The Rocket Man Read Online Free PDF

I have to go… I have to fetch Anna from kindergarten.’ In fact this wasn’t true; she had asked a friend to collect her today, in case she was delayed at the inquest. But it worked; Liliana kissed both her cheeks and released her. Richter gave her a bored wave.
    Gavrilov had also got to his feet. He briefly said goodbye and followed her out into the cold street. She stood there for a moment, confused and uncertain. He asked, ‘Are you getting the tram home? We are going the same way, I think.’
    A large red Mercedes coupé was parked across the road. She saw a driver and another man in dark glasses staring down the street. Katie was sure that it was Richter’s; for the first time she wondered whether his activities weren’t actually criminal. She began to walk hurriedly up the street.
    â€˜Who is this man?’ Gavrilov asked suddenly, watching her face intently.
    â€˜His name is Wolf Richter… I don’t really know him. Liliana is an old girl-friend of Bob’s.’
    â€˜What do you know about him?’
    â€˜Very little. I know he’s very rich… I never quite found out why, I think he had money in his own right, not just from Liliana. He’s a bit of a playboy… the pair of them spend money like water. I think he’s an engineer of some kind isn’t he? Bob told me he had his own technical research institute or something…’
    He was walking close beside her. ‘Research into what?’
    â€˜I don’t know… I really don’t. Why?’
    â€˜Have you seen them often?’
    â€˜No, just in Paris, a couple of times… I told you, they’re not my kind of people.’
    â€˜When were you in Paris?’
    She was suddenly on her guard; something about his questions, casual though he made them, alerted her. She thought he was too interested; these were not the questions of someone interested in the background of someone they have casually met. She wanted not to answer, but this seemed too difficult. ‘In the spring… May, or June, I can’t remember…’
    â€˜And you went to his apartment?’
    â€˜Yes, in the Place des Vosges…’
    They were standing at the tram stop. A cold wind blew, and she shivered. He moved behind her, putting himself between her and the wind. Katie noticed this gesture, and the thoughtfulness of it, but didn’t dare say anything to him. They waited for the tram in silence. She felt horribly confused.
    â€˜How did you meet…?’
    At that moment the tram lurched into view. They stepped up into it, punched their tickets, went to sit near the back. Katie looked out of the window at the elegant buildings as they sped along, trying to ignore the disturbing sensation of sitting so close to him. How had they met? It had been in Paris, eighteen months ago. She and Bob had gone there for a long weekend by themselves, the first time they had been away without Anna. Bob said that he wanted to look up an old friend from New York who had married a German living in Paris. They had a flat in the Place des Vosges. Katie hadn’t wanted to go, preferring to spend time on her own with Bob, but he had insisted. The flat was very expensive. Richter had opened some champagne. Liliana, appearing in a model dress, had said that it was her birthday. ‘Come down with me,’ she said to Katie, ‘Come and see what Wolf has got me for my birthday.’
    They went downstairs and across the square, still clutching their glasses of champagne. It had been raining; Liliana tripped across the puddles in which the baroque streetlamps were reflected. She took her to a nearby garage in which there stood a large Rolls-Royce, which the chauffeur was patiently waiting. The Rolls-Royce was pale blue and had Liliana’s initials engraved on the doors. Liliana said, ‘Go on; come inside.’ The chauffeur opened the doors for them and Liliana instructed him to take them for a