My fingers tightened around the phone. “Then I should answer.”
“He could be trying to locate you.”
“Can he?”
“Not from one call unless you stay on long enough and he has someone good ready.”
“That wasn’t comforting.”
“It was true.”
The ringing stopped.
I stared at the screen.
Then a text came through.
UNKNOWN:
Tell your brother to answer when I call.
My blood went cold.
Another message followed.
UNKNOWN:
He can still make this right.
I looked up at Vadim.
He was already reaching for his own phone.
“Lev,” he said when the call connected. “Kask reached Nadia’s phone. Check Petya now. Do not let him leave the apartment.”
My phone rang again.
This time the caller ID showed Petya.
I answered before Vadim could say anything.
“Petya?”
“Nadia.” His voice hit my ear raw and too loud. “Tell me where you are.”
My knees weakened. I sat on the edge of the bed. “Are you all right?”
“Tell me where you are.”
“Petya, are you hurt?”
“No. No, I’m not hurt.” He breathed hard into the phone. A door slammed somewhere near him, followed by a male voice I couldn’t make out. “I’m not hurt. I need you to tell me if it’s true.”
The tray sat untouched on the nightstand. Steam curled from the white teapot, thin and useless in the wide, warm room.
Vadim’s gaze held mine from across the black sheets.
“What did Gennady tell you?” I asked.
