The Alibi Man

Chapter 11

The cell phone was encrusted with pink crystals. Very girlish, which surprised him. Irina had been in no other way a child. Old far beyond her years, he thought. Jaded in a way one didn’t expect. An old soul, some would say.

He didn’t believe in souls.

The ring tone the phone played when it was being called was classical, melancholy.

The thing had been ringing all evening. He waited for several moments after the song had played, then opened the phone. The screen told him there was voice mail. He touched the call button and listened.

There were three messages, all of them in Russian, all from the same man. The tone of the first message was casual. Tension crept into the second one. Tension and impatience. The third call was desperate, panicked.

He saved the messages, then scrolled through the menu to settings and to voice message.

“This is Irina. Please leave message. ”

He hit the button again.

“This is Irina. Please leave message… This is Irina. Please leave message… This is Irina. Please leave message… This is Irina. Please leave message…”