“So what the hell happened?” Nick heard behind him. He turned to face Tom. He had run into his friend in the hotel foyer, and he was sure Tom immediately knew something was up. Nick didn’t have a scratch on him, but he was breathing hard and had a wild look in his eyes. They had walked silently up the wide, carpeted stairs to their rooms and retrieved their room keys from the Key Lady. Nick appreciated that Tom hadn’t asked anything until they got to his room.
“I was mugged,” Nick said.
“Holy crap!” Tom said. “Did they take your wallet?”
Nick shook his head. “No, I managed to get away. It was pretty scary, though.”
“No doubt. Wow, I’ve never heard of that happening around here.” “Well,” Nick replied, “It was closer to the river. I was on my way back from dinner.”
“Yeah, we missed you at the Chicken Shack.”
Nick told him about the restaurant, Anya, and the others. He didn’t leave much out but didn’t elaborate, either.
Tom grinned. “Sounds like you had some fun,” he said, with a touch of envy.
“Until I was mugged.”
His grin faltered. “Oh, yeah. Sorry.”
“There’s something else,” Nick said.
Tom looked at him.
“One of them spoke to me,” Nick said.
“So?”
“In English”
“What’d he say?”
“He said, ‘Hello, dead man.’”
Tom stared at Nick for a second, then said, “That’s kind of a messed-up thing to say, even in a mugging, isn’t it?”
Nick nodded. “It’s almost as if he knew who I was.”
“Do you think he did?”
Nick nodded again.
“Sergei?”
“Yep. Or Maxsim, that punk pimp.”
Tom got up, went to the fridge, and pulled out two Balticas. He handed one to Nick. “So, you think those guys followed you?” he asked.
“That’s about all I can come up with,” Nick said after draining most of the bottle, “unless it was a very coincidental robbery attempt. And I don’t believe in coincidences.”
Tom stared into his beer bottle for a long time, as if trying to find the answer in the brew. He finally looked at Nick. “You’d better be careful, big fellah.”
“Thanks for the tip, Sherlock,” Nick said.
“Maybe one of us should go with you from now on.”
“No,” Nick replied. “I’ll just be careful. Maybe they’re satisfied now, knowing they put a scare into me.” Nick knew it wasn’t true, but he had to keep Tom and Michelle out of the mess. He didn’t think putting two of his goons in the hospital would make his enemies feel any kinder towards him, but it was his fight and not theirs.
“Are you going to tell Kelli?” Tom asked.
Nick had thought about that on the way back to the hotel. “Yes, I will,” he said. “As soon as I get home with Nonna.”
He stopped and looked around. It had suddenly occurred to him that they were alone. “Hey, where’s Scott?” he asked.
Tom looked uneasy. “I was hoping you knew. I haven’t seen him all day. I figured he was in here.”
They checked on Scott’s whereabouts with Michelle, but she hadn’t kept track of him. She was too busy making sure Katie didn’t slit her wrists, she said. She made it sound as if she didn’t care what happened to Scott.
Nick wasn’t too concerned about the man, either, so he unlocked his door and went to bed.
He slept better than he thought he would, and in the morning took a long shower in the cold water. It helped clear his head. He thought hard for a moment, then came to the conclusion it was Saturday. The days seemed to blur together. Eight days left. Or maybe it was seven. He shrugged as the water coursed over him. Nick knew they’d tell him when it was time to leave.
Scott had come in early in the morning, being none too quiet about it. Nick was glad he didn’t waste time worrying about the idiot the night before. Scott was still asleep when Nick stepped out of the cool, air-conditioned hotel room and into the steamy hallway. It was only mid-morning but he knew it would be another hot and sunny day. Wherever they made clouds, it was nowhere near Rostov. He grinned and told himself he’d have to mention that to Nonna when she was older.
If Nonna was happy to see him she didn’t show it, but she did let him hold her for the entire time and they had fun playing in the courtyard. After talking with Lauren, Nick was anxious to get Nonna out of the orphanage and bring her home, where she’d have a chance to make something of herself. For the first time, he found himself looking at the other babies, wondering who was going to rescue them. He wished he could take them all home with him.
He saw her leaning against a tree near his hotel, and had to look twice to make sure it was Lauren. She motioned him over. She still had her bruises, but they were beginning to fade.
“You’re in danger,” she said without preamble. She showed little emotion. She could have been saying “It’s going to be warm today,” or “We need potatoes for dinner.” She was simply stating a fact. “Sergei?” Nick asked.
She nodded. “And Maxsim.”
“So they work together.”
Lauren nodded. “They are, how you say, partners.”
“Two of their goons attacked me last night,” Nick said. He’d been pretty sure it was Sergei. Now he was certain, and Maxsim was thrown in as well. Nick felt popular.
“It seems you did attacking.”
Nick shook his head. “I just got the jump on them. They weren’t very observant.”
“You shouldn’t break their knees.”
“What?” Nick asked. “I didn’t break any knees. I knocked them out and probably broke an elbow, but that was it.”
“Max said you broke knees, they go to hospital.”
“That’s a lie,” Nick said. That bastard.
She shrugged. “Perhaps. But they are very angry. They want…” She pounded one fist into her open palm a few times.
“Revenge.”
“Yes, that’s it. Revenge.”
“What are they planning to do?”
“I don’t know. I heard Max yell, through wall. But not good. He’s killed men for less.”
Nick sighed. Being told somebody was planning to kill you was bad enough, but he had something else on his mind.
“Do they know about the adoption?” he asked.
“No,” Lauren replied. “Sergei asked me why you here. I said business.”
Nick felt relief flow through him, and touched her hand. “Thank you,” he said.
She smiled briefly, and now Nick saw tears in her eyes. “You should not have angered him. Not for me.”
He felt the frustration come on again as he remembered the scene in the club. “Somebody had to. He beat you up!”
Now the tears flowed down her cheeks. She made no motion to wipe them away. “He does that. You shouldn’t be in danger for me.”
“I can handle myself,” Nick said.
“No, no,” she said, and her lower lip trembled. “Maxsim is bad man, very angry. Sergei is…not so angry, but a bad man, too.”
“So what should I do?” he asked.
“Can you get your baby now, and leave?”
“No, I can’t,” Nick replied. “I have to wait another week.”
She wiped away the tear on her right cheek. “That’s a pity,” she said.
Nick had to agree. “So they definitely don’t know about—about my baby?”
She shook her head. “They never say it.”
“I wonder how they found me?”
“I think Sergei’s man saw you at restaurant.”
“At the Olymp?” He wondered who it was. He really hoped it wasn’t Anya or her cousin. They didn’t seem like people who would associate with Sergei, though.
When he looked back at Lauren, her eyes were wide. “You went to Café Olymp? How did you know to go there?”
“I didn’t know to go there, I just found it as I w
alked.” He immediately felt bad about the lie, but didn’t want to mention Anya.
“Really,” she said. She looked doubtful.
“Yes. Why?”
She started to tell him, then stopped herself. “Nothing, no reason. It’s far away. I’m surprised you knew of it.”
“I walked a long way. I had a lot to think about.”
She pulled herself away from the tree. He could tell she was getting ready to leave. “You still have things to think about. You must be careful. You must get your baby home!” The tears welled in her eyes again.
“Your English is very good,” he said, trying to change the subject and to make her feel better.
She rubbed an eye and managed a smile. “Thank you. I studied from book with a friend in orphanage. And now I like to practice with my American clients.”
He gave her a hug. She started to pull away, but relaxed and laid her head against his shoulder, briefly. She then straightened up and stepped back.
“I must go, Maxsim might see me here.”
He looked around quickly. “Damn, I didn’t think of that. If they’re on to me, they’re going to see you talking to me.”
“Yes,” she replied, more calmly than he felt. “But they aren’t here yet. Max doesn’t move fast, and Sergei is away this morning. I must leave now and we cannot talk again. You must leave as well. Perhaps find another hotel.”
“Perhaps,” Nick replied. He didn’t like the sound of that. The adoption people wouldn’t have the new hotel name, and when they found out he had moved they’d ask all sorts of questions that he’d prefer not to answer. And Kelli would immediately suspect the worst.
Lauren hesitated, then stepped up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. Before he could react, she was gone.
Somehow he knew he’d never see her again.
Chapter 11
Nick decided to stay in his room the rest of the day. Originally it was only going to be for a few hours. Take a nap, read, reflect on how to avoid being killed. But his thinking rapidly led him to a conclusion: he was here to start a family, not a war, and he had to do what he had to do to get Nonna and get out of Russia. Alive.
He didn’t like it, though. Lauren’s situation bothered him. Forced into prostitution, beat up by her pimp. Nick had grown up around the U.S. and wasn’t naïve. He knew what was going on. But to have it thrust in his face like that was disconcerting. Lauren seemed like an intelligent woman. More likely, she would have been intelligent if she had had a chance to develop herself. But now she was doomed to a life slaving away for bastards like Maxsim, chastising people for daring to help her. She was a good person. Could still be a good person. It took guts for her to warn him about Maxsim and his goons. She didn’t have to do that.
But she did. And that meant something to him.
Deep inside, Nick knew part of the reason he had started to back down was to protect her. Because of what happened yesterday, she was linked with him in Maxsim’s mind. Best if Nick just disappeared.
But he had to eat, so he joined Tom and Michelle at the Chicken Shack. He walked along the side of the parking lot, keeping the rest of the shack between him and the bar. When he got to the wooden structure he peered around the side and was relieved to see another bartender behind the counter.
“We missed you last night,” Michelle said as they sat down. “Where did you go?”
“Oh, I was out walking and found a nice place down by the river,” Nick said. Tom looked up, but said nothing.
“How’s Katie doing?” Nick asked.
Michelle shook her head and pursed her lips. “I talked to her this morning, she’s taking it pretty hard. A lot of crying. She wouldn’t come to the door tonight, but the key lady said she’s still in her room. I’ll check again before bed. Poor kid.”
Nick expected her to ask about Scott, but she didn’t.
The chicken came and went, the beer came and went, and more beer came. The entire time Nick kept glancing around the periphery, wondering if there were goons out there, waiting for him to venture out on his own. And if he didn’t, would they try something in the Chicken Shack? He doubted it, but his back tingled every so often at the thought of a bullet hitting him out of nowhere.
At eight o’clock, as Nick was getting ready to creep back up to his room, the mood at the table suddenly tensed up. Nick, who had been talking to Michelle, turned and saw Sergei standing in the entrance to the shack. The man saw Nick, stopped as if he couldn’t believe his eyes, smiled widely, and went behind the bar. A few moments later the other bartender left.
Michelle gamely tried to move on, asking Tom if he had heard how the Yankees were doing. Nick tried to listen, but his eyes kept returning to the bar. Most of the time Sergei was watching him, a sneer on his face. Sergei knew he was stressing Nick and the others out.
Finally Nick had enough. He stood up. “I’m going to go over and piss in Sergei’s sandbox,” he said. He brushed off his shirt and the front of his pants and turned towards the bar.
“Why would you want to do that?” Michelle asked. “He’s pissed off enough at you.”
“I need to see what he’s up to,” Nick said. “If he wants a piece of me, I’m going to give him the chance instead of skulking around in the dark.”
He walked to the bar, knowing Tom and Michelle were watching him. He walked as confidently as he could, a confidence he wasn’t feeling.
Sergei saw him approach and leaned on the bar, hands clasped in front of him. Nick walked up and leaned against the bar in a similar pose, two feet away. He didn’t look at Sergei as he said. “How’s your chin?”
Sergei smirked. “I’m fine. I don’t think your friends can say the same.” He made a show of looking around the room. “I don’t see them here.”
“They have a few things to talk over. But they’ll be fine.”
Sergei grunted. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
Now Nick did look at the bartender. “Sergei,” he said, “I don’t know if Katie’s paid you, and to be honest, I don’t care. But if you keep hassling her, it’s going to be my pleasure to knock your teeth down your throat.”
“Oh, she’s paid us,” the Russian replied with a grin that didn’t touch his eyes. “She’s much more cooperative than you. You could learn something from her.”
Nick leaned in until his face was a foot from Sergei’s. “I’m serious, Sergei. You have your money. It’s time to move on.”
“You’re next, American,” Sergei replied, his breath sour in Nick’s face. “You should be more worried about yourself than about your friends.”
Nick smiled. “Your goons tried it last night, big fellah. I hope they had good insurance. You know, maybe you’d better make sure your medical and dental insurance is paid up, because I don’t see you winning any fights any time soon.” He leaned back. “Unless, of course, some woman walks by and bails your ass out.”
Sergei’s grinned slipped, and the two men stared at each other a long moment. Finally Nick said, “Now get me a Baltica. I need to wash my mouth out after being this close to you.”
Sergei breathed hard several times, and Nick knew the man wanted to launch himself over the bar. But the Russian visibly calmed himself, turned, and grabbed a brown bottle out of the cooler. Nick watched carefully as Sergei flipped the cap off with his opener and carefully placed the bottle on the bar. Nick slid several bills across the counter to Sergei. “Here’s a little extra for you. You’ll probably want to save it to tip the nurses.”
Sergei watched Nick walk away, a dark expression on his face.
Tom looked over Nick’s shoulder as Nick approached the table. “He looks mad as hell, dude. What did you say to him?”
“Nothing much. I just wanted to feel him out, see what’s on his mind.”
“And what’s on his mind?”
Nick tipped his bottle in the direction of the couple. “Me. Which is a hell of a lot better than Katie or Scott. Cheers.”
Sunday morning was
as bright as Saturday’s had been. Scott had not returned during the night, which surprised Nick. He hoped Scott was in his own room with Katie. He told himself he’d check on it later in the day.
Nick refilled his bottles and nestled them back in the window. He double-checked the lock on the window. It was rusty and not thick. If anybody wanted to get in they wouldn’t be slowed down much. But there wasn’t much he could do about that. He didn’t expect a full frontal assault at the hotel, anyway. And if he was careful, they might not know where he went in the morning, either.
Nick had thought about not seeing Nonna, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. He’d sacrifice a lot, but not the chance to see his daughter. He’d just take a different route and keep an eye out behind him. And in front of him. And to the sides. He’d manage. He’d been in worse.
He left by the side door and walked two blocks west before heading south towards the orphanage. The road was narrower than the busy one he usually took, with plenty of places for an ambush, and Nick began to doubt the wisdom of his choice, but he made it to within a block of the orphanage without incident.
He edged up to a block apartment building across the street from the orphanage. Scraggly bushes lined the walkway to the gray building, and Nick smelled urine as he crept past the doorway. A dark cat stared at him from a first floor window, but nothing moved around him. He heard the faint rattle of cars a few blocks away.
Nick peered around the corner, trying to spot anybody lurking outside the orphanage. He couldn’t see well enough, and decided to just chance it. He didn’t want somebody calling the police because he was sneaking around their building.
He walked back out the walkway to the street, turned left, then left again so he was heading directly to the orphanage, a short block away. He put his hands in his pockets and walked fast, to avoid suspicion. Lauren said they didn’t know about Nonna, but arriving from a different direction than expected might give Nick a few seconds of surprise in case she was wrong.
Three green-and-white police cars were parked at odd angles in front of the orphanage gate, lights flashing. A dozen people in drab clothing milled around, watching. Nick saw two cops leaning against one of the cars, arms folded.
Worth The Risk Page 7