‘There used to be a cinema along here.’
‘On Piccadilly? I don’t remember.’
‘I’m certain of it.’
They both had their coats pulled tight around them as they walked. The wind had grown in strength and was blowing east down the road towards them.
‘This is it. Itsu’ Alderman said, and they stopped walking. The sushi bar was temporarily closed, covered in a large wooden hoarding. There was a notice printed on it that began ‘An international espionage incident has…’.
Alderman and James had not finished reading when a small door, concealed in the hoarding, opened inwards and a tall, thin man invited them in.
‘You must be the journalists. I saw you out there in the wind and thought you’d want to come in quick rather than hang around. That notice isn’t worth reading. The director made us do it.’
‘The director?’
‘Yes, I’m just the manager of this restaurant. We are a chain.’
‘Oh, I didn’t realise.’
The man shut the door behind them and walked around behind a counter.
‘I’m afraid I can’t offer you anything’ he said, indicating the empty shelves and smiling. The restaurant was dimly lit. There was no food anywhere to be seen. The manager was clearly anxious.
‘I’m just sitting around here waiting for the police to allow us to open again. It’s been weeks now. They’ve taken all the evidence they need. That’s why I’m glad to show you guys around – I’ve nothing else to do.’
‘So there’s nothing left? No evidence?’ James asked, glancing at Alderman.
‘They’ve taken everything’ he said, shrugging and wringing his hands.
‘What we’re interested in is the man who died. Were you here?’ Alderman said, coming forward past James.
‘Yes, I served him. A nice enough man. Talkative.’
‘What did he talk about?’
‘He loved sushi. He was quite critical really.’
‘Of this place? So he doesn’t come here a lot?’
‘No, not at all. He made a point of saying this was his first and last time. He said he normally goes to a sushi bar off Tottenham Court Road. He said it was far better. He said he practically lived there.’
Alderman paused at the counter. He ran a finger through the dust that lay there.
‘What did the police ask you?’
‘The asked about Russians. Had I seen any others? They asked if I saw anyone put anything in his food. I said no. No to both questions. Really I don’t know how it could have happened, or who did it.’
James pulled Alderman aside and whispered to him.
‘This man knows nothing. This place is empty.’
Alderman nodded.
‘I’m sorry we’ve wasted your time’ he said to the man.
‘That’s ok’ he replied. 'Glad to do something, even if it is nothing. If you see what I mean' he said, moving toward the door to open it for them.
‘It looks like we have another sushi bar to go to.’
‘We do?’ asked James. The door opened and a fresh gust of wind rushed in blowing the dust off the surfaces.
‘On Piccadilly? I don’t remember.’
‘I’m certain of it.’
They both had their coats pulled tight around them as they walked. The wind had grown in strength and was blowing east down the road towards them.
‘This is it. Itsu’ Alderman said, and they stopped walking. The sushi bar was temporarily closed, covered in a large wooden hoarding. There was a notice printed on it that began ‘An international espionage incident has…’.
Alderman and James had not finished reading when a small door, concealed in the hoarding, opened inwards and a tall, thin man invited them in.
‘You must be the journalists. I saw you out there in the wind and thought you’d want to come in quick rather than hang around. That notice isn’t worth reading. The director made us do it.’
‘The director?’
‘Yes, I’m just the manager of this restaurant. We are a chain.’
‘Oh, I didn’t realise.’
The man shut the door behind them and walked around behind a counter.
‘I’m afraid I can’t offer you anything’ he said, indicating the empty shelves and smiling. The restaurant was dimly lit. There was no food anywhere to be seen. The manager was clearly anxious.
‘I’m just sitting around here waiting for the police to allow us to open again. It’s been weeks now. They’ve taken all the evidence they need. That’s why I’m glad to show you guys around – I’ve nothing else to do.’
‘So there’s nothing left? No evidence?’ James asked, glancing at Alderman.
‘They’ve taken everything’ he said, shrugging and wringing his hands.
‘What we’re interested in is the man who died. Were you here?’ Alderman said, coming forward past James.
‘Yes, I served him. A nice enough man. Talkative.’
‘What did he talk about?’
‘He loved sushi. He was quite critical really.’
‘Of this place? So he doesn’t come here a lot?’
‘No, not at all. He made a point of saying this was his first and last time. He said he normally goes to a sushi bar off Tottenham Court Road. He said it was far better. He said he practically lived there.’
Alderman paused at the counter. He ran a finger through the dust that lay there.
‘What did the police ask you?’
‘The asked about Russians. Had I seen any others? They asked if I saw anyone put anything in his food. I said no. No to both questions. Really I don’t know how it could have happened, or who did it.’
James pulled Alderman aside and whispered to him.
‘This man knows nothing. This place is empty.’
Alderman nodded.
‘I’m sorry we’ve wasted your time’ he said to the man.
‘That’s ok’ he replied. 'Glad to do something, even if it is nothing. If you see what I mean' he said, moving toward the door to open it for them.
‘It looks like we have another sushi bar to go to.’
‘We do?’ asked James. The door opened and a fresh gust of wind rushed in blowing the dust off the surfaces.
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