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‘You look upset. Wasn’t it any good?’

‘Of course it was … It’s just that I had an argument with my ex that I can’t get out of my head. She’s pregnant to a guy she doesn’t know, and she’s going to keep it.’

‘These ex-wives have always been a headache for me.’

‘…’

‘It’s almost like a dream being here with you, you know.’

‘A nightmare, you mean.’

‘Oh, don’t be so bitter, darling. If Jonah knew, he wouldn’t believe it …’

‘Who’s Jonah, your whale?’

‘Dickhead … A really intelligent guy I went out with years ago. We got along really well. But one day he said he needed to take some time out, travel around Europe. The last night … Wow, it was wild!’

‘Then, bye-bye, Jonah?’

‘Yeah. When the Berlin Wall came down, he’d just arrived in Germany. He even sent me a little piece of the wall. Cool, don’t you think? He wrote a note saying that, unlike socialism, I wasn’t one of his lost illusions. The guy was so fucking creative.’

‘So why wouldn’t lost-illusions Jonah believe we’re fucking?’

‘Oh, don’t talk like that — “fucking.” We’re having a relationship.’

‘OK, so why wouldn’t lost-illusions Jonah believe we’re relating by fucking?’

‘You’re a lost cause, you know … Because Jonah also really liked your journalism.’

‘So one of my twenty-five readers was a backpacking communist.’

‘There was this news item once about a banker who spent much more on the guard dogs at his branches than his employees. Then you wrote in the paper that that was an apt illustration of the difference between socialists and social democrats: while the socialists wanted the bank employees to earn more than the dogs, the social democrats would be happy if they made the same. Jonah laughed his head off and used to tell it to everyone.’

‘I didn’t write that.’

‘Yes, you did.’

‘What an idiot I was.’

‘Jeez, you’re in a bad mood.’

‘I’ve had it with journalism, but I need to think about what I’m going to do for a living. My job on that in-house paper finishes next month. Hemistich said he was going to make me a proposal … Have you heard anything about that, Kiki?’

‘No. He’d kill me if he knew we’ve been together so many months. Actually, you swore you wouldn’t say anything.’

‘I won’t say anything. But I don’t get why you’re so scared of him. You’re free, I’m free …’

‘I’m not that free. How do you think I pay my bills?’

‘By renting out the properties you inherited. That’s what you told me.’

‘I lied.’

‘You lied?’

‘I lied. I don’t have any properties, and I live in a rented flat. To be honest, I live on what Hemistich pays me.’

‘You’re paid by Hemistich? What does he pay you to do?’

‘To help with what he calls “persuasion tactics”.’

‘Which is …’

‘Having sex with the guys he wants to draw into what he calls his “sphere of influence”. I’m like a continuation of the special events.’

‘You’re a whore.’

‘No need to be insulting.’

‘Does he pay you to go out with me?’

‘He paid for me to go out with you in the first two months. Then he said it wasn’t necessary any more and that I should step away because “the work was done”.’

‘So why do you keep having it off with me?’

‘Don’t you see? I’m in love with you.’

‘But I’m not such a good fuck.’

‘I think you’re great. You know, when we saw each other in the restaurant the first time, I could tell something was going to happen between us. You gave me a special look.’

‘I was looking at your arse.’

‘Pig.’

‘…’

‘Do you love me?’

‘No.’

‘I’m leaving.’

‘Don’t be such a baby, Kiki. I like you a lot. For me, it’s practically the same thing.’

‘Why do you like me?’

‘Because you’re special.’

‘I like the sound of that. Why am I special?’

‘Women are all the same in their flaws, and different in their qualities.’

‘Well …?’

‘Well, what?’

‘What are the qualities that make me different from other women?’

‘These here …’

‘Ah, you’re tickling me, you clown.’

‘Kiki, what do you know about Hemistich’s events that I don’t?’

‘I’m sick of talking about that. Let’s make love again.’

‘Either you tell me or we’re finished.’

‘Do you think Hemistich tells me anything? I know what everyone else involved knows: once a week, he transforms the restaurant into what you saw, and it becomes the venue for an orgy.’

‘That’s all?’

‘That’s all … Well, come to think of it, there has been the odd event outside the restaurant.’

‘Outside the restaurant, where?’

‘In this huge country house about forty minutes out of town.’

‘Hemistich never told me there were events in a country house.’

‘You should’ve seen them! They’d go on for two whole days; total madness. I’d come back a wreck. The upside is that I got paid double to participate.’

‘Do you know when the next one is?’

‘No, I don’t. I think they’ve been on hold ever since Augusto died.’

‘The Augusto that killed his wife and committed suicide?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Did you know him?’

‘Of course I did. But don’t worry. He wasn’t as good as you, darling.’

‘You’re so irritating! I’m not worried about that, you idiot.’

‘Me, an idiot? I’m not telling you anything else. You’ve hurt my feelings.’

‘I’m sorry, Kiki, it’s just that I really want to know more about Augusto. We were friends for a while.’

‘OK, I forgive you. Augusto participated in Hemistich’s events.’

‘Right, so Augusto commits this incredible act of violence, and there hasn’t been an event outside the restaurant since. What’s the connection?’

‘And I’m supposed to be the idiot! Augusto did what he did at one of these events.’

‘I’m shocked. Hemistich didn’t tell me any of this.’

‘Do you think he’d go around blabbing about it?’

‘Did you see them die?’

‘I’m not saying anything else.’

‘Do you or don’t you want to keep seeing me?’

‘Promise you won’t tell anyone?’

‘I promise.’

‘Do you swear on your mother’s life?’

‘My mother’s dead.’

‘Swear on your dad’s life.’

‘He’s not worth it.’

‘Then swear on your mother’s grave.’

‘I swear, I swear. What a drag, Kiki …’

‘I didn’t see them die … It’s hard for me to talk about these things.’

‘Make an effort.’

‘Augusto used to show up alone, but that night he brought his wife. I remember she was really impressed by the décor of the house. The candles everywhere, the same figures as in the restaurant on the walls … Satyrs and nymphs — that’s what they’re called, isn’t it? I’ve never been good at mythology.’

‘So what do you think you saw?’

‘Well, when things had really heated up — people fucking, left, right, and centre — I decided to play a game with two hot guys who were dying to do me. I told them that if they really wanted me they’d have to catch me. I took off running, and they came after me. We ended up heading away from the halls and down a winding corridor that went underground. This corridor seemed to go on forever, and other corridors ran off it as if it were all part of a labyrinth. I think it was a labyrinth. Because I was really wasted (Hemistich’s wine must be laced with some kind of drug), it took me a while to realise the guys weren’t behind me any more. When it dawned on me that I was alone, I was scared — especially because, by that time, there was no light. I froze, panting, for several minutes. I was dizzy, freaked out, and really needed to go to the toilet.

After taking several deep breaths, I started to head back. I went slowly, because each step took so much energy. I was in a really bad way, and lost. I’d gone about thirty metres, when I heard a horrible scream. My heart started racing faster than ever, and I felt as if I was about to faint. I tried to cry for help, but my voice stuck in my throat, like in a nightmare. I was scared stiff, but this time I didn’t freeze. It was the fainting feeling that pushed me forward — if I was going to faint, I wanted to be in the light, and with other people. Feeling my way along the walls, I went a little further, until I noticed a sliver of light at ground level at the end of one of the corridors. It’s coming from under a door. It might be a shortcut back to the halls, I thought. So I headed for the door. Behind it, two men were talking. I pressed my ear to the door and … Oh, that’s enough. I’m going to get myself into trouble.’

‘You pressed your ear to the door and …’

‘One of the voices was Hemistich’s.’

‘What was he saying?’

‘ “It’s over.” I wanted to open the door to get out of that dark corridor, but those words made me hesitate. I don’t know why, but I imagined that the scream I’d heard had come from there.’

‘Well, had it?’

‘I think so. What do you think?’

‘How am I supposed to know? What did you do next?’

‘I got out of there as fast as possible, because I was afraid they’d see me. I found my way back quickly, thank God.’

‘What Hemistich said, was that the only thing you heard?’

‘No, I also heard the other man’s answer.’

‘Let’s have it, Kiki.’

‘ “Nothing’s over. This is just the beginning for us.” ’

‘That’s it?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did you recognise the voice?’

‘I recognised it an hour later, when Hemistich interrupted the event to say Augusto had killed his wife and committed suicide.’

‘The voice belonged to one of the guests.’

‘No, it was the priest who Hemistich had just called.’

‘Farfarello.’

‘Farfarello, that’s it. How do you know?’

‘Let’s see if I’ve got this right: Hemistich told everyone he’d just called Farfarello, but you say you heard his voice an hour earlier.’

‘That’s right.’

‘And what did Hemistich say to justify Farfarello’s presence?’

‘He said he’d called the priest to provide spiritual assistance.’

‘For the dead.’

‘For the dead.’

‘Spiritual assistance for the dead. Didn’t anyone find this nonsense suspicious?’

‘It’s not nonsense. He prayed for the salvation of Augusto and his wife. It was quite touching.’

‘Kiki, can’t you see that Farfarello probably helped Hemistich kill them?’

‘They wouldn’t kill anyone, Antonym. The police conducted a thorough investigation. They took statements from everyone, examined the crime scene, and concluded that it was a homicide followed by a suicide.’

‘And was the crime scene the room behind that door?’

‘Everything seems to point to it.’

‘Did the police take a statement from Farfarello?’

‘No, because he wasn’t one of the guests. He wasn’t there when it all happened. I mean …’

‘You mean in spite of all their care, it was possible to trick the police.’

‘I didn’t trick anyone. The detective didn’t ask me anything about a priest.’

‘Did he ask you where you were at the time of the deaths?’

‘He did, and I told him I was in the wood next to the house with the guys who’d chased me — which they confirmed without me even asking. I didn’t want any hassles. Not with the police, or Hemistich.’

‘So you lied to the police.’

‘I lied a little, so what?’

‘So, just as you lied to the police, you might be lying to me.’

‘Where are you going with this?’

‘How do I know you didn’t take part in the crime?’

‘You’re crazy!’

‘How do I know you didn’t see the crime?’

‘I swear I didn’t see it, and I didn’t do anything. I’ve told you the whole truth. And now you have to swear again that you won’t tell anyone anything. Do you swear?’

‘I’ve already sworn.’

‘Swear again.’