And it works.
Ruslan leans and strains, and his gun goes off again. And as his arm slips from around my neck and my body hits the ground, Vadim's gun goes off too.
The blast is much louder than the first, and I cover my ears as I feel Ruslan's body shake the whole porch as he falls. A sob claws its way up my throat before I feel strong hands pulling me forward, away from the man who lies in a puddle of his own blood.
Vadim's strong arms wrap around me as his lips place kisses on my forehead and cheeks, and I throw my arms around him in a tight embrace.
"Oh my God, he was going to kill me, "I whimper, so glad this is over and he's holding me.
"You're safe,Rodnaya, you're safe now." He talks in comforting tones and holds me fiercely for the next thirty seconds, but the police burst through the gate and drag him away from me, and then I'm being hauled to my feet by another officer who insists I step away from the dead man on my porch as rain starts to fall.
It's over.
Vadim's target is dead, along with a few others. But now he's being handcuffed and put into the police van to be hauled off to the station for questioning.
And what if they don't let him go, and I'm just alone after this?
What will I do then?
29
VADIM
The metal chair scrapes against the concrete floor as I shift my weight for what must be the hundredth time in the past three hours. My wrists ache where the handcuffs were before they finally removed them and told me to wait. The table in front of me is bolted to the floor and scratched to hell, covered in initials and obscenities that previous occupants carved into the surface when they had nothing better to do with their time.
I stare at my reflection in the mirrored window across from me, wondering who's watching from the other side. Probably an investigator or two, maybe a prosecutor, all of them trying to figure out whether my story holds up or whether they can break me down into confessing to something more than self-defense. They've left me alone in here long enough that I'm starting to suspect they're using the isolation as a tactic to make me anxious or desperate enough to change my testimony.
It won't work. I've been through worse interrogations than this, in places where they didn't bother with the pretense of legal rights or due process. But what's killing me right now isn't theuncertainty about my own fate. It's not knowing what they're doing to Danica.
They separated us the moment we arrived at the station, and I haven't seen her or heard anything about her since then. Every minute that passes makes the knot in my stomach tighten a little more. There is nothing I can do from behind that locked door to help her. If she's scared or confused, I can't comfort her. And though I don't think for a second they will think she's guilty of anything, I can't be sure.
I gave my statement to the first detective who questioned me and kept it simple. Ruslan showed up at my house uninvited and became aggressive. He pulled a weapon and threatened my wife. I defended her using necessary force, and my primary concern was protecting Danica from an armed attacker who had already killed one man in my back yard.
It's not exactly a lie. Ruslan did threaten her, and I did shoot him to protect her. The details about why he was there in the first place and what led up to that moment are complicated, but the fundamental facts of the final confrontation are accurate enough. The key is whether Danica sticks to the same version of events when they question her.
I've made such a mess of everything. Six months ago, her life was simple and predictable. Then I showed up and turned everything upside down for her. All of the chaos of my life vomited all over her nice, peaceful existence, and now she's sitting in a police interrogation room somewhere in this building, probably terrified and confused, dealing with the consequences of my choices.
If they charge me with murder and I end up in prison for the next twenty years, what happens to her? How does she providefor herself? The diner won't take her back after she quit without notice, and even if they would, her association with me and this case will make her radioactive to most employers.
She doesn't have family she can turn to for help. Dusan abandoned her and she helps support her parents. They can't take her in. She'll be completely alone and broke and dealing with the trauma of everything she witnessed tonight.
I need to make sure Danica gets access to my money. I have accounts that aren't connected to any criminal activity, savings and investments that are completely legitimate. If I can get word to Yuri about where those accounts are and how to access them, he can make sure she gets what she needs to start over. It's the least I can do after destroying her life.
And outside of that, the guys are still out there and they have their instructions, but I need to make sure Yuri gets the full picture. The conspiracy went deeper than just Ruslan and Lebedev. There might be other moles in the organization, other people who were working with them or who share their views about Dominic being weak. Yuri needs to know that so he can root them out before they cause more damage.
The door openswithout warning and I don't bother turning to look. Whoever it is can make the first move. I'm done trying to appear cooperative or friendly or anything other than what I am, which is exhausted and worried and done with this entire situation.
"Mr. Gravitch," a voice says, and it's not the detective who questioned me earlier. This voice is smoother, more educated, with an accent that suggests expensive private schools. "Myname is Dimitri Kovac and I'm an advocate." I lift my head as I listen. "I've been retained to represent you in this matter."
Turning in my chair, I look at the man properly. He's in his forties with silver hair and an expensive suit and he's carrying a leather briefcase which he sets on the table before taking the chair across from me.
"I didn't hire an advocate." I glance at the door which isn't quite closed all the way. The dark side of me wonders if this is a setup, if Ruslan or Popovic had a contingency in place. This man could be here to kill me while in police custody, and no one would be the wiser.
"No, you didn't," he agrees, pulling papers from his briefcase and arranging them on the table. "Your employer made the arrangements as soon as he was notified of your situation. He felt it was important that you have proper legal representation, given the circumstances."
Yuri sent him? My men got word out faster than I expected and Yuri moved immediately to protect me. That's either very good news or very bad news depending on whether he believes my version of events or thinks I've gone rogue. Who the fuck knows after everything else that's happened? For all I know, Lebedev's schemes will have far-reaching effects, even after death.
God, I’m a skeptic.
