“The vice-consul asked me to check on you yesterday, but you weren’t around. Not last night, either. Where were you?”

Arkady said, “Sightseeing, walking around the city.”

“Because you have no proper introduction to Munich police, no authority and no idea of how to conduct an investigation here, Platonov is concerned that you will get into trouble and make trouble for everyone else.” He looked in the bedroom. “No blankets?”

“I forgot.”

“I wouldn’t bother, actually, if I were you. You won’t be here long enough.” Federov opened the closet and pulled out bureau drawers. “Still no suitcase? You’re going to take back everything you buy in your pockets?”

“I haven’t actually gone shopping yet.”

Federov marched back to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “Empty. You know, you’re such a typical Soviet cripple. You’re so unused to food that you can’t even buy it when it’s all around you. Relax, it’s real. This is Chocolateland.” He shot a smile back at Arkady. “Afraid of being taken for Russian? It’s true they despise us so much they’re actually paying our army moving expenses to leave the DDR, building barracks for us in Russia just so we’ll go. All the more reason to buy while you can.” He shut the refrigerator door and shivered as if he had looked into a tomb. “Renko, you could be gone any minute. You should treat this like vacation.”

“Like a leper on vacation?”

“Something like that.” Federov tapped and lit a cigarette for himself. Arkady didn’t necessarily want a cigarette first thing in the morning, but one thing he could say for Russians at home, even interrogators, was that they shared.

“This must be a bore for you, having to check on what I have for breakfast.”

“This morning I have to take the Belorussian Women’s Chorus to the airport, welcome a delegation of honored state artists of the Ukraine and get them situated, attend a lunch with representatives of Mosfilm and Bavarian Film Studios and then oversee a reception for the Minsk Folkloric Dance Group.”

“I apologize for any complication I’ve caused.” He offered his hand. “Please call me Arkady.”

“Artur.” Federov shook hands reluctantly. “Just as long as you understand what a pain in the ass you are.”

“Do you want me to check in? I could give you a call later.”

“No, please. Just do what’s normal. Shop. Get some souvenirs. Be back here by five.”

“By five.”

Federov strolled to the door. “Have a beer at the Hofbräuhaus. Have a couple.”