where this place is?”
“It’s too late. Rakovac called me right after Kelsov and Catherine left here. He said that it was time to wrap it up. I don’t know what that means, but I don’t think it’s about me.”
She was now only a few yards away. Eve started to take another step.
“Stop! Don’t come any closer.” Natalie was suddenly beside Kelly and pressing the muzzle of the gun to her temple. “I’ll pull the trigger. I swear I will. I can’t let you take the gun away from me.”
Eve froze. If she didn’t press the trigger intentionally, she might do it accidentally. “I’m not moving. Take the gun away from her head.”
“No, I know what you were going to do. I can’t let you-Rakovac said he’d punish me if it didn’t go well.”
“If what didn’t go well?”
“He wants you, too. You and Quinn, but I can’t help it if Joe Quinn went away. It’s not my fault. Maybe he won’t-It’s not my fault.” Her head lifted swiftly. “I hear a car.”
Eve heard it, too. “Maybe it’s Kelsov. Put away the gun. You don’t want him to-”
“It’s not Kelsov. I know the sound of his car. I’ve heard him come home so many times.” She gazed at Eve. “I’m sorry. It’s not my fault.”
“You said that before. I’m sympathetic to your problems, but you have to take responsibility at some point, Natalie.”
“No, she doesn’t.” A brown-haired man with gray flecks in his carefully barbered hair had opened the front door and stood pointing a Magnum revolver at them. “Haven’t you discovered that Natalie is just a puppet? She never had a great amount of brains even before Rakovac took her. To expect her to feel guilt or responsibility isn’t reasonable.”
“Who are you?”
He inclined his head. “Nicholas Russo. I’m Rakovac’s assistant.”
“He’s my father,” Natalie said dully.
Eve’s eyes widened in shock. “What?”
“A state which has been fraught with both benefits and dangers,” Russo said. “All the stupid bitch had to do was shut up and take it. She ran away. I’m lucky Rakovac didn’t take his anger at her out on me.”
“No, he took it out on her. And probably Catherine’s son.”
Russo’s brows lifted. “I can see that your heart is bleeding. I should have expected as much from what I’ve heard about you from Rakovac.” He motioned with his gun. “And I’m in no mood to listen to abuse. Come along. This has to be concluded tonight. Rakovac has taken far too many risks over this Catherine Ling business for my liking. If he goes down, I go down. If he hits the top of the heap, then I’m a billionaire.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“Why, to see Luke Ling. Isn’t that what this charade is all about?”
“It’s no charade.”
“It seems that to me, but then I’m standing on the outside.”
“Shall I tie her up?” Natalie asked.
“What a helpful daughter you are. I wish you’d have been a little more helpful when you were with Rakovac. Yes, by all means. I have a man waiting in the car, but I don’t want problems.” He tossed her a rawhide cord and waited while she tied Eve’s hands in front of her. He turned to Kelly. “And her, too.”
“She has nothing to do with this,” Eve said quickly. “Rakovac wouldn’t want you to take her.”
“She figured out that Luke is with Czadas,” Natalie said.
Eve wanted to strangle her.
Russo nodded. “And she’s a witness.”
Kelly rose to her feet. “I want to go with you, Eve. If I stayed with that viper, I’d chop her head off.”
“Then we’ll oblige you.” Russo stepped aside after Natalie finished tying Kelly’s wrists. “Go straight to the car and get in the backseat. Try to run, and I’ll shoot the girl first, then you, Duncan.”
“I’m not running.” It would do no good, and she wasn’t about to risk getting Kelly killed. Besides, Russo was right. All of their efforts had been bent on finding Luke. Now they were being taken to the boy. It would be better to wait to attempt any escape until they were with him. “How far away is this place?”
“About four hours.” He opened the rear door and gestured for them to get inside.
He hadn’t lied, Eve realized. The man who waited inside the car appeared rough and lethal.
“What’s going to happen to me?” Natalie asked from the doorstep. “I did everything Rakovac said.”
“This time.”
“He promised me Kelsov would be coming back to me.”
“He will be.” Russo got into the driver’s seat. “I’ve arranged an escort to take both of you out of the country. We can’t have you left behind to be questioned. You’d break too easily. Now see if you can be quiet until he gets here.”
She was still standing in the doorway as they drove down the road.
“She didn’t even question you,” Eve said incredulously. “You might have ways to keep her quiet, but what about Kelsov? There’s no way that he won’t keep after Rakovac.”
“Oh, there is a way.” He lifted his hand to wave at Natalie. “And I told you that my daughter isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Now, be quiet. I want a peaceful trip to Savrin House.”
Eve shivered as he turned on the player and a classical CD blared. She had thought that all she had heard about Rakovac was evil, but Russo might be his equal. Was it Rakovac’s influence, or did they feed on each other?
“Eve.” Kelly leaned closer to Eve, and said in an undertone, “We’ll be okay, right?”
Was she offering comfort or asking for it? With Kelly it was difficult to know.
Eve’s nodded. “We’ll be okay.”
Chapter 16
“Got it.” Helder’s voice was less than enthusiastic as Joe picked up the phone. “It’s a house located in the small town of Navaltov outside Moscow.”
“It took you long enough. Fifteen minutes. You were bragging that it would take you less than thirty seconds.”
“I wanted to be absolutely accurate. After all, it’s a matter of national security.”
And he had been dragging his feet to get a little of his own back, Joe thought.
“What’s the address?
“Twenty-five Zarnok.”
“Who is in the house now?”
“You didn’t ask me to get that information.”
“I didn’t have to ask you. It’s routine with you. You probably know how many lights are lit and how many times a toilet has been flushed in the last two hours.”
“Twice,” Helder said. “But at different parts of the house.”
“How many people?”
“One. Female. Lower floor. Possibly domestic. Two males exited the house ten minutes ago and departed in separate vehicles.” He paused. “But there’s still one man in the area across the street and another one on the far terrace in back. Guards?”
“Locate the study or office in the house for us.”
“It’s on the first floor. Second room on the left as you enter the house.”
“Helder, you’re an asshole, but you know your stuff.”
“Are you finished with me?”
“Probably. I’ll call you if we need anything else.”
Helder hung up.
“You heard.” Joe turned to Venable, who was typing at top speed on the computer. “What have you got?”
“Give me a minute,” Venable said. “I’m printing out a diagram of the house and assessing the security-system
