by K. J. Dahlen
Barshan stood very still, then he nodded his hands curling into fists.
CHAPTER TEN
Russell Jerome barely lifted his head and began searching the room around him. The dozen or so men were separated into their own little groups and he could see they were laughing and making small talk with each other. Several were standing at the bar drinking and a couple were even playing pool. The small warehouse they were in had been converted into a clubhouse of sorts, a meeting place for them all to hang out while they waited for their next gig.
Russell hated this place. It was run down enough that he cringed and the men living here in the back rooms were not the sort of men he cared to hang out with. They were dirty low lifes and he couldn’t wait to leave them behind him. But for now, they had done their jobs and Talli was his for now.
Without moving his head, he saw three men enter the main room. The one in the middle was the guy he’d hired when he needed someone inconspicuous to watch over the shop and to arrange the ram and grab that would get him the girl. He was the leader of this riffraff.
He broke away from the other two and came over to where Russell was sitting. Pulling out a chair from the table, he sat down and stared at Russell. “It seems you haven’t been completely honest with us Mr. Jerome.”
Russell stared at the man. “What’s the problem Rob?”
“You didn’t tell us the men we snatched the girl from today were Russian mob.” Rob growled.
Russell shrugged. “So what?”
Rob raised an eyebrow. “So what? Those guys are bat shit crazy. One of my boys stayed behind at the shop this afternoon and saw not only Bratva but Ukrainians coming and going all afternoon.”
“Is that a problem for you?” Russell asked as if he were bored.
“Hell yeah!” Rob looked furious. “It could become a big problem for all of us, and that includes you buddy.”
Russell shrugged. “Don’t worry, the girl and I will be gone in a few hours. When I leave here, our business will be complete and you’ll never see me again.”
Rob sat back in his chair and studied the other man. After a moment or so he had to ask, “What else are you hiding old man? What’s the deal with this girl? Is she involved with one of the Bratva? Is that why they might be coming down on us?”
Russell sat up and growled. “That is none of your business.”
“It might become my business if the men we took the girl away from come here looking for her.” Rob shifted in his seat looking scared. “What the fuck did you get us involved in?”
Russell straightened in his chair and gave the other man a glare. “I paid you and your men a great deal of money to watch the girl and report any activity to me. That’s all the job was until this morning when you firebombed her place of business and this afternoon you did a hit and snatch. Our business in now complete and when the new day breaks, I’ll take the girl and leave you in peace.” He swept the room and saw they had everyone’s attention by this time.
They all matched him glare for glare.
He turned back to face Rob. “I take it my time is up now, rather than in a few hours.”
“It’s for the best,” Rob grumbled. “My men tell me Bratva raided our other house. And might be on their way here. If you and the girl aren’t here, they will leave us alone.”
Russell tightened his lips but didn’t say a word as he got to his feet. Stomping down the narrow hallway, he opened the door and a few minutes later came back out with Talli. He forced her to walk in front of him and she stumbled down the hall into the main room.
She didn’t raise her eyes as it took every bit of her strength to walk. Then her ankle turned and she went down on her knee. Crying out, Russell grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. Then he shoved her forward. She could barely walk but he kept her upright until they got to the door.
Going across the parking lot, he dragged her along. Shoving her inside his car, he slammed the door then walked around the vehicle and got inside behind the wheel.
Talli was leaning up against the door’s interior with her eyes closed when he backed up and took off.
Sazon’s phone rang a few minutes later. When the call was done, he looked over at Barshan before he turned to address Yuri, “Jerome left the Watcher’s clubhouse with Talli. Everyone else left a few minutes later. One of our people are following them but he seems to be just driving around town.’
“Did anyone get a look at Talli?” Barshan asked. “Was she hurt from when they rammed the car earlier?”
Sazon glanced over at his brother. “Yeah, Stephanous said she didn’t look so good.”
Barshan felt his hands tighten into fists. He’d never felt more helpless in his life. Not even living in the streets of Moscow scared him this much.
“Barshan,” Yuri called out to him. “As soon as Felix and Rizvan arrive, we’ll move in on this motherfucker. We will get her back, have no doubt about that. This will end soon and she’ll be back in your arms again before the next sunset. I promise you this.”
Barshan sighed as he stared at Yuri. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep brother. We all swore an oath as young men that we wouldn’t lie to each other. I know you will try to get her back but you know as well as I do, you can’t control what Jerome will do to her.”
“I’m sure she’s told him that only she can open the safe so he’ll have to keep her alive at least that long,” Demi reminded them all. “She’s a very smart woman and she knows how to stay alive.”
“From the looks of the house, he couldn’t find it himself so he’ll need her alive to show him where Christophe hid it as well,” Sergi suggested.
“We should all go to the house and wait for them to arrive.” Travern shrugged. “If we get there first, we have the element of surprise working in our favor.”
“That’s true.” Sergi nodded. “As soon as the others arrive, we’ll go there and wait for them to show up.”
Four hours later, a long black limo pulled up to the front entrance of the hotel and four men stepped out. Felix Braaken was older than the others and his full head of white hair was neatly styled. His suit was made of fine wool and slightly warm in the hot damp air of New Orleans.
Rizvan Dreususs was dressed in a pair of slacks and a polo shirt. His dark hair was just greying and brushed back from his low forehead. Both men rushed into the hotel as four bodyguards followed behind them. All of them were rather on a bigger side and both watched everything going on around them.
When the men all reached the penthouse floor, Kosta was waiting for them in front of the elevators. As soon as the doors opened, he turned and led them down the hall to Yuri’s suite.
Moments later, everyone gathered in the living room and introductions were made.
“Gentlemen, I realize this is a meeting we wouldn’t normally be having at any cost but since everyone is here can someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Rizvan asked abruptly. “I’ve been snatched up from London and dragged half way across the globe and haven’t a clue as to the reason for all of this.”
Yuri passed him a picture of the man they knew as Russell Jerome. Rizvan took it and studied it for a moment then passed it back. “What has he done now?”
“Do you know him?” Sergi asked.
Rizvan nodded. “He is my cousin several times removed, Leon Pavel. Or so he claimed anyway.”
“We know him as Russell Jerome,” Barshan told him. “He’s a suspect in what could be more than one murder and earlier today he firebombed Christophe Janick’s jewelry shop and snatched his daughter in a hit and run.”
“Damn that fool,” Rizvan swore. “Who was it you think he murdered?”
“He married Christophe Janick’s widow several months ago and she suddenly died after a brief illness,” Yuri answered. “Before anyone could find out why she died, he had her body cremated.”
Rizvan looked disgusted. “That wouldn’t surprise me a bit. The man is unstable. Did he find Christophe’s safe? Was he able to get
to the contents?”
Yuri shook his head. “After his wife’s death, he began ransacking the house they lived in but apparently, couldn’t find the safe. He then tore apart Talli’s house and burgled the shop looking for a hidden safe. He stole several hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of precious jewels but I don’t think he never found the hidden safe. At least, he hasn’t found it yet. He took Talli hostage earlier today and we think he has plans to force her to reveal where the safe is hidden and then open it.”
“What did you give Christophe eleven years ago to keep hidden?” Sergi asked.
Rizvan sat down on the sofa hard. He looked exhausted from the trip. Rubbing his forehead to seemingly alleviate a headache he told them, “As you all know in 1917, Tzar Nikolas was arrested and taken into custody for treason against his own people. A year later, he and his family were shot and the royal family of Russia ceased to rule. Most of the Tzar’s extended family fled the homeland and went into exile including my own grandfather. However, before they left Russia, Nikolas entrusted certain items to them. These items were bits and pieces of our history and old family heirlooms. He said if he was able to reclaim his throne he would ask for the pieces back, so it was our duty to hold and protect these pieces.” He shrugged. “Most of the family were afraid to have these pieces in their possession if they were ever caught, so they sold them on the black market and lived very well for many years on the proceeds. My grandfather however, kept his piece of history. He hid it well and guarded it until the day he died. As did my father, as did I until the day I turned it over to Christophe. He did not want to help me and I’ll admit I had to force him to take the piece but he finally accepted it. He told me he had a safe place for it and would protect it well until I came to collect it.”
The men all listened and realized what Jerome had been after.
Shaking his head, Rizvan admitted, “I heard a year later he was murdered. When no one came forward with the piece, I figured it was still safely hidden.”
“What does this have to do with your cousin?” Felix posed the question.
“Thirteen years ago, Leon Pavel came to me and told me he’d tracked me down. He showed me the paperwork that supported his claim to be a member of my family. But he belonged on my mother’s side so he had no royal bloodline to speak of. He knew of the family heirlooms out there and he wanted the chance to use them to establish a claim to the lost throne of Russia.”
“What?” Felix gasped. “He wanted what?”
Rizvan nodded. “Yes you heard me, he wanted to establish a claim to the lost throne of Russia. I told him those days were long gone and there would never be another Tzar or ruling family but he wouldn’t accept that. He told me if I didn’t make the claim then he would and his family would be in power not the Romanov’s.”
“Is he completely insane?” Yuri asked.
“I think that he is.” Rizvan nodded. “I told him repeatedly there would never be another Tzar and that he was wasting his time and energy but the man wouldn’t listen to reason. He was relentless in his pursuit. For the next two years, he came every day and every day I told him I wasn’t interested in his claim. I knew I had to do something different after my home was broken into several times. Whoever it was he was searching for something specific. Some of the smaller items I owned disappeared but I knew Leon wouldn’t stop until he either had the piece he was after or he ended up killing me. He knew I was one of the last of my family. I was the only male heir left at the time, so I went into hiding to escape from him. I didn’t have a choice but to put the piece into someone else’s hands and Christophe was the only man I would trust with it.”
“So what piece of our history did you hide with Christophe?” Felix asked what they all had wondered about.
“Nikolas gave my grandfather the original crown of old Russia. The crown that rested on the heads of the rulers of Russia for hundreds of years.”
“But I thought that crown was on display in Moscow museum?” Travern asked.
Rizvan shook his head. “The crown on display is the one they took from Nikolas when they arrested him. The crown my grandfather had is much older.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Talli felt the car stop and opened her eyes. It was still dark outside but the shadows were beginning to fade. Looking out the window, she noted where they were. They had been driving around the city for hours and she was exhausted. They were about three houses away from her mother’s house but they were parked in the alley.
Her body was dull with pain and as long as she didn’t move, she could bear it. Russell had driven over railroad tracks several times during the night and with each time, her body screamed in pain. She refused to call out but the pain was so great, she almost passed out from it. She was worried that she was hurt worse than she knew but again, she wouldn’t call attention to her pain.
Russell didn’t care enough to give a shit and she was sure he would enjoy her suffering. Talli knew her life was over anyway once he got what he wanted, so the more time she could hold off showing him the safe the better for her. She was hoping Barshan would come for her even though he might not care for her as much as she cared for him.
“Come on,” Russell growled. “We need to get inside the house before anyone knows we’re there. Hopefully, we won’t run into any of your boyfriend’s men. That would only led to their deaths.”
“Why would you kill them?” She frowned.
“It would be them or me and right now, I’ve got nothing left to lose. I will not let anyone stop me at this point. I’ve come too far to be stopped now.” Russell snorted. “What’s in that safe is worth more than two hundred thousand lives. What’s in that safe is what dreams are made of. I’m not even sure what it is yet but whatever it is will stake my claim for becoming the next king of Russia.” Leaning over toward her, he snarled in her face, “And I will not be denied. You and I are going into that house and you will show me where the safe is hidden and you will open it for me. Do you understand?”
Talli nodded slowly. “I understand.” She could read the signs of insanity in his eyes. It was becoming more pronounced the closer they got to the prize. She no longer felt brave or stupid enough to laugh at his insanity. She watched as he drew a gun from the holster under his jacket.
Reaching in his jacket pocket, he pulled out a silencer and began twisting it on the end of his weapon. When Russell noted her gaze, he casually told her, “We wouldn’t want to wake the neighbors.” Then he pointed the weapon at her and motioned to the vehicle’s door. “Shall we go?”
Talli groaned and reached for the handle. When the door swung open, she almost fell out of the car. It took all her remaining strength to stay upright. Moving slowly, she managed to get out of the car and move along the side to the front of the vehicle.
Russell frowned as he noted her progress then reached out and grabbed her by the upper arm. “This is going to take all damn day at this rate. Let’s move this along.” He dragged her along and a few minutes later, they were in her mother’s backyard.
Standing in the shadows of the garage, Russell checked out the yard carefully. The sky would soon lighten and in the predawn light, the shadows were easing.
Talli didn’t bother looking around. She was praying to be rescued, so she hoped Barshan’s men were still in the area.
“Come on, it’s now or never,” Russell whispered harshly. Gripping her upper arm in a punishing grasp, he hurried her across the expanse of the backyard. When they reached the back door, he fumbled for his keys and unlocked it. Then he shoved her inside and taking one last look around, he followed her closely.
Pushing her down the hall and into the dark living room, he led her over to the sofa and forced her to sit down.
Talli could feel the tears building in her eyes. Her body felt like hell and each step she took had been painful. Her right leg was bleeding again, from what she figured was road rash from the hit and run the day before while the rope around her wrists was cutting into her
skin rubbing it raw. She could feel moisture around the ropes so she knew her wounds were bleeding again.
She could sense motion around her and when she looked up she could see Russell pacing back and forth in front of her. She couldn’t help but wonder what he was waiting for.
Breaking the silence, he asked, “How much light do you need to find and open the safe?”
“More than I have now.”
Russell stopped and turned to glare at her. “And why would that be? Are you trying to trick me?”
Talli shook her head and regretted the motion. Her head was pounding with pain. “No but you have to remember something. I was just a girl when my father showed me the safe. It’s been over eleven years since I even thought about it. I have to remember where exactly it is and I can’t do that in the dark.”
Russell grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up to him.
Talli wanted to scream in pain but she didn’t. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She couldn’t stop her tears however. They ran down her face and dripped off her chin.
“Don’t even think of crossing me child, you wouldn’t like what I’d do to you.” He gripped her hair even tighter then threw her back down on the sofa in disgust.
Talli fell back and tried to get her pain under control again. Opening her eyes, she watched as Russell began pacing back and forth again.
Several moments later, he walked over to the front window and peeked out, searching the neighborhood for any movement of any kind.
What he was looking for she didn’t know, nor did she care. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw something. Glancing to see where Russell stood, she slowly turned her head and searched the darkened room beyond for any kind of movement. She couldn’t see much in the darkness but did see a blur of movement. She didn’t know if it was friend or foe but she prayed it was friendly. Whatever or whoever the blur was it meant she wasn’t alone with a madman. She closed her eyes and prayed the blur was Barshan and that somehow he would rescue her.