Page 20 of A Silent Reckoning

The man nodded, his face smoothing into neutral lines.

Jozef looked around the room, satisfied that the others were listening and watching.In two weeks, I will meet with R-A-D-I-K here on home territory to collect the first payment and work out the details. Any questions?

“I have one,” Nikolay, the quietest member of Jozef’s team, asked. “Are we at war with the Kobas?”

Though his question was blunt, there was a wealth of feeling behind it. Nikolay was Krystoff’s second cousin, son to one of Krystoff’s cousins. He’d grown up on the periphery of the family and experienced the benefits of their loyalty for many years. He’d been uncomfortable with the transition. If any other man had asked the question, Jozef might have taken offence, but he understood Nikolay’s concern.

No, we are not at war with my uncle. I made the choice to leave, which was long overdue. We will continue our work undisturbed, maintaining respect with the Koba organization.

“What is our organization called?” The question came from another new member of the team. “On paper I mean, in case someone asks who I’m working for.”

Jozef stared at him blankly. He hadn’t thought to name his organization. They were the mob, not a daycare.

“We’re registered as Guard Dog Securities,” Havel supplied.

Jozef nodded and dismissed the room.

Once everyone left, Havel pulled out the files Jozef had been waiting to see. He spread them across the table. Jozef reached for the first one, which was titled, Krystoff Koba. Each of the others had similar titles: Dasha Koba, Leeza Koba-Horácek, Adam Horácek, Saskia Koba, Vasiliy Stanovich, Phantom. Each person who might have had a vested interest in killing Shaun.

Over the next several hours the two men poured over the files, filling in the blanks and going over every possible scenario. Jozef gave Havel instructions on where to look for more information and who to bribe. So far, Jozef hadn’t been able to dig up much evidence on Shaun’s poisoning, but he refused to give up. He would find the person who harmed her and remove them. He would make Shaun’s existence with him as perfect as he could.

Chapter Ten

Shaun spent the day alone, growing progressively more frustrated. She paced, she went through the kitchen, helping herself to a lunch of glazed chicken over rice. It was delicious and she wondered again where it had come from. Did Jozef have a cook, or a housekeeper? There had been a ton of staff at the Koba mansion, but here, she hadn’t seen anyone in the building except security.

She explored the apartment and came to the conclusion it hadn’t been used yet. Except for the bed they slept in, most of the furniture and electronics were pristine. The TV remote control still had plastic over it. She peeled it off and turned the TV on, discovering a variety of streaming services and local channels.

Glancing over the pots and pans, she realized they were brand new as well. So, the food must have been brought in by some kind of catering service. A thorough search told her there was no house phone.

Instead, she found a walk-in closet full of women’s clothes, shoes and jackets in her size. A dresser produced underwear, socks and nightwear, including an incredible selection of lingerie. She fingered the delicate fabric and wondered whose job it had been to procure the items. She pictured Havel pawing through the racks at Victoria’s Secret and started laughing.

She took a long, hot shower, using the shampoo and conditioner provided. It was the same brand she used at home, which would allow her tight curls to relax into a looser hairstyle. The brand was expensive and had to be ordered from a company in the United States. She tried to decide if Jozef’s knowing about the kind of shampoo she used was an invasion of privacy. Yes, it was, she determined, but she was happy to have access to her preferred brands. She wouldn’t put too much thought into how Jozef’s people found out about her preferences.

When she finished, she changed into a pair of stretchy denim leggings, a loose button-up, collared white shirt and a pair of red ballet flats. She marveled at how well the shoes fit and how comfortable they were when she realized that they were the same brand as a pair of battered shoes she kept in her closet at home.

So, Jozef’s men had definitely been in her house at some point in the past year. She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised, though it made Jozef’s desire to possess her that much more sinister. Was there a line he wasn’t willing to cross?

After several hours spent alone, her agitation peaked, and she opened the door to the apartment. Karl was standing in the exact same spot he’d been when Saskia visited earlier. Shaun stepped into the hallway and gave him a wide smile. He gave her a suspicious look in return.

“Let’s go for a walk, Karl.” She tried to sound decisive so he would be less likely to argue with her. “I feel like reacquainting myself with the river and some of the shops.”

He shook his head. “Not today, Dr. Patterson. Jozef has asked that you stay inside until he’s had time to settle you both in the apartment.”

Shaun glanced at the apartment with a frown. “There isn’t much to settle. There’s food and clothing. I figured out the TV, though I would love to get my hands on a phone. Can you help me out with that?”

Karl shook his head.

“Figured. Well, I’m bored. I don’t like being idle and I’m not one to watch much TV. I need stimulation, and if I can’t go out, then you’re it.”

Karl looked alarmed and glanced down the hallway as if hoping Jozef would arrive in the next few seconds to save him.

Shaun was amused by his discomfort. The man could probably manage himself in a gun battle, but when a woman asked him for something, he got all hot around the collar.

Shaun didn’t want to torture the guy, but she figured he was her only link to answers at the moment and she had a lot of questions.

“I want to talk to you,” she said bluntly. “Can you come inside so we can be comfortable?”

“Absolutely not, Dr. Patterson.”

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