I gave an exaggerated frown. “Maybe, if Igot to try it a few times. The Internet makes it look easy.” Ibrushed my hands across the table linen.
“It’s not.” He looked at his phone andappeared to be reading something. He nodded and then punchedsomething into his phone.
“Consider the next twenty minutes your jobinterview. There’s a green Camry, license plate BKJ 4521 in thethird row of cars across the street. Go get it. Drive it into ourgarage, and come back up here.”
Chapter 16
He slid a bag across the table to me. Toolsof the trade, I was sure.
I looked at him, awestruck. These guysdidn’t mess around.
“Your time has already started.”
I stood up, and the man blocking the exitmoved out of my way. “No problem,” I said before I hurried pasthim.
Viktor call out after me, “And don’t belate.”
Once outside, I ran across the street, pastthe parking lot and then doubled back, weaving my way through thecars, pretending I belonged. I spotted the Camry without a hitchand immediately went to work on it, using the tools Viktor hadgiven me. I felt eyes on me. Was it Halluis or possibly someonefrom Viktor’s gang? I hated being watched. I couldn’t help butnotice that a smart key was included in the packet. It only took metwo seconds to unlock an old car like the Camry. Another thirtyseconds to hotwire it and five minutes to pull out into traffic,make a left turn, and circle back around to the restaurant’sgarage.
I made my way up the escalator and into therestaurant. I took a moment to compose myself before heading in. Ibrushed my hands down my wrinkled shirt and over my outdated pantsand then took a deep breath.
The man had moved in to stand behind myseat, blocking my view of Viktor. When I got in a position to seearound him, I noticed Viktor was no longer alone. His uncle,Alexander, had arrived. The sharp angles of his face caused deepshadows to form just beneath the ridges of his cheekbones, givinghim a truly spooky appearance—almost vampire-like. I moved in,triumphant.
I sat in my seat, and his uncle stood andtook my hand and kissed it. “Amber. Nice to meet you. I amAlexander.” His Russian accent was thick and smoky.
“Nice to meet you, too.” I made sure to makemy hand tremble in his.
“No need to be nervous. You did an amazingjob just then.”
I pulled the pouch of tools out of my pocketand slid it across the table to them. The uncle pushed it backtoward me. “That is yours to keep.” He raised his nose in the air,like a dog sniffing for something, and took a deep breath in. “Ithink we’ve seen enough. Don’t you, Viktor?”
Viktor gave an exaggerated nod. “For sure,Uncle.”
“You got us a good one here, I can feel it.”He smacked his lips.
Danger seeped from their every pore, but agreat sense of satisfaction overcame me. I was in.
“One thing,” he said, leaning toward me ashe stood to leave. “You cross us, and I will not only kill you inthe most painful way possible, but I will also slowly cut up yourmother right in front of your eyes. Then I will hang your fatherover her cut-up body.” He held out his hand to me. “Again. Nice tohave met you. You will be a definite asset to our littlebusiness.”
This man was pure evil. I had to find a wayto end his reign of terror. No one would have to suffer under hishand ever again. I forced myself to continue to look scared whileinside a phoenix was rising.
He turned to Viktor. “Give her all thedetails. I need her ready to go Thursday night.” He gave me apressed smile before walking away. Four men surrounded him as hemoved to the front door.
I memorized every line of his face and body.I could see the faint bulge of a weapon at his hip. We would findout who he was and bury him.
Among other things, Viktor told me to be inMr. Shareweather’s class by six sharp on Thursday to get a bit ofinstruction from the master. I bet I could school the engineeringteacher on a few moves. Then again, when I saw Jericho and Mikadoin action the other day, they’d been amazingly fast. It seemed Idid have a few things to learn.
I had my marching orders, and I stood fromthe table to leave when Viktor grabbed my hand and moved next tome. I had to reach deep to look him in the eye. He smiled. “Youknow, a big part of me wanted you to fail the background.”
I furrowed my brow in confusion.
He nodded, his eyes seductive. “You see, I’mnot sure my uncle will approve of the relationship we are about tohave.”
Burning ice flashed through my veins. I hadto be quick. “He doesn’t seem like a man we’d want to anger. And ifyou think he wouldn’t approve, then we shouldn’t begin one.”
He clucked his tongue and rubbed his thumbover the back of my hand, which he still held. “I disagree. We canalways ask for forgiveness later.” He squeezed my hand and leanedin and kissed my cheek, lingering over-long. I suppressed a shudderand managed an ambiguous smile. As much as I hated it, I needed tokeep my options open—if I needed to get closer to Viktor to furthermy mission, I couldn’t close that door by acting too disinterested.I’d have to leave him with a little hope, at least.
Chapter 17
Once back at the brownstone, Halluis drew apicture of the uncle as I described him. He faxed the scarilyaccurate depiction to Division, who got back to us in less thanthirty minutes. This dude was bad with a capital B. He’d beenindicted for money laundering, murder, espionage, and racketeering,to name only a few of the charges listed on his two-page criminalhistory. So, why hadn’t he been put away a long time ago? He alwaysgot off on some technicality, or it appeared in some cases that hewas helped by dirty judges. Everything indicated that AlexanderMolgilevich was a high-ranking member of the Russian mafia.
Each new development added a wrinkle
