“Time?”
“6 p.m.”
“You can deal with him. I don’t want to stay here tonight. I’m finished watching over these two. I’m leaving.”
“Two? I only see one. The other monkey didn’t like you and ran away. And where, might I ask, are you going?”
“A Hotel. A bar. A massage parlor. Anywhere I like although it isn’t any of your business.”
“It seems rather wasteful to me when I have provided this apartment for you rent-free but I guess you can go ahead.”
Kazem laughed sardonically for a minute. He needed to release the shock of discovering the vile hatred that had arisen in himself and Jatupon and the serendipitous arrival of Kumpee, who if worthless at everything else, had delivered them from being sealed into the body bags of unrestrained emotion. “It hasn’t been rent free for a long time. We get billed from the father of your Chinese bitch and we pay the money like responsible tenants-bank transfers.”
“She was a bitch,” said Kumpee pensively. He became preoccupied with this self-absorbed thought. “And her father just couldn’t warm up to what could have been his son in law. I’m seeing her sister now.” Then he stared at Kazem with a specific intent. “Just remember the appointment and that you need to be punctual. Since you need some time away I’ll look after the little one.” Jatupon mumbled a response.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”