Page 24 of Grizzly Sleuth
“The question then is, where should we go?” Svetlana lifted her hands and shrugged. “The KGB have eyes and ears everywhere.”
“Ever thought of leaving Russia?”
Judging by their dropped-jaw expressions, that would be a no.
“This is our country,” Yuri exclaimed. “Our home.”
“Home?” Idris couldn’t help but inject a sarcastic note. “You said it yourself, you don’t have one. You constantly roam about trying to not have your secret revealed.”
“Fine, then how would we even go elsewhere? We have no money. Nothing.” Yuri’s lips turned down.
“Not nothing.” Svetlana dug into her pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. “I still have the money Boris gave me.”
“Which is a start, but not enough to get us passports to cross the border,” Yuri pointed out. “And do we really dare? If we’re recognized at a crossing, we’re screwed.”
Idris rubbed his jaw. “Fuck me, this is complicated.”
“It’s late, and I’m tired,” Svetlana announced. “I need at least an hour of sleep before I can think properly.”
“Is that wise? What if the KGB track us here?”
“Doubtful,” Yuri stated. “But just in case, I will stand on watch. I’m not tired.”
Idris was and wasn’t. Having been in tense situations before, though, he knew how much good even a short napping stint could do. So he tried to get some sleep, letting Svetlana take the master bedroom, while he braved the second cluttered bedroom. The bed, with its stained mattress and no sheets, needed replacing ages ago, but it beat the hard ground.
It felt as if he’d only just shut his eyes when Yuri woke him, not intentionally. Idris popped out of bed upon hearing the other man yelling in Russian. He bolted into the living room, ready todo battle, only to see no enemy, just the television on, showing a man with a serious mien talking.
“What’s going on?” Idris asked, rubbing his face.
“We’re fucked,” Yuri exclaimed before going off in Russian again. As for Svetlana, she pursed her lips.
The television flipped from the male announcer to an image of the hotel they’d visited the night before with a police officer standing out front giving a statement.
“I see the news is reporting on the agents we took out.”
Svetlana had her arms crossed and replied in a low murmur, “Yes, which was to be expected. They’re even admitting they were killed by bears. Not that they had a choice. Someone got a picture of us escaping.” As she said it, a blurry image appeared on the screen showing two large furry bodies and a distinctly feminine person clinging to the back of one.
“We didn’t exactly leave discreetly.”
“I’m aware. However, that’s not why Yuri is upset,” she grumbled. “I’m being blamed for it.”
“What? You’re not a bear,” he exclaimed.
She rolled her eyes. “No, but who else is in town doing an act with one? What other woman would be riding the back of one?” As she spoke, a grainy image popped up on the screen of Svetlana doing her act with Yuri the bear.
“Shit.”
The footage continued, this time showing caution tape and whirling lights around a different crime scene.
A picture of Ivan appeared next, in full uniform, obviously borrowed from his official KGB profile.
“What’s he saying?” Idris asked as the announcer returned.
A grim Yuri translated. “Ivan was found dead early this morning in the warehouse district.”
Idris’ momentary relief at the news that the witness to his transformation would no longer be a problem led to him murmuring aloud, “How did he die?”
“Gunshot to the head, which they’re also blaming on me.” Svetlana sighed. “Yuri’s right. We’re fucked.”
