Havana Bay

'A lesson in capitalism.'

'They're not supposed to sell bananas at a state farm like that.'

'A lesson in communism.'

Marisol, the younger sister, said, 'My class is going to see baseballs made. I can get baseballs.'

Ofelia's mother said, 'Good, maybe we can cook them.'

In her mind Ofelia saw the militant Miss Garcia looming over her two beautiful daughters, and her mother defending them like a hen in a housedress, the family universe embattled within and without.

'I'm taking a shower.'

'Then what?' her mother asked.

'I have to go out.'

'To see that man?'

'He's not a man, he's a Russian.'

Arkady found that he had been expecting the detective, with her inquisitor's glare, informal shorts and pullover, straw bag and gun. All the AzuPanama documents were out of sight, and Osorio could swing her gaze all she wanted.

'Did you find a picture of Pribluda today?'

'No.'

'Well, I found a picture of you.' It was plain she relished the surprise.» Do you remember Hedy?'

'How could I forget Hedy?'

Osorio told him about the two bodies at the Casa de Amor, Hedy Infante and an Italian national named Franco Leo Mossa. She described the condition of the room, positions of the bodies, nature of the wounds, time of death.

'Machetes?' Arkady asked.

'How did you guess?'

'Statistics. There was no outcry?'

'No. The murderer also used something round and sharp to puncture the Italian's throat so he couldn't call out.'

'Like an ice pick?'

'Yes. At first, I thought of an extortion turned violent. Sometimes a jinetera goes with a tourist and when his pants are down a so-called boyfriend shows up and they rob him.'

'We know who her boyfriend is.'

'Then I thought the dead man looked like you.'

'There's a compliment you don't get every day. Was he the man we saw her with on the street the other night?'

'I'm pretty sure. Did you dance with Hedy?'

'No. We were only introduced. By Sergeant Luna.'

'You talked to her?'

'Not really. She wasn't completely sober, and later, of course, she was-possessed.'

'After the santero's, Hedy cleaned herself up and returned here. We saw her, you and I. At the time I wondered why. I mean, everything was over. The sergeant was gone and this was not the usual place she picked up tourists. I think the reason she was here was you.'

'I'd only met her.'

'Maybe she wanted to meet you again.'

'She would have known the difference between a well-dressed Italian and me. Why even think of me?'

'This was in the room.' She showed him the picture.

A camera had the photographer's eye and it was always odd to see yourself as others imagined you. If they were dead, Arkady thought, that lent a certain finality to what had been a simple snapshot. Arkady saw cars, baggage, heavy coats, a Russian herd at Shereme-tyevo Airport. Only he was in focus. He had delivered the colonel a farewell smile but no embrace sprinkled with vodka and tears, their history was too complicated for that. Perhaps what Pribluda wanted, finally, Arkady thought, was someone who knew him that well and would still see him off. The photograph reminded him of the empty frame he had found in Pribluda's bureau drawer.

'Pribluda took this when I dropped him off at the airport. He said he'd use it for target practice for old times' sake. This was in the room?'

'Hedy was not a mental giant. She was probably still in a daze from the santero's. I think maybe someone gave her that to help her pick you out.'

'You think the man in this picture could pass as Italian?'

'In the dark some people are hard to tell apart. Did I tell you that the dead man's name was Franco?'

'Yes.'

'If a European called Franco looked like Renko, his name sounded like Renko, she met him outside Renko's apartment and his head had a cut the same as Renko's, he was probably Renko enough for Hedy. I think it's possible the murder of this Italian was a second attempt on your life.'

'This happened two nights ago?'

'Yes.'

Luna had said he would be back to fuck him up, Arkady remembered, and the libidinous Franco Mossa sounded as thoroughly fucked as a man could get.

'Does Sergeant Luna know about the correct identification of the body?'

'He does now. He and Arcos took over the investigation.'

Luna would be back again. The days of grace were over.

Arkady asked, 'Why kill Hedy?'

'I don't know.'

'Why leave the photograph on her?'

'He didn't, he flushed it down the toilet.'

'Then how did you get it?'

'The picture was trapped with toilet paper.' She described the deeply petaled slashes, the blood-smeared sheets and blood-soaked air that had been baking in the sun for a day and a half, and confessed to her nausea.» It was unprofessional of me.'

'No, it's an occupational disease,' Arkady said.» The reason I left the autopsy was to be sick. See, we share a common weakness. I feel like smoking just hearing about it.'

'Dr. Bias has never been sick.'

'I'm sure.'

'Dr. Bias says we should welcome smell as infor mation. A body's fruity bouquet might indicate amyl nitrate. The hint of garlic can be arsenic.' ^

'He'd be a delightful man to have dinner with.'

'Anyway, I've showered.'

'Showered and took the time to paint your toenails. A lot of detectives wouldn't bother to do that. You took a chance.'

More than taken a chance, he thought; by removing the picture the detective had altered the crime scene, tacitly admitting that she suspected Luna as much as he did. Sharing the picture was the first real step forward on her part, painted toes and all. Now it was his turn, that was the etiquette. He could hold on to his scraps of information until he was safely back in Moscow, where the contents of the briefcase he had picked up at the Chinese theater might mean the hook for Bugai and an exchange of red-faced accusations between the Russian Ministry for Foreign Trade and the Cuban Ministry of Sugar. Over money, of course. Once back in Moscow, though, he'd never find out what happened to Pribluda.

'Have you ever heard of a Panamanian sugar company called AzuPanama?'

'I've read about it.' Her eyes cooled.» In Granma, the Party newspaper. There's a problem with the Russians over the sugar contract and AzuPanama is supposed to help.'

'Mediate?'

'So I understand.'

'Because AzuPanama is neutral.'