Chapter 25 Unexpected Guest

23:07

Lena had gone to Cracov, so Robert had the whole flat to himself. Anton came over before noon. He bought a box of early strawberries (rather on the expensive side, as the seasonal were yet to arrive in a couple of months) and Nutella. Robert made some pancakes and brewed coffee for both of them. After they finished having late breakfast, they were sitting for some time on Robert’s sofa, Robert looking nervously at his hands, realizing that they were all by themselves.

‘I guess, I should do the honors,’ Anton whispered and got closer to Robert.

He looked perfect in his black T-shirt and tight jeans. His blond hair lighted his blue eyes and vibrant smile. Robert felt that his blood left his brain and entered other areas of his body. Anton laughed, because Robert liked to be in charge, but apparently not in his romantic life. He looked like a helpless puppy craving touch, playtime and caressing. He was soon overwhelmed with Anton’s kisses. He felt his hands getting under his shirt, precisely unbuttoning his buttons, unbuckling the buckle of his trousers, and in a moment Robert stood there naked as God created him thirty-five years ago. It took Anton seconds to take off his own clothes and this time Robert took Anton to bed and pushed him on the mattress.

All was magic. To feel Anton’s smell, to touch the skin on his body, to have access to its every part usually hidden behind the textile of his clothes. It was amazing to feel his pressure and touch, to feel the pumping sensation of his erected member. Equally, every inch of Robert’s body was sensitive to touch, every end of his nervous cell was craving the gentle stimulation offered by his blond youth. It was playful and extremely rich, Robert confident while kissing Anton’s rough skin, and vulnerable at being cosseted. They were exhausted and laughed like children after they finished. Robert felt it entirely natural and fulfilling to have sex with a man, and instantly knew what was wrong during these rare occasional moments of intimacy he shared with his wife. He knew that he wasn’t attracted to her and there was no joy in their mutual moments in bed. This joy he now felt with Anton. He genuinely hoped that his ex-wife was happy with her Berlin businessman, as she truly deserved a better treatment than he was about to offer to her.

With Anton, they were laughing hysterically at the mess they made on the bed. Their bodies were covered with strawberries and Nutella. While they were trying to clean each other, they were again carried away, which led to another act of love-making. Tired beyond measure, however, they weren’t to leave the bed just yet. They would probably stay there way into Sunday but it seemed that Robert’s professional life wasn’t something that would allow him to have a lot of time on his hands. Johan Yzerman called early on Sunday morning from Berlin and Anton did everything not to make any sound, he had to push his fist into his hand not to laugh and disturb the conversation.

‘Remember when I told you that there’s no connection between disappearances?’

‘Yeah.’, Robert tried to make Anton quiet.

‘Forget it. I asked some friends of mine to check the history of missing people, and the results were kind of disturbing. In 1979 in Hamburg Selig Roth went missing, in 1985 in Berlin Conrad Koch stopped coming to classes, in 1992 in Cologne Markel Lang suddenly disappeared from his flat, in 1999 in Frankfurt the same happened to Gerald Meler, in 2007 in Munich Adel Neuman left the flat and never came back. In all cases, no traces were found. And guess what? There is a link. All were history Ph.D. students, lecturers or professors.’

‘So you think that we are dealing with a serial killer?’

‘You said it. You should check on them, you should go to these cities and check their stories. I really think it’s the same man who does all of this.’

‘Fine. Give me a day. I’ll pack my things and I’ll head to Germany tomorrow morning.’

Anton was looking with mixed interest at Robert’s agitation and excitement. There was no way they were going to make love again, as Robert’s mind was occupied with something else than sex with his boyfriend. Anton resorted to cuddling.

But then there was a knock on the door, so Robert stood up from the bed and opened it.

Behind it, stood the most bizarre man he had ever seen. He was a thin, haggard, old man, wearing flashy fashionable clothes and extremely worn-up shoes. On his shoulder, was sitting a black cat, which at the sight of Robert gave a very unpleasant meow.

‘Yes?’, Robert was visibly surprised.

‘I’m from the advertisement. I thought you would make use of my help.’

‘What advertisement?’

The man handed him a newspaper. Robert looked at the add and the address written below. He didn’t know what to make of it all. He had no idea that somebody could even do such a thing.

‘A sponsor? You want to be our sponsor?’, there was a big dose of irony in Robert’s voice.

The man smiled.

‘Don’t be deceived by appearances. Can I come in?’

As Anton was still lying in Robert’s bed, he decided to invite the man into the kitchen.

‘Edward Walenty Mazur,’ he introduced himself and looked at the cat ‘This is Kit-Kat.’

Robert ignored the cat.

‘You don’t seem to have money. We are trying to solve a couple of unsolved cases. Our earnings don’t allow us to travel as much as we would like to. You know, hotels, tickets, food. We have usual state jobs. Nothing prestigious. I’m a police officer.’

‘I don’t have a job. But I have something else.’ Edward explained and showed Robert recent bank statement which showed twelve million six hundred sixty-five thousand and seventy-two zlotych ‘I won in Lotto. See, I don’t like charity. But I wouldn’t mind helping you. I had a company once. I believe in hard work. I also believe in justice.’

Robert knew once a man who won a significant sum of money in the lottery, but he spent it all in less than three years. To make matters worse, he even ended up in the red.

‘How come you haven’t used it all?’

‘I have been homeless for over twenty years. I have my habits. But I just don’t want to give you the money. I want to take part in the process. I want to be here from time to time. I don’t have much else to do. I read, occasionally go to lectures, but I miss actual work. I miss people.’

Robert didn’t know what to say.

‘Can we trust you?’

‘Can I trust you?' Edward asked honestly.

Robert nodded quietly.

In a minute Anton’s head picked through the kitchen’s door.

‘What’s going on?’ he asked.

‘This is my boyfriend,’ Robert explained, feeling that he owed the old man full honesty.

Edward raised his eyebrows.

‘Oh. I knew a homeless guy who liked men. I don’t care what you guys do, but don’t flirt with me. I stopped dating long before.’

Anton looked at Edward in a suspicious manner.

‘I wouldn’t worry about that!’ he laughed.

Robert made Edward a cup of tea and discussed with him the details of the case. Edward in return told him his life story and it was afternoon when the door to the apartment opened with a bang and Lena ran inside with something in her hand, stopped to see Anton, Robert and some very oddly looking man sitting by the table, with the addition of a cat playing on the floor, to shout triumphantly ‘They are making porn!’, which made everybody put their conversation to a halt.