Everything happened that night just as Nimet and I had planned, like an Agatha Christie novel, or even better, the starstudded finale of a film adaptation: Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, The Mirror Crack’d, and Evil Under the Sun had nothing on us, even with cameos by Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Lauren Bacall, Jacqueline Bisset, Diana Rigg, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Birkin, Mia Farrow, and Anthony Perkins.
Canan and Sami were led away in handcuffs. That business with the Telekom records was kindly swept under the carpet, thanks to Selçuk. After all, Cihad2000 and I had helped solve two murders.
With the mystery of her husband’s murder cleared up, Nimet began the painful mourning process. We hope to visit each other regularly. We even talked about taking a short holiday together. She’s always wanted to visit the coast of Croatia. “ Dalmatia is supposed to be wonderful,” she says. We haven’t yet had a chance to make definite travel plans. I hope we become friends. And if we do, she’ll certainly be a novel addition to my little circle.
Ali was terrified when he found out what a close call we’d had. I expect he’ll steer clear of shady contracts, at least for a while. I also expect a resulting drop in the company’s fortunes-and mine.
Kemal, alias Cihad2000, meets regularly with Pamir. As far as I know, he no longer rents five-star suites, settling instead for more modestly priced hotels. “I only have eyes for her,” he claims. Pamir retorts, “I’m a professional, ayol.”
No one’s seen Refik around for a while, at the club or anywhere else. They say he and his lover have taken a long holiday, either in Tunisia or in a village down south. Rumor has it that he’s working on his latest masterpiece.
Sami is in jail, of course. If he does get out, Ziya Göktaş may honor his oath to avenge Volkan’s death.
We’ve still got to take care of the scum in Hasan’s neighborhood. I don’t want to bother Selçuk about it. Perhaps I can find another way. I’m thinking it over.
Haluk Pekerdem is still in jail. I can’t imagine him there. I hope nothing bad happens, that he doesn’t get droopy shoulders and sad eyes, gain or lose too much weight, or otherwise allow his amazing good looks to deteriorate in any way. He’s being charged only with being an accessory to a crime and with concealment of evidence. In any case, he’ll be out long before his wife, Canan. I’m still hopeful. Who knows?