The American And The Russian (Benny Watts) [The Queens Gambit]

Part 32 The Dead Rat Gift

I sat against the cold metal table, my legs tucked behind the metal chair. The one harsh artificial light above me I spent my time listening to the clock tick and moving the silver ring between my fingers looking at the polished inside from his finger the dents and chips in the metal from years of wear, I had in all the time I had known benny, never known him to be separated from it. Even in bed. And with it in my hand for this long... I began to believe he was dead. Or at least so hidden and broken that I would never see him again, or if I did. He wouldn't be the Benny Watts I love. My door unlocked so I slipped the ring back on my finger as roger walked in with some files and a clear bag He locked the door behind me and sat across from me scraping he chair across the floor "Morning" He says

"Morning" I answered

"I need to give you something" He explained

"What is it?" I asked he put the clear bag on the table it was a tape, an audio recording of some sort small and secretive with a hand written label on reading

'Moya dorogaya printsessa' But I knew from the flick of the letters that it wasn't Casak, That handwriting... was benny.

"It's an audio recording" He says "we've already dusted and nothing, we've checked it over already"

"Then why give it to me?" I asked

"It was addressed to you"
"Where did you find it?"

"Moscow centre, In one of our dead rats"

"In what?"

"A dead rat, its what we used for pick ups" he explained

"Can I listen to it?" I asked and he nodded getting a little player from his pocket

"And I'll give you some advice. A little gift from me to you" he says before he got up going to the door

"Which is?" I asked

"Don't listen to it" He says before leaving locking the door behind him.