There were a couple other Russians standing against one wall, tough looking men in ill-fitting gray suits who could almost be twins. Probably steroid junkies too. Their grim visages seemed to be chiseled onto their wide faces. Each wore a leather holster over their suits, holding some type of large revolver.
Out of the shadows, Ilya walked toward me.
Ilya was a few inches under six-feet, with broad shoulders and a lean physique. He wore a silvery gray suit, maybe silk, that shimmered like it was made of fish scales. His short black hair was slicked back, exposing a high forehead. His hands bore several rings, lots of gold and diamonds, very ostentatious. Though many would consider him attractive, there was a predatory look to his eyes.
He seemed to be dressed to impress, especially considering he wore far more rings than the one time I saw him at the church. I doubted Ilya would get his hands dirty in this outfit. He’d probably just give orders to Krov.
He swaggered over to me, a malicious grin on his face, showing a perfect set of teeth. With a quick look at his hands, I noticed they were impeccably manicured.
This wasn’t a man who did any of his own dirty work. He relied on the reputation of his father, and used his underlings to beat and kill at his command. I tried to think how I might be able to exploit that weakness.
“Leonidas Blackwood. Leo the Lion. Thief. You recently spent time at MCI Walpole for armed robbery. You’re on parole and working as a janitor at Saint Francis Xavier Church. You fucked up and stole from me. Now, I want my fucking diamonds,” said Ilya, growling the last sentence.
At first, I thought this accusation was a show for the other men in the room, who might be loyal to Levushka, but I realized that couldn’t be the case as Ilya would never have confessed that he had stolen the diamonds in the first place. I couldn’t think of any other reason why he might accuse me if he still had the diamonds.
It had to be that perverted priest.
“No, I didn’t,” I replied in earnest. “I didn’t even know they were your diamonds. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have tried to steal from you. I’m not suicidal. Father Chamberlain has to be the thief. He played you.”
“That’s fucking convenient seeing as he’s dead.”
“If I stole from you, I wouldn’t have stayed around. I’d be in Tahiti or Belize. Chamberlain let slip to me that he was storing some diamonds in the safe, claiming he was doing it for a relative who sold jewelry. He knew I’d try to steal them.”
Ilya hesitated, mulling over the possibilities. I needed to instill more doubt into his mind.
“He framed me for the theft, giving him the opportunity to steal your diamonds. When I last saw him, he was reading a travel book on Thailand.”
Ilya paused again, the wheels in his head considering my words.
“So who fucking killed him?”
“I don’t know. He probably had a partner, maybe a boyfriend.”
“Possibly, but I need to know for fucking sure. I can’t trust that you aren’t trying to play me. Krov’s going to question you and he’ll get the truth out of you.”
“I didn’t steal from you. That’s the truth. I have no clue where the diamonds are. There’s no need for torture.”
“Krov, get to work.”
Krov moved closer to me, his massive hands empty, and I prepared for pain. I knew that no matter what I said, Ilya probably would’ve had Krov torture me. I could take a beating but if he started to take a blade or pliers to me, I’d have to fight back somehow.
Ilya seemed sincere and didn’t come off as if he would be a good actor. He lacked the hardness of a true criminal. He’d been coddled far too long. You could read every emotion on his face, which made he surprised he was able to fool his father about the diamonds.
He seemed to really believe someone stole from him and that meant it had to be the priest. I suspected Chamberlain had a partner, maybe one of his young boys, who decided to kill him and steal the diamonds. The boy might’ve seen it as compensation for years of sexual abuse.
I tried to think of the altar boys I knew at the church, and which might have fallen into the clutches of Father Chamberlain. There were at least two possibilities.
However, I didn’t have any more time to ponder the enigma before Krov began. I had little time to brace myself before he started with his gnarled fists, smashing into my face and stomach. I felt like a side of beef being pounded by Rocky. I think he broke at least one rib, and probably more, as well as my nose. I couldn’t count how many times he punched me, lost in the pain that shot through my body.
In between strikes, Ilya asked me questions and I told him the same story every time. I hoped that I could stick it out and not mention Kasey’s involvement.
The beating continued for quite some time, though Krov was skilled enough not to do any permanent damage. The pain would remain with me for days to come, if I survived that long. At least for now, I hadn’t reached my breaking point. This wasn’t the first beating I’d taken and I knew that I could always recuperate from it.
Despite the agony, I continued to remain silent about Kasey. It helped that nearly all of the questions dealt with the priest.
Ilya finally told Krov to stop.
Ilya said, “Leo, you might be telling the fucking truth. Krov could start using some of his favorite tools but I don’t think your story’s going to change and I need you whole, for now. I guess that fucking perv priest took my diamonds but I want them back and you’re going to help. You’re going to find the fucking man who stole them, recover my diamonds, and bring them to me. If you fail, Krov will take care of you more permanently. Understand?”
I nodded, spitting up some blood onto the floor. It was hard to speak with my swollen lip, sore jaw and maybe at least one missing tooth.
“Release him,” said Ilya to one of his men. Then turning to me, he said, “Clean up in the sink over at that wall.”
I was uncuffed and slowly rose to my feet, pain claiming most of my body above the waist. I shuffled over to the sink to try to clean the worst of the blood. My left eye was swollen, as well as my cheek, and I had several cuts on my face. I knew I looked a mess but at least I was alive.
“Can I get a ride to my motel?” My words were garbled and I had to repeat myself several times before I was understood.
Ilya nodded and told one of his men to drive me.
I was unsure whether I could find the person who stole the diamonds. The altar boy theory was my best lead. At least I was alive and free, which meant I had a chance to flee, to leave the state. I assumed Ilya would have at least a couple of his men watch me but I figured I could easily find a way to lose them. If I couldn’t find the thief, I’d end up back in Ilya’s basement and I’d experience far more than a beating.
As I was driven back to the motel, I thought about how Krov had found me. The most likely possibility was Kasey, though I still had to consider the remote chance it was Freddy. There was the slightest chance Krov lucked out, that someone else somehow saw me at the motel and told Ilya. However, if I had to place a bet, my money would be on Kasey as the source.
***
Once I was back at my motel, shuffling from the car to my room, I peeled the clothes from my aching body and took a few, long shots of bourbon, draining the bottle. I then took a lengthy, hot shower, the needles of water adding to my pain but I needed to clean my wounds. After drying myself off, I tended to the cuts as best I could. Painfully, I adjusted my nose so it would hopefully heal properly. I needed some potent pain killers and another bottle of whiskey.
I collapsed on the bed, trying to will the agony away, though without much success. I tried to remain still, as each movement aggravated the pain.
Maybe an hour later, there was a knock at the door and it took me a little time to get up from the bed. I put a towel around my waist and looked out the peephole. It was Kasey, wearing a floppy white hat, large sun glasses and an over-sized trench coat.
What game was she playing now?
I opened the door and she rushed in, carrying a large, brown shopping bag. Looking at my wounds, from the large bruises on my chest to my swollen eye, her eyes widened in concern and she said, “I’m so sorry he hurt you and it’s my fault.”
“What do you mean it’s your fault?” She was going to admit to her betrayal? That didn’t make any sense.
“I just found out that prick Ilya has been having me followed. That’s how he found this motel. He just admitted it to me, relishing when he described your beating. He told me that if I visited you again, he’ll hurt me.” She sounded sincere.
“Why are you here then?”
“Don’t worry, honey. I borrowed a girl friend’s car and put on this disguise. I had to bring you some medical supplies. I couldn’t just leave you this way.”
She poured out the contents of her shopping bag on the bed, bandages, salves, pills, and more. I let her care for me, savoring her tenderness as I swallowed a couple of Percs.
“Ilya has one of his men watching the motel but he won’t be able to identify me though I won’t be able to do this again so we need to come up with a plan.”
Could I trust her? What she said made sense but there was still doubt in my mind. I just couldn’t see though how she would benefit from lying to me.
“Ilya wants me to find whoever stole the diamonds. It seems that Chamberlain and an unknown partner stole them and then that partner killed Chamberlain.”
“How’re you going to find him?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe it was a fellow pedophile, someone Chamberlain might have trusted. Or even an altar boy. Father Hanlon wouldn’t be involved. He’s too old and infirm.”
“Can I help in some way?”
“Not really. I have a way to do some background checking on Chamberlain but I don’t think much will come of it. Honestly, my best play may be to run. Ilya’ll have me killed if I can’t find the thief. This might be my only chance to escape.”
Kasey hesitated and then replied, “I understand.”
It was then I was positive she wouldn’t run away with me. As I suspected. Without the diamonds, I wasn’t a big enough catch. Ilya might be a prick but I wasn’t enough of a better alternative. I wasn’t going to push it.
“Where will you go?” she asked.
“Not sure yet. Maybe California. I never did like winters in New England.”
“Maybe I could visit you some time.”
I knew she didn’t mean it. She was just trying to make me feel better and I appreciated it. The time we’d spent together would remain in my memory. I had to settle for that.
“I’d like that.”
We spoke for a short time more and then we retired to the bed so I could take a nap, with Kasey snuggled next to me. I was in too much pain for sex, though the Percs were starting to kick in. I slept peacefully, not waking till the morning.
***
Wednesday
When I awoke, Kasey was gone but had left a brief note that she needed to get back to Ilya. I got up, took a leak, and then called Freddy. I explained what happened to me and then asked him to see if he could get any info about Father Chamberlain as well as all of the altar boys at the church.
I needed to change motels. If I couldn’t find the thief, I needed to be in a good hiding spot from Ilya and Krov before I made my escape. I knew a discrete motel in Revere that would work. Checking my wallet, I had enough for a single night which would give me the chance to acquire some more money.
I packed up all of my belongings and placed them by the side of my door, ready when I had to make my escape. I then peered out the behind the curtain, looking for the Russian who was watching me.
Across the parking lot, in a dark blue Dodge, was a bearded man smoking a cigarette. He was the only possible candidate so I watched him for a time, keeping the lights off in my room. In time, he might take a nap or get distracted.
Maybe four hours later, he exited the car and walked to one end of the building, turning the corner and standing there, his back toward me. I think he was taking a piss.
I didn’t waste any time, grabbing my bag and racing out to my car. I peeled out of the parking lot, as I saw the Russian running back to his Dodge. I cut off a Volvo as I turned onto Route 1 and sped down the road, trying to put as much distance as possible from the Russian.
I got off at the second exit from the motel, doubling back onto Route 1 South and headed toward Revere. As I drove, I kept an eye behind me to ensure I wasn’t being followed. Once I drove off Route 1, headed down Broadway, I called Freddy and told him of where I would now be staying.
As I pulled into the parking lot of the motel, I felt secure I’d evaded pursuit, though I knew I needed to dump the car. After parking, I opened the driver’s side window and shut off the car, leaving the keys in the ignition. Within the hour, someone would likely steal the car.
I checked into the new motel, another place where few questions were asked and many of the people stayed there on an hourly basis.
Ilya would hunt for me now, figuring I’d betrayed him, but it couldn’t be helped. The only way I could safely flee was to lose the Russian watching me. I hoped that I wouldn’t be at this motel for more than two nights.
Though Freddy was good, I didn’t think he’d uncover enough information for me to determine which of the priest’s friends might have the diamonds. With Chamberlain dead, I didn’t have any real leads. And Ilya wasn’t a forgiving type.
I could always start up somewhere else. Maybe Los Angeles. I could steal there just as well as I could in the Boston area. Or maybe even Portland. I’d heard so many good things about Oregon.
I hated to be forced to this decision. Inside, I wanted to confront Ilya and Krov, but I didn’t have the capabilities to do so. The only support I truly could count on was a man in a wheelchair. I didn’t have enough money to hire an army to help me.
How far I had fallen during the past three years spent in prison.
In my room, I lay on the bed and pondered my situation, trying to find some other alternative. I still wasn’t sure that I could trust Kasey.
Chapter Seven
Wednesday
I spent much of the day lying in bed, watching TV, and letting the Percs take away my pain. I was pleased to see that Krov’s scarred face was all over the news and that the police were mobilized to find this cop killer. A camera at the gas station had caught his image and it was easy for the police to put a name to the face, as he was a suspect in a number of other murders.
All the publicity would make it tougher for Krov to locate me and I could only hope that the cops might kill him. As he’d already murdered two of their own, the police would be a little trigger happy. Which made me hopeful and feel safer. Ilya had other enforcers but Krov his top man.
There wasn’t anything new on Chamberlain’s murder but Freddy called me later that night with the preliminary results of his own investigation. However, that only deepened the mystery.
First, he told me more about Chamberlain’s murder.
“The police say the priest was on his knees when he was shot twice in the back of his head. No signs of forced entry so they think he knew his killer. No one heard anything, they don’t have any suspects and are frustrated.”
“So, it’s a dead end.”
“Well, they found something interesting. There was a small stack of photos of the priest in compromising positions with young boys.”
“Yeah, I knew he was a fucking sicko.”
“But he might not be.”
“What?”
“The cops believe all the pics were photo-shopped.”
“What the fuck!?
“When the photos were given to one of the experts at the station, he realized he knew a couple of the children from a prior case. With a quick check, it seems the children were in the same exact poses as the old photos. They’re doing a more careful forensic exam of the new photos but they think they’re fake.”
If they were fake, that twisted everything.
Had Chamberlain set up Ilya, pretending to be a pedophile so that Ilya would try to blackmail him? If so, who gave the photos to Ilya? That might be the priest’s accomplice. And it likely would be someone close to Ilya. Why though was the priest killed? A betrayal by his partner?
A terrible thought came to mind though I wasn’t ready to accept yet. I needed to make a phone call first, to check on a fact.
I finished up with Freddy who told me he was coming to see me at the motel. I asked him to bring me some Chinese food, a bottle of bourbon and a little bit of cash.
After hanging up with Freddy, I dialed Ilya’s phone number. He was going to be pissed with me but I had to ask him an important question and figured I’d explain myself enough to satisfy him for a short bit.
“Hello?”
“Ilya, this is Leo. I’ve a quick question for you.”
“Where the fuck are ya? Why’d you ditch my man?” Spat out Ilya.
“I can’t work properly if some big goon is following me. He’d scare off my snitches. I’m still trying to recover your diamonds and I may have a big lead.”
“Who stole my damn diamonds?”
“I have to ask you a question first.”
The phone was silent for a short time and then Ilya said, “What?”
“Who told you that Chamberlain was a pedophile?”
“Why the fuck does that matter?”
Thinking quick, I replied, “I thought they might have more pics which could show friends of the priest, other pedophiles. Chamberlain would probably have trusted only another pedophile, which turned out to be a big mistake. That friend decided to kill Chamberlain and steal the diamonds.”
“I’ll ask my girlfriend if she received any other photos and then I’ll call you.”
“Thanks, that works.”
“Where are you hiding now?”
I lied. “At a cheap hotel in Peabody on Route 1.”
The Lion's Diamonds Page 5