The Mountain Shadow

‘You know what I mean. She woke up a few days ago with a dead boyfriend in the bed. That’s a big fire to put out. Go easy, man.’

‘Oh, sure, sure. I mean, like – hey, wait a minute! You don’t think I’m taking advantage of her situation, do you? I’m . . . I’m not that kinda guy.’

‘I know.’

‘I haven’t put a hand on her.’

‘I know.’

‘I wouldn’t do that.’

‘I know.’

‘I’m not that kinda guy,’ he said again gruffly.

I was suddenly tired: the kind of angry-tired that’s irritated by everything that isn’t flat, and white, and has a pillow at one end.

‘If I thought you were that kinda guy, I wouldn’t have let you get near her, or any girl I know.’

He bristled, young manhood straightening his spine.

‘Any time you think you’re good enough, sport.’

‘I really haven’t got time for this shit, Vinson. I met Rannveig before you did. And I got her out of jail, remember? That gives me the right to tell you not to push her too hard. If you don’t like it, and you want to get slappy, I’ll be downstairs by my bike, in about five minutes.’

We stared at one another, his pride riding out to meet my irritation. Men. I liked Vinson, and he liked me, and we were ready to fight.

‘When did you meet her?’ he asked, after a long stare.

‘Before that day at the police station.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘Why didn’t she? Maybe because it’s none of your business. Look, I met her once, on the street, outside Leo’s. She was waiting for her boyfriend to score. Ask her about it.’

‘Okay, okay. But I care about her. Don’t you see that?’

‘Of course I do. I’m glad she’s with you. That’s what I was trying to tell you before, maybe in the wrong way. You’re a nice guy. She’ll be safe with you. I know that. Just ease up a little. She had a boyfriend. He’s dead. What she needs is a friend. The boy-part can wait, while the friend-part does the work. You see that, right?’

He relaxed, letting out a gush of air.

‘Wow! You really had me going there, Lin. Jesus! I thought –’

‘Listen, the best thing you can do for that girl, right now, is to tell her that her boyfriend didn’t commit suicide. She feels guilty, but she had nothing to do with it. The dope was too strong. Three kids died in the same week. Check on it. Make sure she understands that, and clear her mind.’

‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘Hey, I’m sorry we got off on the wrong –’

‘It’s my fault. Got a lot on my mind. Have you seen Lisa anywhere?’

‘She was with that artist, last time I saw her. The tall guy, with the slicked-back hair.’

‘Thanks. He’s one of the partners in her gallery. If I can’t find her, I’m gonna go home. If you see her or the artist, please tell her that. You take care.’

‘Wait!’ Vinson said, reaching out to offer his hand. ‘Thanks. Thanks. I mean . . . I’ll take care of Rannveig. I mean –’

‘It’s good,’ I said, shaking hands with him, smiling at him, liking him, wishing happiness for him and the girl, and not really caring, so long as they were happy, if I ever saw either one of them again. ‘It’s good.’

Little tornadoes of laughing-drinking people whirled in every room. I went from whirl to whirl, searching for Lisa. Nobody had seen her for a while at the party. I finally made my way to the door.

Karla was dancing with Rannveig. For a minute, I watched: her hips the sea, her eyes the flute, her hands the cobra. Karla.

Chapter Thirty-Two

When the elevator doors opened, Scorpio George, Naveen Adair and Divya Devnani stepped out.

‘Lin!’ Naveen cried. ‘Where are you going, man? The party’s just getting started!’

‘I’m beat,’ I said, stepping into the elevator and holding the button to keep the doors open. ‘But can you give me a minute?’

‘Oh, please come with us!’ Scorpio pleaded. ‘I want you to tell me about that shooting incident at Leopold’s. Nobody’s talking, and I’m dying to know what happened.’

‘Another time, Scorp.’

‘Okay, then we’ll ride back down with you,’ Naveen said, pulling the others into the elevator with him.

The doors closed, leaving us with our reflected selves in the mirrored walls.

‘There was a very pretty American girl, all blonde hair and brown eyes, waiting upstairs,’ Divya said. ‘Did you meet her?’

‘There’s a very pretty girl waiting for me at home,’ I said.

‘But this girl –’

‘Forget it, Divya!’ I snapped, too harshly.

‘You should take a little time off from that Charm School, motherfucker,’ Divya said matter-of-factly. ‘You sweep a girl off her feet.’

‘I’m sorry, it’s been a rough –’

‘I’ll meet the American girl with brown eyes,’ Scorpio said brightly.

We turned to look at him.

‘I mean . . . if Lin’s, you know, not going to be there at the party, and . . . ’

‘You spruced up some, Scorpio,’ I remarked.

His longish hair was pulled into a ponytail. He wore a yellow shirt, new jeans, a silver-buckled belt and cowboy boots. A ring on his middle finger featured a Greek helmet, in gold, gleaming from the centre of an onyx square.

‘Is it too much?’ he asked, checking himself quickly in the wall mirror. ‘It was Diva’s idea. She said –’

‘It’s good,’ I said. ‘You look like a million dollars. Kudos, Divya.’