Mendez’s gut tightened. “That’s assuming a lot, don’t you think? They can’t know how I’d react to finding out he was alive. I never knew him. Maybe I wouldn’t care.”
Ian snorted. “You’ve married his mother and she’s pregnant with another child. You’d care. Any spy worth their salt knows it, too.”
Fuck. He hated it when Ian was right—but Ian was right.
“What if the whole thing is a setup? What if Kazimir Rybakov is really who he claims to be and someone with a grudge or an agenda is using him as bait for me and Kat?”
“It’s possible,” Ian said slowly. “It could also be bait for Kat alone, you know.”
Mendez’s blood ran cold. Sergei Turov’s son Misha was still out there, still capable of carrying out an act of revenge for his father. Sergei was a monster. He’d held Kat prisoner for years with his hold over Roman, and he’d abused her both mentally and sexually. He was in prison now, awaiting execution, but so far he’d managed to avoid the death sentence with delays and bribes.
It would be like Sergei to want to torture Kat one last time. And Mendez through her. Through Misha, he could’ve organized the whole thing.
“You’ve heard of Calypso, right?” Ian asked.
“The assassin? She’s not someone we’ve dealt with, but yeah, I know about her. You’ve had some run-ins with her, I believe.”
“A couple,” Ian said. “She’s an interesting character. She reminds me of Kat in a way. But I digress. The point is she’s a master of disguise. She can be tall or short, fat or thin—whatever the situation requires. She made us think she was someone else. So much so that we captured the wrong person because she’d done everything necessary to point us in that direction. Which brings me to my main point—that it’s possible to mimic just about anyone if you’re skilled enough.”
“And yet you brought this situation to my attention when you showed me the photos.”
“I told you I had to think about it, but in the end I did what I would have wanted done for me. I’d want to know. You’re a smart man and you’ve seen a lot. You know what people are capable of, and you also know that things aren’t always what they seem. You thought Kat was dead for twenty years, and she wasn’t. So yeah, it’s possible this kid is really your son. It’s also possible it’s a setup. If it is a setup, then he’ll turn up whether or not I look for him. So do I keep my people on it, or do I sit back and let it happen if that’s what’s going on?”
Mendez knew what Ian was asking him. Whether or not he wanted to pursue Kazimir Rybakov. Backing off would give them an answer eventually, but Mendez didn’t think he could do that. He needed to know. “Have your people been inside his apartment since he disappeared?”
“Yes. Only six hours ago. He’s not there, and there are no signs of a struggle. He left again under his own power, probably in disguise. We’re going over surveillance footage from the past two days to see if we can’t pinpoint which person is most likely him.”
“Keep looking, Ian. If it’s a setup, then I’ll deal with it when I find out that’s what it is.”
“And if it’s too late by then?”
The knot in his gut tightened. “It won’t be. I won’t let that happen. Neither will you. If nothing else, you care about Kat. You won’t let him get to her if this whole thing goes wrong.”
“If this is Sergei Turov’s idea of revenge, I’d prefer Rybakov not get to either one of you. Kat would never forgive me if anything happened to you, so don’t do something stupid.”
Mendez laughed. “I never do anything stupid, Ian. I’m deliberate and methodical. You know that.”
“I’m not so sure. You walked into the center of a lion’s den this past spring when you were being hunted instead of lying low until the danger passed. That was kind of stupid, don’t you think?”
“Not really. I cleared my name, stopped an assassination plot, and found the love of my life after twenty years absence. I’d say it was the boldest, bravest thing I ever did.”
Ian snorted. “Fine, bring that up why don’t you?”
“Let me know as soon as you hear anything.”
“Roger that. Later, generalissimo.”
“Later, 007.”
Ian laughed and Mendez ended the call. Damn, who’d have ever thought he’d actually end up liking Ian Black after that first encounter with Ian’s operation in Qu’rim?
8
December 23rd
Kat stepped back to admire her decorations. The house smelled like freshly baked cookies and looked like Christmas had exploded everywhere. There were signs proclaiming things like Have a holly jolly Christmas and Let it snow, and miniatures trees and ornaments on shelves and counters. There were pinecones, pillows, trays, blankets, reindeer statues, and candles. Everything was frosty and glittering and perfect.
Kat smiled to herself, happy with the results. Maybe she’d gone overboard, but she liked it. She’d never decorated like this before. It was kind of addicting. The HOT ladies would be arriving soon for the cookie exchange—Kat’s first ever—and she was looking forward to it. Johnny had frowned last night when she’d reminded him about her little party today.
“Don’t overdo it, Kat,” he’d said.
She’d rolled her eyes. “I keep telling you I’m not helpless, Johnny. I’ll be fine.”
And she was fine. She was full of energy lately, and she had a strong urge to nest. She knew it was because the baby was coming soon. This pregnancy was so different from the last. With Roman, she’d been alone. She’d been scared about having a baby, worried about the future, and heartsick that Johnny was gone from her life for good. She hadn’t known what to expect, either with childbirth or what her life would hold. She certainly hadn’t known that the FSB would control her life so thoroughly or force her to give over the
