Page 162 of The Enforcer’s Pawn

Morozov’s smile widens. “Pretty words. But yes.”

Abramov hits him across the mouth so fast, the chair scrapes back an inch. A tooth lands on the table. Maksim lifts one hand, and Abramov steps back.

Kirill moves away from the wall. “When did Patrick understand that Cara mattered?”

Morozov wets his cracked lip. “Why do you ask?” He spits blood onto the floor. “Antonov vanished from Boston. Cara was left behind. O’Connell noticed. Later, when he learned about the boy, he knew exactly what he had.”

My ribs tighten until I force myself to breathe.

Abramov steps closer, his hand raised in a fist. “The Blacklist entry?”

Morozov coughs once. “Water,” he croaks.

Abramov places a glass just out of reach.

“Later,” he says.

Morozov licks his lips. “O’Connell wanted Volkov to pick up Cara. Once you had her, we couldn’t take her without starting a fight with Maksim.”

His mouth twists.

“Then the rat disappeared with our inside information.”

Dima’s thumb moves against the gun.

Morozov looks at me. “Patrick used Cara to pull you in, and he used the boy to make you angry.”

I look at Abramov. “Give him water.”

Maksim watches Morozov drink.

“Yuri,” he says, keeping his eyes on him.

Yuri looks at his monitor. “The money trail matches what he said.”

For five years, I thought I should have been in Moscow. I thought my parents died because I stayed in Boston. I followed Cara. I broke routine for one night.

Yuri’s screen gives me the answer. Morozov chose that night because I was in Boston. He knew I couldn’t get back in time. The fire was meant to kill my parents and leave me alive with the guilt.

For one second, I feel nothing, and then the anger comes in clean and cold.

Leonid sets a second folder in front of Maksim. “Sokolov Children’s Fund,” he says, adjusting his glasses.

Maksim’s face changes at once.

Leonid opens the folder. “They copied Elena’s invoice format and used her foundation’s name to move cargo.”

Maksim turns to Morozov. “You used my wife’s foundation.”

Morozov says nothing.

Maksim closes the folder and hands it back to Leonid. “Everyone involved loses protection, papers, accounts, and safe houses.”

Leonid nods once.

Maksim’s eyes stay on Morozov. “After that, we decide who keeps his hands.”

Leonid tucks the folder under his arm. “I’ll make sure the real foundation records are pushed first. The fake invoices won’t stand.”