Eva twisted her hands together in her lap as she glanced between Maddie and Jack. “I don’t know. But I think so, yes.”
Maddie sat down on the rickety futon next to Eva’s chair and put her hand over the young woman’s, stilling them. “Honey, just tell us what you know. Maybe we can keep him from getting hurt.”
Maddie didn’t miss the doubtful look Jack sent her way. And, apparently, neither did Eva. “I don’t know anything,” she said, pressing her lips together in a stubborn line. “I cannot tell you what I don’t know.”
“Well then, let me tell you whatIknow,” Jack said, his tone harsh. “Your grandfather has double-crossed some very dangerous people, Eva—me included. But, trust me, you’d much prefer I find him before the others do. Because if I have to kill him, it’ll be quick and painless.”
“Jack!” Maddie chastised. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I guarantee you,” Jack continued, ignoring her protest, “the others won’t be as forgiving. There’s one particular bastard named Kozlov, who has a talent for torturing his victims before he does them in—especially if he has a score to settle.”
Maddie gave him a horrified look. Was he being serious or was he just trying to scare Eva into telling them what she knew? Something about the haunted look in his eyes told her that he was on the level, that he’d witnessed Kozlov’s handiwork before.
Eva’s chin trembled and she turned a beseeching look on Maddie. “I swear to you, I don’t know anything. My grandfather didn’t tell me what was going on. He didn’t say why he was in danger—only that he needed to stay away for a while and that I shouldn’t try to contact him. I don’t know where he is. I swear to you—”
“Eva.”
The woman leaped to her feet on a gasp, clearly startled. Maddie was only a split second behind her, shoving the woman behind her as she brought up her gun. However, she noticed that Jack didn’t seem surprised at all by the sudden appearance of the man now standing in the doorway to Eva’s bedroom.
He was dressed in a charcoal-gray suit that was expensive but worn. His hair and beard were white, which, along with his stocky frame, made Maddie think of Santa Claus. Not exactly what she’d pictured when Jack had spoken of the former KGB operative.
“Hello, Jack,” Antonovich said with a smile as he slowly entered the room, his own gun trained on Jack. “It’s been a long time, my friend.”
“Sergei,” Jack greeted, his tone even, but Maddie could see the tension in his muscles as he tracked Antonovich’s movements. “Got yourself into it this time, eh?”
Antonovich chuckled and responded in Russian, then added in English, “There is no flying from fate, as they say.” He shrugged. “It is amazing I have lived this long.”
“Where’s the flash drive?” Jack demanded. “We know the one you gave to Tad Ralston was blank.”
Antonovich’s brows lifted, his mouth turning down at the corners in an expression of appreciation. “The Alliance is as clever as ever. Your commander—William Asher—he is young, but he may surpass his grandfather yet.”
“Where is it?” Jack demanded again.
“It never existed,” Antonovich told him, chuckling again.
“What?” Maddie cried. “What do you mean it never existed? People havediedbecause of that flash drive, you son of a bitch!”
Antonovich sent a surprised look Maddie’s way, then turned back to Jack. “I like this one, Jack. She has the fire in her belly, yes? Jacob Stone was expecting to receive valuable intelligence that he could use against the ranking Illuminati to assure his rise to power. I am afraid he is quite disappointed to have lost the flash drive—I imagine he will be even more so when he learns there was never anything on it. But what I should say is that I never intended to turn it over to the Illuminati. The data is still safely locked away.”
“If you never intended to give them the data, then why approach them at all?” Jack replied. “Why risk making enemies of the Illuminati?”
“Yes, they are not pleased with me,” he drawled. “This is true. But it was time for me to make amends for past transgressions. A man’s conscience becomes a heavy burden when he is staring Death in the eye.”
“What are you talking about?” Jack pressed.
Antonovich shared a sorrowful glance with his granddaughter. “I have terminal cancer. Maybe just a few weeks left if I am lucky.”
“And your way to make amends is getting innocent people killed?” Maddie snapped.
“That was not my intent,” he said. “But these games we play . . . they often have casualties. I could not get to Jack without drawing him out.”
“I’m not the only one you’ve drawn out,” Jack told him. “Kozlov has tracked you to Detroit. We’ve always suspected Illuminati ties with the Russian mob. I suspect he’s been sent to eliminate us both.”
This little nugget of news seemed to cause Antonovich a moment’s concern. “When did he arrive?”
“Right after you did,” Maddie told him. “Tell us what the hell is going on and we might be able to help.”
Antonovich shook his head. “I have no business with Kozlov. I am merely here to see my granddaughter and give her the money she needs to finish school. And to make peace with the man whose father I betrayed.” He turned his attention to his granddaughter, who was still standing behind Maddie. “I do all this for you, Eva. You know this, yes?”
