“In this line of work, you learn one thing fast: the problem is never the debtor – it’s always your client.”

My phone rang. It was Edó.
“Csabi, there are four built guys in the house. They want to talk to you. I tried to send them away, didn’t work.”

A sharp voice with a slight accent came on the line.
“My friend, the energy business is not for you. Walk away. Otherwise, we’ll be back.”

“Wait for me. I’m already in the car. Fifteen minutes.”

Edó was waiting at the gate. She didn’t blame me. She knew what I did for a living. We both knew this could happen. When you take a case, you never know what you’re stepping into.

“Edó, pack. You and Milán are heading to the airport.”

We were prepared. We knew how and where. In certain professions, family is not strength – it’s a vulnerability. We held each other for a moment, then I got in the car and headed to the office. I spent the entire drive on the phone.

“Sanyi, talk to the neighbors. I need something on their car.”

Sanyi had been with me for years. He knew everyone – on the street and above it. He especially cared about Milán. He had lost his own son years earlier. If he took on something, it got donAmit magadra húzol, azt végig is kell vinni.e.

By the time I got to the office, the team was already moving. One case stood out – Russian interests, serious money. Someone had talked.

Sanyi called.
“Boss, black AMG. Got a partial plate. Not many like that in the city.”

“Run it.”

Around midnight, my phone rang again.
“We’ve got them. Not serious players. I’ll have their boss within the hour.”

By morning, everything was in place.

I called my client.
“I’m coming in now.”
“Not a good time,” he said.
“I hope I get there before the Russians do.”

Silence. He understood.

We worked for two months. No breaks. We gathered everything.

I called Sergey.
“One hour. InterContinental. You come alone.”

He was already there. I put the folder in front of him. He flipped through it.
“What do you want?”
“A guarantee.”

That was it.

An hour later, I was in the CEO’s office. I handed him my phone.
“Ask your wife what she sees outside the window.”

“Three black vans… and some men. Looks like they’re waiting for someone.”

“They’re waiting for my call.”

I left the folder on his desk and walked out.

It was over.

Edó grew into the new life. Milán found a good school. She played basketball, swam, people liked her.

“I want to live here,” she said.

I traveled to them often, but never directly. Vienna, connections, Barcelona, long walks, Tarragona. Edó would have noticed if anyone followed us. She noticed everything.

In Cambrils, we finally felt safe.

Ironically, later on, the two companies settled their dispute. Both asked me to work with them. It lasted six years.

That was the nineties.

I was just a supporting character.