Page 82 of Canyon of Deceit

“Which you did.”

Rurik tightened his jaw. “I didn’t have a choice with my wife dead and my daughter’s life in jeopardy.”

“I agree you were blackmailed with your most prized possession.”

“Thank you.” He exhaled heavily. “I wasn’t sure you’d understand.”

I didn’t fully comprehend or agree, especially when too many lives had been sacrificed. “Have you ever been an active member of any terrorist activities initiated by the Russian government other than what you just confessed?”

“No, sir. My political views don’t coincide with terrorism.”

“What were Jurg Falin’s demands besides keeping him informed of what the FBI, Rangers, and police were doing?”

Rurik rubbed his forehead. “To book a flight through Istanbul and on to Moscow on the evening of Edik Baranov’s arrival to the port.”

“Which is a week from today.” He agreed, and I continued. “What name did you use to book the flight?”

“Isaak Mishin.”

“False ID?”

“Yes. The passport would be provided sometime later.”

“What else?” I said.

“To write out in my own handwriting and sign my name to a document confirming I supported the ROC and was a part of the organization prior to leaving Russia five years ago. In the event ofmy death, all my assets in Russia were to go to the ROC under the management of Jurg Falin. I complied and mailed it to an address in Russia that Jurg provided.”

“Did you make a copy of the document?”

“Jurg forbade it. Neither did I write down the address in Russia.”

“You have the means to conceal a copy of the documents,” I said.

“And risk my daughter’s life?”

If Rurik was telling the truth, Falin had covered his tracks and nailed Rurik for anything the US might uncover. “Who were you to contact in Moscow?”

“I have no idea. I assumed Jurg would tell me at his convenience.”

“What were the contents of the calls since then?”

“Nothing specific. Jurg thanked me. Told me Alina was alive. Said my usefulness hadn’t expired and to be prepared for other duties. He also instructed me to attend an ROC meeting, but the agents arrived. He expressed his concern about the FBI staying here, but I told him I was a person of interest in Daria’s and Alina’s missing status. He called me a liar and asked who told the FBI my family were missing. I said Alina’s school had contacted the authorities when she was absent, and no one returned their calls to the home. I told him the FBI agents assigned to me were in place until they found my family.”

“Did he ask about your job at the university?”

“Yes, and I said I’d taken a personal leave, which I have.”

“Do you think he believed you?”

“I have no idea. According to the agents here, no one has called since they found my phone early this morning.”

“Why not contact the school about Alina’s absence?”

“Jurg instructed me not to talk to school officials.”

I deliberated the reasoning of not letting the school believe a problem existed... But if Rurik was set up to take the fall for Daria’s murder, possibly Alina’s too, and Edik Baranov’s assassination, his lack of communication with the school added more evidence to his guilt. “Why has Falin leveled the guilt your direction?”

“I don’t know.”