Irena’s last flight had been to Japan, where there is a theme park dedicated to the cartoon character, and Sasha’s present was a Thomas the Tank T-shirt, complete with a smiling-faced railway engine printed on the front. Sasha, who was still waiting for Charlie, insisted upon putting it on and announced she was going to sleep in it.
“No,” refused Charlie. “You can wear it tomorrow.”
“Shit!” Sasha challenged, in English.
Irena sniggered, turning away.
Charlie said, “I told you that was a silly word. I don’t want you saying it again.”
“Why did
“To see whether you would be silly and repeat it,” said Charlie, desperately. “Or whether you were a big girl. So now we know: you’re silly, like the word. And you can’t sleep in the T-shirt.”
“I want Mummy!”
“Take it off and go to sleep.”
Sasha sat in bed with her arms tightly folded, not moving, glaring although not directly at him. Her lips were tightly together, too. Irena said, “I don’t think I want to talk to silly girls. I’ll come back later.”
Sasha’s bottom lip didn’t stay tight. Charlie was hot, sweating, a never-lost man completely lost. It was unthinkable-literally-to slap her. Charlie said, “I’m waiting.”
Sasha said, “I want Mummy.”
Charlie didn’t turn at Natalia’s arrival. Natalia said, “What has Daddy told you to do?”
“He’s not my daddy!” said the child.
“He is and you do what he tells you,” said Natalia. “Take the shirt off.”
Sasha started to pull it over her head and to cry at the same time, pointedly offering it to Natalia, who didn’t reach for it. Charlie held out his hand and after a moment’s hesitation Sasha gave it to him. Natalia kissed Sasha and left Charlie in the room with her.
Charlie said, “Do I get a kiss?”
“No,” said Sasha, her voice muffled in the pillow, her body rigid.
“This isn’t much fun, is it?”
There was no reply.
Charlie leaned forward, kissing Sasha’s turned away head. He said,“I am your daddy and I love you very much.” It was a whisper, but he still heard her say, “shit,” before he got to the door.
The two sisters were waiting for him in the smaller lounge, Irena already with the whiskey Natalia had poured for her.
Irena said, “What was that all about?”
“Growing up,” said Charlie. “Sasha and I together.” He still felt hot, disoriented by something he hadn’t known how to handle or control and wished hadn’t happened. How difficult was the rest of the evening going to be?
“It’s a learning curve, I guess,” suggested Irena.
“Maybe I’ve got more to learn than Sasha,” conceded Charlie.
“I certainly have,” simpered Irena. “Learning the man my sister’s involved with is an international detective was a hell of a surprise!” She was wearing one of her second skin outfits, a black catsuit that didn’t show panty or bra ridges because she wasn’t wearing either. “I thought you looked terrific on television.”
“I didn’t,” said Natalia. She was serious, subdued.
“What sort of policeman
“A clerk,” dismissed Charlie, his script ready in outline at least. He should have prepared Natalia; prepared himself better. Another stupid mistake. Too late now. “I just exchange information between London and here.”
Irena made a sweeping gesture around the apartment. “Clerks don’t live in palaces.”
“There are ways,” He smiled. Would this eventually qualify as another learning curve? He hoped so.
Irena regarded him curiously. “Like what?”
“Always useful, having access to foreign currency.”
Now Irena smiled, although uncertainly. Natalia was looking at him in bewilderment, mouth slightly open. Irena said, “You don’t, do you?”
“You should know how to turn dollars around: the best use of any foreign currency in the financial mess this country’s in.”
He refilled Irena’s empty glass. Natalia shook her head irritably against any more. He left his drink as it was.
With forced indignation, Irena said, “I don’t deal in foreign currency!”
“I don’t believe you,” challenged Charlie, expansively. “You’d bea fool not to, with the chances you’ve got. We’ve got it made, people like you and me.”
Irena looked at her sister. “Is he telling the truth?”
“I don’t know what he does or what he’s saying,” Natalia, said with a shrug, angrily soft-voiced.
“Aren’t you worried?” It was still a question addressed to Natalia.
“If it’s on a scale to support this place, I suppose I should be.” Natalia was looking intently at Charlie, seeking a lead.
Irena went back to Charlie. “You could be arrested!”
“You show me a Moscow policeman you can’t bribe,” demanded Charlie. “Most of them would sell their mothers for fifty dollars. And I’m on the inside, as a liaison officer. Who’s going to go up against me?”
Irena shook her head in bemusement. “You
“You shocked?”
“No, of course I’m not shocked! And you’re right, I have sold a few dollars, here and there.”
“Of course you have,” said Charlie. “It’s the system: the way the world goes ’round. The Arbat’s best, I’ve found. A lot of conmen, hunting tourists.” He looked at Natalia. “What about that prime Scotch steak I brought home?”
Natalia hesitated before moving off into the kitchen. Irena waited until her sister had gone before saying, “I knew you and I had a lot in common.”
“And I told you I was in love with Natalia,” he said, hoping she could hear from the kitchen. So far, so good, but this wasn’t the way he wanted the conversation to go. But he’d play this different sort of word game if he had to.
“You don’t seem to be worrying very much about her, doing what you’ve just told me. What about her position?”
Charlie felt the icy fingers run up his back, all the heat of his previous discomfort gone. Why the hell hadn’t he talked to Natalia first? “I don’t understand.”
“Couldn’t she get into trouble if there was a problem you couldn’t bribe your way out of?” suggested the woman.
“Of course not,” said Charlie, with seeming carelessness, flourishing the bottle between the two of them. “I told you: there’s nevergoing to be a problem. So the question doesn’t arise.”
“There’s still another unanswered question from last time.” Irena smiled.
“You got your answer then.”
“Where’s the danger in a little adventure?”
“In setting out on it.” He was glad to see Natalia emerge from the kitchen: time for him to manipulate the guidance he hadn’t given her.
Natalia said, “Ready when you are.”
Charlie said, “Irena’s worried you’ll be fired if someone blows the whistle on what I’m doing.”
Natalia’s pause, retrieving her wineglass, was far too imperceptible for Irena to notice, although Charlie readily saw it. “I don’t see how it could affect me, even if it did happen.”
It was enough and Charlie felt a sweep of relief. “That’s what I told her.”
“You work for the government, don’t you? You did when …” The woman stumbled to a halt, briefly flustered.
“Pensions!” jeered Natalia. “I’d get a medal for finding money where there hasn’t been any to give out for months!”
