he was carrying over his shoulder and took out a book. “I bought something for you. It’s in English, I hope you don’t mind.”

I took the book and read the title aloud. “The Great Depression.”

“These are difficult times in your country, I know. I apologize for waving that fact in front of your face this afternoon in the café. But many countries have gone through tough times. The hope is that they come out better, maybe learn from their mistakes. Do you know what I mean?”

“This is kind of you. I’ll make sure the younger ones in the office read it.” I was thinking of the girl who liked Rachmaninoff; maybe she would enjoy a book on the America her hero had missed seeing. During the Depression, he had been in Switzerland, of all places.

“You won’t get in trouble, bringing that back?”

“Why would I get in trouble?”

“No reason, I suppose.” He zipped up the bag and put it back over his shoulder.

“What did the mission want to tell me?”

“Inspector, I never pass on confidential diplomatic traffic; I would be betraying a sacred trust. You’ll have to call them up and find out. By the way, you wouldn’t have any Latin friends, would you?”

“Latin?”

“I’d watch my back if I were you.”

“If you were me.” I put the book under my shirt so it wouldn’t get wet from the mist, which had deepened. “I’ll read this tonight while I eat dinner. Could you preorder for me? That way I won’t have to wait when I get to the restaurant, the one near the hotel.”

“It was closed by the public health inspectors this evening. Something about Asian flu.” M. Beret dug around in his pocket. “Oh, and this is for you, too. One of my men picked it up.” He handed me a small piece of wood. “Do you know what it is?”

It was too dark to see and too wet to have any distinguishing feel. But I could guess. “Sure, it’s beech.”

M. Beret grunted. “You really are good, aren’t you? Well, sleep soundly, Inspector. Please lock your door.”

“I always do.”

“You do? Someone told me that they don’t lock hotel doors in your country.”

“Really, I am disappointed. You of all people, I would have thought, wouldn’t believe everything you heard. I don’t suppose you have anything else for me.”

“Such as?”

“I don’t know. This seems to be your evening to make a pitch. First my watch, then half a roll; then a book; and finally a piece of wood. The going rate these days must be pretty cheap for my category. Please remember, I’m not a whore, not at any price and certainly not for you.”

“I repeat, Inspector, please lock your door.” M. Beret bowed to me slightly. “Au revoir,” he said and walked briskly in the direction of his wheezing car.

Chapter Three

The next morning as I left for the mission, it was hard not to notice the man waiting across the street. I could tell he was waiting for me, because after looking at him from my window for a few seconds, I knew he had genes from generations in the desert. What the hell was he doing here? Yet it didn’t surprise me, somehow, to see him. Everyone was here—my brother, the Man with Three Fingers, M. Beret—and they were all waiting for me. Why shouldn’t he join the crowd? Half of them wanted me to leave. The other half wanted me dead. I didn’t know which half he belonged to yet. Maybe he’d tell me over a cup of coffee and a roll.

“Good morning, Inspector. How unexpected to find you here.” Jenö put out his hand as I walked across the street.

“You don’t really think I believe that, do you?” I put my hands in my coat pockets. “If you handed me that hundred-dollar bill right now, Jenö, I wouldn’t give it back.”

He shook his head. “Business has not been good, I’m sorry to say. I can’t pass out money like I used to. Perhaps we can fix that. Do you have time for a cup of coffee before the talks start? You drink coffee?”

“You know about the talks? Which tab are they, A or B?”

“This is the enlightened West, Inspector. We don’t keep secrets. The talks are reported in the papers, which I read every morning over coffee.”

Around the corner was a café run by a Turk; I’d been there once or twice. It was close, that’s all that recommended it. As we entered, Jenö nodded toward a table in