‘Be careful of the grandmas in the cafe,’ one woman says with a giggle.
‘What do you mean, “grandmas”?’ Lale asks.
‘You know, old women – some of them are over thirty!’
Lale smiles.
‘Look,’ says the original volunteer, ‘you could stop any woman you meet in the street. We all know what you want, and there are plenty of us who need good food and drink even if we have to share it with those ugly Russian pigs. There are no men left here to help us. We do what we have to.’
‘As do I,’ Lale tells them. ‘Thank you all very much. I’ll look forward to seeing you tonight.’
Lale leaves the shop and leans against a wall, taking a breather. One shop, half the girls required. He looks to the other side of the street. Fredrich is looking at him. He gives him a thumbs-up.
Now, where’s that cafe? On his walk there Lale stops three young women, two of whom agree to come to the party. In the cafe he finds three more. He thinks they are in their low to mid-thirties, but still beautiful women anyone would want to be seen with.
That evening Lale and Fredrich pick up the women, who are all waiting at the bakery as instructed. They are elegantly dressed and made up. The agreed transaction in jewellery and cash takes place with minimal scrutiny from Fredrich.
He watches as they enter the chalet. They are holding hands, wearing resolute expressions and occasionally laughing.
‘I’ll take what’s left over,’ Fredrich says, standing close to Lale.
Lale takes several notes and a couple of pieces of jewellery from his pockets and hands them to Fredrich, who seems satisfied the transactions have been carried out correctly. Fredrich pockets the goods, then sets about patting Lale down, digging his hands deep into his pockets.
‘Hey, careful,’ says Lale. ‘I don’t know you that well!’
‘You’re not my type.’
The kitchen must have been told about his return as his supper arrives shortly after Lale has entered his room. He eats and then walks out onto the balcony. Leaning on the balustrade, he watches the comings and goings of vehicles. Occasionally the sound of the partying below filters up to him and he is pleased that he hears only laughter and conversation. Back in his room, he begins to undress for bed. Fiddling around in the cuff of his trousers, he finds the small diamond he has placed there. He takes a single sock out of the drawer and stuffs the diamond into it before retiring for the night.
He is woken a few hours later by laughter and chatter coming through his balcony doors. He steps outside and watches as the girls clamber aboard the truck for the trip home. Most seem intoxicated but none look distressed. He goes back to bed.
For the next several weeks Lale and Fredrich make their twice-daily trips into the village. He becomes well known there; even women who never come to the chalet know who he is and greet him in passing. The boutique and the cafe are his two favourite places and soon girls gather there at the time they know he will arrive. He is often greeted by his regulars with a kiss on the cheek and a request for him to join the partying that night. They seem genuinely upset that he never does.
One day in the cafe, Serena, a waitress there, says loudly, ‘Lale, will you marry me when the war is over?’ The other girls there giggle, and the older women tut.
‘She’s fallen for you, Lale. She doesn’t want any of those Russian pigs no matter how much money they have,’ one of the customers adds.
‘You are a very beautiful girl, Serena, but I’m afraid my heart belongs to someone else.’
‘Who? What’s her name?’ asks Serena indignantly.
‘Her name is Gita and I am promised to her. I love her.’
‘Is she waiting for you? Where is she?’
‘I don’t know where she is right now, but I’ll find her.’
‘How do you even know if she’s alive?’
‘Oh, she’s alive. Have you ever just known something?’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘Then you’ve never been in love. I’ll see you girls later. Six o’clock. Don’t be late.’
A chorus of goodbyes follows him out the door.
That night, as Lale adds a large ruby to his war chest, a terrible homesickness overtakes him. He sits on his bed for a long time. His memories of home have been tainted by his memories of the war. Everything and everyone he cared for is now only visible to him through glasses darkened by suffering and loss. When he manages to pull himself together, he empties the sock onto his bed and counts the gems he has managed to smuggle over the weeks. Then he wanders out onto the balcony. The nights are getting warmer and several of the partygoers are out on the lawn, some lounging about, others playing a kind of chase game. A knock on his bedroom door startles him. Since the first night, Lale has locked his door whether he is in the room or not. Rushing to open the door, Lale sees the gems on his bed and quickly pulls the covers over them. He doesn’t spot the latest ruby falling onto the floor.
‘Why was your door locked?’ Fredrich asks.
‘I do not want to find myself sharing my bed with one of your colleagues, several of whom I have observed have no interest in the girls we bring them.’
‘I see. You are a good-looking man. You know they would reward you handsomely if you were so inclined.’
‘I’m not.’
‘Would you like one of the girls? They’ve already been paid.’
‘No, thanks.’
Fredrich’s eye is caught by a sparkling from the rug. He bends down and picks up the ruby. ‘And what is this?’
Lale looks at the gem, surprised.
‘Can you explain why you’ve got this, Lale?’
‘It must have got caught in the lining of my pocket.’
‘Really?’
‘Do you think if I had taken it I would have left it there for you to find?’
Fredrich considers him. ‘I suppose not.’ He pockets it. ‘I’ll return it to the vault.’
‘What did you want to see me about?’ Lale asks, changing the topic.
‘I’m being transferred tomorrow, so you’ll be doing the morning run and pick-up on your own from now on.’
‘You mean with someone else?’ asks Lale.
‘No. You’ve proven you can be trusted; the general’s very impressed with you. Just keep doing what you’re doing, and when it’s time for everyone to leave here there might even be a little bonus for you.’
‘I’m sorry to see you go. I’ve enjoyed our conversations in the truck. Look after yourself; there’s still a war going on out there.’
They shake hands.
Once Lale is alone, securely locked in his room, he gathers up the gems on his bed and puts them back in the sock. From the closet he chooses the nicest-looking suit and puts it aside. He lays a shirt and several pairs of underpants and socks on the table, and slots a pair of shoes underneath it.
The next morning Lale showers and dresses in his chosen clothes, including four pairs of underpants and three pairs of socks. He puts the sock containing the gems into his inside jacket pocket. He takes one last look around his room and then makes his way to the vault. Lale helps himself to his normal amount of money and jewels and is about to leave when the accountant officer stops him.
‘Wait. Take extra today. We have two very senior officers from Moscow arriving this afternoon. Buy them the best.’
Lale takes the extra money and jewels. ‘I might be a little bit late back this morning. I’m going to the library as well to see if I can borrow a book.’
‘We’ve got a perfectly good library here.’
‘Thanks, but there are always officers in there, and… well, I still find them intimidating. You understand?’
‘Oh, OK. As you wish.’