Page 104 of Canyon of Deceit
“Smart man. Are we finished?”
“I’d like to talk to Therese.”
“I’ll check on her availability.”
Anger boiled in my veins with his sarcasm.
“I’m here, Blane,” Therese said. “I’m sorry, but I needed to find out what Jurg wanted with me.”
“Have you?”
“Yes, I’m aware of the stakes.” She sounded in control.
“Where is he holding you?”
“I’m fine. It’s better this way. No one else will be hurt.”
Why hadn’t I notified Sergio so he’d trace the call? “What will staying accomplish?”
“An end to the crimes. I’m not in immediate danger.”
“You trust him?” While I kept my negotiator tone calm, my anger meter rose. No doubt Falin listened in.
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll see you on Monday evening.”
“How is Alina?”
“I’m told she’s fine.”
The connection went dead, and my insides twisted like I’d inhaled poisonous gas. I’d see if Sergio could trace the call, but Falin seldom made a mistake.
I deliberated Rurik Ivanov and Jurg Falin, two men who valued power and control. Rurik’s love for Alina overruled his emotions and resulting actions. He’d made repulsive illegal decisions, and I had no doubt he’d continue until his daughter was safe or he breathed his last. Neither did he care what happened to Therese. While the realizations made sense, Rurik’s potential outcome laid out like a cemetery plot.
Falin, who had no regard for human life, viewed his enterprise worth murder and kidnapping. He applied psychological pressure on Rurik to comply to his demands, whatever they were. The Feds might hold back in rescuing a child caught in an international political feud, but an American woman increased the stakes. US policy traditionally stated we didn’t negotiate with terrorists, but sometimes a crisis and public opinion influenced government action.
SIXTY-ONE
ALINA
One day rolled into the next, and I did my best to use the routine as a schedule and not worry so much. Daddy said schedules kept us organized and in a better mood.
But fear held me tight.
I cried for my daddy.
I feared a new life in Russia. My uncle who now treated me nice might be mean again. The faces of the men he’d killed kept me awake at night.
Red used to be my favorite color but no more. Daddy told me red meant life, and black meant death. He made a terrible mistake.
I kept my room neat, and the work pleased my uncle. I washed my clothes and hung them in the shower to dry, scrubbing the blood hard until the spots faded. I straightened the towels, washcloths, and wiped out the sink with extra napkins from the food he brought me. Then I completed the schoolwork my uncle downloaded on my iPad. He made sure every day I solved hard math problems, studied Russian history, politics, science, and read books in Russian he said were important. Daddy had encouraged me to work very hard on my studies, so this part of my day seemed a little normal. At school, my classes had been with bigger kids, and they weren’t always friendly.
Late afternoon, my uncle’s signal knock and voice startled me. I unlocked the door, surprised to see him with Therese. They came inside, and he locked the door behind them.
“Hi, Alina.” Therese smiled. Her hands weren’t tied, but her face had bruises.
“Has my uncle brought you to visit me?”
She bent to my level. “He has. I’m excited to see you again. Your uncle tells me the two of you are using different names. He’s Isaak Mishin, and you’re Larisa Mishin.”
