Page 2 of Claimed in the Dark

Adrik knew that we were with him, and the Italian Mob boss was aware of how the smarmy up-and-coming politician had been out of touch lately. Rico Johnson had wanted to meet with Adrik recently, but he didn’t show up and wasn’t replying to calls.

“What does he want?” I asked.

“Nothing.” Adrik furrowed his brow. “He just thought that it would be kind to let us know that Gregori has been killed.”

I went still, watching him smirk on the screen. Alexei stiffened next to me, jerking to lean closer and stare him down. “What the fuck did you say?”

“Rico Johnson’s office informed me that Gregori is dead.” Adrik didn’t share the news with enthusiasm. No shock carried in his tone. He stated it with a wry disbelief that implied he wasn’t buying that story.

Again.

All those years ago, that was what we were told. That Gregori was dead, killed when he planted a bomb at a meeting with many bosses, a bomb that was intended to kill my grandfather and father. It had taken out my grandfather, but my father survived to be Pakhan. Gregori faked his death, letting the world think that he’d died in the same explosion.

“He got any proof of that?” Stefan asked, similarly skeptical.

“No. Just a message,” Adrik said. “And it’s not even from him, I don’t think. Just from his office.” He rolled his eyes.

“So, it’s another manipulative tactic, right?” I guessed. The last time Rico Johnson reached out to Adrik, it was to meet up. And in that distraction of going to speak with him, a federal agent snuck into Viktor’s house to try to kill his wife.

“I think so,” Adrik said. “But it warrants someone checking it out.”

I lifted my hand halfheartedly. Alexei and I were the only ones not tied down with a wife or kid—something that would probably stay that way for a long time. Since Alexei was heading up this job of looking into the hit on Adrik and investigating the Konstantins’ involvement in Gregori’s network, it seemed like it would be up to me to volunteer for this wild goose chase.

Gregori, dead?

Yeah, right.

I wasn’t falling for that again.

“He got a body or a location or… anything?” I asked.

“No.”

I huffed. “Of course. He’s just claiming this with no evidence? A rumor?” That wasn’t much to look into.

“Rico Johnson’s office sent the name of the security firm that supposedly has surveillance footage of a body being moved. A body that is apparently Gregori’s.” Adrik paused, probably addressing someone else who’d come into his office and asked him something. “This security firm isn’t one that’s backed by any family. Not that we can tell. Pickering Inc.” He shrugged. “It’s a small company that does security work downtown.”

“So I’ve got to hunt down a civilian for this surveillance feed?” It sounded like a pain in the ass already.

“Yes. But if this employee is hiding the video, they’re complicit.” He hardened his face into a scowl. “And I’m not in the mood for this bullshit. Just go find him and take him out.”

Alexei leaned in more, as if needing to remind Adrik that he was here. “Why not capture this rent-a-cop and see what they know?”

“That’s what I’d do,” Stefan said, chiming in.

“I didn’t ask you,” Adrik said. “I’m not in the mood to waste time on this. If this employee is hiding the surveillance feed that shows this supposed body being moved from a van to a warehouse, then they’re involved. This individual could be a witness.”

“Or an accomplice,” Stefan said. “Which is all the more reason to capture the civilian and question them first.”

“Or…” Adrik drawled, annoyed, “we can just have a clean kill. Eliminate this loose and indirect connection to someone who could be an active player in Gregori’s network.” He rubbed his temple. “I’m tired of dealing with this bullshit. After that last hit was placed on me and still not finding the assassin who’d taken that assignment… No. Just go and eliminate this witness. Get the video if you can, of course, but just make it a clean kill and move on.”

I nodded, never in the position to talk back or argue. Adrik wasn’t technically the Pakhan yet, but he was basically in charge. He would be sworn in with an official ceremony the day our father passed away—which would soon be any day now, according to the medical team we’d hired to look after him.

“Eliminate the loose thread,” I confirmed. “I can handle that.”

“Good.” Adrik dipped his chin in acknowledgment.

“What the hell,” Alexei muttered. “Sounds like a routine cleanup. Simple and short.”