Page 6 of Canyon of Deceit

FIVE

BLANE

I spotted Therese sitting at a booth in the rear of the restaurant, her attention intense on the man sitting across from her.

She waved at me, and I joined them. A slight-built man with stone-gray hair and narrow shoulders stood with Therese to greet me.

Taller than most women, she reached my eye level, and I found that appealing.

“Mornin’, Therese.”

Her loveliness rivaled the dawn, her athletic body clad in jeans and a green plaid button-down shirt. Yeah, green. My favorite color, representing growth, nurturing, healing.

“Hi, Blane. Thanks for meeting us so early on such short notice.” She introduced me to Professor Rurik Ivanov.

I stuck out my hand. “Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

A trembling hand met mine, and I grasped it firmly. His gray eyes clouded with grief. US relations with Russia had its rough edges and many secrets. That didn’t mean two men couldn’t have a civil conversation that focused on a humanitarian need.

“The dire circumstances surrounding our conversation needs strict confidentiality. My daughter’s life is at stake.” Professor Ivanov spoke with a slight Russian accent.

Therese slid over in the booth, and I sat beside her and faced Professor Ivanov.

I wanted to offer the professor friendship and establish a foundation of trust from the beginning.

I removed my work Stetson to the corner of the table.

Therese had already briefed me on his aversion to law enforcement.

I placed my phone in front of me. “I might need this to take notes. Do you object?”

He eyed me. “No, sir.” The professor placed his phone beside him. Was he willing it to ring? Holding on to it like a lifeline? Or... wishing he hadn’t given me permission to use mine?

“Professor Ivanov, your loss is beyond any words.”

“Thank you. You’re a Texas Ranger with negotiating skills, right? A captain, I believe?”

I dipped my chin in a nod. “The western dress makes me a little hard to miss.” I allowed a moment to settle between us, to study the man for any signs of deceit and how to gain his confidence.

“I’m sorry for the loss of your wife and the kidnapping of your daughter.

I see the pain in your eyes. Our conversation is about determining if I can be of assistance in rescuing your daughter.

That may include the arrest of those responsible.

I have some tough but necessary questions. Some will sound insensitive.”

“I... I understand the importance of your questions and the accuracy of my answers.”

“Whenever a life is at risk, stakes are high. Have you reported your wife or daughter missing to the police?”

“No. I must obey the kidnappers. Anything else endangers my daughter. Against my better judgment, I am talking to you.” Ivanov choked back a sob. “I’m sorry. This is a risk, but I must do more than pay a ransom.”

“No need to hide your grief from us. Local and federal agencies have the manpower and knowledge to bring justice to an otherwise unpredictable outcome. It’s in your best interest to contact them with what’s happened to your family.

” I kept my voice low. “I am required to report crimes, and it’s against the law to conceal illegal activities. ”

I let silence sink into my words. “Sir, I want to offer you the same credible advice that I’d share with a friend. I have no proof of a crime being committed and haven’t contacted my superior at this point.”

“Are you insinuating this is a hoax?”

“No, sir. The opposite. I’m alerting you that the police will discover your wife and child are missing, and they will demand answers.

Far better you explain the circumstances now than after they are notified of violent crimes.

Anything you tell me is important to making arrests and finding your daughter.

You’ve shared what happened with Therese, but I’d like to hear it in your words. ”

A bead of sweat formed on Ivanov’s upper lip. “Please promise me the information will be shared with only those who can keep the crimes private.”

“You have my word. If the situation changes, I will contact you immediately.”

“This all makes it difficult to think sensibly or trust anyone, but I will do my best. I’m a professor at Leonard University.

Yesterday afternoon...” He gripped his white knuckles on the table and stated what Therese had told me.

“I haven’t heard anything since. The helplessness.

.. anger... and sorrow are unexplainable. ”

“I’d expect no less from a husband and father who is grieving.

When your daughter is safe, I encourage you to seek counseling for you and Alina.

In the meantime, confiding in someone you trust will help ease the stress.

This isn’t a load to carry alone. I want to do everything possible to locate and return your daughter, even if it means informing others who are better equipped, and I step back. ”

“I have no one I can trust within my circle of friends. Daria and I were very close. We told each other everything, and now she’s gone.”

“Did the man who called you have an accent?”

“No. Unless he hid it well.”

“Have other Russians living in Houston experienced the same trauma?”

“I’ve not heard anything. If it’s the same man, he’d have warned them not to talk.”

“How long have you lived in the US?”

“Five years in Houston. Why does that matter?” His high-pitched tone demonstrated he walked close to a breakdown.

“Everything is important concerning your daughter.”

Therese touched Ivanov’s arm. “I’m praying for you and Alina.”

His gaze bore into her eyes. “I’m not a man of faith, but I value your prayers.”

“Professor Ivanov,” I said, “do you have a suspect or suspects? Were you threatened in Russia or since you’ve moved to the US?”

“Nothing. I am a peaceful man.”

“And you haven’t spoken to anyone at the Russian embassy?”

“What if one of them is involved?”

A strange response. “Have you upset anyone in Russia? Has—?”

“I am loyal to my country. Check my background. It is spotless.” He leaned back against the cushioned seat.

Did he fear his own country had turned against him? Why? “Professor, I’m not the enemy. Those are the ones who’ve committed these crimes against your family.”

A slight twitch beneath his right eye caught my attention. I’d nearly missed the unconscious hint of holding back information.

“If the kidnappers learn I talk to the police or FBI, my daughter faces death. What if the kidnappers have connections in those places?”

I added gentleness to my tone. “Our goal is to help you bring Alina home safely, and we want to proceed in an effective and efficient manner. I trust law enforcement, but I also understand your reluctance to do the same. No one can promise you the best outcome, but we can do everything possible.”

“One minute my thoughts are racing, and the next fear imprisons me. I assume you’ve negotiated in life-and-death situations.”

“Many times, but experience doesn’t make the job easier.”

“Are you trained like the FBI or others in federal law enforcement?”

I peered into his eyes. Not the first time someone took a Texas Ranger for a slow-witted cowboy. “We are all trained to do our jobs.” I rose from the booth. “Do you need someone else?”

The professor motioned for me to sit. “Please, I am fine. I must be sure of every step.”

I took my original spot. “Do you have a photo of Alina and a description of what she was last wearing?”

He scrolled through his phone and shared an image of a white-blonde-haired little girl with a sweet smile. “Yesterday morning she was wearing her school uniform—a blue plaid jumper, navy-blue shirt, and dark-blue tennis shoes.”

“She is a pretty little girl,” I said. “My guess is you haven’t slept or eaten since the ordeal began.”

“Would you if your wife had been murdered and your daughter kidnapped? Every part of me is in panic mode—willing the phone to ring, waiting to wake up from this horror, longing to hear my wife’s voice and Alina’s laughter.

” He took a glimpse of his daughter and covered his phone with his hand on the table beside him.

“Let me order you something to eat. You need your strength until this ordeal is over.”

“Your kindness is much appreciated, but I’m nauseous.”

“You’re scared. I would be too. Professor, you should take care of yourself for your daughter’s sake.”

He held up a finger. “Maybe later. Please, call me Rurik.”

“I’m Blane.” I positioned my fingers on my phone’s keyboard. “Can we move on?”

“Go ahead. Daria is not Alina’s mother. My first wife died when Alina was seven months old.”

“The three of you were a happy family?”

“What does our relationship have to do with the kidnapping?” He held up his palm. “Ignore me. I’m Alina’s primary caregiver, so our family isn’t typical, but we’ve never had problems.”

Wouldn’t Daria have been the only mother Alina had ever known? “This is a hard one, but I must ask. If your wife didn’t share in the parenting, would you want her out of the picture?”

Rurik’s pale blue eyes widened. “I loved my wife. We were unable to have children, and at times she resented Alina. She asked me to take over parenting. Daria also wanted Alina in private care or in school when I wasn’t at home.”

Why hold back love for a child? “But she picked her up the day of the abduction.”

Rurik inhaled deeply. “Although she’s authorized, she hadn’t done so before. I assume the kidnappers coerced her.”

“I plan to check the security cameras at the school. The video could give us the abductor’s identity. Is your wife’s vehicle at home?”

“No. Neither have I reported it stolen.” Rurik snuffled back a sob, and Therese handed him a napkin.

“If you’re up to it, I have questions about Alina.” Rurik nodded, and I moved ahead. “You mentioned this earlier. Am I correct in assuming Alina is independent?”

“I raised her to observe and think prior to speaking, keep her eyes open, listen to what others are saying, and devise ways to take care of herself.”

“You’re a good father. How does Alina charge the tracker in her shoes?”

He licked his lower lip. “Wireless charging. She puts them on a special shoe pad at night. Each pair of shoes is placed on a color-coded spot. I told her the shoes go there so her feet don’t run out of energy the next day.”

I smiled. “Great idea. How long does the charge last?”

“Up to thirty days. I’ve always been afraid something might happen to her, so I insisted she place them on the pad in her closet nightly.” He hesitated. “Always a game, and she gladly played along.”

“What else?”

“She wears a gold ballerina necklace linked to her shoes via Bluetooth. I told her never to take it off. Ever. She believes it gives her special powers.”

“Your wife didn’t question the shoes or the necklace?”

“I kept the trackers from her.” He glanced beyond me and back. “Daria claimed I was overprotective. No point in upsetting her.”

Rurik just said he and his wife told each other everything. Unusual family arrangement, and Daria missed the nurturing gene, unless the little girl was badly behaved. “Have you told us everything?”

“I believe so.”

“If Therese and I take on your request, we must have all the information, no matter how unimportant it may seem to you. My boss, Major Sergio Montoya, must give his permission for the mission, and he will insist on being updated. If we require backup or a life flight, he’s the one who would arrange it. ”

“I understand. You have protocol to follow.”

Good. “What did you do in Russia?”

“I taught Russian and economics at Lomonosov Moscow State University. Then I was contacted by Leonard University. A smooth transition for all of us.”

“What will you do when the authorities find your wife’s body?” I sent compassion into every word.

“I’ll say she wanted a few days away to do shopping.”

“Was this a common occurrence?” I said.

“Yes, and I’d tell the police I didn’t report her missing because I had no reason. I have no idea what I’d say about Alina’s whereabouts.”

My phone alerted me to a recent incident. “One more thing. You filed a police report a month ago regarding a prowler. No arrests were made. Do you think the two crimes are connected?”

“I’d forgotten about the trespasser. My backyard entrance is locked, and I have a motion detector. The lights flipped on, and a man dressed in black and wearing a stocking mask stood in the backyard. He quickly scaled the fence and fled. Daria screamed, became violently ill.”

I folded my hands on the table, matching his posture. “Rurik, tell us what’s really going on. You’re skirting the truth.”