A Song of Shadows Read Free Page B

so at least that long. Why?’
    ‘Just curious. We’ll be replacing it anyway. There are signs of rot in the frames of the doors, front and back. They’ll have to go. The windows look okay for now. We’ll be changing the locks, obviously.’
    ‘Er, sure. Just as long as you leave a set of keys with me.’
    ‘Sorry, we won’t be doing that.’
    ‘Excuse me?’
    ‘Only one person is going to have keys to this house, and that’s the tenant.’
    ‘I can’t agree to that. Suppose something were to happen?’
    ‘Like what?’
    ‘A fire.’
    ‘You got insurance?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Then you’re insured.’
    ‘What about a flood, or – I don’t know – an accident of some kind?’
    The one named Louis turned his head slowly in Soames’s direction. He stared at the Realtor in a manner that made him feel like a tick on the end of a pair of tweezers, waiting to be squeezed.
    ‘You just mentioned fires, floods, and accidents,’ said Louis. ‘What kind of death trap you trying to rent here?’
    ‘That wasn’t what I meant,’ said Soames.
    ‘Better not be.’
    ‘You have to understand,’ said Angel, ‘that there are unusual security considerations. That’s why we’re here.’
    ‘I really do need a set of keys,’ said Soames, surprising himself with the determination in his tone.
    ‘Okay, then.’
    ‘Really?’
    ‘Yeah, we’ll give you a set of keys.’
    ‘Good.’
    ‘What sort of keys would you like?’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘I mean you can have any keys that you want, just not the keys to this house.’
    Soames felt his anger growing. He wasn’t used to being treated like this. He didn’t care who was coming to live in the house.
    ‘Now listen here—’ he said, before a heavy hand landed on his left shoulder. He looked up at Louis’s face.
    ‘We could go look for another rental—’ said Louis.
    ‘I’m starting to think that might be a good idea.’
    ‘—but that would inconvenience everyone involved,’ Louis continued, as though Soames had not spoken. ‘Which would be bad.’
    He smiled at Soames. Soames wished that he hadn’t. It was that kind of smile.
    ‘How much is the lawyer paying you for this place?’ asked Angel.
    Soames gave them the figure.
    ‘How much were you asking?’
    Soames gave him another figure that was about thirty percent higher.
    ‘You’re a tough negotiator,’ said Angel. ‘It’s amazing that you’re not paying her.’
    Soames acknowledged that he had, at one point in his discussions with Price, believed that to be a distinct possibility.
    ‘Let me make a call,’ said Angel.
    He stepped into the empty living room and took out his cell phone. Soames heard him speaking in soft tones. When he returned, he named a figure closer to the original rent, along with an additional sum of $100 per month to Soames himself for what he termed ‘caretaking expenses.’
    ‘Caretaking?’ asked Soames.
    ‘Caretaking,’ said Angel.
    ‘What does that mean?’
    ‘It means that we want you to take care of yourself, and in return we’ll take care of your house.’
    ‘Maybe I don’t need the keys after all,’ said Soames.
    ‘They’d just be one more thing for you to worry about,’ said Angel. ‘A revised rental agreement should be at your office when you get back.’
    He began guiding Soames gently but firmly out of the house.
    ‘It’ll take a few days to make the alterations required,’ said Angel. ‘It’ll be done discreetly. You don’t mind if we hold on to these keys for now?’
    He waved the keys that Soames had brought with him. Soames patted his jacket. He was almost certain that he’d put the keys in his inside pocket after he opened the door, but he supposed that he could have been mistaken.
    ‘You have my number,’ said Soames, ‘just in case there are any difficulties.’
    ‘There won’t be, but thank you.’
    ‘Right. Well, I’ll leave you to it.’
    ‘We appreciate it.’
    Soames got into his car. The two men had arrived in a