Haven: Book Seven of "The Liminality"

Chapter 7 - The Watcher

After lunch, Urszula and Jan left Matt and Nadia at the café and walked arm in arm back to their flat, which was only a few blocks from the riverfront. If she had realized how lovely the riverside could be, and how truly limitless their finances were, she might have insisted on leasing a flat with a better view.

They had not been very fussy about choosing their accommodations upon returning to the land of the living from Lethe. Any four walls and a roof that did not leak was an upgrade from the flimsy shack on the beach that blew down during any significant storm.

It was Jan, who wanted to go to Prague. It was close enough to home but far enough to defray any encounters with friends or family who might have attended his funeral. In his bizarre, fleshy conveyance, James had delivered them to a grain field on the outskirts of the city. There, he had handed Urszula a black credit card and wished them good luck before vanishing back into the sky.

The flat they ended up choosing had a good heating system but it smelled faintly of boiled cabbage and old socks. Water stains blotched the wallpaper. Their friends were always shocked to find them living in such a place, considering the relative extravagance of their lifestyle, otherwise.

It had taken time for them to realize how truly limitless and free of friction James' magic black credit card could be. They never had to sign for anything. At times, a mere glimpse of it was enough to secure service. Jan still got nervous when using it for any significant transaction, certain that one of these days a charge would be denied. So far, so good. Heaven forbid they ever lost that thing. It was irreplaceable.

Thus, money was no obstacle in upgrading their accommodations. But Urszula found their flat cozy and practical, and it was much closer to the nature parks.

"I'm meeting my mates for some Bundesliga tonight. Would you like to join us? They will be bringing their girlfriends."

"Are you trying to scare me away? You know I don't get along with their lady friends."

"You don't have to talk to them. This pub has very good food, by the way."

"Is it this one with the poutine?"

"Yes."

Urszula's eyes popped.

"Say no more! Though, I may have to join you late. I have some work to do."

"Oh? What kind of work?"

"Police work."

Jan sighed.

"I thought we talked about this."

"The family went missing. It looks like the authorities confiscated their belongings. I just want to find out what happened. Make sure they are okay."

"You need to stay out of trouble. Bureaucracies don't like to find dead people walking about."

"I promise to break no bones and spill no blood."

Jan sighs again.

"I'm just going to check in the park. Talk to some people on the street where they worked."

"How late will you be?"

"I don't know. It depends. Don't wait for me to eat."

"I wish you would let me get you a smartphone."

She shrugs. "I wouldn't use it."

As they reached the door of the flat, Urszula did not follow Jan inside.

"You're not coming in? What are you up to?"

She held up the doggie bag of everyone's leftovers from the café'.