self-conscious.”
“Trust me, you have no problem fitting in.”
She unstrapped her shoes and curled her feet onto the cushion. “So you
can
be charming.”
“How do you walk in those shoes on cobblestones? Do you wear heels in the jungle?”
“Careful tough guy. I bet I’ve been in more jungles than you.”
“I sincerely doubt that.”
“I dress appropriate to the situation. We’re in a cosmopolitan city, and I’m making a first impression.”
“Sofia?”
“Look at the people, not the buildings,” she said. “They dress like rock stars. You wouldn’t notice though, would you? For an observant guy, you have a funny way of not noticing certain things.”
He shrugged, and took a long swig. It tasted so good he almost swooned.
She touched his arm and smiled. “Since we’re here, and neither of us knows anyone else in this country, we might as well get to know each other.”
“As in, I let my guard down and give you lots of information?”
“I didn’t mean that at all. God, you
are
touchy.”
“Not touchy, Veronica. You didn’t come to Bulgaria because you wanted to get to know me better.” He leaned back and put his hands behind his head. “So what’ve you got?”
“A good piece of information can’t be rushed. You remember the rules. It’s only the first round.”
She still had her hand on his arm. The warmth of her skin was sending a pleasant tingle through his nerve endings. He finished the last half of his beer in one long swallow, and signaled the bartender. “Let’s hear it.”
She removed her hand and covered her mouth in mock surprise. “I didn’t think it was possible. Did you mean for that to be a joke? Was it an accident? Do you need to rest now?”
‘”A joke is a very serious thing.”’
“A fighter and a philosopher? My God, I’m having drinks with a Renaissance man.” She leaned forward, and puckered her lips. “Are you good with your sword?”
His clever response came to Grey far too late, long after Veronica was already cackling at him. She said, “That was worth the price of my plane ticket.”
Grey laughed with her. It had been a long day. “Speaking of your plane ticket, let me guess. You knew I was looking into Somax. I wouldn’t put it past you to jump on a plane to Sofia to chase a potential story, but I’m guessing you either had me followed to the airport or got a hold of the flight manifest. Being an investigative reporter, you probably have police contacts.”
“Clever boy.”
“In Sofia you did one of two things. You staked out Somax headquarters until I arrived, although that’s tricky, because I’ve only been once and it may have been before you arrived in Sofia.”
“Keep going. I’m enjoying this.”
“The only document I’ve signed since I’ve been here was with my hotel. They’re required by law to send the log to the police, so my guess is you got hold of that somehow. Probably by smiling.”
“Not bad, inspector, not bad. Although a smile’s not enough these days. It cost me quite a few leva.”
“I’m surprised. You’ve got a formidable smile.”
She opened her mouth and then closed it, as if she’d expected him to say something different. “If you can guess the rest, I’ll really be impressed. But not yet. I gave you something. Now it’s your turn.”
“You didn’t give me anything. I guessed.”
“I confirmed your guesses.”
“I’m not giving you my client. You’re wasting your breath.”
“Who said anything about that? I’d never ask you to break client confidentiality.”
“Good then.” He grabbed a menu. It was in English.
“God, you’re impossible. I just want to know what you do. Who employs you, where’s your office, do you have a 401K? Or is that confidential and privileged information?”
He twirled his beer between his palms, then shrugged to himself. He didn’t have a government job anymore. Why did he have such a hard time with basic personal questions? “I don’t ever
“Trust me, you have no problem fitting in.”
She unstrapped her shoes and curled her feet onto the cushion. “So you
can
be charming.”
“How do you walk in those shoes on cobblestones? Do you wear heels in the jungle?”
“Careful tough guy. I bet I’ve been in more jungles than you.”
“I sincerely doubt that.”
“I dress appropriate to the situation. We’re in a cosmopolitan city, and I’m making a first impression.”
“Sofia?”
“Look at the people, not the buildings,” she said. “They dress like rock stars. You wouldn’t notice though, would you? For an observant guy, you have a funny way of not noticing certain things.”
He shrugged, and took a long swig. It tasted so good he almost swooned.
She touched his arm and smiled. “Since we’re here, and neither of us knows anyone else in this country, we might as well get to know each other.”
“As in, I let my guard down and give you lots of information?”
“I didn’t mean that at all. God, you
are
touchy.”
“Not touchy, Veronica. You didn’t come to Bulgaria because you wanted to get to know me better.” He leaned back and put his hands behind his head. “So what’ve you got?”
“A good piece of information can’t be rushed. You remember the rules. It’s only the first round.”
She still had her hand on his arm. The warmth of her skin was sending a pleasant tingle through his nerve endings. He finished the last half of his beer in one long swallow, and signaled the bartender. “Let’s hear it.”
She removed her hand and covered her mouth in mock surprise. “I didn’t think it was possible. Did you mean for that to be a joke? Was it an accident? Do you need to rest now?”
‘”A joke is a very serious thing.”’
“A fighter and a philosopher? My God, I’m having drinks with a Renaissance man.” She leaned forward, and puckered her lips. “Are you good with your sword?”
His clever response came to Grey far too late, long after Veronica was already cackling at him. She said, “That was worth the price of my plane ticket.”
Grey laughed with her. It had been a long day. “Speaking of your plane ticket, let me guess. You knew I was looking into Somax. I wouldn’t put it past you to jump on a plane to Sofia to chase a potential story, but I’m guessing you either had me followed to the airport or got a hold of the flight manifest. Being an investigative reporter, you probably have police contacts.”
“Clever boy.”
“In Sofia you did one of two things. You staked out Somax headquarters until I arrived, although that’s tricky, because I’ve only been once and it may have been before you arrived in Sofia.”
“Keep going. I’m enjoying this.”
“The only document I’ve signed since I’ve been here was with my hotel. They’re required by law to send the log to the police, so my guess is you got hold of that somehow. Probably by smiling.”
“Not bad, inspector, not bad. Although a smile’s not enough these days. It cost me quite a few leva.”
“I’m surprised. You’ve got a formidable smile.”
She opened her mouth and then closed it, as if she’d expected him to say something different. “If you can guess the rest, I’ll really be impressed. But not yet. I gave you something. Now it’s your turn.”
“You didn’t give me anything. I guessed.”
“I confirmed your guesses.”
“I’m not giving you my client. You’re wasting your breath.”
“Who said anything about that? I’d never ask you to break client confidentiality.”
“Good then.” He grabbed a menu. It was in English.
“God, you’re impossible. I just want to know what you do. Who employs you, where’s your office, do you have a 401K? Or is that confidential and privileged information?”
He twirled his beer between his palms, then shrugged to himself. He didn’t have a government job anymore. Why did he have such a hard time with basic personal questions? “I don’t ever
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