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“Stupid or not, it’s the truth,” I went on. “We give Katja nothing by threatening her grandfather the same way that Nikel did. However, if she sees how we are adding value to her grandfather’s life and hers, then she’ll never betray us for Nikel.”
“And you really believe her about their meeting being a mere coincidence?” Akim asked, and I didn’t blame him. After all, the story was pretty farfetched.
“Though Nikel could have been lying about that, I believe that Katja thinks it to be the truth,” I answered. “I’m more concerned with knowing that he’s been close enough to observe us without us knowing.”
“Which could only mean that he’s wearing a rather convincing disguise,” Avgust remarked evenly, though I knew that he had to be just as irritated as I was. “All our men know his picture, and everyone is actively looking for him.”
“Yet we still don’t know where he is staying, or where he’s getting his money,” Akim added. “We even checked the borders, and he was still nowhere to be found.”
“He has to be staying with a woman,” I said. “Women are caregivers by nature, so if someone is supporting him, it has to be a woman. A woman that works but appreciates whatever he does for her at home that she isn’t insisting that he provide financial help.” I started flicking my fingers, an old habit that didn’t make an appearance often. “It’s also possible that he has more money than we’re giving him credit for. After all, we really don’t know how long he and his cohorts had been in Port Townsend before that first guy met his demise with the Sartoris.”
“Well, if he’s watching us, then we just have to look for someone that doesn’t belong,” Akim suggested.
“If we start acting like we know that he’s watching us, then that’ll tip him off,” I pointed out. “Just like Nikel is hoping that Katja can catch me slipping, we’re hoping for the same thing. If Nikel trusts her, he might just let his guard down long enough for us to catch him.”
“Did you show her the picture of Nikel to confirm that it’s the same person?” Akim asked, looking between me and Avgust. “I mean, how do we even know it’s the same guy. While Morocco is good at what he does, who’s to say that Nikel hasn’t had some plastic surgery work done or something.’
Avgust’s eyes slid my way. “He has a point.”
“Well, seeing as how I was doing my best not to snap Katja’s neck when she confessed to working for Nikel, it slipped my mind,” I drawled out. “However, I’ll be sure to show her his picture the next time that I see her.”
“Which is?” Avgust asked.
“Ideally, I’d like to meet up with her tomorrow or Wednesday, but that might tip my hand,” I answered. “I need to be interested in her just enough, but nothing too obvious.”
“I really do not like this,” Avgust remarked. “I do not like that he has eyes on you, but we do not know what he looks like.”
“Once I show Katja the picture, I’m sure it’ll be easier to find him,” I assured him.
Eyeing both me and Akim, Avgust said, “Until then, I want both of you to travel with no less than two guards.”
“No way,” Akim immediately objected.
“That wasn’t a suggestion, Akim,” Avgust informed him, and there was really only one thing that Akim could say to that.
“Of course, Pakhan.”
“It’s only for a week,” Avgust said, trying to soothe Akim’s ruffled masculinity.
Ignoring them both, I said, “Katja said that he approached her at Trevally’s. Maybe we can have Morocco do his thing with the city cameras again.”
“Yeah, why can’t we do that?” Akim chimed in, in complete agreement with the idea.
“I’m not sure that Nero would be willing to lend Morocco out to us again,” Avgust answered. “He was absolutely clear about the reasons for his generosity last time, so unless Maksim is in love with Katja, I can’t see him being so understanding this time around. Remember, we are not friends.”
My brother looked at me. “Are you in love with her?”
I shot him a look. “I barely know the woman,” I reminded him. “Plus, did you miss the part where she’s in bed with Nikel Ovchinnikov?”
Akim ran his hands down his face. “What a fucking mess.”
“You’re not wrong,” I muttered.
“Wait,” Akim announced. “Won’t we be tipping our hand if he notices that her grandfather suddenly has guards or new nurses?”
“I thought about that,” I told him. “We’re going to move her grandfather back in with her, and while his nurses will be actual nurses, they’ll also have a live-in ‘housekeeper’ that will actually act as her grandfather’s guard. If Nikel questions how she can afford all the new changes, she can tell him the truth.”
“Which is?” Akim asked.
