Read Linger Awhile for Free Online

fell in love with her. Everything was different now – our reality was so hedged about with practical detail that I always had the uneasy feeling of having forgotten something important. Nothing would be simple from now on, and I was wondering if I mightn’t be too old forreactivating dead women from videotapes. I went down to the studio but didn’t turn on the lights. I raised the blinds and there was enough light from the street for me to see by. I poured myself some Bowmore’s and added about a thimbleful of water. As my insides lit up I tried to think seriously about life, the universe and everything but only pictures came into my head: Justine with Rose Harland; Justine with Man No. 1 and Man No. 2. As fast as I faded them to black they reappeared with full sound effects.
    Someone was coming down the steps: Grace Kowalski. She peered through the glass and then knocked. I couldn’t evade her indefinitely so I opened the door and let her in. ‘Hi, Istvan,’ she said. ‘How’s it going?’
    ‘Unsimply,’ I said.
    ‘Can I have some of whatever you’re drinking?’
    ‘No vodka,’ I said, and gave her the Bowmore’s, a glass, and some water from the tap. ‘Cask strength,’ I said. ‘Be careful.’
    She mixed herself a drink, sampled it, and choked for a while. ‘What happens now?’ she said when she could speak.
    ‘With what?’ I said. ‘With whom?’
    ‘With you and your OAP totty. Does she make you feel young again?’
    ‘That’s not quite how I’d put it, Grace.’
    ‘That’s
where
you’d put it, though.’
    ‘Grace, where is all this anger coming from? It’s not as if you and I are an old married couple.’
    ‘That’s right, we’re nothing really, are we.’ She finished her drink, choked some more, and went out, slamming the door.

11
Chauncey Lim
    9 January 2004. I saw Justine Trimble commit murder last night. I’d been keeping an eye on Fallok’s place when I saw her come out. In full colour, which was startling. After reaching the street she leaned against a building for a few minutes, and then a woman who was passing spoke to her. Suddenly, before you could say ‘Chow Yun Fat’, Justine had the other woman in a close embrace. They stayed like that for perhaps ten minutes; then the other woman slumped to the street and Justine picked her up, slung her over her shoulder, carried her about half-way down the block, went down some area steps with her, came back up without her and walked away.
    I hurried to where she’d left her victim. The woman was young and pretty, white as a sheet and stone-cold dead. Very sad but there was nothing I could do for her so I hurried after Justine. I followed her up Marshall to Great Marlborough Street where she took off her anorak and stuffed it into a dustbin. I retrieved it because you never know. I followed Justine as far asOxford Street but there I lost her in the crowd. I took no further action because Rightnow is a good dog but Notyet is a safer bet.
    10 January 2004. Next day I still hadn’t worked out my next move so I went up to Golders Green hoping for inspiration from Rosalie Chun at Elijah’s Lucky Dragon. ‘My goodness, Chaunce,’ she said, ‘you look as if you’ve seen the Malach ha-Mavet.’
    ‘Who’s that when he’s at home?’ I said.
    ‘The Angel of Death.’
    ‘That’s pretty close to the mark. I think I need something strong, Rosalie.’
    ‘You got it, bro. I’m giving you cheese blintzes Jackie Chan with special kick-ass cottage cheese. If I tell you the secret ingredient I’ll have to kill you, so don’t ask.’
    ‘Who’s asking?’ I said. ‘Just lay them on me.’
    Rosalie does not make exaggerated claims for her food. The blintzes put new heart into me but I still wasn’t sure what my next move should be. I’d seen what I’d seen, and Justine had definitely offed someone. Should I turn her in? I’m ashamed to say that if Justine had been ugly I’d probably have acted as a good citizen should. But she