight movement over to her right. What had looked like a small bundle of clothes heaped on one of the nearby loungers shifted its position. In the twilight it was difficult to make out what she was looking at, but gradually her eyes were able to pick out the outline of a small boy tucked into a foetal ball, lying asleep under a thin cotton jacket that doubled as a blanket. Keira pulled a pouch of tobacco from her pocket and started to roll two smokes.
‘Is that Ermir?’
‘No.’
‘Who is it?’
‘I don’t like using that name.’
‘What d’you want me to call him?’
‘Anything you like, he’s asleep.’
‘And when he’s awake?’
‘It doesn’t really matter. He acts like he doesn’t hear. I found him wandering around outside my mother’s house covered from head to toe in blood. At first I thought they’d shot him too, but it was the blood of his grandparents. I think the boy thought they were just sleeping, tried to wake them. That’s where all the blood came from.’
‘How old is he now?’
‘Five, nearly six.’
‘Is he able to tell you what happened?’
‘Not really. He said a few things at first, like he was hungry. That his grandma and grandpa wouldn’t talk to him. After that he said nothing else. I am sure he has seen the killing. He was there and saw everything I think. He doesn’t say this, but I know it. He doesn’t say anything now, only one word, “Hathi”.’
‘What’s that?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘It’s not an Albanian word?’
‘No.’
‘The name of one of the killers, maybe?’
‘I don’t know, but he repeats it, over and over. Doesn’t say if he’s happy or sad, or hungry now, just one word: “Hathi”. I would do anything for his mamma, Kaltrina is like my sister, but this now I am finding hard. Not the thing where he doesn’t speak, but looking after him. Kaltrina’s mother and father were all the family she had. There are no aunts or uncles, so what can I do? The boy has no one else. He has been damaged and I am the same. I know the colour of his pain . . . it is blacker than black. I want to help him, but it is maybe too hard. You ever wish you could take out the part of the brain where the memories are and bleach it clean? I do. I’d rather erase all of them than have even one. I think the boy would wish the same. I thought if two broken things are sent for repair at the same time it would be quicker, but I’ve learned that this is not so. It just takes twice as long.’
A voice came from out of the darkness. ‘Miss Lynch! That you down there?’
‘Yes.’
A few moments later Xhon emerged from the gloom with a tray full of food and drink. ‘I hope you’re hungry. I am bringing a selection. Only four beers, it’s all I could fit on the tray and if you get too many up at the one time they get warm. You want I’ll bring some more in a minute.’
‘That would be great, Xhon. What’s in the tall glasses?’
‘The sour I owe you from the other night. Brought one for your friend, too. I hope you are liking meat. There is some lamb with the cumin, meatballs with tomato sauce, and some dolma. I forgot the bukë gruri: the bread, but I will bring some. You need anything else?’
‘Does the hotel have any vacancies? My friend might need somewhere to stay.’
‘For how long?’
‘Tonight.’
‘Is very busy,’ replied Xhon, ‘but I check and let you know when I bring the next delivery.’
Xhon placed the drinks tray on the edge of Keira’s lounger then trudged off through the sand, back towards the hotel.
Keira shouted after him. ‘Xhon!’
‘Yes.’
‘Sour’s good.’
‘You want another one?’
Keira handed Lule one of the tall glasses and watched as she drained it.
‘Another two.’
Keira picked up a cube of lamb. The meat was tender and sweet in her mouth with a long finish of cumin.
Lule stared at the dishes, but didn’t make a move.
‘When did you last eat?’
‘I’m fine
.’
‘I didn’t ask you how you were feeling, I asked when you last ate.’
Lule ignored the question and, raising the highball glass, asked one of her own. ‘What d’you call this?’
‘A whisky sour.’
‘Is a cocktail?’
‘My favourite.’
‘My first.’
‘Whisky sour?’
‘Cocktail.’
‘D’you like it?’
‘How much does it cost?’
‘Will knowing how much it costs make you like it more or less?’
‘We’ll see.’
‘I don’t know.’
‘You don’t know how much it costs?’
‘No.’
‘Must be nice to sit on a beach in front of your nice hotel and order shit and not care how much it costs.’
‘Are you trying to work out if I’m an asshole or not?’
‘Everyone’s an asshole. With you I’m trying to figure out how big an asshole.’
‘If you think I’m an asshole now just wait till you get to know me.’
Keira finished her sour and ate another piece of lamb. ‘You hungry?’
Lule didn’t reply, just stared back at her. So far Lule had snapped back most of her responses: openly hostile. But Keira had been involved with plenty just like her. Clients who knew they were in trouble and needed her help, but still wanted to play the big shot.
Keira would give her a little more space to play before she bit back.
‘Your cells can only divide a finite amount of times before they reach their limit and give up. At some point everything has to die. If you want to slow that process as much as possible you’d better eat something. Also . . . it’s really tasty.’
Lule reached across and picked up one of the dolmas. ‘You’re starting to sound like an asshole.’
‘That’s because you’re getting to know me.’
Keira fished a plastic throwaway lighter from her pocket.
She lit two roll-ups and handed one across to Lule. ‘D’you want to wake the boy and give him something?’
‘No. He usually doesn’t sleep for long. It’s best to leave him. He won’t eat any of this. If there was a packet of Cocoa Crunch – that’s all he eats.’
‘Will I ask?’
‘I doubt they’ll have it,’ said Lule, placing her empty glass back on the tray and starting on a beer. ‘It’s a kids’ cereal.’
‘Do you have a passport?’
‘Sure.’
‘What about the boy?’
Lule took a long draught of the ice-cold Korça before replying, ‘No. He doesn’t have one and it’s impossible to get.’
‘You’ve already tried?’
‘I’m not his legal guardian so there’s no point. Why are you asking for me a room?’
‘I figured if you had somewhere else to go you wouldn’t be sitting on a lounger outside the Hotel Shkop. You chose here over your mum’s.’
‘They would find me there.’
‘Who?’
‘Like I already said, I’m not in the fucking mood. Anyway, the boy is very afraid. He screams if we go anywhere near Dushk. He thinks maybe we are going back to the killing.’
‘No other family?’
‘The boy or me?’
‘Both.’
‘Unluckily for him, I’m all he’s got. Unluckily for me, I have a brother, but he knows what happened to me and thinks it’s my fault.’
‘Thinks what’s your fault?’
Lule ignored the question and kept talking. ‘I stayed with him when I first came back. He has friends in the Clan. They told him stories about me. They said I fucked anything with a dick. They told him everybody knew I had AIDS and I screwed without a condom. It’s not true, but dumb people believe dumb lies. My brother said I had shamed the family and if the Clan found out he was hiding me they would probably come after him too, so he threw me out.’
‘Is there no one you could stay with? I’m leaving to go back home tomorrow. I can’t put it off. I need to know you and the boy will be safe. What about friends?’
‘I was staying at a friend’s . . . but you saw for yourself . . . that didn’t turn out too good.’
‘I’m sorry about that.’
‘You ever wonder why people with money think they are the ones with all the answers. You come here and think you can buy me with a room and a few drinks that you don’t even know how much they cost. What makes you think I’m for sale?’
‘I said I wanted to help, Lule, not pick a fight. As far as I’m concerned you’re the sideshow. I came here to help the boy if I can; that’s it. I’m offering to help you too, but I’m not going to take any shit from you. If you want to go your own way I won’t raise a finger to stop you, but I can’t let you take the boy. You are old enough to make your own decisions, but he has no say on the matter. If you fuck up your own life that’s one thing, but you’re going to have to get your gun out if you think I’ll let you fuck up his any more than it already has been.’
Lule stared back at Keira like she was considering whether or not to take her on.
She took her time finishing her cigarette, then sat quietly looking out to sea. Eventually she said, ‘Now it’s your turn. You said you know Kaltrina? You have seen her recently?’
‘I was her lawyer.’
‘So you know what is her job?’
‘Yes, although I wouldn’t describe it as a job; forced labour, maybe.’
‘She needs a lawyer because she is in trouble?’
‘Not any more.’
‘You say was her lawyer. You are not her lawyer now?’
‘No.’
‘Why not? It is something bad, yes?’
‘It is something bad, yes. I tried to tell you earlier, as you were leaving the car, but I guess you didn’t hear me. She was murdered, probably by the same people that killed her parents.’
The alcohol had hit home, making it difficult to think clearly. Lule took a moment to let the implications of what Keira had just said sink in.
A tear ran down her cheek. ‘This is so fucked up. I knew Kaltrina was in bad situation, but still I am hoping she would contact me. I wonder she might be dead, but I don’t want to think this is possible . . . She is not coming for her boy?’
‘She is not coming for her boy. I’m sorry, Lule . . . That’s why I’m here. I have money for Ermir. I want to help him if I can. I want to help you too.’
‘What is money when you have no mother?’
Xhon appeared from the shadows, shuffling towards them.
‘Brought another two sours and an ice bucket for the beers. Also some bread.’
Keira stood to take the tray from him, then placed it alongside the other on the lounger.
‘You have been telling everyone there’s a party on the beach tonight?’
‘What d’you mean?’ asked Keira.
‘Your other friend . . . she’s not here?’
‘What friend?’
‘The one you made the face for earlier when you thought it was her. Ardiana . . . she was asking for you, just five minutes ago. I told her she wait in the bar and I will check where you are. The face you were making made me think I’d better be sure is okay to tell her you are here, but when I look up again she’s gone. I think maybe she has come looking for you.’
‘We haven’t seen her.’
‘I ask about room for your friend. None here, but I know the guy who runs the desk next door. Says he can do a double at out-of-season rates. Not as nice as the Shkop, but it’s clean. When you’re done, walk along the beach and go in through the back. He’s keeping it off the books so cash only, if is okay. Tell him you’re a friend of John-with-a-kiss, you’ll be okay. There’s no rush ’cause he’s on all night, like me, so take your time and enjoy the evening.’
‘Thanks, Xhon. Can I ask one more favour? If you speak to Pavli, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention any of this.’
‘Zana, I’m offended! My son, he is
an idiot. I love him, but he should be sitting here now drinking beer, when instead he is being the big policeman. What do you want me to say if I see this Ardiana again?’
‘I could just stand here and wait to hear what you’re going to say, but I might not like it,’ said Ardiana as she appeared over Xhon’s shoulder. ‘You’re not a very good liar, old man. I could tell from your eyes that Keira was in the hotel.’
‘Not lying – protecting privacy of our guests,’ said Xhon as he headed away.
‘Is okay I join you girls for a drink?’ asked Ardiana, noticing that Lule had reached inside her bag.
‘Sure, pull up a lounger,’ said Keira. ‘Ardiana this is Lule; Lule – Ardiana.’
Lule eyed Ardiana and gave her little more than a nod in acknowledgement.
‘I thought you were meeting Fat-Joe Jesus,’ continued Keira.
‘He’s not free till later and I’ve got the night off. I was walking right past the hotel and thought I would come in and say goodbye properly. I am too nervous with the cop around . . . couldn’t wait to get out of the car. I won’t stay long.’
‘Stay as long as you like.’
‘Is that the boy everyone’s looking for?’ asked Ardiana as her eyes fell on the sleeping bundle.
‘Not everyone, just me,’ replied Keira.
‘Yeah sure, that’s what I meant.’
Ardiana was behaving strangely. She was distracted, her eye movements slow and dopey. Keira figured she’d either smoked some weed or she’d stuck a needle in her arm. Either way, there was a chill in the atmosphere.
Ardiana picked up one of the sours from the tray and took a slug. ‘What you holding in your bag there, Lule?’
‘An insurance policy.’
‘If I sit down on this lounger, you going to try and shoot me again or are we all best friends now?’
‘Why don’t you try it and see?’
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