I am quiet for long enough that the quiet becomes its own answer.
"I suspect it's not good," I say.
"You suspect," he repeats, gently.
I say nothing.
He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. "Do you care about this girl, Luca?"
"She's collateral."
"Then use her as collateral." He says it simply, without judgment. "Her father may not love her but he cares about appearances. He filed a quiet police report rather than turning the city upside down. That tells you everything. He wants her found without anyone knowing she was lost." He pauses. "Make him come to you. Put her in front of him if he resists. Even a man who doesn't love his child will move to protect his image."
I reach into my jacket for my cigarettes.
Kirill's hand comes out and takes the packet before I have opened it.
I look at him.
"Annika hates the smoke in the house," he says.
I look at the packet in his hand.
"Sei un coglione," I tell him quietly.You're an idiot.
Kirill replies, "Come te."Just like you.
I almost smile. "Your Italian is getting better."
"Si," he replies and then he stops. "You didn't come here for advice," he sets the cigarettes on the table between us. "You know what to do."
The sitting room is quiet.
"She has you hooked already," he says. I notice he isn't asking.
I think about buying her a birthday cake and her head thrown back laughing at my singing, the pitch of her laugh, the way she had held my hand in the garden without appearing to notice she was doing it.
"No," I say.
Kirill looks at me for a moment. He had arrived at the answer before me and was content to wait.
He pats my shoulder once and stands. "Come on," he says. "Let's go find my wife."
They are still in the garden. Renzo is watering the flowers and Annika stands beside him with her arms folded, directing.
She looks up when we appear.
"Luca," she says, crossing to me and taking both my hands. "My unveiling is next month. You're coming." She squeezes my hands and glances at Kirill.
"And bring someone. Whichever of your ladies has managed to keep your attention." Her eyes find mine and hold them with warm and pointed amusement. "I have a feeling you already know which one that is."
"We'll be there," I tell her.
Kirill pulls her back against him and she tilts her head up and he kisses her, unconcerned with the audience, and she laughs against his mouth and puts her hand over his.
I look away.
Renzo walks beside me as we walk back to the car, and I notice he is still holding the watering can, and he notices this several steps later and sets it down beside the path.
