There's a short silence that seems to say all kinds of things about not getting involved with a victim and why would I allowa stranger into my domain when there are Morozov safe houses dotted all over the city.
“Hmm…”
There’s another stretch of silence until he says, “I’m sure she’ll be well-guarded. Have Kolya send me everything you have so far.”
“Of course. How is the mess with the missing guns and the Popov Bratva?”
“They’ll be paying for them,” he says in a way that indicates more than just financially. “I’ll be home in a couple of days.”
“It will be good to see you,” I say warmly. My father may be colder and more reserved than most, but he has never held back from showing us affection.
“You as well,moy syn,my son. Keep an eye on your mother for me. And Roman. Most especially, Roman.”
“I will,” I chuckle.
“There he is!” Mother loops her arm through Ava’s, bringing her over to me. “Ready to get out of here?”
Ava smiles uncomfortably, “I’m very grateful for everything you’ve done. But I could hide out at home in Colorado. I’d feel-”
“They’ll find you anywhere you try to hide,” I interrupt her. “I assure you that they very likely know you’re here.”
The color fades from her face and I feel a twinge of guilt.
“It’s true,” Mother says sympathetically. “Dmitri is not trying to scare you, though of course itisterrifying. You are safest with him.” She gives Ava’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Though I’d love it if you wanted to visit me here and sit in on a surgery or two. Your ER experience would come in very handy.”
Laughing, Ava nods. “I would love that. Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me.”
They hug briefly, and Mother gives me a smug, meaningful smile over Ava’s shoulder.
I like her,she mouths.
Escorting Ava out the door, Kir and Demid fall into position, one in front of us, one in back. She looks over her shoulder at a looming Kir and raises her brow. “Do you always have two bodyguards with you?”
“Kir is my Second,” I say. “Demid, my driver. If I am not with you, you will have two bodyguards.”
“Yeah, because that’s not completely over the top,” she says as I help her into the Aston Martin before sliding in myself. She jumps a little as the door shuts with a heavyclunk.“Is this sucker armored? Like a Brink’s truck?”
“Much better than Brink's,” Demid says, settling behind the wheel.
She’s quiet, watching the city pass by in streaks of color when my phone rings.
“Good news or bad news first?” Roman says without preamble.
“Bad news,” I sigh.
“Robert Meyers is dead. They found chunks of him dumped in front of a 7-11 in the Bronx. The coroner thinks most of the chunks were cut off while he was alive.”
“Good,” I say with a savage satisfaction. “They were definitely sending a message. I’m pleased that he suffered. The bad news being that we’ll get nothing out of him.”
“Exactly,” Roman says. “Whoever placed Ava in that apartment wiped all the footage from the offsite server - too late, fuckheads - and the entire security system footage for the last month was erased from The McManus file storage. Unfortunately, we won’t get anything more from that. I was hoping to see if we could identify any workmen who’d been up on the tenth floor.”
“Ilya lives on that floor,” I say. “Have a chat with him and see if he has anything to offer.”
Roman groans. “He’s got the IQ of a bar of soap, and probably the memory of one, given all the pot he smokes. I’ll give it a try.”
Hanging up, I see that Ava’s watching me with a frown. “Who’s dead?”
“The man who bought you,” I say. “The trafficking ring cut him into pieces before we could pick him up for questioning.”
