“Let me introduce you. This is my friend, Ipekten. She’s been guarding your boys. And this is Nimet Han?m. Nimet Hanoglu.”
Without rising, Ipekten extended her right arm, the one that had been covering her breasts.
“Pleased to meet you.”
That was a lie. Even Ipekten would have been embarrassed by the antics we’d seen. There was nothing to be pleased about. If nothing else, she’d failed to discharge her duties as a guard.
They shook hands.
“Could you give me that robe, hubby?”
The robe was Ponpon’s kimono; hubby was, of course, me. I handed it over.
“Come with me,” I said, taking Nimet by the arm and leading her to the office. I have no idea if she turned around for another look. I was in front. I turned on the computer.
“It’ll take about five minutes,” I said.
“Fine, no problem.”
“Can I get you anything?”
“No, thank you.”
Excusing myself for a moment, I raced back to the living room. Ipekten had put on the kimono and was busily pulling up the prisoners’ underwear, no easy task, as they were bound and gagged grown men.
I helped, heaving Sarp up to his feet while she tugged at his briefs.
“I’m sorry, hubby… When you took so long I thought I’d watch a new film… And then I got into the mood… all those men… And these two were here, right at hand… I thought it’d be fun…”
“I see,” I said. “Never mind. Forget about it.”
“I just hope you don’t get the wrong idea. That’s why…”
“Like I said, forget it. What happened, happened.”
“Tell me you forgive me. I couldn’t bear it if you didn’t. I’d lose sleep for at least three nights.”
“Alright,
She threw her arms around me and gave me a big kiss.
“I was embarrassed, too,” she said. “Let’s make this our little secret. Don’t tell anyone!”
“It’s a deal,” I agreed. Then I put an end to the subject by adding, “And even if I did, who’d believe it?”
She paused, then smiled when the truth of what I’d said sank in.
“Come on,” I said, pointing to the mute, “let’s get him dressed, too.”
“Right away, hubby!” she said, getting to it.
Sarp was staring daggers at me.
I went over to him and whispered in his ear.
“As you saw, Nimet Han?m is here. Your work’s done. Finished! If you breathe a word of this, I’ll tell everyone how I beat you up, and that’ll be the end of your career. And if I have to, I’ll tear your impressive tackle right off and stuff it down your throat.”
To illustrate my threat, I reached down and grabbed him.
“So wipe that scowl off your face and give me a sweet smile.”
His forehead seemed to twitch. He was probably trying to smile. I ripped off the bandage covering his mouth, removing any hairs that had grown out during the day.
“Bitch!” he exploded.
His hands and feet were still bound. I grabbed him again, squeezing harder this time.
“I don’t think you get it…”
He was in pain. And he did get it now, or he wouldn’t have gritted his teeth without a word.
“Good,” I said. “That’s a good boy.”
Before returning to Nimet, I instructed Ipekten to free his legs, but to leave him handcuffed.
“I’m so sorry,” I said to Nimet, as I entered the office. “We caught them unawares.”
“No matter,” she said, polite to the end. I wasn’t sure what she meant, but it was clear that she was anxious to close the subject.
Sitting in front of my computer, I began copying Cihad2000’s files onto a disc. A huge bouquet of virtual flowers appeared with each file. Red carnations, yellow and white gladioli, a huge basket filled with purple, pink, and crimson anemones. With the last file appeared a bunch of red roses, upon which were written the words: “Thank you, Kemal.” I was touched.
“All done,” I said, trying to smile as though that scene in the bedroom had never taken place. “We can leave whenever you like.”
While Nimet had a word with Sarp and his accomplice, I wiped any fingerprints off the guns. I wouldn’t have put it past Sarp to shoot someone with that gun and then try to pin it on me. One can never be too careful.
The boys were dismissed. Ipekten came in to say good-bye, a fashion plate once more. Clasping Nimet’s hand between her own, she apologized again.
“Sarp and I go way back, you see…” was her unnecessary explanation. I suspected Sarp would no longer be on Nimet’s payroll, whatever Ipekten’s explanations.
“Not a problem. Really. Forget it.” She blushed.
Her chauffeured car was waiting in front of the building, the passenger doors flung open as we approached. After winding through the steep narrow streets of Cihangir to drop off Ipekten, we headed for the coast road to Yenikoy.
On the way we studied the contents of the box. Volkan seemed to have obsessively squirreled away everything he got his hands on.
There were also separate envelopes for each of his clients, containing telephone numbers, parking stubs, hotel invoices, an outline of sexual preferences and kinks, and even a few photographs. For some reason, Nimet quickly passed over the photos, focusing mainly on various documents. Some of the envelopes contained nothing but a business card, others were stuffed with bank draft vouchers. I had no idea what we were looking for, so I busied myself with the photos, especially those of the rich and famous in compromising poses. Nimet seemed to know what she was after. Passing over some envelopes, she reviewed every line of every document found in others. It was only natural that some names would mean more to her than they did to me.
I observed that Nimet’s eyes had narrowed, as with pursed lips she sorted through the documents more and more quickly. Whatever she was looking for, she obviously hadn’t found it.
Chapter 36
The upstairs room of the Hanoglu yal? I was led to was even more spectacular than the one in which Faruk Bey had received me. The view and the antiques were equally magnificent. I felt like I was in a chateau in the Loire Valley. But then again, nothing in the Loire Valley looks out on the Bosphorus, today a deep blue and at arm’s length. A white
“Here’s your computer!”
Nimet had placed a laptop on the tiny writing desk in front of the window. The legs of the desk appeared too delicate to support the weight of the laptop.
“Now,” she said briskly, “while you do whatever it is you need to do, I’ll continue examining the things from the safe-deposit box. Faruk’s account books are here as well. If necessary, we’ll look them over, too.”
“Nimet, I’d love you to address me as sen,” I said. I’d deliberately used only her first name, along with the more formal
The smile she bestowed on me was warm and somehow heart-breaking, perfectly encapsulating the current state of her heart, mind, and soul.
“Naturally,” she said. “But use sen with me as well, would you…”
The cupboard she opened was filled with notebooks, labeled and leather-bound.
“As you can imagine, these are strictly confidential. But I no longer have the luxury of privacy. We’ll look through them together and destroy what we must.”
I turned on the computer, hesitantly flipping through one of the notebooks while I waited. It comprised a meticulously penned list of names, sums, and dates. There were also explanatory notes next to some of the names: identities, references, questions.
Nimet had settled onto a “Josephine” sofa at the other end of the room. I’d always wanted one, upholstered in Bordeaux velvet, like hers. Behind her, a
The computer was ready to go, and so was I. Sitting on the spindly Gobelin tapestry chair, I uploaded my CDs. The chair was more comfortable than it looked. I was soon absorbed in my work.
“Would you like something to eat?”
I often forget to eat when I’m concentrating. Many hours had passed since breakfast, and I didn’t feel hungry. But I liked the idea.
“Please,” I said.
“I’ll see what we have,” she said as she left the room.
We were soon being served by Esra Han?m, a rotund woman in her fifties with ample breasts. On one side of the enormous platter she carried were rows of cold cuts; on the other side, my favorite delicacy of all time, Circassian shredded and dressed chicken. The middle of the platter was heaped with stuffed cabbage and vine
