No, Dr. Gasztold’s patients have nothing to do with it, Allex thought, adjusting the strap of the backpack with the waiter’s change of clothes on his shoulder. Will said, the Heartthrob is furious, in despair, which has been accumulating for years …
A little later, he would go to the office, for the work computer left there, to collect information about the ordinary day of a local housewife. Allex did not have a smartphone, he had broken the last one about a month ago – when the device had an unfortunate collision with the fist of a criminal being detained. He had dropped the previous ones during active movement, falls, or the screen simply cracked one fine day … The push-button phone was more reliable, it could make calls and send text messages, and if desired, one could hammer nails with it or throw it at someone. The only downside was the lack of a camera – to record evidence on the spot.
A long black car with polished sides pulled up to the curb on the opposite side of the street, the sun’s glare reflected off the tinted windows. A typical weekday situation, the driver of a luxury electric vehicle – with a claim to care about the environment – gets out of the car, walks around the hood, opens the rear door … Allex noticed the golden hair of the passenger who deftly slipped out right away, in the corner of his eye, and only a moment later realized the association that flashed through his mind.
Wilhelmina Gustavsson nodded to the driver, giving him a sign to wait in the car, her back straight in a storm-blue coat over a beige hoodie, heading toward the front steps of the grocery store.
Agent Serret’s legs pulled him after her, and he was already crossing the road when he realized he was starting to artificially invent a reason – for the benefit of the investigation.
A few seconds later he was opening the door, letting out a mother with two children and a cart full of groceries, who were coming out onto the entrance staircase, then he went inside, past the security guard, who looked at him as if he had already stolen something.
The guard was large, with the figure of a bodybuilder, but Allex understood perfectly well that a magazine picture from a male beauty contest might be of little use – they were clumsy and did not even know the basic techniques, their job was to be a scarecrow, an impressive facade.
Golden-haired Miss Gustavsson flashed past the cookie stands and disappeared from view, Allex headed in the same direction. How is she different from a housewife, whose only concern is maintaining the image of a happy family in public, being beautiful and occasionally going out, working – usually in a creative profession – only when she wants to? She will also push a cart with groceries, fill it with everything she likes, will not take off her sunglasses even in the store … A chef cooks for her, a driver takes her even two blocks from home, surprisingly, the cart is not pushed by a bodyguard or an assistant.
Allex walked along the rack, occasionally looking out between the shelves, Miss Gustavsson walked parallel with a poker face. Her visage, as before, had an even tone and no blush on her cheekbones, her hair lay perfectly, but loosely, one light strand had slightly fallen out on her forehead, and the girl immediately fixed it … Gray-blue eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, Allex could not understand when she did look in his direction, but continued to stare. As luck would have it, some old woman in a red beret had already driven into him with a cart, a caster wheel had run over his boot at the turn, when he gaped, watching Miss Gustavsson take water from the shelving and carefully read the ingredients.
A strange rumble was heard a couple of dozen yards away, and Agent Serret and Wilhelmina simultaneously turned their heads towards the noise source.
“This is a robbery! Everybody on the floor! Give me the money, or I’ll blow your brains out!”
The screams and shouts of the frightened spectators were the corresponding accompaniment; Wilhelmina seemed paralyzed, her hand clenched around the plastic bottle, but not a single muscle twitched on her pale face.
How unlucky she is! Now Phoebus won’t even let her into the store alone, only with an escort! Bloody moron, couldn’t he find another store, couldn’t he come and rob it at another time?!
What was part of the daily routine and was the order of the day for ordinary people, Wilhelmina had to fight for: walking alone along the stands, strolling through the park, going to a coffee shop between filming – for the protégé of Phoebus de Lavender, an unaffordable luxury. Beloved, dear, but still a doll … Phoebus controlled all her movements, could check her phone – without even hiding his permissiveness – knew about all her acquaintances and colleagues, chose her wardrobe.
Wilhelmina was incredibly lucky that Phoebus didn’t mind the camel-colored hoodie and blue coat – from the latest Burberry collection with the signature tartan print on the lining – so she could wear something less formal.
Sometimes Wilhelmina felt like an ungrateful bitch, the ultimate traitor, when she stopped appreciating the comfort and pleasures that not everyone could afford. Not everyone, by far … However, the price for slavery was high.
Others are worse off than me … she reassured herself. She was polite to everyone, was friends with everyone regardless of their status – how one can be friends if they has to hide one small detail that defines his entire existence … She felt like an imposter at the party of life, a deadman, unable to understand joy, passion and carelessness, the taste of freedom and simple existence. They stole it from her – and convinced her she sold her soul, for pennies, for a pittance, while she herself was sold without her wanting to be.
Agent Serret perked up, his body tensed, turned into an elastic spring, a cocked trigger. He looked like a wild animal that sensed danger, making a decision in a matter of seconds – to attack or run away. Wilhelmina tried to figure out who he reminded her of … A pine marten! Chestnut-colored fur, dark beady eyes, a sharp nose, and a fluffy tail.
Martens are predators. Before Wilhelmina could even figure out what was coming next, Agent Serret had already quietly placed his backpack on the floor and was moving smoothly towards the robber on the opposite side of the shelving, his feet making no sound.
They were not visible, they both had the level of stupidity and courage not to duck, but to peer curiously from behind the rows of goods.
The cashier creaked the cash drawer, put the bills on the table, the security guard, his face red from the effort, lay with his ears covered, in the middle of the open space of the hall. The robber, wearing a white plastic mask covering his entire face, stood opposite, a pistol shaking in his outstretched hand.
“What are you fiddling about with, stupid cow? Move it!”
The gun swung, the cashier yelped, and a murmur and squeal ran through the frozen crowd of onlookers. If she had pressed the panic button, the criminal would be gone before the police arrived.
Wilhelmina almost opened her mouth in bewilderment, only took off her sunglasses and put them in her inside pocket when Serret came out from behind the shelving, past the bodies lying on the floor trembling in horror, thereby revealing himself. Someone was already crying in panic, hiding behind a cart, someone was filming what was happening on a smartphone camera, from below, stretched out on the shiny tiles, resting their elbow on a branded bag.
The plot was like a production of the theater of the absurd. Serret is just crazy! Where is he going – under the gun?!
Wilhelmina looked around, as if trying to find confirmation – or refutation – of reality, saw only the store assistant, clenching his gloved fists, either from indignation or from