Free At the End of a Dull Day by Massimo Carlotto, Anthony Shugaar Page B

total discretion. He had too much at risk and for the most part his business partners were individuals of the stature of Domenico Beccaro, ready to engage in foolish and reckless behavior with women very different from the ones they’d married, and then brag about it like little boys. My beautiful girls, in contrast, were fleeting apparitions between silk sheets in the beds of unfamiliar villas, and even if cops and investigating magistrates focused on reconstructing dates, locations, and situations, they wouldn’t be able to lay their hands on anything solid.
    As far as I knew, there were no organizations capable of offering that same level of security. The only possible explanation was that Brianese himself had assigned one of his clients to take care of it, and suggested the proper methods and procedures.
    I grabbed Martina by the shoulders. “I’m expecting you to come up with something appropriate tonight.”
    She heaved a sigh of relief. “Of course, darling. Tell me how you’d like me to . . . ”
    I raised my voice slightly. “Maybe for once you could make the effort and use a little imagination, what do you think?”
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    Nicoletta arranged to meet me in a shopping mall in a neighboring province where she had paid a call on a woman she worked for. She had the Chinese girl with her. She’d named her Lin. She’d given the same name to all the Chinese girls she’d managed before this one. They were all the same to her.
    â€œGo look at some shop windows,” I ordered Lin.
    â€œAre you in a bad mood? Is there some problem?” my partner asked.
    â€œBrianese has cut us off. At least until after the elections.”
    â€œIs there a reason?”
    â€œHe said he doesn’t want to run risks.”
    â€œBullshit,” she snarled. “During election campaigns all of them fuck like rabbits. Orgies, betrayals, new alliances, expressions of gratitude. You name it, it’s an occasion for sex . . . ”
    â€œWell, whatever the reason, we’re out. We need to make a decision.”
    â€œShutting down the operation makes no sense,” Nicoletta shot back with determination. “We have the girls, the houses, we know how to do this . . . it’ll be tough at first but in a few months we can put together a nice network of customers.”
    â€œWhat kind of network?” I asked. “There’ll never be enough of a critical mass just working with foreign businessmen and I can’t send you people from La Nena or even spread the word. That’s the easiest way to wind up in jail.”
    â€œI’ve made investments and I can’t risk losing everything.”
    â€œNeither can I,” I said to myself, thinking of La Nena. “In a little while time’s up for this group of girls,” I announced. “And while on the one hand we’re technically in the black because we sell them for twice what we paid for them, on the other hand we have to dress them, train them . . . I don’t think it’s worth it.”
    â€œI agree. I think we need to hold onto these four until we can get through the crisis.” She could see I was skeptical. “Trust me. I have these girls living in a world of cocks, lingerie, reality shows, and South American and Chinese soap operas. They don’t know anything dangerous.”
    I wasn’t completely convinced, but maybe it was worth giving it a try for a few months; after all, in terms of sales we wouldn’t be losing anything.
    â€œAll right,” I snorted with some exasperation. “Keep me posted. I’ll take a look around and see if we can find a politician to take Brianese’s place, though I don’t have very high hopes.”
    As I headed back into the center of town I did some rough calculations. With the revenue from the election campaign I’d be able to cut La Nena’s losses considerably, but I’d still have to put a little of my own