Page 36 of Grizzly Sleuth
“While he’s holed up in the hotel, yes, but Levy will eventually leave,” Idris interjected.
“And how will you know when he departs? It’s not as if you can camp outside and wait,” Svetlana huffed.
A valid point. “There must be a way to draw Levy out.”
“Why not dash into the hotel lobby as a bear and see if he’ll follow?” Svetlana snapped.
“Maybe as a last resort, but I’d rather avoid getting shot.”
“He wants you alive,” she reminded.
“Levy does, but throw a big bad bear in front of people with guns and well… it’s easier to apologize after.”
“We have time to make a plan since he won’t be leaving today. Probably not tomorrow either.” Yuri flopped onto the bed, bouncing his sister, before tucking his hands behind his head.
“You can’t know that for sure.” Idris crossed his arms, lest he drag Yuri from the bed so he could steal the spot beside Svetlana.
“Lots of people are claiming to have tips. It will take the doctor more than a day to get through them all.”
“I doubt Levy will be the one questioning. And knowing that prick, he’s probably keen to get back to his lab.” Idris hated the man but had to admit he worked damned hard.
“You think he’d depart without the bears he’s so keen on?” Yuri countered.
Idris’ lips pinched. “Probably not. Guess it depends on how frustrated he gets.”
“It is probably safe to assume we have two, maybe three days before the doctor realizes he’s getting nothing of value.”
“That’s making the assumption there’s no other bear shifters in town,” Idris pointed out. “Maybe someone will turn a neighbor, friend, or family member in for the money.”
“Another? I am unique.” Yuri frowned at him. “Or, so I used to think. Let’s say another exists. If they’re handed over, then that leaves us in the clear,” Yuri riposted.
“Not me. They’ll still want me for murder,” she grumbled.
“Maybe they’ll forget about you if the doctor drags some bears back to his lair.”
“You really think that?” she retorted.
“Hey, at least I’m coming up with ideas,” Yuri huffed.
“Bad ones,” Idris commented. “For one, Svetlana is right, bears or not, she’s still in trouble. And secondly, Levy scurrying back to his secret lab isn’t ideal since we don’t know where it is, not to mention it will be well guarded making it harder for me to take him out.” Unacceptable. Levy had to die, and not just for revenge, but to stop his vile experiments. Idris hated him even more than the general. The doctor was the brains behind the project. Get rid of him and maybe, just maybe, it would all fall apart.
“I thought you wanted him to return to his lair so that you could destroy it and put an end to his evil once and for all.” Yuri uttered a chuckle that had Svetlana rolling her eyes.
“And how am I supposed to follow him? As Svetlana mentioned, we can’t exactly park outside the hotel for a few days waiting for that to happen.”
“No need for that. I have an inside source,” Yuri stated with a smug smile, which narrowed Svetlana’s gaze.
“What do you mean? What did you do?”
“Me?” Yuri blinked and didn’t manage to look innocent one bit. His next smile held a hint of naughty. “I might have accidentally met a lovely female KGB agent by the name of Olga.”
“What?” Svetlana wasn’t the only one to squeak. She did harangue, though. “Are you trying to get arrested?”
“Bah, she had no idea who I was. Why would she? She’s looking for you, Idris, and two bears. Anyhow, there I was, minding my business, doing my research on the internet, when she came into the pastry shop for a bite. Recognizing the uniform, I struck up a conversation and asked her if she was in town because of that horrible massacre by the bears. We got to talking about it?—”
Svetlana interrupted. “You idiot. You interrogated a KGB agent?”
“We had a conversation,” Yuri corrected. “I told her I was interested in the case because I’d been to the bar and seen the show by that wicked killer Svetlana and her bear. As a good citizen, I wanted to do everything I could to help them be captured.”
