Page 67 of Vengeful Embers

“I can’t. My contact didn’t have time to download them, that’s why I told you to go see the fucker,” Konstantin tells me.

“What was in the records?”

A pause.

“Irina and Gavriil have opted for surrogacy.”

“What?” The floor tilts beneath me. “Who is the surrogate?”

His voice cracks. “Tara Craft.”

I grip the dresser edge, my nails biting into wood. “What else is in there that you want me to pay a visit to her doctor?”

“My contact, who is also a nurse, said there were odd notes marked on Tara’s file,” Konstantin tells me. “They were written on the chart the day she went for the physical and scans.”

“Is she okay?” A spark of alarm zaps through him.

“Under the transvaginal ultrasound, that’s a… ah… a..”

“I know what that is,” I tell him.

“Of course.” There is relief in his voice. “Plus fourteen days to pregnancy.”

“That could mean anything.” My brow furrows. “What did your nurse contact say?”

“She wasn't sure as she’s never seen it on any of Doctor Pollock's charts before,” Konstantin tells me. “Oh… and another thing. After the ultrasound, the doctor wanted to see Irina and Tara in his office. Tara went to the bathroom and was locked in there.”

“Okay…” I’m not sure why that’s significant.

“Your sister locked her in there, and she went to speak to Doctor Pollock on her own,” Konstantin adds. “After that, all of Tara’s tests came to Doctor Pollock, so that sheonlysaw him for all her follow-up appointments during her pregnancy.” A pause. “Tara never got to talk to the doctor that day. And on their chart, it hasa note that Tara must be accompanied by either Gavriil or Irina for all her pregnancy check-ups.”

“I guess if it’s there, baby, they want to be there through it all.” I’m wondering where Konstantin is going with this. “Nothing strange in that.”

“They hadn’t had the egg implantation, but Irina had already booked all Tara’s checkups!” Konstantin says. “Now I know you have to book these doctors in advance… But they hadn’t even had the egg implantation yet.”

“Just planning ahead,” I suggest.

“Maybe,” Konstantin says. “Or maybe Tara isn’t pregnant at all.”

“What are you saying?”

“It just sounds a little suspicious,” Konstantin says.

“Or, you’re just bored and looking for something to do,” I point out. “But check into it.”

“I will,” Konstantin says, and I’m guessing he’s already started.

My brow knits a little tighter. “When was the egg implantation?”

He gives me a date. And I know that date well and before he reminds me what night it was.

“The night I saw Tara and Gavriil together at the Diamond Hotel.”

Fuck. I knew that night didn’t add up. Photos looked off, too perfect, like staged snapshots. But I told myself it was jealousy. She was with him two weeks after being with me, and it made me want to burn the world down.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying it’s possible that Irina and Gavriil set the whole thing up. They knew I was watching. They needed you to think Tara was with Gavriil.”

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