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“What’s got you working this late, Gregor?” Vasily was in his smoking jacket, a silk antique from the Frank Sinatra days. Burgundy paisley edged in black velvet. He smelled of five-hundred-dollar cigars.
“It’s as much personal as it is business, or I could have waited. But I need to tell you something about the situation with the Ivanovs.”
He lifted an eyebrow as he handed me a brandy. “I thought I told you to put that matter out of your mind.”
“I am not in a situation where that is possible, sir.” My tone was tight. I took the drink and sniffed it, frowning slightly. It smelled of pears.
“What do you mean?” he asked as we settled into overstuffed chairs in his study. The fire crackled in the tiled fireplace between us, bathing our legs in its warmth.
“Without bringing up too many distasteful details, the Ivanovs’ racket has not been completely dismantled, and I want permission to do so.”
“Oh. I see. That’s…interesting. Please go on.”
His eyes never left my face. It was like being under a spotlight.
“The family you had me eliminate during that sweep and clear had a supplier. Probably several, but this one is notable. They use a daycare as a front. One of the cousins runs it with his wife.They havelostthree children, all of which I was able to trace. One of them—”
“Oh, yes, that girl and her little fundraiser to try to find her daughter. You intercepted her, yes, kept her from sticking her nose too far into our affairs?”
“That is correct,” I said, wondering how he knew. Wondering if Sergei was discussing my life and loyalty with him over that same damn pear brandy. “She will not be looking further. I will be doing all of the investigation.”
“Well handled, but answer me this. What does that have to do with the Ivanovs? Did they take her child?”
I took a deep breath, prepared to give my pakhan the whole, unvarnished truth out of loyalty. But then something, some instinct I couldn’t place, made me hold back. “Yes. They did. That is why I could not let the Ivanov matter lie.”
“Why take it so personally?” He swirled his brandy in his glass as he stared at me.
“Her child is also my child.”
The swirling stopped. He sat back, blinking a few times, and set down his glass. “This woman was your lover. You’re certain the child is yours?”
“Until I find her, a DNA test cannot be conducted, but I am certain and have enough information to be confident about it. The woman had no reason to lie to me.”
I couldn’t entirely tell in the firelight, but he looked paler than I was used to seeing. I wondered if he was feeling well. “I see.And you want the blood of the ones who put their hands on your child.”
“They’re not going to stop trafficking just because they can’t sell to their relatives anymore. They are still doing it in your territory, against—”
“Yes. I’m aware of their transgressions, I don’t need them brought up again. You are correct in the need to remove both the Ivanov cousin and his wife. If this suits your need for revenge as well, so be it. I’ll pay you the same either way. As for the child. Where do you plan to look for her? You must be aware that she is likely either dead or out of the area.” He sounded nervous. Or was that my imagination?
“I plan to look for her at any property owned by the Ivanov family. I will ask Sergei to assist me if I get stuck, with your permission.” I was buying myself time, covering my own ass. Why wasn’t I all right with letting Vasily know I had already rescued the girl? Why had I hidden that fact from Sergei as well? This was the first time I had kept anything from the organization, but maybe it was that this time it waspersonal.
“Fine, fine. Hopefully, you’re able to find the girl, get her back to her mother, and stop all this extra drama. In the meantime, the Ivanovs are yours. I will let Sergei know that you may ask for his assistance.”
“Thank you, sir.” My heart was beating fast. For decades now, I had been completely loyal, with no doubts. But now doubts were creeping in, and I couldn’t stop them.
“You want my advice? Seduce the girl. Distract her.” His thumbnail rattled briefly against his glass as he reached for it, and I saw the shake in his hands. “Put another baby in her bellyif you need to. Whether you get the kid back or not, we can’t afford to have some would-be martyr snooping around. You know that.”
I nodded. “Of course.” His callous words stung, but had no strength with the tremor in them. He almost sounded scared.
“Gregor…” he ventured. “When you did the sweep and clear at the Ivanov home, did you…find anyone besides the four on the list?”
Again, that damned instinct. “Just those four. There were a lot of rooms that were clearly meant for captives, but every last one of them was empty.”
He looked almost confused for a moment, and then relieved. “Good. Captives can be tricky to deal with. Is the child old enough to talk?”
“She’s four. Once I rescue her…here’s hoping she doesn’t remember any of it when she’s older.” I didn’t like the taste of the brandy. It had been pleasant last night with Sergei, but it paled next to this afternoon’s Laphroaig. Or maybe that was just the kiss that had followed it.
“Of course. Poor little thing. You can clearly tell why I wanted the Ivanovs dead.”
