Page 224 of Bossy Hero

Tomer launches into an explanation. “Tapping Katia’s phone at the hospital when she had the baby has finally paid off.” His normally even-keeled tone is brimming with excitement, likely because he’s been vindicated.

Dammit.

I didn’t want him to be right about her.

As my relationship with my daughter has developed, I’ve become sympathetic to Bigsby’s plight. There’s no telling what I’d do to save Lettie if she were stuck in Lenkov’s clutches.

Should it be revealed that Katia’s working against the chief, his suffering will be tenfold. I don’t want that for him. He’s already dealt with so much tragedy.

“Boss, over here.” Mia captures my attention. “I’ll play the call we intercepted. Any bets on who she spoke with?”

“My money is on the mayor,” I answer, having sensed this coming for weeks.

“Bingo.” She clicks the play button on her screen. “Pull up a chair.”

During the last month, Mayor Kirkland has advanced from someone we suspected of playing dirty to an outright villain. Once Klein got into his home Wi-Fi with one of our toys, it all unfolded rapidly.

Turns out, Mayor Kirkland’s political influence is partially to blame for Nikolai Lenkov being cleared in the Franco Financial case. I wouldn’t have thought a local mayor could pull off what he did, but he knows powerful people. And a little blackmail against a federal prosecutor can go a long way.

Ultimately, one of Lenkov’s patsies took the fall on some downgraded charges. Even still, the bratva had to scramble and make big changes. And here we are.

The recording begins, and the first thing I hear is a baby cooing in the background.

“Why are you calling me?” Katia whispers.

“I have information to pass on,” the mayor responds.

“You know better than to contact me here,” she chides him, her accent coming out more pronounced thanks to her budding irritation. “Too risky now. They watch everything we do. Two days is all we have.”

The baby grows fussy, and Katia’s voice softens as she placates him with soothing whispers.

“When was this call recorded?” I ask, directing the question to no one specific.

“About seventy minutes ago,” Klein answers.

I cock my head at him. “Did we pick it up on his cell too?”

He shakes his head. “Only hers.”

“He must be using a burner phone,” I surmise.

Having quieted the baby, Katia returns to the call. “I must go. What is message?”

Tomer stops typing, spinning in his chair to face me. It’s not a great sign if he wants to see my reaction.Aw, shit.

With a touch of triumph lacing his voice, the mayor says, “I was able to get the second port cleared like you wanted.”

My eyes bulge. “What the fuck?”

She curses in Russian, then smoothly shifts into English to continue berating him. “You pathetic idiot. You were supposed to do this weeks ago. Not now. Will be too hard to move everything. Nikolai will be furious.”

“We don’t need to move everything, Katia. I recommend he keeps what he’s already sent down south, as planned. Anything he hasn’t moved yet can go through Tampa. It’ll be safer to spread out his product, anyhow. Trust me. This is a good thing, and we still have time to adjust. He will be pleased.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

She practically growls her response at him. “I doubt this very much. I will send word later. Or maybe he come find you himself.”

The call ends abruptly.

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