Kismet (27 page)

After a while Slibulsky took over as DJ. In honour of the occasion he stayed with Irish music, but it suddenly sounded different, and soon the first couples were dancing to
Carrickfergus
by Van Morrison and the Chieftains. I drank whiskey at the bar and was talking to a drag queen about the proposed move of Frankfurt Central Station to an underground concourse when a set of fingernails
painted turquoise appeared beside my elbow.

‘Well, did you get your million packet soups?’

I turned and saw Miss Chewing-Gum’s smiling face, slightly flushed with alcohol.

‘Well, what a surprise! Where’ve you been? When I next went to see Ahrens there was no one on the switchboard.’

‘I gave notice. I wasn’t staying in a place where the clients come out looking like you did. And I’d have reached that point soon anyway. What happened to you wasn’t the only thing I wasn’t supposed to see. The whole business was probably a gangster outfit. They hired me just to sit around so that it would look halfway straight on the surface.’

‘Halfway is the right word for it. Are you reading your women’s mags at home now?’

‘I’m reading them at my new desk in my new job with a haulage firm. And as you like words, you ought to understand these: a place is nothing but a gangster outfit if anyone and everyone, without exception, right down to the woman on the switchboard, is a gangster who works for the firm or wants anything from the firm. What were you planning to feed your earthquake victims, cream of cocaine soup?’

I shook my head. ‘Forget it. Anyway, I never did any business with Ahrens. What would you like to drink?’

She hesitated, and looked inquiringly at me for a moment. Then she said, ‘That Irish stout of theirs, I haven’t eaten yet.’

‘Hey, Romario, a Guinness.’

I excused myself to the drag queen and guided Miss Chewing-Gum to one of the upholstered seats.

‘So as I see it, you find fulfilment in your work during the week and go to exciting opening parties at the weekend. Do you live here?’

‘Round the corner. You forget the delightful men I meet at the opening parties.’

‘Ah, yes. Do they invite you out later to smart restaurants when you haven’t eaten yet?’

‘They go on their knees to me for that.’

‘I’d get scratch-marks, on this carpet.’

‘That’s all part of it.’

It turned into an evening which gave neither of us any cause for complaint. On Sunday we watched nature films and comedy shows on TV, and on Monday I set out in search of a new office.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TURK!
978-1-935554-20-2 | $14.95 US / $16.95 CAN
Coming in February 2011
The police aren’t interested when a Turkish immigrant is murdered in the red light district, but wisecracking detective Kayankaya suspects there’s something bigger going on, and, unfortunately, he’s right.…

MORE BEER
978-1-935554-43-1 | $14.95 US / $16.95 CAN
Coming in June 2011
Four eco-terrorists caught vandalizing a chemical plant are also accused of murdering the head of the plant, but witness say there were five men. They hire Kayankaya to help them find the mysterious fifth man.

ONE MAN, ONE MURDER
978-1-935554-54-7 | $14.95 US / $16.95 CAN
Coming in October 2011
When Kayankaya is hired to find a missing young Thai woman, Kayankaya launches a trawl through the immigration offices and brothels of Frankfurt and discovers that lots of young asylum seekers seem to be disappearing into the Frankfurt night.