Page 49 of Shadow of Doubt

“Inessa being one of those consequences.”

The woman nodded.

“To be honest,” Harvath admitted, “I was surprised to learn that you are friends with her. I didn’t think you would approve.”

“It’s not my job to approve. They’re adults. They can do what they want. All my husband’s friends have mistresses. I don’t like it, but it is what it is. At least in the case of Inessa, she makes it a bit easier to be around Arkady. And if you spend the time to get to know her, she’s a good person. A bit sad, but good.”

“What’s sad about her?”

“She’s had a rough life. No little girl grows up dreaming of being the plaything of a monster like Arkady Tsybulsky. I’m sure she lays in bed every night wishing he were dead, but knowing that if he died, she’d be out in the cold. Men like him have no honor. I guarantee you he’s made no provisions for her. She’s disposable. He doesn’t care what happens to her after he’s gone. I’ve told her to stockpile as much jewelry as she can get. It’s all she can do.”

“Does she listen to you?” Harvath asked.

Eva motioned for him to hand her the cigarettes, which he did. There was an ashtray on the end table and he set that near her as well.

She opened the pack, lit one of the cigarettes, and took a deep drag. Exhaling, she remarked, “God that tastes good. Nikolai won’t let me smoke. Not since my cancer came back. He’s turned the entire staff against me. I have to sneak around like a criminal.”

“What do your doctors say?”

“They agree with him, of course.”

Harvath smiled. She knew what he meant. Finally, Eva said, “It’s more aggressive this time. They say my odds are fifty-fifty. I’ve already begun treatment again.”

“I’m sorry it came back.”

“Thank you.”

“At least you’re in good hands here. The Centre Antoine Lacassagne is an excellent facility.”

“Tell that to Nikolai,” she replied. “He wants me to go back to Russia with him.”

“For treatment?”

“No. Peshkov wants him back. He won’t say why. He told Nikolai to bring the whole family. That it was important that we all return. He offered to set me up with my own private medical team.”

“All at his compound on the Black Sea?” Harvath asked.

“Yes,” said Eva, stunned. “How did you know that?”

“Tsybulsky was asked to go too. He and Inessa are leaving tomorrow.”

“Why?”

Harvath shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“Well, I’m not going. And neither are my children. I don’t care what Nikolai does. I’ve told him that. I’m not leaving my doctors and I’m not pulling the children out of school.”

This was the second oligarch that Harvath had learned Peshkov had reached out to. It was alarming. There was something ominous about the man summoning his closest friends and confidants back to Russia. On top of that, he was encouraging them to bring their families. The Russian president had even offered to dedicate a medical team to Eva.Why?

It was a question that would have to wait. Better yet, it was something the CIA could worry about when he sent his next update to Holidae Hayes. Right now, he needed to get to Inessa. And for that, he needed Eva’s help. He decided to tell her the truth. Or at least as much of it as he could.

Looking at her, Harvath said, “You asked me why I reached out to you about Inessa Surkova. It’s because I need a favor. I need you to put me in touch with her.”

“Is that all?” Eva asked, taking another drag on her cigarette. “We didn’t need to go through all of this. I could have texted you her phone number.”

“It was important that we do this face-to-face.”

“Because?”

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