The Charm School

as it did scholars and diplomats. Hollis had seen some of those smooth Russians on American TV, explaining in American idiom their country’s position on anything from human rights to why they obliterated a passenger plane full of people. Hollis would have liked to get a line on Burov, but he doubted that Alevy or anyone had anything on the man. Burov was not his name anyway, though the KGB uniform and the rank were real. Using an alias was one thing; stepping down in life was quite another. Hollis said, “Are you quite through with our passports?”
    Burov made a few more notations, then handed back the passports but kept the travel passes. Burov handed Hollis a sheet of paper and said, “Firstly, the dead man’s automobile has been impounded, and it will be easier if you sign that document waiving any claim on it.”
    Hollis replied, “I want to see the car.”
    “Why?”
    “To see if it has any salvage value.”
    “I assure you it doesn’t. In any case, the car has been shipped to Moscow. I will have your embassy informed of the location, if you wish. Will you sign that?”
    Hollis glanced at the waiver, written in Russian and English. There were a lot of numbers showing that the car would cost more to ship out of the Soviet Union than it was presently worth. The real bottom line was that there was no way the Trans Am was getting back to the States to be examined by the FBI forensic unit. Hollis handed back the waiver, unsigned. “After I inspect the car I’ll decide what disposition should be made.”
    Burov pushed it back to Hollis again. “Then please note that on the waiver so we can proceed.”
    Hollis felt that it could be a long night. The Russians were, if nothing else, patient and plodding. Hollis made a notation on the waiver but instead of giving it back said, “I must have a copy of this.”
    “Of course.” Burov gave him a faint carbon copy of the same document, simultaneously taking the original from Hollis.
    Lisa had the impression that Hollis and Burov had both been through this before in one form or another. The protocols of diplomacy, the give and take, the one-upmanship, the bluffing and posturing. It didn’t matter whether the issue was the disposition of mortal remains or nuclear disarmament. Men, she had observed, loved to talk deals.
    “Item two,” Burov said, “an inventory of the personal items on the body and in the automobile. The items are in an air container and can be shipped to the deceased’s home address at your embassy’s expense, if you authorize that.” He handed Hollis the inventory.
    Hollis leaned toward Lisa, and they both read the list, written in Russian. The list seemed very complete and included in addition to clothes and luggage, two watches, a school ring, camera, and even items that were meant to be small gifts, such as pens, razors, and postcards. It didn’t appear to Hollis as if anyone had helped himself to anything. This either meant that the peasants, local militia, and morgue employees had all the Western consumer goods they needed, or more likely that this had been a KGB operation from start to finish.
    Burov said, “The lubricants and other things that were in the trunk are not in the air container because they are inflammable. You will see that there were fruits and vegetables in the car that cannot be shipped because of American customs regulations. We will be happy to send the lubricants and produce to the American embassy. In fact, you can take them back yourself. The pears looked quite good.”
    “
You
can take the pears, Colonel, put a light coat of the lubricant on them, and shove them.”
    “Shove them? Where?”
    Hollis had the distinct impression that Burov knew the idiom well enough to know exactly where.
    Burov shrugged and continued, “All Intourist vouchers will be redeemed and a Western bank draft sent to the embassy for forwarding to Mr. Fisher’s next of kin. I have six hundred and eighty dollars in American Express traveler’s checks, seventy-two dollars in American currency, and small assorted sums of European currency, which I will give you now. There were also thirty-two rubles and seventy-eight kopeks, which I can also give you.”
    Hollis thought of Fisher’s words on the tape.
I gave him maps and money.
And the French woman’s statement that Fisher had borrowed two kopeks from her. Hollis concluded that Burov had thrown the Russian money in the kitty so as not to raise any questions. Hollis said, “I