by Cher Etan
It was still strange to him that his father would go to such ridiculous lengths to secure this property. I mean yes, it was a very successful restaurant but not exceptionally so. The bed and breakfast in New Shoreham was doing much better and so was the inn in LA. What was so special about this one? Maybe his father was just trying to hurt him because he knew this was his favorite one of all. Perhaps this was his way of getting back at Tony for the death of his mother and brother. Tony had been a boy of nineteen when it happened; the car accident that killed them, but he had been driving the car that did it. He had tried to tell his father that the brakes had failed but he would not listen. Tony wasn’t even sure anymore that it hadn’t completely been his fault. The police had found no evidence of foul play.
Tony tried to shake off the memories but he could feel them pulling him down, drowning him in their futility and misery. He picked up his cell phone and dialed.
“Hey you,” he said.
“Hey.”
“You sound sleepy.”
“I am. Just had a nap.”
“Aw, did I wake you? I’m sorry.”
“No you didn’t. The hunger woke me; I was just going to eat the fridge. Are you coming for lunch?”
“You think I’d miss the chance to eat with my baby mama?”
“Alright, I’ll wait for you. Hurry.”
“I will. See you in five,” Tony said and hung up as he hurried out the door. Charlie, the maitre’d, came up to him, opening his mouth to ask something or tell him something but Tony was already shaking his head in negation.
“Not my problem anymore Charlie. I’m sorry but my wife is waiting for me.”
“This is a mistake Tony,” Charlie called after him as he exited the door.
“I know; nothing to be done about it now,” Tony called back even as he slid into the back seat of the SUV and let Samuel drive him home. Ever since the accident, he preferred not to drive himself.
He found Sophie at the table, sitting with her brother and nibbling at an apple. He raised his brow at her.
“I was waiting for you,” she protested at his unvoiced objections.
“Mmmphm,” was all Tony said and came to sit down. “Shall we eat?”
Katarina came in with a hot plate piled with chicken fricassee and another filled with salads. She placed both of these in front of Sophie with a smile and then turned to Tony. “And what will you be having for lunch sir?” she asked.
Tony looked at Sophie’s plates and smiled. “Is there any more of this?” he asked.
“Sure. I’ll make up a plate for you,” Katarina said.
“I’ll help you,” Solomon said, leaping up.
Katarina opened her mouth to protest but then closed it again with a glance at Tony and Sophie.
“Looks like Sol has a crush,” Sophie whispered to Tony.
“Cute,” Tony said smiling at her as he stole some chicken off her plate behind her back.
“Hey!” she said slapping his hand.
“I’m hungry,” he protested.
“Too bad, wait for your own plate. I’m eating for two here.”
“Yes you are. Are you as excited as me?”
“No one in the universe could be as excited as you.”
“True. Thank you for the joy you bring to my life.”
“You’re welcome,” Sophie said.
Chapter 5
A few days later, Sophie was out walking in the garden with Solomon, discussing his art and his budding unspoken friendship with Sam when her phone rang. It was her friend Curtis, from her workplace; he was the one who had found out that Tony’s father was embezzling funds from April Shower.
“Hey Curtis. What’s shakin?”
“I heard you were back in town early and I had to call and find out why you’re not back at work.”
“Technically, I’m still on my honeymoon; so yeah.”
“Okay then, but I understand that Tony is back at work.”
“Yes well, I’m not expected back until next week and that’s when I’ll be coming.”
“So? Deets? How’s marriage?”
“Marriage is great.”
“But you’re not abandoning us are you? The office isn’t the same without you.”
“Aww, you’re sweet.”
“I notice you didn’t say you’re not abandoning us,” Curtis said wryly. “Anyway if you’re not sure you’re coming here, could I come to you? There’s something I need to discuss with you and your husband.”
“Oh? Well I’m home now if…”
“I’ll come by then. Ask Tony to be present if he can.”
“Okay then Curtis. Is everything alright? You sound uncharacteristically serious.”
“I’ll see you in a bit,” he said and hung up; leaving Sophie staring at her phone in trepidation.
“What’s up?” Solomon asked.
“I don’t know,” Sophie replied, “But I guess I’ll know soon enough.” She looked up and smiled at him and then over his shoulder. She inclined her head in that direction and Solomon turned around to see Sam. He was standing on the path that meandered all over the garden. He was very still, staring at nothing they could see, but Solomon knew he was waiting for him.
“Excuse me a moment,” he said to Sophie and then went up to Sam stopping in front of him.
“Sam,” he said.
“Sol,” Sam replied.
“How are you this morning?”
“Fine. Can we draw?”
“Yes. Will you come up to my room where everything is set up?”
Sam nodded his head, all without looking at Solomon. Solomon turned around and headed to the house and with Sam following behind.
Meanwhile Sophie was calling Tony to update him on what Curtis had said.
“He said there’s something he needs to tell us. He’s coming over right now.”
“Did he say what it was about?”
“Nope. Are you coming?”
“Yes. Give me 20 minutes.”
Sophie peered out the window when she heard the car pull up. Tony came up to her and put his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.
“What do you think he wants to tell us?” he asked.
“Something bad,” Sophie said with certainty.
A knock sounded on the door and Katarina went to open it.
“Hallo. I’m here to see Sophie and Tony?” they heard him tell her. She let him in and indicated that he should go to the living room where they were waiting. He walked into the room and looked around, spotting them standing by the window, he smiled.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey yourself,” Sophie said, detaching herself from Tony so she could give Curtis a hug, “I’ve missed you; have you put on weight?” she teased.
“Perish the thought. You look like you’re glowing – marriage really does agree with you.”
“Yeah…marriage or something. So come sit, and spill; I really don’t like mysteries.”
Curtis sighed deeply and nodded his head. “It’s to do with the job you had me do at April Shower Tony.”
“Oh? What about it?”
“Well, you remember I uncovered some bank accounts in Russia belonging to a corporation?”
“Yes I remember. The name was Anastasia Aleksandrova which also happens to be my mother’s maiden name.”
“Oh. Really?” Curtis said.
“Yes, really,” Tony said.
“Well…I found something out about the corporation that maybe you need to know,” Curtis said as he went to pour himself some vodka.
“Oh, help yourself,” Sophie murmured.
“Thank you I will,” Curtis answered. “Ice?”
Sophie crossed over to retrieve the ice bucket from the shelf behind the bar and placed it in front of him.
“So, what did you find out?” she asked.
“Well it looks like your father might not be the sole owner of this corporation. There are…other partners who are involved. In fact, they seem to
hold the majority shareholding.”
“Who are these people?” Tony demanded.
“I think they’re Bratva. I traced the bank deposits to Eastern Europe and then into the private accounts of someone named Konstantin. One name, that’s all I could get. I did some searching online and there is a Konstantin working out of Boston who is suspected to be the local head of the Russian Mafia. If your father is in league with them…”
“Are you positive he’s the same guy?”
“No. I’m not sure of anything. All I have is a name.”
***
Solomon could feel her looking at him from behind the door but kept his head down and continued to shade the still life of the bowl of flowers in his room. Sam sat beside him watching him intently. He did that and then he copied whatever Sol drew almost perfectly. It was uncanny but Solomon figured it was part of his autism. Perhaps he was some kind of Savant.
“I appreciate you taking your time with him,” Katarina ventured coming a little closer but not quite in the room. It made Solomon feel like he was tickling trout. His grandfather used to take hi-.
His mind stopped short. That had been an actual memory.
“What’s the matter?” Katarina asked finally coming right into the room. Solomon realized that his hand was suspended in mid air and he was staring at nothing.
“I…just remembered something,” he told her.
“Oh?” she said coming to sit down on the chair opposite him. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice that her knee was practically touching his.
“Yes, my grandfather used to take me fishing. We used to tickle trout and frogs in the bayou when I was barely five.”
“That’s good isn’t it? That you remember?” Katarina said, smiling tentatively.
Solomon smiled back finally noticing that Katarina was in his room, sitting opposite him; while her son reproduced the picture he had drawn next to him. He almost wanted to stop breathing in case he startled one or the other.
“Yes it’s good; but this is better,” he said. He saw her eyes change at that but she didn’t try to pretend she didn’t know what he meant.
“I think your sister and Tony are getting some bad news downstairs.”
“What news?” Solomon asked while noting that she was changing the subject.
“I don’t know. Something about the April Shower I think.”
“Really?” Solomon asked straightening up.
“Yes,” Katarina said; eyes on her son.
Solomon sighed in resignation, wondering when he would ever get this opportunity again. But he knew he had to go downstairs and find out what was going on.
“Wait for me here?” he asked Katarina.
She nodded her head and Sam didn’t even look up. Solomon looked from one to the other, hesitated another moment and then stood up and left the room. He descended the stairs where he could hear the voices in the living room, talking about someone named Konstantin. The name was familiar…
***
“Why would your father want to be mixed up with the Russian Mafia?” Sophie was asking Tony.
He shrugged, looking at Curtis. “Did you find anything else?”
Curtis shook his head apologetically. “Nothing concrete. And at this juncture, I can’t really poke around without triggering some alarm bells.”
“And what does it mean if he is in bed with this Konstantin?”
“He is,” a voice said from the doorway and they all turned around to look at Solomon.
“How do you know?” Sophie asked him.
“When I was with him, he was always on the phone with someone he called ‘Kos’. He seemed to be arguing with him. I don’t know what they were saying because they were talking Russian most of the time; but the April Shower was mentioned more than once, and sometimes your father seemed to be bargaining. He said one time, ‘I need more time; give me more time’. He seemed to be almost pleading or whatever passes for pleading in his voice. That man is like, cold,” Solomon said with a shiver.
“Weird,” Curtis said.
“Yeah,” Sophie agreed.
Tony said nothing, just looked thoughtful as he kept an absentminded hold on the small of Sophie’s back.
“I need to talk to him,” he said at last. This caused an explosion of protest from everyone in the room, all stating that it was just too dangerous but Tony stayed resolute.
“Why don’t we talk to your Uncle Mikhail first huh?” Sophie persuaded. “He might know something.”
“That’s an idea,” Tony agreed.
“Great; then that’s what we’ll do,” Sophie said with relief.
“I’m sorry darling but ‘we’ aren’t doing anything. You’re pregnant and you shouldn’t be stressed. I’ll do this alone,” Tony said. Sophie opened her mouth to protest but Tony put out a hand to stop her. “No Sophie, this is not negotiable.”
“I’ll go,” Solomon volunteered, putting his hand up.
“No,” Sophie and Tony said simultaneously.
“Why not?” Solomon protested.
“Because,” Sophie said.
“Look I was there when he met with some men just before the exchange was made. I might have some insights to share that might be helpful,” Solomon said.
“Sol, no!” Sophie snapped.
“Actually…” Tony said thoughtfully.
“No!” Sophie said giving him a betrayed glance.
“He might be useful,” Tony persuaded. “I’ll keep him safe. I promise.”
“I’m going,” Solomon declared.
“You heard him – he’s going,” Tony said to Sophie. She glared at both of them then twirled and sat down on the sofa in a huff.
“Oh, don’t sulk baby.” Tony cajoled her but she just turned her face away. Solomon came and sat next to her, taking her hand in his.
“Please let me help,” he said softly to her. Her lower lip trembled and she wouldn’t look at him, but she nodded her acquiescence.
***
Tony called his uncle Mikhail from the car letting him know they were on the way. His uncle wanted to know if there was a problem but Tony just said he couldn’t talk on the phone. There was a tone in his uncle’s voice that disturbed him; his uncle knew something was up – he could tell. The question was, would he tell him?
“Are you nervous?” Solomon asked him, leaning forward to look at his face.
“Yes. You?” Tony said.
“No, I’m fine,” Solomon said with a smile.
“Lucky you,” Tony said wryly.
They rode the rest of the way in silence. Aunt Cara was waiting at the shop’s entrance when they arrived. She smiled nervously at them as Tony introduced Solomon.
“It’s good to meet you in the flesh,” she told Solomon.
“In the flesh?” Solomon asked with surprise.
“Yes, we’re the ones who found you.”
Solomon stared at her in surprise and then laughed. “Oh well I guess that shouldn’t surprise me. That’s how Tony’s father knew where I was right?”
“We did not tell him, I assure you.”
“No of course not, but he probably heard it here, or stole the info.”
“Maybe. But it wasn’t deliberate and I’m sorry for what happened.”
“Don’t even worry about it; I got to see Russia. Let’s look on the bright side,” Solomon said with a huge grin.
Aunt Cara smiled back and led them down to the basement where Uncle Mikhail was busy at his worktable.
“Hello Tony,” he said without looking up.
“Hi Uncle Mikhail. This is Solomon.”
“Hello Solomon.”
“Hello Mr. Mikhail.”
“Call me Uncle Mikhail.”
“Hello Uncle Mikhail,” Solomon said smiling broadly as he sat down at the work table. “What are you doing?”
“Making passports,” Mikhail said eyes on his work.
“Oh,” Solomon said and grimaced at Tony. Tony grinned back at him and came t
o sit down next to him.
“Uncle Mikhail, we have a problem and we think you can help,” Tony said.
“What’s the problem?”
“Why does father want the April Shower?”
Uncle Mikhail looked up at him, studying him intently. “Why do you ask me that?”
“Because he seems to be in partnership with the Russian Mafia and I just want to know what is going on.”
“Partnership? What makes you think that?” Mikhail asked.
“His corporation, Anastasia Aleksandrova is partly owned by these people. Some man called Konstantin that is said to run the American branch of this mafia.”
“I see you have learned quite a bit,” Mikhail said.
“So tell me the rest,” Tony said.
“You don’t want to know. And it’s not my place to tell you,” Mikhail said.
“He’s being blackmailed isn’t he?” Solomon chimed in.
Mikhail Petrov stared at him in stupefaction. “How did you figure that out?” he asked.
“Because he was worried about his son when I was with him,” Solomon said. “And he was definitely bargaining with whomever he was talking to on the phone. The nurse who was in charge of procurement at the mental hospital used to use exactly that tone. There was never enough money for everything we needed.”
“How do you know he was worried about me?” Tony asked.
“He had this like, permanent frown on his face and he paced a lot. Also, there was a picture he used to look at. It was hanging on the wall in this bunker we were in and he used to walk back and forth in front of it, just occasionally glancing at it and his frown would get deeper. “
“Who was in the picture?”
“You were and I guess the woman was your mother, she had the same eyes as you and the other boy must have been your small brother.”
“How do you know he was worried? He was probably just really angry with me.”
“He wasn’t,” Mikhail said. “He was scared.”
Tony and Solomon stared at him with their mouths open.