Page 16 of Grizzly Sleuth
“Help!” the man pleaded in heavily accented English.
“Help? That will depend on how cooperative you are.” Idris crossed his arms. “Where’s Svetlana?”
“I not know,” the man blubbered.
“Bullshit. You called the KGB on her,” Idris stated.
“No. No. Not me.” Boris shook his head, and Yuri dropped to four paws to take a menacing step.
“If not you, then who? You’re the only one who knew she’d be coming back to the bar to get paid,” Idris pointed out.
“I… Uh…” Boris cringed as Yuri took another step, mouth open wide.
“Listen, you either tell us why the KGB were waiting in the alley, or I let Yuri eat you. He’s really not happy about losing Svetlana.”
“I no call,” Boris squeaked. “KGB come see me. They hear about show. Ask about bear.”
The answer surprised. “Why?”
Boris shrugged. “Say bear cause trouble.”
“And?” Idris prodded.
Boris slumped. “They ask where find bear. I say don’t know. They tell me big trouble if no give bear.”
A threat that obviously worked. “So you told them Svetlana would be coming after you closed to pick up the money you owed her,” Idris surmised.
Boris nodded. “Must obey KGB.”
An understandable sentiment, but Yuri didn’t like it. He snarled and lunged, snapping his teeth. Boris screamed, and Idris’ nose wrinkled as the man pissed himself.
“Behave, Yuri. I’m not done asking him questions,” Idris cautioned.
The bear sat and glared.
Idris held in a sigh at the antics of his hotheaded partner. “Where did the KGB take Svetlana?”
“I no know.” Boris whimpered.
“Did they give you a phone number, anything?” Idris couldn’t help a frustrated note, as, thus far, they’d learned nothing that would help.
Boris shook his head. “No. No phone. But asked me where is best hotel.”
“I’ll need the name of the hotel.”
Boris couldn’t blab fast enough. “Romashkovyy Zamok.”
The name meant nothing to Idris, but at least they had a place to look.
A livid Yuri leaned close to Boris, his snarl quite impressive, especially with the drool dripping from the canines. While Idris didn’t usually condone murder, it wasn’t up to him. Yuri needed an outlet for his rage, and Boris provided an outlet.
Idris walked out before the screams ended. Not long after, Yuri joined him and shifted. Idris handed Yuri his clothes.
“Feel better?” he asked as the man got dressed.
“No. Fucking bastard.”
Rather than argue the man didn’t have a choice, Idris instead asked, “Did the name of that hotel ring a bell?”
