“There never has been,” said Rostnikov, “yet they strive, survive, and breed. Perhaps they are born with a deviant gene.”
“Perhaps,” said the young man. “When we get in the car, you will be searched. If you are wearing a listening device or recorder, we will find it. If you are carrying a weapon, it will be taken, you will be asked to get out, and we will be gone.”
“I carry no weapon. I carry no electronic or recording device,” said Rostnikov.
The man nodded, looked around, lifted his right hand to his head as if to smooth back his hair. No more than five seconds later, a modest black Zil pulled up, stopping traffic behind it. The windows of the car were tinted. The young man led the way to the car and opened the back door. Rostnikov slipped in awkwardly, pulling in his prosthetic leg a fraction of a second before the young man closed the door.
The car started. The young man remained behind on the street.
At Rostnikov’s left was a pale, thin, young, and quite ugly man with large teeth and a matching nose. The man wore a black zipper jacket exactly like the one worn by the man Rostnikov had spoken to moments earlier.
The driver didn’t turn around. All that Rostnikov could see of him was his recently cut dark hair and his bull neck.
The thin young man said nothing and showed no emotion as he patted Rostnikov down, checking his wallet and even the paperback novel in the inspector’s pocket. He went so far as to examine Porfiry Petrovich’s artificial leg for secret compartments or listening devices. Satisfied, the ugly man reached over and touched the shoulder of the driver, who turned right at the next corner. Halfway down the narrow street the car stopped and the ugly man reached over to open Rostnikov’s door. Rostnikov obliged by stepping out, which, given his leg, took a bit of time.
As soon as he had cleared the door, it closed and Porfiry Petrovich found himself on an empty street of houses and shops with boarded-up windows. There was another car, black, tinted windows, not large, parked directly across the street. The rear door to the car opened and Rostnikov proceeded to the car and climbed in. He closed his door himself and looked over at the man at his side, as the car started and moved at a reasonable pace up the street.
“You wish to talk to me,” the man said.
He was about Rostnikov’s height but much lighter. He was also about Rostnikov’s age but looked much older. His hair was thin and straight. His skin, already dark, was weathered and wrinkled by the sun. The face, however, was dominated by a black patch that covered the man’s right eye. All these things Rostnikov had known about Casmir Chenko, Glahz, the Tatar.
“Valentin Lashkovich,” said Rostnikov, trying to find a comfortable position and keep his eyes on Chenko. “You know he is dead.”
“I know,” said Chenko.
“Do you also know who killed him?”
“The Chechin,” said Chenko.
“Shatalov?” asked Rostnikov.
“Shatalov,” said Chenko. “He uses no other name, so one of my men called him Irving. We all call him that now. Shatalov knows and it displeases him. We have reason to believe he is a Jew. So you see, Chief Inspector, we Tatars do have a sense of humor, perhaps not a profound one, but a sense of humor nonetheless. And we are not stupid, or foul-smelling, or particularly sullen.”
“I never thought you were,” said Rostnikov.
Chenko, who had sat forward when he spoke, now leaned back. “What do you want, policeman?”
“You are going to kill one of Shatalov’s men in retaliation,” said Rostnikov as the car drove past the old Tretyakov Art Gallery.
“And you don’t want me to do it?” said Chenko.
“That is right,” said Rostnikov.
“This began when Shatalov killed one of my men two months ago,” said Chenko calmly. “Shot him in a hotel sauna. You knew that?”
“I knew that,” said Rostnikov. “I mean I knew that one of your men was murdered. I do not know that Shatalov did it. I have some reason to believe that it may indeed be someone else.”
“Who else?” asked Chenko.
“Another Mafia that wants you two to kill each other off so they can move in on your territories when you are both weak,” said Rostnikov. “A lone man, perhaps a member of one of your organizations, who sees an opportunity for advancement if a war breaks out between you. Perhaps …”
“You are groping for diamonds in the Siberian tundra,” said Chenko. “Shatalov did it.”
“And you did it back and he did it back. And now it will continue.”
“I have not yet answered his affront. If someone has killed one or more of his people, let him look to his own organization. For the last time, policeman, what do you want?”
“A meeting between you and Shatalov.”
“I do not think that a good idea,” said Chenko.
“All right then, a promise from you that there will be no violence, no retaliation for Laskovich’s murder, not till my office has time to investigate.”
“That might be possible,” said Chenko, “if no more of my people are attacked by the Chechins, though I see no good that can come from a one-sided truce.”
“I will try to arrange a truce with a time limit,” said Rostnikov. “You want something in return. You would not have agreed to see me if you didn’t want something.”
“The body of Valentin Lashkovich,” said Chenko. “Tonight. To be delivered to this location.”
Chenko handed Rostnikov a card. It contained a name and address of a well-known mortuary known to be used by criminals at all levels. It was more than suspected that the mortuary did more than handle the internment of the publicly dead. A large number of people who had unfortunately displeased criminals had disappeared, supposedly into unmarked graves far outside the city. Disposing of the dead was now big business in Moscow.
“It shall be,” said Rostnikov. “I have your word?”
“Under the conditions and if the Chechin agrees to the same terms,” said Chenko. “You are going to meet with Shatalov?”
“Yes,” said Rostnikov.
Chenko opened a small zipper bag on the floor, took out a cell phone, dialed, and handed it to Rostnikov.
“A woman will answer,” said Chenko. “Tell her who you are. Tell her you have a message that must be delivered in person.”
Chenko handed the phone to Rostnikov. A woman’s voice said, “Yes?” Rostnikov said what Chenko had told him to say and gave his office phone number. “I do not know any Shatalov,” the woman said.
“The message remains,” said Rostnikov.
Chenko reached over and took the phone from Porfiry Petrovich. “Natalya, daughter of a snake,” he said. “Tell Irving I will hang his head over my desk.”
Chenko pressed a button on the phone and put it back in the zipper bag.
“You think that will make it more likely that Shatalov will call me?” asked Rostnikov.
“It will make your request undeniable,” said Chenko. “Shatalov will be angry. Shatalov will want to save face. Shatalov will call you, meet with you, and give you a message for me. It will be a warning. I will laugh at it.”
Rostnikov could not imagine Chenko laughing.
“There is no more to discuss,” said Chenko.
“I may wish to talk to you again when more is known,” said Rostnikov.
“If there is something to discuss,” said Chenko, “you know how to get a message to me. Final question, policeman.”
“Ask.”
“Why do you want us to stop killing each other? Why do you want to prevent a war?”
“Innocent people die in wars,” said Rostnikov. “Besides, it is an assignment that has been given to me by my superiors.”
Chenko made a sound. He may have been clearing his throat. It may have been his version of a laugh.
“Let me tell you something, Russian policeman,” said Chenko, cocking his head to one side to see Rostnikov. “We care nothing for your wars. We are Tatars. Until 1552 we were an independent state, and then Ivan
the Terrible conquered us. In Kazan, the town where I was born, on a tiny island where the Volga and Kamra rivers meet, is a white pavilion built one hundred years ago in tribute to Ivan the Terrible. My mission in life is to return to Kazan and blow up that pavilion. Meanwhile, the self-declared Republic of Tatarstan flies only the red and green flag of ancient Tataria, and we have recently withheld tax payments from your corrupt government. When you people attacked Chechnya, Shatalov sat back in Moscow and let his people be murdered and crushed. If Russia attacks Tataria, we will wage a guerrilla war that will put Shatalov and the Irish Republican Army to shame.”
The car stopped. Chenko folded his arms and looked forward with his remaining eye. “If you give me Lashkovich’s body and the Chechin agrees, you will have your short truce. If you promise the prompt turning over of any of our people killed in battle in these streets, I will meet with Shatalov, but expect little from such a meeting.”
Rostnikov got out. The door closed and the car drove off. Rostnikov was, once again, standing before the statue of Pushkin.
Emil Karpo stood looking at the panorama before him—the Kremlin in the distance across from the river, the tarnished onion-like balls atop the churches along the river, the streets jammed with cars. The day was overcast, threatening. There was also the ever-present haze of pollution that seemed to grow worse by the week. What interested Karpo most about the view through the huge window, however, was the river. Getting the nude body of Valentin Lashkovich from the swimming pool behind Karpo to the river would have been a difficult task. Getting the body out of the hotel would have been more difficult. Yet Karpo was certain this was the place where the Mafia enforcer had been murdered.
His reasons for coming to the conclusion were simple. Lashkovich lived in the hotel. That had been easily discovered. Also, Lashkovich took postmidnight swims by himself almost every night. These things were not proof and Emil Karpo did not jump to conclusions. No, the evidence which a disinterested child could see was in the water itself. The water was slightly pink.
“Inspector,” came the voice of the day manager of the hotel who stood behind Emil Karpo, waiting for him to move or say something. The pale policeman in black had been standing at the window twelve floors above the street, hands at his sides, simply staring. Even at the sound of the manager’s voice. Karpo did not turn.
“Inspector,” the day manager, Carl Swartz repeated, “I have to get back to my office. We have almost one hundred Japanese businessmen staying with us, not to mention …”
“Why didn’t you call the police?” Karpo asked, without turning to look at Swartz.
Swartz was Danish. His Russian was extremely good. He wore a sad, understanding smile that said to all that he understood their problems, sympathized with them, and would do what he could to help. His suits were light gray, his ties stylish but not flashy, and his sparse, faded-yellow hair was brushed straight back. Swartz was lean, tall, and always calm.
“When I was informed about the condition of the pool,” Swartz said, “I came up and looked. Neither the pool-and-spa night manager nor the cleaning woman assigned here had the slightest idea why the pool looks like this. And I do not understand why you …”
“You have called them both and told them to come here?” Karpo asked.
“I had my assistant do so as soon as you requested their presence. I warn you. They have had little sleep. Both are on the night shift, five P.M. till one in the morning.”
Karpo said nothing. He watched a flat garbage boat slowly wind down the river. The two employees had probably gotten home around two in the morning. It was now almost nine. That was seven hours of sleep. Karpo never slept for more than five hours a night.
“You didn’t call the police,” Karpo said.
“I did not know what had happened,” said Swartz calmly. “I still do not. The day pool manager informed the desk of the problem. The desk told me. I came up and looked. The water is pink. It could be anything. Mischief by a drunk. Who knows? If the police had bothered to come, what would they have seen, done?”
Karpo turned, his hands at his sides, to face the manager. Swartz could not keep from taking a step back, though he was already a dozen feet away from the policeman. The manager’s helpful sad smile did not flicker.
“Unless you have some reason why we should not drain the pool and clean it, I’d like to get my people started. We’re not letting any of the guests in yet, but …”
“Did Lashkovich have his own locker?” asked Karpo.
“Lashkovich?”
Their eyes met. Karpo did not blink.
“The dead man,” said the police inspector when Swartz turned his eyes for an instant. “I believe you know who and what we are discussing. If you wish to discuss this elsewhere …”
“No,” said the hotel manager. “That won’t be necessary. Let’s see. Lashkovich. Yes, I think he had a locker. I will ask the daytime-shift pool and spa manager.”
“Have him see me, and keep the guests out,” said Karpo. “Tell me when the night manager and the cleaning woman arrive.”
Karpo walked past Swartz, heading for the door marked Men’s Shower in Russian, English, German, and Japanese.
“If you need help …” Swartz said, but Karpo was already through the door to the showers.
Swartz stood still waiting till the shower room door slowly closed. Only then did the helpful smile fade. He ran his open palm over his lips nervously and wondered what the hotel owners and the Mafia leaders would say or do when they discovered that Lashkovich had been murdered right in the hotel. He managed to restore his usual calm facade as the shower room door came open again.
“How many people are on your night staff?
“Sixty-four to seventy-one, depending on various factors.”
“Another officer will return tonight to talk to them,” said Karpo.
“All of them?” asked Swartz.
“Yes,” said Karpo, disappearing into the shower room again.
This time Swartz moved quickly. He wanted to spend as little time as he could with this ghostly figure. He preferred to take his chances with his superiors and the Mafia leaders. Swartz moved through the door to the carpeted reception area where a short, muscular man in dark slacks and a white T-shirt looked at him from behind the reception desk.
“How many guests have you had to turn away?”
“Fourteen.”
Swartz nodded as if filing the information for appropriate future action. The short man with the muscles looked relieved as his employer started to open the outer door.
“The policeman wants to see you,” said Swartz. “Cooperate. We must get him out as soon as possible. Be ready to drain the pool and have a crew come in to clean it. Tell Mitavonova to send at least five women for the job.”
The muscular man nodded. His boss left. The muscular man was named Kolya Ivanov. He was a body builder and had won the Mister Moscow competition five times in ten years. He was strong. He was confident, but he wished he did not have to deal with the pale policeman.
Kolya found the policeman in the men’s shower, where he was kneeling, one knee on the tiles.
“I was told you wanted to see me,” said Kolya.
“Wait,” said Karpo, examining the blue and white tiled wall under one of the showerheads.
The policeman looked at each square of tile and ran his hand gently over every inch. He was at the third showerhead. He rose slowly, feeling his way up the wall. Kolya was fascinated, but not so fascinated that he did not want to leave.
The policeman took a clear plastic bag from his pocket and removed something from the eye-level tile on which his hand had paused.
“How long has this tile been cracked?” asked Karpo, putting something Kolya did not see into the plastic bag.
“Cracked? I inspect every foot of the space here every evening when I leave. There was no crack last night.”
Kolya moved forward for a better look, which required him to get nearer the policeman than he like
d. Kolya’s eyesight was not perfect, but he could see well enough so that he didn’t have to wear his glasses to work. He had to get to within a yard of the tile before he saw it: a very thin, almost imperceptible crack.
“Lashkovich’s locker,” said the policeman.
“This way.”
The locker room was carpeted, an indoor-outdoor brown carpeting. The lockers were in three rows with padded benches for guests. The lockers were tall, polished oak, and quite elegant. Lashkovich’s locker was at the beginning of one row. Kolya opened it with his master key. It was empty.
“How did Lashkovich dress when he came up here?”
“Dress? Clothes?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve only seen him up here a few times,” said Kolya. “The night manager would know.”
“No one is to touch this locker, come in this room, come through your doors.”
“But our guests are …”
“No one,” Karpo repeated. “Not you. Not Swartz. Not the cleaning lady. No one.”
“No one,” Kolya said in resignation, dreading the rest of the day.
“The workout room,” the policeman said, facing Kolya.
“Through that door,” said Kolya, pointing to a door at the far end of the locker room.
“Inform me as soon as the night manager and the cleaning woman who was on duty last night arrive,” said Karpo, moving toward the door to the weight room.
“Immediately,” said Kolya.
The policeman entered the weight room, and Kolya quickly escaped to the relative safety of his reception room and the anticipation of angry guests who paid an average of three hundred dollars a night to stay in this hotel, which boasted all the amenities of the finest hotels in the world.
Except today they would not be able to use the health center.
Chapter Five
ELENA WAS SURE SHE WAS being followed almost as soon as she stepped out of the hotel. The young couple behind her, arm in arm, moved past her, laughing. The woman had long dark hair. The man was slender, equally dark, and handsome. They were poor actors. Their mirth was quite false. Neither one of them looked at her as they passed. And then Elena caught sight of the couple pausing half a block in front of her when she stopped to look in the window of a clothing store. Nothing was certain, however, till she had gone four more blocks, meandering through the streets, catching glimpses of the couple who now kept their distance and no longer smiled.
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