that’s OK?'
The conversation seemed to have snaked out of my control.
'I think so, yes.'
Zelda smiled.
'You and I see the world differently, William.'
'Perhaps you could educate me.'
'Do I look like a school miss?'
'No, but I imagine you’ve got the costume somewhere.'
A slim woman in black jeans, shirt and leather jacket that I recognised as one of the ninja prop shifters emerged from the press of people and slid her arm around Zelda. They kissed and Zelda lifted the champagne to her friend’s lips. The dark girl took a tiny sip.
Zelda smiled as if the off-duty ninja had just done something clever and the two girls leaned into each other. The ninja looked at me with mild unthreatened eyes. No one bothered to introduce me.
I turned to go. 'Have a good party.'
Zelda lifted her glass.
'Thanks for the drink. You were good, William. But you don’t need women’s blood to make you look talented.'
'Thanks for the advice.'
She shrugged.
'It comes free with every glass of champagne.'
High up on the baby grand Gina drove the keys into an up-tempo number. The dark girl put her arm through Zelda’s, leading her onto the dance floor. Zelda looked back over her shoulder.
'Remember what I told you, strange people make for strange times.'
I said, 'Aye, aye.' Irritated by her white shirt, her smooth lipstick smile and the long legs stepping away from me. I turned to look for Nixie, wondering if I could regain ground, and saw Ulla moving slowly through the squeeze of bodies towards the office.
'Happy birthday.'
Ulla looked distracted but she gave me a smile.
'Thanks, William.'
'If I’d known I would have got you a present.'
'There was no need.'
She glanced nervously in the direction she’d been heading. The party was busy now and it was difficult to make headway without pushing through knots of people.
'Thanks again for helping us out.'
'You’ve thanked me already.'
'Sorry.' I grinned. 'What I really meant to say was… ’ I hesitated and Ulla looked worried. '… May I have this dance?'
Ulla laughed but her eyes still flickered away from me.
'I’m looking for Kolja.'
'He can dance with you anytime.' I turned my mouth down at the corners. 'I’m beginning to think German girls are unfriendly.'
Ulla sighed, and then smiled.
'OK, one dance.'
We moved towards the floor just as Gina switched from the up-tempo number she’d been playing into a German hit that I didn’t recognise and whose beat I couldn’t catch. Ulla was a good dancer, light on her feet with a nice synchronisation between her shoulders and hips. I lumbered as close to the rhythm as I could get, hoping my clumsiness was endearing. I wondered what kind of a dancer Kolja was, but couldn’t imagine him sharing the floor with anyone else. The music shifted into another song, I kept dancing, but Ulla was determined.
'Thank you for the dance, William.' She smiled. 'But I’m worried Kolja may be unwell.'
'Nonsense,' I said, my feet still moving, hoping he’d been crushed under a giant prop, kidnapped by the Albanian mafia or maybe just disappeared up his own arsehole. 'He’s the fittest man I’ve ever seen.'
I cast an invisible fishing line and started to wind its reel towards me.
Ulla refused to be hooked.
'Sometimes he does too much.' I wondered if Kolja was on steroids, but I stopped moving and stepped to one side, allowing Ulla to leave the dance floor. She squeezed my hand as she moved away. 'German girls are not always unfriendly, William, not if they’re single. Nixie was looking for you earlier.'
I nodded, 'Yeah, thanks Ulla.' I turned away to hide my disappointment. I’d lost track of Sylvie, but that was hardly surprising. The floor was hoatching now. She’d probably found an attractive man to spend some time with. A sudden thought struck me and I moved quickly, ignoring the gasps and retaliating shoves of the party makers I forced aside in my panic to catch up with Ulla. At last I saw her brown ponytail bobbing in front of me and put my
