Chapter 41
Ileave Polly to search her aunt’s office. She is under instruction to tear it apart if necessary, and I head to the coach house to meet with Artem.
If Marsha’s visit has taught me anything, it’s how frustrated I am that my search is not yielding results. I should have what I need right now, but we are running in circles and it’s frustrating the crap out of me.
Artem is working, his attention firmly focused on the computer and I note his fingers flying over the keyboard as he arranges our investigation.
“Are we all set?” I ask, as I take the seat beside him and he nods, his brow furrowed in concentration.
“We placed a tail on Nikolai; several, in fact. We can’t get close enough to tap his phone and the usual shit, but if he moves, we will know about it.”
“And Miss Steele?” Even the sound of that woman’s name from my mouth makes me want to scrub it out and he laughs softly.
“She plays the victim well and assured us she would notify us if she hears anything.”
“What about the technology?”
“It should be in position before she turns off the motorway. Even if she never calls, we will screen every caller, every conversation, and every move she makes.”
“Good.”
He pulls up an image on the screen and I note the attractive woman staring out at me. “Who’s that?”
“Gabrielle Adams.”
He grins and I note the devilish smirk on his face.
“Marsha Steele’s daughter.”
“I heard she had one, but lost contact.”
“Lost meaning refused?” Artem adds, a cunning gleam in his eye.
“She was taken from Marsha when she was convicted of drugs and prostitution and placed in the care of her grandmother in Idaho.”
“I remember. Mikhail found out and used it to get Veronica’s name.”
Artem nods. “Things have moved on since then.”
“In what way?”
“Her grandmother died, and she moved to New York.”
I stare at him, noting the dark gleam in his eye and I say one word in response.
“Nikolai.”
He nods grimly.
“It may be a coincidence, but we mustn’t rule out he may be there for her.”
I stare at the image of the young woman thoughtfully. “Why would Nikolai go to New York to find Marsha’s daughter if she was cooperating with him?”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Artem taps on his keyboard and brings up an address in the city.
“She is currently living in this apartment block. She works as a receptionist in one of the hotels. Her life is pretty normal, and she spends her free time meeting friends or heading to the gym. She is an ordinary girl who is possibly in extreme danger right now.”
“Who needs our protection and—” I glance at my Rolex and say grimly, “There are five hours and counting to remove her from the situation.”
Artem turns back to his computer and secures the line and I reach for my phone.
“You’re good.” He says and I place the call.
He answers on the third ring.
“Valentin.”
My brother Arman is currently in New York on business and his men will be responsible for watching Nikolai.
“I may have the reason the visitor is heading your way.”
“I’m listening.”
As always, Arman’s voice holds no emotion, and he demands facts. Like the rest of us, he is a closed book and keeps his thoughts to himself, but is already ready to react if necessary.
“The woman’s name is Gabrielle Adams. She is Marsha Steele’s daughter.”
“I see.”
Arman knows only too well who Marsha is, and he says simply, “What’s the plan?”
“Get to her first. Remove her to a safe house and discover if she knows anything. When Nikolai can’t locate her, we will follow his next move, if she’s the reason he’s heading your way, of course.”
I laugh softly. “If not, we will know either way. Are your men in position?”
“Of course.”He sighs. “I’ll arrange her detention, but I am up against it with the markets.”
“In what way?”
Arman was sent to New York to steady our investments that are shaky since our father died.
“Titus needs to steady the ship.”
He says simply and then groans. “This is a distraction I don’t need right now.”
“Then hope its nothing and send her on her way.”
He growls, “If Nikolai Barinov is involved, you can be sure it’s something. That man doesn’t travel well and prefers his victims to live in the homeland. It’s less risky that way.”
“This could be a golden opportunity.”
There’s a short silence as my meaning hits home and Arman says evenly, “Perhaps you should call Mikhail?”
“I will leave that pleasure with you, brother. Good luck.”
I cut the call, and the expression on Artem’s face doesn’t reassure me.
“You’re really doing this?” He raises his eyes and I shrug.
“We have no choice. One step ahead, Artem, it’s always been the Romanov way and yet on this occasion I’ve a feeling we are several steps behind.”
He nods and returns his attention to the screen and my finger hovers over the phone as I steel myself to call Titus. The fact I just ordered a hit on the president’s assassin may be a problem and Titus must be the one to give it the green flag.
“Valentin.”
Once again, I hear the emotionless tones of one of my brothers and I waste no time in filling him in on my conversation with Arman.
There is a long silence, and I wonder what’s running through his mind. He will be the one in the firing line if shit goes south, and it’s probably one of the tensest moments of my life waiting for his response.
Then he sighs and his gravelly voice hits me.
“Mikhail is the best man for the job. I’ll arrange it.”
“Are you sure?” I must ask because this could affect every one of us if it goes wrong.
“I’m sure.” He says simply, and I steel myself for the next bit of news I’m about to land on him.
“You should know I’m married.”
His low chuckle makes me smile.
“Was that also part of the plan, or a by product of that?”
“By product.”
“Then congratulations, brother. You do realize mama will not be so happy.”
“She’ll get over it.”
I’m aware he is referring to the fact none of my family was in attendance and I’ve denied her the society wedding she has probably been planning since I could walk.
“What are your immediate plans?”
His question brings me back to business.
“Tearing Thorn House apart for answers.” I chuckle. “If there are none, it will be Briar House next. I’m guessing Rose Cottage has very little to offer, considering it burned to the ground.”
“About the homes.”
His tone is serious and I wait for his information.
“Veronica bought the houses with cash. There are no transaction records other than a bank transfer.”
“That’s a lot of parties she would attend to earn that kind of money.”
He says darkly, “Ana has been trawling through pa’s accounts. There is one company she has no paperwork for. The Rose Foundation.”
“There’s a theme running here.”
“The director is listed as Adele Heatherington, who is the wife of a senator, Charles Kenricky.”
“Her maiden name then.”
I think out loud. “Is her involvement common knowledge?”
“She is listed, but doesn’t work there. The current CEO is a man called James Warner.”
“Do you think it’s connected to pa?”
I can already guess the answer to that and he confirms it with a low, “Yes. I think it has everything to do with him. In fact, the more information I get, the more I’m convinced he played an active role in the organization and Burning Roses is just a branch of a very established bush.”
My head is spinning, so God knows what he’s dealing with because, like the mainframe computer, most of our shit heads his way and he directs it to the correct individual to take care of.
He says in a low voice.
“Search for any reference to The Rose Foundation, any bank statements, flash drives, you know the kind of thing. Arman will question Marsha’s daughter, although I’m guessing she is as clueless as the rest of us.”
He pauses and then adds, “There is something the president wants and we need to discover what it is. It may be nothing of interest to our family, but given the secretive nature of it all, I’m guessing it’s huge.”
“Big enough to claim three lives that we are aware of.”
“Three?”
“Yes, Veronica’s neighbor’s maid, Justine. She was the one responsible for giving Nikolai the key to the coach house. When she was questioned about it, she went to meet him and ended up taking a flight from the balcony.”
“Nikolai wouldn’t need a fucking key to get into a property.”Titus hisses down the phone. “Send me the information and all you’ve got. This maid could be more than you first thought.”
I hate that he’s right, and I never thought of it myself. Of course, Nikolai wouldn’t give a fuck about a key, which tells me one thing. It wasn’t him who searched the coach house in the first place.