Page 17 of Grizzly Sleuth
A grim Yuri nodded. “I know where Romashkovyy Zamok is.”
It was too far to walk so they ended up going back to Idris’ apartment, where he snared his car keys, although calling it a car might be generous. The rust bucket should have probably gone to the junk yard years ago. However, looks aside, it managed to bring them to the area holding the once grand hotel in severe need of a facelift. They parked a block away and approached on foot.
“That’s a lot of rooms to search,” Idris muttered as he took in the six stories and many windows.
“Why search when we can follow my nose?”
“Hold on before you go running around inside, sniffing every corner. We have to be careful.”
“I’m aware of the need for caution,” Yuri snipped. “But we also need to move quickly for Svetlana’s sake.”
“Agreed, but let’s not be dumb about it either. Won’t do us any good if we rush in and get caught.”
“I only counted six men. Two of which probably ended up in the hospital.” That admission came with a toothy grin.
“Leaving at least four of them, and you said they’re armed.”
Yuri nodded.
“What are the chances this place has cameras in the lobby?”
At the query, Yuri’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know. In the big cities, they’re very common, but a smaller place like this…”
“Let’s assume they have some. When we enter, keep your head ducked. That is assuming you don’t want your face plastered everywhere if shit goes wrong.”
“You are more recognizable than me,” Yuri pointed out.
A reminder that he’d seen few people with similar brown complexions since his arrival in Russia. Idris yanked up his hood. “I know how to hide.” He’d been doing it since his escape from the military facility, worried that the general had a team of hackers scouring security cams looking for him.
“Any other advice?” Yuri canted his head.
“Keep your bear tucked away unless it’s a real emergency.”
To that, Yuri snorted. “I’m not the one who has problems keeping his skin on.”
A reminder to avoid injury. Easier said than done.
They entered the hotel, heads ducked, not that it mattered. Where a camera should have been, loose wires poked instead, and the clerk sleeping behind the desk never even twitched as they headed for the elevator. Before Idris could ask Yuri if he smelled Svetlana, it hit him.
Her scent.
Vanilla, lavender, and that element that was uniquely hers.
They entered the elevator cab, and Yuri pressed all the numbers. At each level, he stuck his head out, inhaled, and said, “Not this floor.”
On the sixth, Idris didn’t need Yuri to announce they’d found her; her unique perfume hit him.
Now to hope his first rescue of a damsel in distress didn’t finish with him dead.
Chapter Five
Pockmark,real name Ivan, proved less than happy at the loss of Yuri, the main reason for the ambush. Svetlana silently rejoiced as Ivan cursed out his agents—minus two since the pair Yuri attacked ended up being sent to the hospital.
“Find that bear!” Ivan had ordered when Yuri took off out of the alley with all but one uninjured agent in pursuit. While the others chased Yuri, the remaining KGB agent shoved Svetlana into the backseat of a car. That same bullying thug joined her and sat sideways with his gun aimed.
Ivan took the driver seat with a glower and warned, “Don’t try anything, or he will shoot.”
It appeared she wouldn’t have a chance to escape, but at least Yuri got away. She could only hope he was smart and found a good place to hide because it didn’t bode well that the KGB wanted her brother.
