Page 93 of Sweet Animosity

Both women tittered. “Oh, I like when a man growls.”

“Especially with a Russian accent. They are so sexy.”

Forcing a smile, I said, “Ladies. Do you know Vivian? Has something happened?”

They shook their heads in unison. “We don’t know.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Which part don’t you know?”

Barb patted Millie’s arm. “I’ll handle this, dear. We both are very close to Vivian. We had dinner plans tonight?—”

Millie chimed in. “We were going to Maple & Ash with the five hundred dollars the other Russian gave us.”

When I finally tracked down this other Russian, I was going to take great pleasure in putting a bullet in his chest, just for the offense of his name being attached to my girl’s.

Barb’s brow furrowed. “But she never answered her door. It’s not like her to miss plans. We could hear the music, but she also didn’t answer her phone. We had a key to her place, but someone misplaced it.”

Millie turned to face Barb, hands on her hips. “I didn’t misplace it. I just forgot the special place I put it.”

Turning from them, I reached into my pocket for my copy of Vivian’s key. As I placed it in the lock, Millie commented, “So it looks like you have a key to her place, too. Just like the other Russian. He was such a handsome man as well. Although I think he has more tattoos.”

Barb helpfully added, “And he was a tiny bit taller, I think.”

Change that. I was going to shoot the bastard in the face.

I opened the door and stepped inside, moving past my own traveling trunks.

If the situation wasn’t so alarming, I’d laugh.

God, I loved the moxie on her.

Turning, I raised my palm to the women. “Stay out there. Just in case.”

I pulled my GSh-18 semi-automatic pistol from the shoulder holster and entered the dim interior. Stretching my arm out, I shut off the stereo on the kitchen counter as I surveyed the space.

I badly wanted to rush around each room like a madman screaming her name, but I knew better. If there was someone holding her hostage, the last thing I wanted to do was startle them.

Plus, the element of surprise wins every time.

Fortunately, her apartment was an open space with the two bedrooms directly off it. Hallways were always a bitch.

Glancing into the first bedroom as I passed, I could easily see it was empty.

That meant the closed door was my last option.

Easing to the side of the threshold, I reached for the doorknob and slowly turned it.

It wasn’t locked.

A good sign.

After the click, I pressed against the door with my shoulder.

It didn’t budge.

Something was clearly pressing against it from within the room.

I knew it wasn’t Vivian. It wasn’t her style to hide from an argument with me.

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