Marco blinked.
What had gone wrong? He would question the man soon, but not now. Not in front of Sofia. Not until he knew his son would live. And God help Marco if he’d screwed up. “What say the doctors? Are they the best?”
“Ya. I made sure they understood. Only the best.” Marco glanced at his wrist. “They’ve been in surgery for almost two hours. We should know soon whether—”
Yegor cut him off with a glare. “Go find a nurse, someone who can give us news.” He waved Marco off and then turned to his wife.
Her soft hands cupped his face as she stared up at him. “This is not supposed to happen, Yegor. A mother is not supposed to bury her children. They are to bury her.”
Not only a mother, he thought. Yegor bit back his own fears, grasped her by the forearms and said, “Don’t talk as if Gorgon is already with his maker. Sit. We will know soon when we can see our son.”
He helped his love to the same chair she arose from a moment earlier. Then he thanked his sister-in-law when she vacated her chair, allowing him to sit next to his wife. He nodded his appreciation of support to the family members who filled the room and who witnessed his and Sofia’s pain.
Did he look as frightened as they?
Sofia sought and gripped his hand so hard he felt the circulation to his fingers dwindle. “You must have faith in our Lord,” he whispered.
“The doctor said Gorgon’s chances were very small. The stabbing had done much damage and Gorgon—” she sobbed. “He had lost too much blood.”
“The doctor doesn’t know what a fighter our son is. Gorgon will live to seek his revenge. Mark my words.”
“And if he doesn’t?” Sofia’s fingers tightened around his and she stared deeply into his eyes. “What will you promise me?”
“I promise, his murderer will know our revenge.”
~~
Chapter Seven
Will shoved open the door to the observation room. Gary waited inside. “Where’s Ebberts?”
“A couple tractor-trailers played chicken and got tangled up in a fog patch. He had to handle a few things. I guess Interstate 80 is shut down on the east bound side just west of the Hazelton exit. So what do you think? Do you believe her?” Gary indicated Katrina through the two-way glass.
Will pursed his lips for a second before answering, “Why would she lie about killing Gorgon?”
“Why would she kill him?”
Will shrugged. “He pissed her off. Someone paid her. I don’t know.”
“Oh. Oh. Wait. Do you think they found the trace-maker on Susie and know about Kyle and Jolene? This all could be a ploy to expose them?” Gary’s finger waggled in mid-air while he continued. “Think about it. We catch a break to nail Gorgon and the opportunity is snatched away from us. Then Katrina shows up with this story. You really think Gorgon’s men would let her out without his approval. I mean from what Intel has told us, Gorgon kept her on a six inch leash. And here’s another thought. Maybe the Novokoffs are trying to find Louie Betts.”
“Why would they want to find Louie? The guy was Minkon’s man.”
“The Novokoffs owe the Minkons a favor?”
Louis Betts had been part of Minkon’s New Haven, Connecticut gang until a few months ago. Something had finally ticked Louie off enough to walk into the marshal’s field office, in Scranton no less, and turn himself in. In turn for his testimony against the Minkon’s connection in a money laundering scheme involving a well-known charity, Louie had been given a new life as a short-order cook in Dust Bowl, Kansas. It was what Louie wanted. Go figure.
Will thought about what Gary said a moment longer before answering, “I don’t think so. Gorgon wouldn’t allow his own kid to be used.”
“It’s a big debt. Besides, Gorgon uses kids every day. I wouldn’t put it past the son-of-bitch to use his own son. He probably considers it on the job training.”
Gary had a point. From what he knew of the man, Gorgon had no conscience. “Katrina waltzes in here with the kid in tow, hands us a sob story, we’re stupid enough to wisk her away just like we did Louie and she learns what? Squat,” he said more or less to himself, thinking of ways to shoot holes in Gary’s train of thought. He looked at Gary. “They’re not going to find Louie that way.”
Gary paced to the other side of the room and turned. “Maybe Gorgon thinks she can gain someone’s confidence in order to learn Louie’s whereabouts. I mean, look at her, man. Gorgon has some serious taste.”
Katrina was beautiful. No arguing with his friend there. She had long legs and a heart-shaped bottom displayed nicely by the Daisy Duke jean skirt. “Wouldn’t do her any good. No one at this level has a clue where Louie was placed.”
“Except you and I.”
True. He and Gary were the only field agents who knew the final location of their WPIs, Witness Protection Inductees. Just in case, they had to act fast and move them.
Will raised his brow at Gary and his partner splayed his hands across his heart. “I’m not going to say squat.”
“Good. I’d hate to make a noose out of one of your loud ties.”
“My wife picks my ties.”
“I doubt that. Sharon has better taste.”
“True.”
They both faced the glass.
“So what do we do with her?” Gary questioned him while staring at his reflection.
“We play along.”
“Meaning?”
“We give the lady what she wants.” He turned to his partner. “We take her and the boy into protective custody, but this time we don’t follow the normal procedures. One of us is going to stick by her like a fly on honey.”
“Why one of us? Why not Chase or Aden?”
“Come on, really? You want junior agents to take watch over Gorgon’s woman?”
“Okay, if not them, which one of us do you think is going to be the nice cop and be her pasty? Not me.”
“Again with the fingers,” he said seeing Gary’s wagging digit. “Why not you?”
“Come on, man. Again, look at her.” He pointed toward Katrina with his whole hand. “She works for Gorgon which means she’ll be willing to do just about anything to get the information she wants.”
Will’s body reacted at the vision of a bare-assed Katrina which popped into his mind. His strained chuckle made him rush to clear his throat and the picture from his thoughts. “You afraid of her?”
“Not of her. My wife. Sharon would kill me if she got wind of me playing footies with a prostitute. You know Sharon knows how to use a gun. She hasn’t been retired from the agency that long.” He patted Will’s shoulder. “You’re not married. If Katrina’s plan is to pin someone to the sheets, you’re the better candidate. Time to get back in the saddle, Will.”
Will killed Gary with a glare before turning back to the mirror. A year had gone by since Laura walked out on him. And their love life had headed south months before that. His cock stirred while studying the outline of Katrina’s breasts and he chided himself to cool his jets. This was a job. His gut told him Katrina was hiding something. If getting seriously laid was what it took in order to find out what she was hiding, he guessed he could sacrifice a few seed for his country. “All right. Let’s set this ploy into action. Maybe I can find out something more about the family and their work.”
“Oh, please.” Gary chuckled. “Don’t act like you’re going to your death.”
The door opened and Ebberts entered. “Did she talk?”
Gary snorted. “Boy. Did she!”
Ebberts’s glance jumped from Gary to Will. “What did she say?”
“We need Katrina’s car to disappear,” Will ignored Ebberts’s question. “You’ve got any ideas how to do that?”
“Why?”
“She says she put Gorgon in his grave,” Gary answered.
The older man’s eyes snapped wide. “No, shit.”
“Exactly. If she’s telling the truth, the Novokoffs will turn over any straw bale, looking for a clue as
to where Katrina was last seen. To protect everyone in the area, the vehicle should never be found. But, if by chance the thing is ever found, it’s got to look like she dumped the car.”
Ebberts combed his hand over his thin hair. “There is an old quarry not far from here. We could ditch the car there.”
“Any divers use dive there?”
The captain shook his head. “This one is too dangerous. It’s surrounded by about one-hundred feet of huge round boulders. The four wheelers don’t go near the place. There’s only one way in and out——through a locked gate.”
“Sounds good. Where’s the car now?”
“I had sedan towed into the lot out back.”
“Who did the towing?”
“Local guy.”
“We’ll need his name. He might have to disappear for a while.”
“You’re kidding me?”
“He doesn’t joke around when dealing with the Russian mafia,” Gary said over his shoulder while he gathered his file.
“The Novokoffs will not stop until they find her.” Will turned to Gary. “I’ll head out with Katrina and her kid in your car. You go with Ebberts and ditch the car.”
“You got it.”
“Why not take her in your helicopter?” Ebberts asked.
“I have my reasons. The less you know the better off you are. The young cop that brought Katrina in, how trustworthy is he to keep his mouth shut?”
“I haven’t had any problems with him.”
“This is serious shit.” Will threw him a stern look. “One peep in the wind and he and his family could disappear. I can’t stress that too much. The Novokoffs are ruthless. They’ll stop at nothing to find Katrina.”
The captain’s throat muscles worked before he spoke up. “At this point, the only ones here who know who she is are the three of us. I haven’t said anything to anyone.”
“We should have a story,” Gary piped in, glancing up from his phone.
“Yeah,” Will said, scratching his chin. “Captain, how do you get your fingerprint info back?”
“We’re still old-school. Our reports come across a fax.”
“Okay, stand by your man receiving Katrina’s fingerprint info. As soon as the fax comes in, snag the thing. We’re going to leak that Katrina and the girl are related—make Katrina her aunt. Call her Barbara. We’ll take Katrina-Barbara into custody as if this is a family feud child abuse situation. We leave the mafia out entirely. We’ll walk out of here as if we’re handling business as usual.”
Will looked through the two-way mirror and studied the woman who now held her head. The light reflected shades of brown, gold and red in the long strands that splayed over her shoulders and brushed the table top.
As if sensing he watched her, Katrina looked up and stared at the glass like she could see right through the pane. She brushed her hair back, her breasts jugging forward with the movement.
Will held his next breath, tempering his reaction to the sight of her nipples pushing against the thin fabric of her white blouse.
Gary’s hand clamped onto his shoulder. “Some guys have all the luck.”
Will shot his partner an evil side-glance. “Did you ever hear of a black widow? I probably won’t sleep for a couple days.”
“If I were you, single I mean, no attachments, I wouldn’t either. Take your vitamins.”
~~
Chapter Eight
The scent of oil permeated Nicole’s subconscious and laced her tongue. Stones pinged against the SUV’s underside. Then Nicole was jarred against the door and her eyes popped open. She jolted up-right in the front seat. With her right hand, which tingled from lack of blood flow, she blocked the razor-sharp splinter of sunlight reflecting off the side mirror. The rain had stopped. She moved away from the bright beam and swiped strands of her long hair away from her face.
The SUV’s digital clock read 8:17 AM. They’d been driving a little over two hours. She’d dozed off. Stupid, stupid, stupid, she chided herself while she clamped her lips closed. She had to stay awake. This agent, who drove them to wherever they were going, said he was one of the good guys and she wanted to trust him but until she was sure she and Luka were safe, she didn’t dare let her guard down.
The adrenaline rush which had coursed through her veins earlier had run its course, leaving her feeling exhausted.
Nicole arched her back and stretched her arms forward. The movement caused the faux leather seat under her to crinkle. Her mouth tasted like stale crackers. She needed something to drink and a couple of aspirins to nip the throb in her temples.
Out of the corner of her eye, she studied the stern unshaven, jaw line of Marshal Haus. The jagged scar on his neck was more visible in the morning light and again she wondered how he’d received injury.
Haus hadn’t said much more than a grunt to her since they started out. The man didn’t like her. Not liking her was understandable, considering the monster she had associated with over the past eight years. To the marshal, she was Gorgon’s woman.
She could change his opinion of her with one confession but she wouldn’t, not yet. Not until her and Luka were settled into a new life. The government might not put her in the WP program if they knew she had a family to go home to. And surely, after they had placed her and Luka and given them new lives, the government wouldn’t pull them out.
She had to remain silent.
Nicole turned toward Will, glancing at Luka who slept in the backseat and asked, “Where are we?”
“Central PA,” he clipped, without looking in her direction.
“You are being pretty vague. Can you not be more specific?”
He ignored her and veered the steering wheel to the right.
The seat belt pressed against her breast bone and her stomach as the vehicle came to a rest in front of a building that looked like a white stucco ranch home gone wild. On its roof, a sign depicted a snoring man, hosting a long, white beard. Under his bed it said, ‘Blue Mountain Roadside Motel, Twenty Units.’
As the cloud of dust settled around the tires, she peered over the SUV’s steel-gray hood and noted a cardboard sign, leaned against the front large pane window near its bottom right corner. The poster, held in place by two long strips of yellowed tape and less-than-white mini-blinds, stated, not to the world but to those who came close enough, in dull, red letters, that rooms were vacant.
The vehicle’s side windows whirled down and the aroma of fresh cut hay spilled into the cab. Nicole relished the scent of freedom for a half of a second before she glanced to her right and then left past Marshal Haus, who jammed the SUV into park. There was one other car parked in front of the left wing of the motel, so, if she had to guess, at least nineteen rooms were empty.
“Why are we stopping here?” She watched Will remove his sunglasses and toss them on the dash.
“It’s as good a place as any to wait.”
Her pulse jumped. She had no clue where they were. He said central Pennsylvania, but for all she knew they could be back in New Jersey. New Jersey was known as the Garden State and produced tons of vegetables, including sweet corn. They could be within the Novokoff’s grasp. She grabbed the armrest with her right hand. “Wait for what?”
“My orders.”
“From?”
“The home office telling me where the drop off point will be for you and the kid.” He tilted his chin toward her door. “Relax. You’re safe.”
She knew her fingerprints would give up her identity sooner or later. Her mother had them taken years ago when she was in elementary school during child protection program. Would the marshal’s office check her prints against the fingerprints of missing children? Not likely. At least not right away, but, in time, they would. “How long will we have to wait?”
“We’re code black for the next forty-eight hours. Meaning no cell phones, no contact unless—” His gaze jumped away from hers.
“Unless?” Her mind leapt between different circumstances that would cause him to hesita
te to complete his train of thought and her instantaneous angst caused her to reach out to him.
He drew his arm away, not as if she’d scorched him with her touch, but in a cool-decisive motion that said I don’t care to be touched by you. “We run into trouble, which we won’t. We weren’t followed.”
“Is going code black normal procedure?”
His cool, blue eyes narrowed. “Yes. Why?”
Nicole shrugged. “I thought we’d be taken to your headquarters for maybe a day and then placed into our new lives.”
He shook his head. “Putting someone into the program doesn’t happen that fast. We could be here a week, maybe two.”
Nicole’s eyes widened. “Two weeks?” She had imagined that in two weeks she and Luka would pretty much be settled into a new home somewhere far away.
“It takes time to build new backgrounds,” Marshal Haus said, breaking her muse. He turned off the ignition and pulled the keys. “Stay here.”
“Can I come with you?” Luka asked from the back seat.
Surprised by Luka’s voice, Nicole turned on her seat. Her son was safe, strapped into a booster seat behind the driver’s seat. The agent who owned the vehicle had kids. What was his name? Gary?
Gary had carried Luka from the police station to the car with such care. After securing her son in the seat, he had turned and smiled at her—something Will Haus had yet to do. But, now, he hosted a nice smile, exposing a tiny dimple, while looking at Luka via the rearview mirror.
“No. You need to stay here, with your mom, for a few minutes.” Will’s face hardened as his eyes shifted from the mirror to her. “Don’t leave the car. I’ll be right back.”
The clack of his seatbelt clipped the air a second before the door creaked open. He stopped in mid-slide off the seat and turned back to her. “By the way, I’m Uncle Will, your brother’s best friend.” He tilted his head toward Luka. “I thought he’d ask— I didn’t want him to think, you know.”
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