‘So, is there anything else you want to say?’ She always seemed to know what he was thinking.

Andreas paused. ‘It’s terrible what’s happened here.’ He decided it was safer to talk about the case than what was going through his mind. Besides, he’d only give details available to the media. ‘Everyone says the murdered monk was one of this world’s few, truly good souls. Tragic.’

‘Then, thank God there are people like you who care what happens to the good ones.’

‘Lila, come on.’

‘Hey, big guy, I’m nine months pregnant, relegated to doing crossword puzzles and anagrams for thrills. Let me fantasize about the father of my child.’

He wasn’t sure if Lila was teasing or not, but decided to let it go. They spent the next fifteen minutes talking about all the things her parents and Andreas’ mother were doing to make their baby the most appreciated in modern history. Then they said goodnight, with Andreas promising to tell her goodnight in person the next time.

He hung up and lay back on the bed. His cell phone rang. ‘I know, you forgot to tell me how much you love me.’

‘More than you’ll ever imagine.’ It wasn’t Lila.

Andreas didn’t move. ‘I see you got my message.’

‘If I’d known how much you cared, I’d have called sooner. But I sensed you wanted to whisper sweet nothings in my ear personally.’

‘When can we meet?’

‘I’ll let you know when and where. What’s your room number?’

‘Two-two-eight.’

‘Night night, my love.’

Andreas hung up and stared at the ceiling. It was time to get things running on a different track. He just hoped what he had in mind wouldn’t end up with him tied to one right in the path of a freight train.