“And if I were you, I’d worry about my safety.”Mikhail’s tiger—since it seemed determined to remain in his mind—gradually relaxed when Pavel exited after his sister.Mikhail closed the door and tugged a heavy dresser across the entrance.He wanted a decent warning of any further nocturnal visitors.
19
Thetap-tap-tappingofEdwina’sshoes against the tile floor echoed off the walls as she anxiously marched the confines of the house while waiting for the shifter team’s findings.It might take a while.Exhausted from prowling for the last hour, she retreated to her bedroom and flopped on the bed.The white ceiling wasn’t doing a great job holding her attention, but she must’ve dropped off to sleep at some stage.Her phone rang in the early hours.
She switched on the bedside light and grabbed her phone.“Yes.”
“We’ve located him.He’s at Smirnoff’s estate,” Roscoe said.
“Fantastic.Can we meet later today and plan to hit the Smirnoff estate pre-dawn tomorrow?”
“Sooner is best, although they’ll be expecting us.If they’re not, they’re idiots.”
“Can you meet me at Mikhail’s estate?”
“Ten this morning,” he said in his gravel voice.“I’ll meet you in the forest bordering the estate, in case someone is watching Mikhail’s property.In the car park at the start of the walking trail.One thing, though.Mikhail should’ve recognized me or at least signaled.He didn’t.”
Edwina frowned.“What does that mean?”
“Uncertain.I’m skilled at reading people.He seemed comfortable enough, but I suspect his memories aren’t intact.”He paused as if weighing his words.“They’ve either continued to drug him or whatever they gave him originally is still active in his system.”
When he didn’t say more, she didn’t push.
She’d learn the truth soon enough.
Atafewminutesto ten the next morning, Edwina left the estate with Ivan and Gregory.They’d decided to walk to the meeting point, and all wore active gear to give the appearance of an exercise outing.Ten minutes later, they arrived at the trailhead and took possession of a bench seat with perfect visibility of their vicinity.
“Is everything working smoothly with Mikhail’s business affairs?”Edwina asked once it was clear Roscoe hadn’t arrived yet.She hadn’t asked since they were juggling so many balls after Mikhail’s disappearance.
“The new building site had six men turn up and try intimidation tactics while I was there speaking with the supervisor,” Gregory said.“When their jibes didn’t work, they resorted to physical violence.I helped the supervisor chuck them off the site.”
“Did they have weapons?”Edwina asked.
“Knives.One had a gun.I knocked it out of his hand before he did any damage,” Gregory said.
Ivan’s eyes narrowed with distaste.“I’m sick of these petty problems.It’s time to arse-kick and let those in charge understand we won’t take this crap.Do you know where they came from?Who was paying them?”
“They left before we grabbed one for questioning.I figured it was Smirnoff or his son.”
“What if it’s the son causing problems, hoping this will make Mikhail act against his father?”Edwina asked.“Or perhaps his grandfather is stirring and causing the issues.The old man is sly enough to knife Mikhail in the back.”
Ivan cracked his knuckles.“It’s not Mikhail’s cousin.He truly has left for the US.We should arrange a tail for the son.Mikhail has tried to avoid Bratva business, but they’re determined to cause chaos.Maybe we need this confrontation to stop our problems.”
“Perhaps it’s time to show those in charge we have teeth and claws,” Edwina mused.“If we do it the right way, regular people won’t witness the showdown.Those creating our problems will see otherwise and think twice about poking at shifters.”
“You mean to do this so that if people blab, others will believe they’re loco,” Gregory said.
“Exactly.It could be done, and that might be enough to stop them messing with us,” Edwina said.“Although it might be too late with the Smirnoff family.It will depend on how messed up Mikhail is when we retrieve him.”After this was over, perhaps they’d go somewhere private with a beach and sunshine—where they were alone and could get better acquainted.
Her life had upended overnight, changing her point of view.
She loved music—always had, but Mikhail had become important despite the short length of their marriage.Finding a mate—the person who completed one—caused plans to change, at least from her observations of friends and acquaintances in Middlemarch.She mightn’t have fought so hard if she’d understood this truth.And now was not the time for this daydreaming.It was time to focus and save her mate.
“It’s a suggestion,” she said.“Let’s listen to Roscoe and let him voice his plan.We’ll go from there.”
Roscoe arrived.He paused at the edge of the shadowed forest, did a quick scan, and headed in their direction.“Good morning.”He dropped onto a second bench facing the car park, acknowledging them with a curt nod.
“I spotted Mikhail early this morning, and others on my team sighted him walking in the garden.”He tapped his fingers on his knee with a quick one-two beat.“I’ve worked with Mikhail for ten years.He noticed me, but there was no spark of recognition.Someone stood in the bedroom with him, so he might’ve been keeping shifter secrets private.”
