Entanglement Read Online Free Page B

would be like, thought Szacki, if I were to park in the courtyard and go up to the flat on the second floor, and find that girl waiting for me? If I had a completely different life, different CDs, different books on the shelves, if I smelled a different body lying next to me. We could go for a walk in Łazienki Park, I’d tell her why I had to be at work today - let’s say at an architectural studio; she’d say I was brave and that she’d buy me an ice cream near the Theatre on the Island. Everything would be different.
    How unfair it is that we only have one life, mused Szacki, and that it so quickly bores us.
    One thing’s for sure, he thought, as he turned the car key. I need a change. I bloody well need a change.

2
    Monday, 6th June 2005
     
    Vatican priest Father Konrad Hejmo sends a special statement from Rome explaining at length and in a roundabout way that he did not collaborate with the Communist secret police. Also in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI re-emphasizes the Church’s opposition to homosexual marriages, abortion and genetic engineering. Committed Catholic, presidential candidate and Mayor of Warsaw Lech Kaczyński bans the Equality Parade and stresses that the pig-headed attitude of “some groups” is of course to do with the elections. Former President Lech Wałęsa invites current President Aleksander Kwaśniewski and his wife to his name-day party. In central Warsaw artist Joanna Rajkowska fixes fresh leaves to her artificial-palm-tree installation on Jerozolimskie Avenue. At the jail on Rakowiecka Street the rock band that has been formed there gives its first concert, and nearby on Spacerowa Street an eighty-six-year-old woman gets stuck in the bathtub for twenty-four hours. In the evening the semi-finals of the Polish Cup are held. Legia Warsaw are playing at home against Groclin, and Wisła Kraków against Zagłębie Lubin. Maximum temperature in the capital: eighteen degrees - some rain, cloudy.

I
    Szacki took his daughter to playschool, drove Weronika to the City Council on Miodowa Street and on the dot of nine was sitting in the Brama café on Krucza Street, waiting for Oleg. He was hungry, but thought it a pity to waste fifteen zlotys or more on breakfast. On the other hand, it was only the beginning of the month, so he still had money in his account. He hadn’t slaved away studying, doing his legal training and working as an assessor just to end up denying himself breakfast. He ordered a cheese and tomato omelette.
    The waitress was just serving him the food when Kuzniecow appeared.
    “Well, well,” he said, as he sat down on the other side of the table. “Brought a jar of your instant from the office, eh, so the lady can make you some coffee?”
    Without passing comment, Szacki gave the policeman a meaningful look. Kuzniecow ordered a black coffee and took a wad of documents out of his briefcase.
    “Here you have the official memo, the site inspection report and the witness interviews. And the search reports - you’ve got to approve them for me. I took your advice and sweet-talked a nice, lusty young trainee into helping. Look what lovely round letters. Her handwriting looks almost as fantastic as she does.”
    “I’ve never yet seen a pretty policewoman,” snapped Szacki.
    “Maybe you don’t fancy girls in uniforms. I always imagine them in nothing but the cap and blouse with only two buttons done up…”
    “Better tell me what happened yesterday.”
    Kuzniecow sat his angular body straight on the chair and folded his hands as if to pray.
    “I’m ninety-nine per cent certain,” he began in a serious, solemn tone, “the butler did it.”

    Szacki laid his knife and fork against the edge of his plate and sighed heavily. Communicating with policemen was sometimes like being a teacher with a class full of children suffering from ADHD: it took a lot of patience and self-control.
    “Are you going to get to the point?” he asked coldly.
    Kuzniecow shook his head in