Chapter 30
Kasimir~
It was two weeks later, and while the most important thing on my mind was how Zoya’s period was still missing, life didn’t care about my hopes and dreams. The world kept turning, and we had to turn with it or else get lost in the shuffle.
Besides, Zoya’s missed period was the only thing that was out of sorts at the moment.
Viktor and Aurora were doing well, Makari was still a healthy, bouncing baby boy, my parents were over the moon about finally becoming grandparents, and even the Marchettis weren’t as annoying as they usually were.
As for my wife, she was still working through some things emotionally, but that was because her conscience had forced her to tell her grandparents about our wedding, and they’d been quick to disown her, cursing her for marrying into the family who had cost them their only son.
Now, while their reaction had been understandable, logic hadn’t helped with Zoya finally losing all of her family, leaving her with only us to fill that void.
Luckily, her relationship with her grandparents had been almost non-existent, so it wasn’t like their abandonment would change a whole lot of things, but Zoya had already lost so much that it made my heart ache for her whenever she lost herself in her sadness.
So, since the world kept turning at its own pace, I was knee deep in the books when my phone chimed with an incoming text. Grabbing my phone, I saw that it was my brother, so I quickly pulled up the message.
Viktor: Check out the news.
I pulled out one of the drawers on the right side of my desk, grabbed the remote control, then turned around in my seat to see what he was talking about.
Once I pushed the Power button, the slot pulled back on the counter that lined the back of my office, and a fifty-five-inch television rose from where I kept it hidden behind the six-inch paneled wall that housed it.
As soon as it settled, it automatically came to life, and since I rarely used it for entertainment purposes, the television was already set on one of the local news channels, and it was immediately clear why Viktor had texted me.
Me: Watching now.
Viktor: Meet me later 2nite.
Now while this could wait, that’s what made my brother so good at his job. Unlike me, the man did not like taking his chances, and he was always determined to check the checker.
“The families of Daryll Pratt Joseph and James Connor Giles are asking the public for any leads that can help them find the two men. Our sources with the St. Moran Police Department have confirmed that missing reports have been filled out for both men, but there is nothing to suggest that they’ve been met with foul play at this time.
As for the families, they insist that both men would never just disappear as they both seem to have had.
The families are insistent that neither are the type to skip out on work or cause their families this level of concern.
So, they are pleading with the public to come forward if anyone has seen either man within the past two weeks. ”
Because I was so in-tuned with my wife, I felt her the second that she entered my office.
Of course, with the house being as quiet as it was, had the television not been on, I would have heard her making her way to me.
I also didn’t mind that she hadn’t bothered to knock or ask permission to enter my sacred domain. Nothing was off-limits to her.
Nothing.
Muting the television, I turned back to look at her. “Are you okay, lepestok?”
She let out a shaky breath as she jerked her head towards the television. “It just...it kind of just makes it real.”
I cocked my head as I regarded her carefully “Are you worried?”
“You’re not?” she countered.
I just smirked. “Certainly not.”
“How can you be so sure that they won’t trace this back to you?” she asked, her eyes looking a bit worried, which I hated.
“Because I’m good at my job, Zoya,” I assured her.
“But...but not all cops are stupid,” she went on. “What about...you know, cell phone trace or possible witnesses-”
“Zoya, stop,” I ordered. “I do not like to see you troubled like this, but I also am not interested in telling you details that you do not need to know.”
“How are the details of their kidnapping any worse than the details of their torture?” she harrumphed as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Touché,” I chuckled.
“I’m serious, Kasimir,” she said, and because she was so obviously worried, I relented.
“Since you’re already aware of the general particulars, I’ll skip over all that,” I told her.
“However, when Poppy hacked Mr. Giles’ phone, not only did she find out that he was scheduled for vacation, but she also found out that he and his wife had planned on going to Kentucky to visit some family.
So, the last time that his phone pinged for the authorities, it shows Mr. Giles going to the train station at the most congested time of the day. ”
“We’re they going by train?” she asked, her brows furrowed.
I shook my head. “They hadn’t purchased any tickets anywhere, so my guess is that they’d been planning on driving.
With his phone’s last location being the train station, it’s possible to assume that he might have changed his mind about driving.
” I shrugged. “The more that you can confuse the police, the better.”
“And what of Daryll?”
“The last location of his phone’s whereabouts is near the Rushon River,” I informed her. “Once the police get the subpoenas for their phone records, it’s going to show Daryll’s plans to go camping, and at some point, someone will find his abandoned tent and camping gear.”
“What about cameras along the way?” she asked, sounding calmer but still skeptical.
“Even if we weren’t able to outsmart the cameras, Poppy is very good at her job, lepestok,” I reminded her. “It’s easy to make us disappear on surveillance.”
“And...and what about Marcell?” she finally asked.
“Marcelle is currently living her best life in Barbados,” I grinned. “In another week or so, her family will no longer hear from her, and that will be that. At that point, it’ll be up to her family if they want to chase a ghost in another country.”
She finally uncrossed her arms as she let out a deep sigh. “You make it sound so easy.”
I rounded my desk, walking up to her until she was close enough for me to touch. Placing my hands on her hips, I said, “That’s because it is, lepestok. While this life is still rather new to you, we’ve been making people disappear for a long time. We know what we’re doing.”
“There are so many things wrong with what you just said, but...but I can’t lie and say that your...uhm, experience in this area doesn’t make me feel better,” she sighed.
I gave her a few seconds before I asked, “What’s going on with your period? You should have had it by now.”
“I feel fine, so...so I don’t think I’m pregnant,” she answered. “I think it’s just...well, stress can mess up a woman’s menstruation cycle.”
“We should still be certain, no?” I asked, eyeing her.
“I can buy a test-”
“No, no drugstore tests,” I said, interrupting her. “After everything that you’ve been through, I think you need a full physical exam, one that includes a pregnancy test. Besides, your fingers and ribs are still healing.”
“Well, if it’s all the same, I’d rather wait to become pregnant until after my ribs are completely healed,” she drawled out. “I’m not trying to grow a baby while they’re still cracked.”
I winced.
I couldn’t help it.
“Well, as uncomfortable as that would be, you still wouldn’t show for another few months, so your ribs would be well healed by then,” I pointed out.
“You just want to be able to keep cumming inside me,” she snorted, and she wasn’t wrong.