“How many people could we be talking about?”Gunnar asked.“There must be more that haven’t been spotted.”
“Hard to say.Could be anywhere from five to fifteen.The Kozlovs don’t typically travel light when it’s family business.”
Bryn leaned forward.“What kind of resources are they bringing to bear?”
“The kind that makes my job a lot more complicated.We’re talking about experienced operators with access to serious firepower.These aren’t street thugs, they’re seasoned killers.”
“Fantastic.Anything else?”
“That isn’t enough?”
Bryn exchanged a glance with Gunnar.
“Are we looking at war on the streets here, Bell?”Gunnar asked.“What’s your assessment of the threat level?”
“High and getting higher.If the Kozlovs think Russo is planning to eliminate them using high-octane, gene-enhanced fighters, they’re not going to wait around for him to make the first move.They’ll strike first, hard, and anyone they see as connected to the enhancement program becomes a target.A family vendetta is perfect cover.”
“Katarina knows what I am,” Bryn said.“Do you think the Kozlovs are aware that Russo has a hard-on for my brain?”
“Nothing would surprise me.I’d recommend increased security measures, at a minimum.”
“I’ll talk to Warden,” Gunnar said.“Anything else?”
“Keep your heads down and watch your backs.”The call ended.
Bryn groaned then tossed the now-warm compress at the trash can.“Well, that’s just perfect.As if my day wasn’t already complete.”
“Russo’s made a lot of enemies.”
“Yeah, but thanks to Katarina those enemies know what we can do and where to find us.I’d say that’s a significant disadvantage.”
Before Gunnar could respond, the office door opened and Emmett entered, carrying a brown bag that smelled like Chinese takeout and wearing the satisfied expression of someone who’d accomplished something important.
“Please tell me you brought enough food to share,” Bryn said.“Because I need to stress-eat.”
“I brought enough for four—me, you and two portions for Gunnar,” Emmett replied, setting the bag on his desk.“But first, you need to see what I found about the fifth dagger.”
“Good news or bad news?”
“Depends on your perspective.”Emmett pulled up a file on his computer and turned the screen so they could see.“The fifth dagger is on display at the Peabody Museum at Harvard, in the Medieval Islamic Art collection.”
Bryn stared at him.“There were two in the same city, you’re kidding me?It’s sitting less than an hour away from us?”
“Gets worse,” Emmett said.“Remember the letters you’ve been getting from Dr.Templeton?The postmarks.”
“Please tell me you’re going somewhere good with this,” Gunnar said.
“The postmarks on the letters match cities where other daggers have been stolen.The letter from Dallas was dated two weeks before the theft from the Dallas Museum of Art.The one from Tulsa a month before the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art in Shawnee was hit, which isn’t that far from Tulsa.The first letter from the Wolf Run didn’t have a postmark, but the first theft was from Paris, so that’s probably why.”
Bryn went very still.“Oh, fuck.”
“I would guess that the letters and the thefts are linked.”
“We haven’t had a letter from Boston.”
“But the theft was very recent.”
“It has to be Templeton,” Bryn said.
