No greeting or small talk. That’s Dmitri.
“I have a full assessment. It’s complicated, and you’re going to want to hear the details before you make any decisions.”
“I’m listening.”
I draw in a breath, hold it, and then I tell him everything. The planted evidence, Bogdan’s blackmail operation, the accounts set up without Daria’s knowledge, and the threats against a five-year-old girl who doesn’t understand why her father only exists as a voice on the phone that makes her mother cry. I walk him through the timeline, the forgeries, and the pattern of coercion that’s kept Daria trapped for years. Daria chimes in here and there, mostly to clarify or provide more details.
What I don’t tell him is how I feel about her. I don’t mention the way she fits against me when I hold her, or the sound she makes when she comes apart in my hands, or the fact that I’d burn down all of St. Petersburg to keep her safe without even really understanding why.
Dmitri isn’t stupid. He’ll figure out the personal angle. But I won’t hand it to him.
When I finish, the line goes quiet for a moment before Dmitri speaks. “And you believe her.”
“I do. The information she’s been providing Bogdan is low-level. Nothing that would damage operations.”
“That’s your professional assessment.”
“Yes.”
Dmitri exhales on the other end. “The problem is Yevgeny. If we move against Bogdan without proof…"
“So, we get proof. Show Yevgeny his nephew’s been building a power base behind his back. Using Lebedev resources against Kozlov interests.”
“And then?”
“Yevgeny will demand we eliminate the problem. And we’ll redirect the feds to Bogdan. They’ll have a bigger target, and we get Bogdan out of the picture."
Silence on the line. I can almost hear him thinking.
“Put her on again,” Dmitri orders.
I hold the phone out to Daria. She takes it, turns off the speakerphone, and raises it to her ear.
She clears her throat. “Yes, I’m here.”
I can’t hear him any longer, so I watch her face. Whatever he’s saying isn’t gentle. Her shoulders curl inward before she catches herself and straightens.
“I know,” she acknowledges. “I know I should have come to you years ago. I was ashamed. I thought I could handle it myself, and by the time I realized I couldn’t, I was too deep.”
More listening. A muscle in her jaw twitches.
“No. I never gave him anything that could hurt the family. Even when he threatened Kira, I found ways to give him information that looked valuable but wasn’t. Old contacts and outdated details. Things that wouldn’t lead anywhere useful.”
She pauses and swallows hard.
“Because I’m a Kozlov. Even if I’ve been living like I’m not, even if I’ve been hiding and pretending my name doesn’t mean anything, I couldn’t betray my family. Not in any way that mattered.”
She closes her eyes and breathes. When she opens them again, they’re wet, but no tears fall.
“Thank you,” she whispers. “I won’t let you down.”
She hands the phone back to me and wraps her arms around herself again.
“Pyotr.” Dmitri’s voice is all business now. “You have seven days left on your assignment. I need that evidence compiled and verified before the federal deadline. Tony will provide remote support for tracing the financial networks. Boris has a team on standby in St. Petersburg if you need muscle.”
“Understood.”
“One more thing.” He pauses, and I brace myself. “I’m not stupid. I can hear what’s not in your report. Whatever personal involvement you have with my cousin is your business… until itcompromises the operation. If she’s playing you to buy time, or if any of this turns out to be a manipulation, you won’t survive the consequences. Are we clear?”
