Istanbul Passage by Joseph Kanon

Author:Joseph Kanon [Kanon, Joseph]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Published: 2012-05-29T06:00:00+00:00

5

ÜSKÜDAR

ENVER MANYAS NEEDED ANOTHER day, an unexpected delay, but now Leon did too. He’d been awake half the night at the Pera making a new plan, Kay sleeping next to him, one hand on his chest, the reflected lights on the ceiling like plotting points on a map of Turkey. Edirne, the most likely crossing, would have extra border checks now, too risky even with good papers. A boat from Izmir would go where the Greek police expected it to go. Trains were easy to check, the Orient Express like traveling in a spotlight, the overnight to Ankara the wrong direction. Where she would be, a complication. He felt her breathing next to him, something he’d almost forgotten, the peace afterward. One more day. His eyes moved over the map on the ceiling.

In the morning, they were lazy with each other, sex a hotel luxury, like breakfast in bed. Then the moment of farce he’d predicted, the maid at the door, Leon hiding in the bathroom with his clothes. Later, please.

“When do you go back?” he said, in bed again.

“Tomorrow night.”

“So we have today,” he said, the plan already decided, most of the pieces worked out in his mind.

“Don’t you have to work?”

“Yes.” He kissed her shoulder. “But I have to eat too.”

“Take me to your favorite place.”

He shook his head. “Too far. It’s up the Bosphorus.”

“Second favorite then. Don’t look at me—I mean like that, in the light. It’s different at night.”

“Mm. Harder to see. It’s like milk,” he said, stroking her belly.

“Tell me something about you.”

“I’m a good driver,” he said, his head still filled with cars, how to arrange one on the Asian side.

“No. Something about you.”

He leaned over her. “Ask me later.”

After Manyas, he went through the checklist he’d made during the night. An appearance at Reynolds to tell Turhan he might have to go to Ankara for a few days, the same story to Dorothy, not sure yet but don’t be surprised. Some file requests to look busy, Tommy’s payment reqs. Errands to run.

“Can you keep him another night?” he asked Marina.

“I have my Armenian. It’s his other day.”

“Put him off. I’ll pay you.”

“It’s all right. He paid me.” She nodded toward the bedroom.

Leon looked up at her.

“Maybe it means something to him. Pay his own way.”

“Marina—” he said, suddenly awkward.

“When was the last time he had a woman?”

“I don’t know.” He hesitated, not sure how to ask. “Anything wrong?”

She shrugged. “He’s hungry, that’s all.” A half smile. “The prisoner and his last meal.”

“He’s not a prisoner.”

“Yet.”

“What did he tell you?”

“Nothing. He doesn’t have to say a word. There’s a smell, when you run.”

“What’s going on?” Alexei said, coming out of the bedroom, dressed, neat and shaved, nothing rumpled.

“There’s a hitch. One more day.”

“Some trouble?”

“No. We just need a day.” He turned to Marina. “All right?”

“But tomorrow it’s finished. I don’t care—”

Leon nodded. “How much for the Armenian?”

She made a brushing motion with her hand. “It’ll be all right. There’s a room upstairs. He doesn’t take long.

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