“The big guy?”
“My main piece. I ordered the canvas for that one, it’ll arrive next week.”
I watch her work a few more minutes, noticing the way she narrows her eyes on some detail from time to time, or how she cocks her head to the side and bites her cheek when she is thinking. Her hair is a mess of tangled strands which she collected at the top of her head and fixed there with a pencil. Such a strange creature. So different from the women I’m used to spending my time with. It’s refreshing, and dangerously alluring.
“I need to talk to you, when you are done,” I say when I manage to take my eyes off her. “I’ll be in the living room.”
“Yup.” She places the finished sketch on the side, takes the last unused paper towel, and starts drawing on it.
It looks like I’m being dismissed.
After making a trip to my bedroom to grab the laptop I keep there, I transfer myself to the sofa and turn on the news. I prop my right leg on the table in front of me, open the laptop in my lap, and start going through the emails. I’m almost done when Nina drops down next to me and yawns.
“Sorry, I got carried away. What did you want to talk about?”
I close the laptop and turn to face her. “I need you to do something for me while you’re here.”
“Like vacuum and dust?” She scrunches her nose. “I don’t remember agreeing to that. Ironing is okay, dusting as well, but I hate vacuuming.”
“To place some bugs here in the house, without anyone noticing.”
She looks at me with a mix of confusion and disgust on her face, so it seems I have to clarify. “Listening devices. Not insects.”
“That is a really strange request, Mr. Petrov. Care to elaborate?”
“It’s Roman from now on. Please make sure you don’t slip when someone is around.”
“I won’t slip, Roman.” She smiles and winks at me. She fucking winks at me.
I sigh. “I have reason to believe that at least one of the persons who organized the bomb meant to kill me is here in this house. Maxim covered most of the rooms with bugs two months ago, but he can’t place them in the last few without risking someone seeing him.”
“Well, I’m touched by your belief in my capabilities, but I really can’t see how I’m going to manage that if he couldn’t.”
“Because if anyone saw Maxim entering any of those rooms, they’ll know something’s not right. But if anyone catches you, you can always say that you got lost.”
“Your house is huge, but I don’t think that I would get so lost as to enter the wrong room.” She looks offended. “I’m not an idiot.”
“That brings us to the second thing we need to discuss, and it concerns how people who live and work here perceive you. I need you to appear... let’s say shallow.”
“You mean stupid?”
“Not exactly. What I need is that, when people see you entering the room, they aren’t wary or suspicious. I want them to secretly roll their eyes and not notice what you’re doing, because they assume you’re... harmless.”
She watches me in surprise, then laughs. It’s unguarded and genuine laugh which reaches her eyes. “Okay, you definitely mean stupid. Okay. I’ll need a few minutes.”
She leans back into the cushions, throws her head back, and with her face turned up toward the ceiling, she closes her eyes. She stays like that for a few moments and then starts speaking.
“Shallow. Harmless. A little bit stupid. Crazy in love with you, of course. Needs access to every part of the house. Let’s see... Who am I? Well, Roman’s trophy wife, of course. I am pretty, elegant, and extremely snobbish. I love wearing expensive clothes, just the best labels. I’m not really into dresses unless the occasion requires it. I much more prefer designer jeans, paired with silky blouses. The heels are a must.”
She pauses, opens her eyes, and turns toward me.
“Are heels a must, what do you think?” She scrunches her tiny nose. “Of course, they are. Damn it. I hate wearing heels.”
She closes her eyes again and continues.
“The heels are a must, and I have dozens of them. Roman loves when I wear them, he says they make my butt look amazing. I’m also very self-conscious about my height and wearing heels all the time makes me forget how short I am. My favorite pastime is shopping, and I buy a ton of clothes. My husband has to allocate one driver specifically for me and my shopping sprees.”
Another pause and she turns toward me again.