«Not even a one move» admitted Ilya after letting branch of nut tree into his open window.
However, voices down below alerted him.
Hey! That was a guard chewing the rag. With someone of those locals…
He could hear only clumps of phrases. Burst of laughter suddenly broke infused by gummy fluids, ominous air. And after sharp whipping words:
«The man went nuts… Only doctor can help…»
Ilya recoiled. Looked around. He felt for it.
Hastily made «cosmetics» highlighted the shabbiness of his place; from freshly painted walls the smell of varnish materials guttered brain into pain. He left in rush forgetting bottle of favorite perfume. It had thrown him off the aesthete image, but apparently didn’t wipe it out completely.
«Back to Moscow! To home!» His heart fluttered.
But then stung by accusations: everything there recall the past. About Inessa. Shacked off unwanted tears. Gasped breath. Even the sky in compassion squeezed a few tears out, but hard to breath.
Inessa … It shouldn’t happen even to a dog. Barcelona. Hotel. Fire. Seventeen victims and Inessa among them.
He killed her, because the idea has to be material. Didn’t thought about all of the pros and cons. Such a fool. Got involved in an adventure with Maestro, with the «flying killer». The price of freedom…
Freedom?! A week after he got an e-mail:
Ilya was taken aback: even paparazzi, who eager for smell of draught, sadly had to agree with investigators: it was an accident.
Ilya sent him to hell…
In response, Maestro pulled off some… a couple of illustrations from the series of «Under aim of Fate» of «CT» fresh issue.
The first one had shown Inessa in her «role» of Joan of Arc, engulfed by the fire. One sec. This is an err! You know, Joan was burned in Rouen. And here … In the background, in dreamy haze, you can see the outline of old catalonian roofs. And to the right there is five centuries long mistake! In watery skies emerged the Gothic Cathedral, the immortal creation of Gaudy. Visit Card of Barcelona. Barcelona!
He suddenly got it: a riot of flame and forks of fire will not shade out milky white skin and green eyes of red-haired Inessa. But will eat her alive! And the look is not of Joan of Arc anymore, but of Inessa! Taken by horrible pain … Burnt alive. In Barcelona. Two months ago.
The revelation fell like snowball onto his head: in the second picture … He himself. In an image of Marat. Bleeding. In the bath …
A lapidary
He is here.
How could he manage to find his shack in province of blossom, where there no bathrooms but shower rooms (meter by meter in size). Well, it doesn\'t matter. Ilya has solved the riddle. Maestro lost! Outside of necessary entourage the Devil in the Flesh is pathetic.
