Clarice’s chin lifted, and it looked as if she might argue.
“Stop,” Edwina snapped, raising her right hand to emphasize the order.“I’m telling you now.Mikhail is unlikely to alter his opinion because he can’t trust you.”
“Smirnoff kidnapped Alex from his school.I had no choice.They would’ve killed Alex if I hadn’t followed their orders.”
“And now they have Mikhail,” Edwina snapped.“Leave or not.I don’t care, but you won’t see Mikhail again.Should someone abduct Alex a second time, we won’t offer help.We have enough problems without you adding to them.”
“Mikhail wouldn’t do that to me.He wouldn’t force me to leave.”Clarice allowed smugness to play across her red-painted mouth.
Edwina snorted.“I believe he told you he won’t pay for the apartment any longer.Protect yourself and your son.Take him to a doctor and find a place where no one knows about your past.Where would Smirnoff take Mikhail?”
“Probably to his country estate,” Clarice said.“I believe that’s where he held Alex.”
“Thank you.”Edwina made for the door.
“I… Thank you,” Clarice said, sounding as if she hadn’t wanted to express gratitude to Edwina.“Thank you for returning my son.”
Edwina gave a clipped nod and stalked to the elevator.A few minutes later, she joined Ivan and Gregory.
“That woman is delusional if she thinks I’ll allow her near Mikhail again,” she muttered when she slid into the rear.
“I thought she might try that,” Ivan said.
“I told her Mikhail had a wife, but that didn’t seem to impress her much.She might discount my advice to leave, but if she cares for her son as much as she claims, she’ll travel far away from the Smirnoff family.”
“She has always behaved as if her beauty gives her the power to take whatever she desires,” Ivan said.“I admire her beauty, but I don’t like her.”
“To be fair, she loves her son, and her betrayal was understandable.But yes, I gained the impression she was out for herself.”Edwina leaned against the seat, fear writhing in her chest.“Will they keep Mikhail alive?He’ll refuse to help, and Smirnoff’s son won’t accept this slight.”
“He’s a canny man, but he has misjudged the situation,” Gregory said.“Mikhail will need to keep his wits about him because the son is a bully and a hothead.He doesn’t like to work, yet he covets the money and prestige the family business offers him.He won’t want to lose his position.”
Edwina rubbed at her tired eyes.“We need to break Mikhail out of there as soon as possible.Tonight.The longer he’s in their clutches, the more dangerous it will be.Will anyone else have the layout and security details?Or does Mikhail have the floor plans or access to them?”
“You have a cool heady, missy,” Gregory said.
“My falling to pieces won’t help anyone,” Edwina said.“I’ll have plenty of time to crumple after we’ve made a plan to retrieve Mikhail.”
“Mikhail’s grandfather is familiar with the estate,” Ivan said.
“All right.”Edwina paused.“We should check with Mikhail’s grandfather and learn what he knows of Smirnoff’s plans.”
Gregory did a U-turn and headed in a different direction.“We’ll check on the old man before we return to Mikhail’s estate.”
“Has Mikhail told him about me?”Edwina asked.
“Mikhail told him he’d married, although I doubt he believed this marriage occurred,” Ivan said.“He has always wanted Mikhail to return to the fold and blames his son for the break from his friends.”
“Well, it’s time to introduce myself,” Edwina said.
Ivan and Gregory shared a concerned glance before Ivan addressed Edwina.“Can we visit the old man with you?You might need our backup.”
Edwina’s eyes narrowed at the faint quiver of Ivan’s lips.“Something you’re not telling me, boys?”
“He lacks respect for women.No man of his generation has time for strong women,” Ivan said, his words chosen with care.
Edwina snorted.“Right.Well, let’s see what happens when he faces me.”
16
