Page 84 of We Chase Shadows

‘I’m Cliff,’ says the man.

‘Jakob,’ he replies. ‘Jakob Eriksson.’

‘Hell of an accent you got there,’ says Cliff. ‘What are you? Australian?’

‘Swedish,’ says Jakob Eriksson.

‘Funny kind of Swedish,’ says Cliff. ‘But your business.’

‘We’re flying to Canada,’ says the wife. ‘Calgary, our son lives there.’

‘It’s cold,’ says Cliff. ‘Always cold. What line of work are you in, Jakob?’

This is one of the reasons that he loves Americans. He can sit there and wonder and wonder as to what people do for a living, an American just asks.

For that reason, and others, he is tempted to tell this man, Cliff, the truth. What harm could it do? A stranger in an airport lounge thousands of miles from home. It can be lonely never having anyone to tell the truth to.

‘I’m a gardener,’ he says. Cliff is right, he has never quite nailed the accent, he can hear it himself.

The man looks around the First Class lounge. ‘Pretty rich gardener, if you don’t mind me saying.’

He just shrugs. What else is there to say?

‘I’ll bet you do something pretty interesting,’ says the man. ‘I’ll bet you’re a man with side projects.’

‘Stop being nosy, Cliff,’ says the wife.

The man tips his head towards the large man talking on his phone.

‘You believe that?’ Cliff asks. ‘Why do people do that?’

He shrugs again and tries to be a bit more Swedish. ‘Perhapsh he ish hard of hearing?’

‘Bullcrap,’ says Cliff. ‘Pardon my Italian. He’s a selfish jerk. I think if you’re on speakerphone, you should get a bullet through the noggin. That’d put a stop to it.’

‘Cliff,’ says his wife, ‘not everyone needs to hear your opinions.’

Cliff nods towards him. ‘Our friend Jakob doesn’t mind, do you, bud?’

‘Not at all,’ says Jakob.

‘Don’t suppose that’s one of your side projects, is it, Mr Eriksson?’ Cliff asks. ‘You the sort of man who could pull the trigger? You sure look the type. The face you see when you die.’

‘Jesus, Cliff,’ says the wife. ‘I’m sorry about my husband.’

‘Well, he does,’ says Cliff. ‘Look at the guy. Thought Swedes were supposed to be blond, Jakey Boy, not bald.’

Jakey Boy smiles. It is nice to have a conversation, but, stranger or no stranger, he knows he can’t tell the whole truth.

‘I’m just a gardener.’

‘Sure you are,’ says Cliff, looking Jakob Eriksson up and down one more time. ‘And I’m the King of China.’

43

Carlos Moss had really wanted to be helpful. Was prepared to snoop around, ask the right questions of the right people, find everything there was to know about Tommy Griffin.

But Tommy Griffin has just been shot dead. A sniper up in the mountains. At least he was able to break this news to Rosie. She said, ‘I bet he wishes he’d finished that steak now.’