'I can see the way you're looking . . . Realised that he's one of yours, have you?'
'How do you make that out?' I protested indignantly. 'Some Dark One could quite easily have blundered . . .'
We discussed the situation for a while. We seemed to have reached the same conclusions simultaneously.
Only now I was just half a step ahead. And I had no intention of helping Kostya out.
'The letter was posted with the heap of letters that builder brought to the post office,' said Kostya, not suspecting how cunning I was being. 'Nothing could be easier. All those Gastarbeiter live in an old school, they use it as a hostel. They put all their letters on the attendant's table on the ground floor. In the morning someone goes to the post office and posts them. It would be no problem for an Other to get into the hostel and divert the attention of the attendant . . . or simply wait for him to go to the toilet. Then drop the letter into the general pile. And there you go! No leads.'
'Simple and effective,' I agreed.
'In the Light Ones' style,' Kostya said with a frown. 'Get someone else to do the dirty work for you.'
For some reason I didn't take offence. I just smiled mockingly and turned over on to my back, looking up at the sky and the glorious yellow sun.
'Okay, we do the same . . .' Kostya muttered.
I didn't say anything.
'Come on, tell me, haven't you ever used people for your operations?' Kostya asked crossly.
'Sometimes. Used them, but never put them in danger.'
'And in this case the Other has done exactly the same,' Kostya said, forgetting his comment about the 'dirty work'.
'What I'm wondering is . . . does it make any sense to follow this trail any further? So far the traitor has covered all his tracks thoroughly. We'll end up chasing a phantom . . .'
'They say a couple of days ago two security guards at Assol thought they saw something ghastly in the bushes,' I said. 'They even opened fire.'
Kostya's eyes blazed.
'Have you already checked it out?'
'No,' I said. 'I'm shielded, undercover, there's no way I can.'
'Is it okay if I check it out?' Kostya asked eagerly. 'Listen, I'll mention that it was you . . .'
'Go ahead,' I said magnanimously.
'Thanks, Anton,' said Kostya, breaking into a broad smile and giving me a hefty punch on the shoulder. 'You're a decent guy after all. Thanks.'
'Do a good job,' I couldn't resist saying, 'and maybe you'll jump the queue to get another licence.'
Kostya fell silent and his face turned sour. He stared hard at the river.
'How many people did you kill to become a Higher Vampire?' I asked.
'What's that to you?'
'I'm just . . . curious.'
'Check out your archives some time and take a look,' Kostya said with a crooked smile. 'Is it really that hard?'
Of course, it wasn't that hard. But I'd never looked at Kostya's file. I didn't really want to know . . .
'Uncle Kostya, give me my hat!' a squeaky voice demanded nearby.
I glanced sideways at the little girl, about four years old, who had come running up to Kostya. So he really had been teasing a child, and he'd stolen her hat . . .
Kostya obediently removed the panama from his head and gave it to her.
'Will you come again tonight?' the girl asked, glancing at me and pouting. 'Will you tell me a story?'
'Uhuh,' Kostya said with a nod.
The girl beamed and ran off to a young woman who was collecting her things together a little distance away. The sand kicked up from under her heels.
'You've lost your mind!' I roared, sitting up. 'I'll reduce you to dust right here!'
My expression must have been pretty terrifying. Kostya was quick to answer:
'What is it? What's wrong with you, Anton? She's my niece! Her mother's my cousin! They live in Strogino, and I'm staying with them for the time being, so I don't have to drag myself all the way across town.'
That brought me up short.
'What, did you think I was sucking her blood?' Kostya asked, still looking at me warily. 'Go and check. There aren't any bites. She's my niece, understand? For her sake I'd take out anyone myself!'
'Pah!' I said and spat. 'What else could I think? "Will you come again tonight?", "Will you tell me a story?" . . .'
'A typical Light One,' Kostya said more calmly. 'Since I'm a vampire