"Are you calling me fabric softener? Don't be like that, Lucky Blue!"
"How many times— I told you not to call me that."
Demir jumped in. "If Mete likes you this much, there's gotta be something soft about you, Frizzy"
"Shut up, Teddy. Didn't Ece cheat on you? Go drown in your own misery and free us from your face."
I rolled my eyes at their usual nonsense and shoved Bora's shoulder.
"Get off my lap."
Instead of moving, he settled in even more and wrapped both arms around my leg, turning toward the coffee table.
"Your leg is comfy, babe. Let me stay a little longer, yeah? Standing at the door made me stiff everywhere."
"I don't care." I tried to shake him off. "Did I tell you to stand there? You could've come in like a normal person."
"Nope." He grinned. "Then I wouldn't get to listen. Every time I walk in, you two shut down like you're mommy and daddy having a Serious Talk."
"Why do you think that is?" I muttered, giving up and sinking back.
Demir took a cigarette pack and threw it at Bora's face.
"God damn it, Frizzy, 'Mommy and daddy'?" he snapped. "What kind of man are you?"
Bora caught the pack, looked like he was going to throw it back—then changed his mind with a wicked smile.
"Oooh. Malbush. Can't waste an opportunity." He slid it into his pocket.
"Give me my pack!"
"Nope. It's mine now."
Demir rubbed his face, glaring. "Are you stupid? You don't even smoke. What are you gonna do with it?"
"Sell it to people in class for double. They run out during lectures and they're too lazy to leave campus, the little degenerates." He squinted at Demir. "Wait—aren't you an athlete? You're not supposed to smoke. You've got a final match next week. Go drink milk, Teddy. Actually eat honey. You like it."
Demir clenched his jaw. "God, give me patience. This kid is an idiot."
"You're the idiot—"
I slapped my hand over Bora's mouth.
"Shut up. Just shut up. You Fuc—"
I cut myself off when I felt something wet against my palm. I jerked my hand back in disgust and wiped it on his sleeve.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Why did you lick my hand?"
"I don't like obscene words, Adonis," he said innocently.
I closed my eyes, breathed in, breathed out, then opened them.
"Bora."
He beamed. "Yes, babe?"
"If you don't get off my lap and start telling us what you found out in the next ten seconds, it's gonna end badly for you."
He tipped his head back, eyes sparkling.
"Did you know you look really hot when you stare like that, Adonis?"
"Bora!" I roared.
He jumped up instantly and sat properly beside me. Satisfied, I jerked my chin for him to talk.
"Forget the witness, boys. Actually you might as well say a quick prayer for him. They buried him."
Rüzgar leaned forward, elbows on his knees.
"What are you talking about?"
Bora sighed, shaking his head dramatically.
"My daisy and I went to the address you gave us, but nobody was there. It's a summer place, so we figured that was normal and talked to a few neighbors. But you know, ever since Snowden caught Bush with Monica, the housing market's been a mess, so nobody recognized the old guy."
Demir groaned. "It was Clinton who had Monica, and Snowden exposed the CIA, you moron."
Bora shot him a dirty look. "What, Bush can't cheat? Democrats can commit adultery but Republicans can't?" He waved a hand. "Also, I'm anti-CIA. They bully the FBI too much."
I rubbed my face and glanced at Rüzgar. He looked just as done as I felt. I turned back to Bora, forcing calm.
"Why didn't Nil come with you?"
Bora pouted. "She's going out with the girls tonight. She ditched me. Heartless girl."
"So that's it?" Rüzgar asked. "You didn't learn anything else?"
Bora frowned. "Who said we didn't?"
"Then tell us," I snapped. "Are you testing our patience?"
"Why are you yelling, Adonis? I was telling it nicely. Teddy interrupted."
I exhaled. "Fine. Talk. No one's interrupting."
He nodded, pleased, and launched right back in.
"So. Nobody had anything useful. My daisy and I were running around, got hungry, so we took a food break. Found this small place that serves home-cooked meals. We're eating, talking about how to find the old guy, and the owner—auntie—walks over and sits right down with us before we can even react. Turns out she knew him. His old neighbor, actually. And the way her eyes got all sparkly when she talked about him…"
Bora wiggled his brows. "Could've been his secret crush, if you ask me. That's her sin, not mine."
He went on.
"Anyway, turns out the old guy is… gone. Dead. They found him at home a week after the fire."
Rüzgar and I looked at each other at the same time.
That timing was too perfect.
Bora pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and held it out.
"Here."
I took it, eyes narrowing.
"What's this?"
"It's the address of the old man's daughter. When the woman asked why we were looking for him, we told her he was important to us. She apparently hacked the civil registry's servers—God bless her. She brought out a notebook; honestly, it looked like every family record in the country for anyone over fifty was written in there. She gave us the address and said his daughter might be able to help us more. Then she practically ran back inside before we even had the chance to thank her."
I unfolded the paper, read the address, and let out a tired breath.
"Anyone feel like going to Istanbul?"