Sundowners [antikvár]

PROLOGUEDecember 1990: ParisIt was already dark at four o'clock in the afternoon and a fine grey mist was falling on the Champs-Elysees. Christmas lights shimmered in the rain, sending rivers of red and gold cascading onto the slick, dark surface of the damp streets. A tall, slender young woman stepped hurriedly off the kerb, wrapping her black woollen coat tightly around her. She looked anxiously at her watch: he would be waiting for her half-way across the city and, as usual, she was late. A black car pulled up in front of her, but she was too busy searching among the headlights for a taxi to pay it any attention. A man emerged from the car, stopping directly in front of her and blocking the road. Impatiently, she tried to move round him, still looking for a cab. He held out his hand to her and called her name.She looked at him warily. She was used to being recognised, but there was something familiar about his voice. She looked closer, peering at him in the glow from the streetlight.'What are you doing here?' She was surprised to see him. She tried to think where they'd last met. Los Angeles? London? Before he could answer, she heard another car pull up, heard the heavy door slam and the scuffle of shoes behind her. She turned round, wondering what all the commotion was about. She missed the quick nod the man gave to the two standing behind her. One of them lunged forward suddenly and grabbed her by the elbow, dragging her quickly towards him. She began to panic, struggling to release her arm. Before she could do anything, even scream,1