Nevertheless, Arkady had misled Peter by omission, by not mentioning Max because of Irina. By now Peter was convinced that his grandfather was the only connection between Tommy and Benz. “I traded on his sense of national guilt.”

“If you can find a German with guilt, you should trade on it. Generally I have found this to be a country of widespread amnesia, but if you have found a guilty German, I can guarantee that no one on earth has ever had a larger sense of guilt. Correct?”

“Close enough.”

Stas tipped the bottle back so that it seemed to balance on his lips, then set it down empty. “I was awake anyway. I was thinking that if I’d stayed in Russia, I probably would have died in a camp. Or maybe I only would have been pressed as flat as a blini.”

“You were right to get out.”

“As a result of which I’ve had enormous influence on world events. I make fun of the station, but Liberty’s budget is less than the cost of a single strategic bomber.”

“Is that so?”

“Not to mention this is a tax-free situation for me.”

“That sounds good.”

Stas stared at the kitchen clock. The second hand dropped in audible clicks, a sound like a key turning over and over in a lock. Laika moved close to him and laid her shaggy head on his lap.

Stas said, “Maybe I should have stayed.”

In the morning a heavy fog brought out headlights. Bicycles appeared and disappeared as wraiths.

Irina lived a block from the park, on a street that mixed town houses, artists’ studios and boutiques. All the buildings were dressed in fey Jugendstil except hers, which was plain and modern. Though her windows were set back, Arkady located her balcony, a chrome rail before a wall of vines, lush and bright in the wet. He stood at a bus stop at the end of the street, the most logical and least conspicuous place to wait.

Did the balcony lead directly to the kitchen? He could imagine the warmth of lights, the smell of coffee. He could also imagine Max having an extra cup, but he had to eliminate Max from the picture in his mind or slide into crippling jealousy. Irina might drive to the station. Worse, she might leave with Max. He focused on the hope that she was alone, was drying a cup and saucer, was putting on her raincoat, would take the bus.