"I told you, I don't think this is funny. Sometimes, when you think you're being funny, I could kill you."
"Did your cousin Svetlana have red hair the last time you saw her?"
It took a moment for Pevsner to take his meaning.
"Svetlana is here with you?" he asked finally.
"I thought, if it's all right with Anna, you might want to ask her to have dinner with us. I am invited, right?"
"And Alfredo is with her?" Pevsner asked.
"And my bodyguard," Castill
o said. "You remember him?"
"The boy with the gun," Pevsner said.
Castillo nodded. "Who killed your pal Lieutenant Colonel Yevgeny Komogorov in the garage of the Sheraton Pilar when Komogorov was trying to kill you."
"And they nearly killed Janos," Pevsner said. "Yes, Charley. I remember."
Castillo took out his cell phone. "Should I call Munz and tell him to put her on his boat?"
"Where is his boat?"
"Bobbing around in the lake, just outside the reach of your floodlights."
"I always keep a boat at the hotel," Pevsner said. "Get him on the line for me, please, Charley."
Thirty-five minutes later, Pevsner and his wife were standing together under the enormous chandelier in the foyer. Castillo had taken a seat at the side of the room.
Janos came into the house first, then Munz, then Svetlana, and finally Lester Bradley. Two men followed them, carrying everybody's luggage, including, Castillo saw, the AFC radio.
Svetlana, somewhat confused, looked quickly around the foyer, settled her eyes on Castillo, and asked, somewhat plaintively, "Charley?"
And then Anna sobbed, and Svetlana looked at her and for the first time recognized her. Anna held her arms open and Svetlana ran to her.
Without realizing he had gotten out of the chair, Castillo was now standing.
Anna let go of Svetlana, who moved to Pevsner's open arms. Castillo saw tears running down his cheeks.
Pevsner finally let Svetlana go, took a handkerchief from his pocket, and mopped his eyes.
Svetlana looked at Castillo for a moment, then ran to him.
Castillo decided it would be ungentlemanly of him to refuse her gratitude, even if he was aware that her previous manifestations of affection for him had been solely professionally motivated.
She threw herself into his arms and pressed herself against him.
"Oh, Charley, my Charley, thank you, thank you. I love you so much!"
And then her mouth was on his.
Some time later, Castillo heard Anna say, "If you two are about finished, the children are waiting to see Svetlana."
IX
[ONE]