Читать книгу The Grand Dark онлайн | страница 72

“Please,” said Largo. He looked around and for a moment considered riding away, but that would just confirm the police’s worst suspicions. “I’m sorry about the morphia. But I’m not a criminal or an anarchist. I just want to go to work.”

Tanz looked over his shoulder. A group of men in thick gray rubber suits with hoods and gas masks were putting the dead veteran’s body in a sealed box. Armed Maras patrolled the edge of the crowd, keeping bystanders back.

“You’re lucky,” sneered the Sergeant. “We have bigger fish to fry than you.”

“Go to work, Largo Moorden,” said Tanz. “But we’ll be checking up on you and your Herr Branca.”

The Sergeant said, “You’re lucky it’s just us. Consorting with a criminal radical like this—people much worse than us would be interested in that.”

The Nachtvogel.

Largo couldn’t help himself, though. He said, “I wasn’t associating with him. He was sick. I was trying to get away.”

“You make me sick,” said the Sergeant.

“Get out of here,” said Tanz.

It was 6:15 before Largo arrived at the office. Other couriers were already filing out with parcels and letters. Some grinned and a few sneered at him, knowing what was waiting for him inside. Andrzej bumped his shoulder into Largo’s on the way out. “What happened to you?” said Parvulesco. “Branca asked about you twice.”

Largo shook his head. “I’ll tell you later.” His friend gave him a pat on the arm and went to his bicycle.

Margit was the last courier to come out of the office. She was small and blond and wore her hair short like a young boy’s. Because it was rumored that she preferred women romantically, some of the other couriers teased her constantly. Her eyes were covered by glasses with round dark lenses. Largo lightly touched her elbow. “I need to speak to you,” he said.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “About your funeral? Herr Branca has it planned out. We’ll all be attending.”

“I need some morphia,” Largo whispered.

Margit looked around. “I don’t have any with me. Maybe at lunch. Do you have cash?”