Page 16

T he following morning, an hour before Jake was due in the Bratva office, he swallowed hard, picked up his phone and called Alexei. The other man answered warily. “Yes. Who is this?”

“Dunbar. I’m supposed to meet with you in an hour.”

“Yes, Mr. Dunbar,” Alexei said. “We are anxious to meet with you.”

“I’m making a few changes,” Jake said. “We won’t be meeting in your office. We’ll be meeting in the fast-food restaurant across the street from your building. At ten this morning. How many men will be in your group?”

There was dead silence on the line. Finally Alexei said, “This is not how we conduct business. We don’t meet in public.” His voice was cold.

“Sorry,” Jake said. “But it’s the way I conduct business. It’s either meet in the restaurant at ten or the meeting is off.”

A tense silence lingered over the line. After a too-long moment, Alexei said, “Why do you not want to meet in our office?”

“I don’t like private offices. I’m surprised Nelson never told you that. I want to meet in a public space. The restaurant across the street works better. If that’s not acceptable to you, I’ll head back to Washington D.C.”

“No,” Alexei said quickly. “We will make that work. We’ll see you at that restaurant at ten.”

“That’s fine. I repeat: How many people will be there? So I can set aside enough tables and chairs.”

There was a long pause. Alexei must have put his hand over the receiver, because Jake could only hear muffled, indistinct voices. Finally Alexei said, “There will be twelve of us.”

“Fine. I’ll see you in a bit.”

He ended the call and shoved his phone into his pocket, then turned to Livvy. “You hear all that?”

“Yeah,” she said. “Alexei is pissed off.”

“Good,” Jake said. “Why would he be unhappy that we’re meeting in a public space?” Jake put his finger on his chin. “Hmmm. Maybe because he can’t shoot me when I walk in the door?”

“Unless he wants to make a mess at McDonald’s,” Livvy said, raising one eyebrow.

“Which he most emphatically doesn’t want to do.” He drew in a deep breath. “They’re still gonna want to take me to the canal so they can shoot me and drop me in the sludge. But it’ll be a lot easier to turn them down.” He touched his coat to reassure himself that his gun was in his holster. Then he strapped his back-up piece to his ankle. After Livvy had done the same, he said, “Let’s get going. I want to be all set up before any of them arrive.”

“Yeah, me too,” Livvy said. “I’ll need to find a good vantage point to watch the show.” She tapped her jacket to make sure she had earbuds and an amplifier. “You have your microphone?”

“Yeah, I’m all set.” He grabbed Livvy’s hand and gripped it tightly. “Let’s go.”

The walk to McDonald’s took only ten minutes. As soon as they entered the restaurant, they scoped out the space. There was a spot near one corner where they could pull a few tables together, and a table against the wall where Livvy could sit and get a good view of everything going on. On the way into the restaurant, Livvy had bought a newspaper. Her cover.

They pulled three tables together and found enough chairs for fourteen people. A man who looked like a manager came bustling over. “Can I help you?” he asked.

Jake turned to him and smiled. “Thanks, but I think I’ve got it. I’m having a meeting here with a group of friends. Should be thirteen or fourteen people coming.”

“We appreciate the business,” the manager said. He handed Jake a stack of coupons. “Coffee for everyone,” he said. “We want to encourage community groups to meet here.”

Jake saw Livvy trying to hide her grin as he accepted the coupons. “Thank you. My colleagues will appreciate that gesture. They might want to have more meetings here.”

The manager beamed. “I hope so. Have a good meeting.”

“Thanks. I’m sure we will.”

As the manager walked away, Jake handed Livvy one of the coupons. “Might as well get a free coffee.”

She snatched another from the stack and smiled. “I’ll get one for you, too.”

She hurried away, and Jake slid into a chair in the middle of the table. Livvy already had her newspaper spread out, so with the cup of coffee, she’d look like a woman enjoying her newspaper and morning coffee.

After Jake sat down, he looked over his shoulder. His position would give Livvy a good view of what was going on beneath the table. He popped in one earbud so he could hear Livvy’s voice, then opened a new notebook so he could take notes. If this were a normal meeting, Alexei’s group would expect him to take notes, and he wouldn’t disappoint them.

At five minutes until ten, men began walking into the restaurant. They studied Jake, and he assumed Nelson had sent Alexei a picture of him. As they stood around the table, Jake stood up. “Which of you is Alexei?”

“He’s not here yet,” a youngish man said. Jake recognized him from the tape he and Livvy had watched. Young guy hadn’t been one of the big talkers the other day.

An older, bulky guy with belly hair pushing through the buttonholes of his shirt walked up to Jake. “May I pat you down?”

“Why would you want to do that?” Jake asked.

“To see if you’re armed,” the man said, as if Jake were an idiot.

“Of course I’m armed,” Jake said. “I’m assuming you’re all armed, as well. I don’t meet with people I don’t know without protection.”

“But our contact sent you to us,” the man said. “You can trust us.”

Jake wanted to laugh, but instead he shook his head. “I trust, but I’m still armed. If that’s not acceptable? We’ll cancel the meeting right now.”

The men glanced around at each other. “Will wait until Alexei arrives,” one man finally said.

Jake set the coffee coupons on the table. “The manager gave me these for free coffee. He wants to encourage meetings in his restaurant.”

The man who’d spoken looked at the stack of coupons and frowned, as if free coffees were a foreign concept. “Go ahead and get some coffees,” Jake said. “I already did.”

The men looked at each other and spoke what Jake was certain was Russian. Then they all walked up to the counter and got their free coffees. A couple of them bought breakfast food.

Jake wanted to glance at Livvy and see what she thought, but he didn’t dare turn around. Finally, all the men returned with coffee and food, and they slid into chairs at the table. Jake sat in the middle chair on his side, and he noticed that the Bratva members left the chair opposite him open. For Alexei? Probably. Livvy should have a clear view of the leader.

No one said a word. They all poured sugar into their coffee, and the men who’d bought food began to eat it. Finally, about ten minutes after ten, the door opened and Alexei walked in.

He spotted Jake immediately and went around the table to shake his hand. “Welcome, Mr. Dunbar,” he said. “I’m Alexei. I’m hoping we can do business today.”

“That’s why I’m here, Alexei.” He nodded at the remaining coffee coupons on the table. “The manager gave us those. Why don’t you get yourself a coffee?”

Alexei stared at the coupons as if they were a snake that might bite him, but he eventually picked one up and took it to the counter. The rest of his men were restless, clearly unsure what to do now that their careful plans had been derailed.

Eventually, Alexei returned to the table with coffee and slid into the chair across from Jake.

As he sipped, Jake felt as if the entire table held its breath. Waiting for Alexei to make the first move? Probably. He knew Livvy had eyes on the table, so he waited to hear from her.

It didn’t take long. She spoke quietly, but he could hear every word she said. “Alexei has a gun in his lap. Aimed at you. His finger is already on the trigger. I’d confront him about it now.”

Jake sat up straight. “Alexei, I’d like to see your hands on the table, please. My nose tells me you’re holding a gun beneath the table, and I find that disturbing. You’re not thinking of disrupting this fine establishment by causing a scene in here, are you?”

Alexei frowned at him. “Why would I do that?”

“I have no idea. But I’d like you and all your men to put your hands on the table and keep them there.”

Alexei’s men looked at him, and he finally nodded, one sharp jerk of his head. Everyone’s hands landed on the table.

Jake nodded. “Thank you. Anyone’s hands slip beneath the table? I’d take that as a hostile gesture and respond accordingly. I tell you now because I’d hate for there to be any misunderstandings.” He stared at Alexei, who gave him a short, hostile nod.

“Good. Now that we have that unpleasantness out of the way, what can Nelson and I do for you?”

Alexei looked down at the table, as if he wanted to grab his gun and begin shooting. But he was smart enough to know that was a very bad idea. Jake saw the impulse in his eye and leaned toward him. “Alexei, just so you know,” he said, “I, too, have a gun beneath the table. Aimed at you. At your gut. If you or any of your men take your hands off the table, I’m gonna shoot you.” He lifted his gun above the edge of the table for a brief moment, then put it back on his lap.

“It’ll be a gut shot. Excruciatingly painful. And if you survive, you’ll be wearing a bag for the rest of your life.” Jake shook his head. “I don’t want that for you, Alexei. So hands on the table. And make sure all your men do the same thing.”

Alexei looked at his men. Muttered something in Russian. All of them slapped their hands on the table.

“Good,” Jake said. “A much better look. Now why don’t you tell me what you’d like Nelson and me to do for you?”

All the men looked at each other, then at Alexei. Finally Alexei said, “We need to have Nelson continue to let us know about the cargo coming in on the ships. Name of ship, when it’s due, what the cargo is. That is very useful information for us to have.”

“I’ll let Nelson know,” Jake said. “What else do you need from Nelson?”

The men all looked at one another, and Jake had no trouble seeing their desire to kill him in their eyes. “We will let him know what we require,” Alexei finally said.

“Very good,” Jake said. “Is there anything else we need to discuss?” Jake asked.

Alexei let his gaze touch every one of his men at the table. Jake didn’t see any signals, although there could have been a few. Finally Alexei said, “Would you like to see our operations? We’d be happy to show you.”

“And I’d like to see it,” Jake said, his voice smooth. Easy. “But it’ll have to be next time I’m in town. I’m running late today. I need to get back to Washington D.C. for a meeting.”

“Very well,” Alexei said. “Give my regards to Nelson.”

“I’ll do that.” Jake looked around the table. “Nice meeting all of you. Nelson will be happy to hear how well our meeting went. I’ll give him your regards.”

“Thank you,” Alexei said, but it sounded as if the words caught in his throat. “Have a safe trip back to Washington.”

“Thank you,” Jake said. He pushed away from the table and let the men see him replace his gun in his shoulder holster. “You go ahead. I’m going to put these tables back where they belong.”

Alexei and his men didn’t seem to like the idea, and Jake wondered if their plan was to ambush him on his way back to his hotel. But Jake smiled as the men stood and pulled on their jackets. And as they filed out the door, he was pushing the tables back where they belonged.

The same manager who’d given him the coffee coupons hurried over. “Don’t worry about that. We’ll put the tables where they belong.”

“Thanks very much,” Jake said, knowing Livvy was watching Alexei and his men. “We all appreciated the coffee. I’ll come back here if we have another meeting in this area.”

“Thank you.” The manager gave him a wide smile. “We aim to please.”

“I think everyone was pleased with the coffee,” Jake said. But clearly, Alexei and his men were not pleased with the results of the meeting. Jake saw the quick glances at Alexei. The tension in every man’s shoulders. Jake wondered what they had up their sleeves.

He’d been watching Alexei and his men since they walked out the door until they disappeared into their office building across the street. He blew out a breath, knowing how close a call he’d had. Thank God they’d placed those cameras in Alexei’s office so they knew what the plan was.

When all the Bratva members were inside the building, Jake turned to Livvy. “I don’t think we should be seen together,” he said. “Why don’t you walk up to that first alley, move a few feet in and wait for me. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Got it,” Livvy said. She tucked her newspaper beneath her arm, dumped her coffee cup in the trash and pushed out the door.

Jake waited until she was around the corner and out of sight, then he stepped out the door, as well. He studied the Bratva building and didn’t notice anyone lurking near the door. As he began walking, he felt an itch between his shoulder blades. He wanted to turn around to look. Knew he didn’t dare. He used the windows in the shops to watch behind him. He didn’t see anyone. They were staying back.

When he turned into the alley, he spotted Livvy a hundred feet ahead of him. He hurried to catch up, and he’d just reached her when he heard footsteps turn in behind him. He and Livvy took the first turn, and as they moved down the second alley, Jake glanced behind him. A long-haired, slight twenty-year-old stooped to tie his shoe. Jake remembered the guy from the meeting. So taking him out was still on the agenda.

“We’re being followed,” he murmured to Livvy. “One of the guys from the meeting.”

“Not surprised,” she said as she walked a little faster. “They clearly wanted to kill you. They’ll try to gun you down in this alley.”

“Yeah,” he said, nodding at two large green dumpsters beside a garage. “Behind there.”

They slid between the dumpsters and the peeling paint of the garage. It didn’t take long for the footsteps to turn into this alley. As the steps got closer and closer, both he and Livvy pulled their Glocks. Waited and listened until the steps were right in front of them.

The footsteps slowed. Stopped. From where he crouched behind the dumpster, Jake could see the man turning in circles, as if wondering where he’d gone. Jake tightened his grip on the gun, heard Livvy do the same.

Jake took a deep breath. Glanced at Livvy, who must have read his intention, because she nodded.

Jake duck-walked to the edge of the garbage bins, with Livvy right behind him. He stood up, and the man waiting in front of the bins spun around to face him. He lifted his left arm and pointed his gun at Jake. Center mass.

He clearly meant business.