The Angel's Game (The Cemetery of Forgotten 2)
Page 153
The boss took a sugar lump and dropped it into his cup. A second lump followed, and then a third. He tasted the coffee and added four more lumps. Then he picked up yet another and popped it in his mouth.
“I love sugar,” he said.
“So I see.”
“You haven’t told me anything about our project, Martín, dear friend,” he cut in. “Is there a problem?”
I winced.
“It’s almost finished,” I said.
The boss’s face lit up with a smile I tried to ignore.
“That is wonderful news. When will I be able to see it?”
“In a couple of weeks. I need to do some revisions. Pruning and finishing touches more than anything else.”
“Can we set a date?”
“If you like.”
“How about Friday? That’s the twenty-fourth. Will you accept an invitation to dine and celebrate the success of our venture?”
&nb
sp; Friday, 24 January, was exactly two weeks away.
“Fine,” I agreed.
“That’s confirmed, then.”
He raised his sugar-filled cup as if he were drinking a toast and downed the contents in one gulp.
“How about you?” he asked casually. “What brings you here?”
“I was looking for someone.”
“Someone I know?”
“No.”
“And have you found the person?”
“No.”
The boss savored my silence.
“I get the impression that I’m keeping you here against your will, dear friend.”
“I’m just a little tired, that’s all.”
“Then I won’t take up any more of your time. Sometimes I forget that although I enjoy your company, perhaps mine is not to your liking.”
I smiled meekly and took the opportunity to stand up. I saw myself reflected in his pupils, a pale doll trapped in a dark well.
“Take care of yourself, Martín. Please.”
“I will.”