Page 30 of Warlord’s Empire

Havel translated as Jozef signed. “You were the last people to see Saskia Koba before she disappeared from this hotel.” Jozef’s fierce frown was enough to make several of the staff take a step back. Coupled with Havel’s huge physical presence, scarred visage and permanent scowl, Leeza was surprised they weren’t running for the door. “We will be speaking to each of you alone. If we believe any of you are withholding information, there will be consequences. Do you understand?”

Havel and Jozef received one nod and several blank stares.

Shaun touched Jozef’s arm. “Perhaps I can help.”

Jozef turned his back on their audience, his hands flying as he swiftly chastised his wife. You are only here because I was unable to resist your pleas after… He stopped, his hands halting in the air before he mentioned the miscarriage. He continued, Otherwise I would never allow you to be part of this. The agreement was that you would remain silent and not bring attention to yourself. It’s too dangerous.

“Yes, I understand, but I think I can be of assistance,” Shaun said calmly, caressing his arm, sending a visible shudder through him. “I think the issue is that Havel is translating your sign language into Czech, rather than a language these people are likely to speak, like English or Afrikaans.”

Havel’s face reddened at his blunder and Leeza would have been amused if she wasn’t so worried for her sister. It was unlike Havel to make such a mistake. Though his English wasn’t the best, he knew the language and knew to use it in moments like this. His lapse told Leeza he was also quite worried for Saskia, which warmed her while also terrifying her.

“Perhaps you’ll allow me to translate,” Shaun said, then softened her voice to say for Jozef alone, though Leeza could hear them, “Please trust me. I look more like them than any of you and I’m not as threatening as you. I want Saskia home as bad as you do but I don’t think these people are hiding anything. They just work here.”

Jozef stared at her, clearly at war with himself. Should he allow his highly protected wife to take yet another step into his world or should he push her behind him and insist she go back to being invisible? Lucky for the future happiness of his marriage, he chose wisely, nodding at Shaun to step up.

Shaun smiled kindly at those assembled, her gaze falling on the one person who’d understood Jozef and Havel. She looked frightened. “What is your name?”

“Sarah,” she whispered in English.

“And what language did you recognize?”

Sarah swallowed visibly, her eyes creeping toward Jozef’s feet. “My brother is hearing impaired. I recognized some of his signs.”

“Excellent, then you’ll be a great help to us.” Shaun spoke with authority, as though used to commanding a room, which Leeza supposed she must be as one of the world’s top neurosurgeons.

“I… I saw what happened,” Sarah volunteered. “I was… I was in the kitchen when the poor woman tried to hide from those men.”

Shaun beamed at her. “Then you will speak with Leeza and me privately.”

Leeza was surprised at Shaun for singling her out, but she guessed, as the only other woman in the room, Shaun thought perhaps she’d be less intimidating than the men. Leeza tried to look small, moving her elbow to cover her sidearm as she nodded toward the manager’s office, which was vacant, the manager having been recently murdered, his body dumped in an alley near the hotel. “Let’s speak in here.”

Jozef stepped in front of his wife, blocking her, but she walked around him, squeezing his arm as she passed. “Trust me.”

He watched her walk away, his expression both annoyed and resigned.

Leeza couldn’t help the tilt to her lips as she passed him. “Trust her, cousin. She’s the only one of us who had a normal upbringing. She knows how to talk to people.” Without threatening them, she added silently following Shaun and Sarah into the office, closing the door behind her.

Leeza glanced at a picture of the hotel manager with his family. Nodding toward it, she said to Sarah in English, “Did you know him well?”

Sarah frowned, her gaze dispassionate as she glanced at the picture of her deceased boss. “A little, but he didn’t mix with the kitchen staff, or at least those of us he considered too low for his notice.” Her fearful stutter was gone.

“Why do you suppose he was murdered?”

Sarah looked thoughtful for a moment. “If I had to guess, I would say he took a bribe to give security the day off and abandon his post.” She gave Leeza a significant look. “He was a greedy man.” She frowned. “A few of us noticed there wasn’t any security that day. The head chef commented on it right before our dinner rush. And there were none when those Russians chased that girl through the kitchen.”

“That girl is my sister. Her name is Saskia,” Leeza said through gritted teeth.

Why did the Russians go after Saskia? It was suicide. The hit couldn’t have been sanctioned by the Bratva, yet the men involved were Russian. It was a confusing and dangerous mess.

Sarah’s eyes darkened with compassion. “She was very frightened but brave. She grabbed a knife before going into the basement.”

Shaun and Leeza exchanged glances before Shaun asked, “You saw all this yourself?”

Sarah nodded. “I was working in the prep station which is nearest to the storage room in the basement. She hid near me and I told her….” She stopped, biting her lip and dropping her gaze.

“What did you tell her?” Leeza asked eagerly.

Sarah looked frightened, her gaze dropping to Leeza’s waist, where her gun was visible. “I didn’t tell her anything, but I indicated she should go to the basement.” She shook her head, as if trying to banish the memory. “I’m so sorry, I think it was my fault she was hurt. They followed her and she was trapped down there.”