TS3 Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Guntram de Lisle's Diary

May 22^nd, 2014

Tonight, I think I'll stay at Michel's house. I need some time alone and even if he's not the best for leaving you alone with your own miseries, he will understand me. 

I still don't know what to think about everything that happened today. 

Very early in the morning I drove to the bank with Konrad. He was still in a sour mood after our “exchange of opinions” because of the cup. We didn't talk to each other at all. 

There was nobody at the bank. It was that early; 6 AM. Goran is an early bird and was at his office, with Di Mattei too, to serve as witness (?). 

I was expecting to go to the underground vaults but we went back to the garage where Goran's car was parked. Funny, no bodyguards or Serbs at all. Goran drove us to the outskirts of Zurich and parked in front of an industrial looking building.  I saw Enrico's car following us at some distance.

“Artworks are kept here,” told me Konrad as a matter of fact. I followed him meekly and there was someone (at 6:45 AM) already waiting for us but no one else to be seen. That drove me a bit nervous. Why so much secrecy? 

TS3 Chapter 11

Chapter 11

May 19^th, 2014 

Zurich

“I'm off to work,” Guntram said to the informally dressed at 9:30 Konrad. “You're going to be late for the bank.” 

“I'm staying home today,” Konrad mumbled without rising his eyes from the copy of the Financial Times spread all over the breakfast remains. 

“Do you feel all right?” Guntram frowned as Konrad had only missed work twice in all their years together. 

“Perfectly fine,” he answered and Guntram looked at him with clear distrust. “Just taking a day off.” 

“Does Monika know it? Did she grant you permission?” 

“Of course she does.” Konrad seemed upset at the question and loudly folded the newspaper to show his displeasure to the world.

“All markets are open today, your agenda is full until 2027 so there must be a reason why you're staying at home.” 

“None at all,” Konrad answered nonchalantly as he directed all his attention to the forgotten Frankfurter Allgemeine copy. 

“Well, I'm going to work,” Guntram said.

“Be back at eleven.” 

“At eleven? Can I go to the disco again?” 

“Eleven a.m., dear,” Konrad replied acidly. “No, no more discos for you. I had enough with your last escapade.” 

“That's in two hours! And it was Gulya's idea to take the plane and fly to Paris. I was with Fedérico and I still don't know why Alexei had to tag along with us. Uninvited.” 

“We eat at 12:30. Antonov was only doing his job and you came home the next morning... in the afternoon.” 

TS3 Chapter 10

Chapter 10

May 9^th, 2014 

Maldonado, Uruguay

“Boss!” the man shouted in Russian as he descended from the cab and a young girl rushed to get his suitcase out of the trunk. A satisfied smile illuminated his face when he took a good look at the two stores tall, large house, surrounded by an eucalyptus forest. He could smell and hear the roar of the sea hidden by the knoll that protected the house from the strong winds. The place's elegance and tranquillity pleased him.

“Dima!” Constantin greeted his former henchman as he descended the steps of his main entrance. Both men hugged each other and Constantin patted the Chechen's back vigorously. “Let's go inside,” he said. 

Dima Klatschko frowned when they entered in the foyer and saw two construction workers still painting one of the walls in a nice shade of beige. 

“Are you in the middle of a reform, boss?” Dimitri Klatschko knew how much his superior hated disorder and dirt and that could only mean an extra load of stress for his employees. 

“Construction workers are my karma since two years. I miss the hotel, Dima. They always say they will finish tomorrow but tomorrow never comes.” Constantin shrugged. For him, the men's presence was a minor inconvenience as the main part of the house was already finished and he was pleased with the results.  

“Very nice, boss.” Dima said as he admired the elegant and classical wooden furnitures on the foyer and high ceilings. “What's this house?” 

“It's the New Tudor style reinterpreted by Latin Americans,” Constantin smirked. “But I like the countryside and the construction is solid. This place is away from civilization but it can be reached in twenty minutes by car. It used to be an ostrich farm.” Constantin replied as he led Dima to the small winter garden. 

TS3 Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

May 9^th 2014

Frankfurt am Main 

“This wasn't really necessary, Fefo,” Guntram said as his friend parked in front of the river. 

“It's in my job's description and there will be no other chance that I go inside a museum ever again.” 

“Are you really mentally prepared to survive it? It's a museum.” 

“I can handle it,” Fedérico shrugged and got out of the car. As usual Guntram was stalling, just like when he didn't want to go inside the Arts classroom back in school. 

“Come on, princess, I'm not opening the door for you,” he whined as Guntram remained in the car with his nerves eating him alive. 

“No, you pay the parking,” Guntram replied as he got out of the car. For him, going to the Städel was a huge foe. He was torn between his desire to see his creation hanging from the walls of one of the most famous museums and his fear to face again the woman who had made his life so miserable. 

“Fuck! Did you see this? Six euros per hour!” Fedérico yelled at the parking meter. 

“If you drive a hundred-thousand-euro car, you can pay for it. I think an hour will be sufficient.”

“No way I'm going to spend my day running in and out to pay for extra hours because you're drooling over a Monet.” 

“Fine. Pay the maximum,” Guntram growled. 

“It will be my pleasure to present this eighteen-euro ticket to his Excellency.” Fedérico said as he opened the passenger's door to carelessly throw the receipt over the ultra polished root wood dashboard, upside down looking, just to make the parking officer's life harder. 

TS3 Chapter 8

Chapter 8

May 5^th, 2014

Zurich

Three days later, Guntram returned to the flat. Much to his astonishment, he heard nothing and saw nobody cramming the elevator. He greeted Nicoletta, still cleaning his flat and asked her nonchalantly if she had seen Goran. 

“Yes, sir. Mr. Pavicevic asked me to ask you if I can bring the baby tomorrow to his flat. He'd like to take him to have tea at Mrs. Hurst's shop.” 

'Still giving me the cold shoulder.' “Yes, of course, Nicoletta,” Guntram said out loud. Kurt will be here at around three and I'll bring him to the flat.” 

“Just send me a SMS and I'll pick him up, sir.” The old lady looked mortified by the situation and her clear orders of keeping Guntram away. 

'So I do have the plague now.' “Very well, Nicoletta,” Guntram answered courteously. “Tell Mr. Pavicevic, that I expect the child to be back at six at the latest.” She nodded and continued to polish the chairs with more energy than usual. 

“Anything new about the pest upstairs?” he asked casually as the cleaning lady vigorously patted the living-room's cushions. 

“Nothing more than the police came two days ago and then, he had a long conversation with your lawyer,” she replied. 

“What about Mr Pavicevic's nerves?” 

“Oh, he heard the noise the day before you quarreled with him and said: “If I do a thing, I'll get all the LGTB associations and journalists banging on my door. Let Guntram deal with him.” Ratko told me,” she said. “And it seems you did deal with the problem,” she chuckled. “I had a few words with one of the “secretaries” upstairs about their pupils standing in our stairwell.”