Page 83 of Night of Shadows
"Why," he says.
I look at him for a long second.
"Because I have a daughter," I say. "Because I almost lost her because of you. And because if my daughter were sick, I would have done what you did. I would have done worse. I am the wrong person to judge you."
Andreev doesn’t answer.
He cannot answer.
I add, in a voice that is no longer the voice I came in with, "And one more thing."
"Yes."
"Anya's treatment is going to be paid for. Through every round she needs. The Konstantinos family will pay it. Your wife will be told the funding is from a treatment grant administered through Dana-Farber. Anya will not know any of this. Your wife will not know any of this. You will not contact us about it. You will go to prison, and you will serve your time, and you will know, every day, that the daughter you almost killed mine for is being kept alive by the family you betrayed."
"Why," Andreev says again. The word breaks in his mouth.
"Because that is who I have decided to be."
I stand. I walk to the door. I do not look back.
? ? ?
In the corridor, I find Petrov.
“Arrest at 1:45 PM. Coordinate with the AUSA. The arrest is to be made at his apartment, not at the federal building. He’ll not resist. He’ll confess. He’ll name Foley and Sokolov."
"Yes."
"Foley. Cormac is keeping him. We need Foley alive, and we need him in federal custody also. The same protocol. Have him picked up by federal agents within the hour."
"Yes."
"Sokolov is the next thread. I want surveillance on Sokolov starting today. I want every piece of his business traffic. I want every employee. I want every banking record. I want it on my desk by Friday."
"Yes."
"Petrov."
"Yes."
"And the experimental program at Dana-Farber. Anya Andreev. Set up the funding through the family foundation. The funding is to be permanent and untraceable to us. Coordinate with Theodoros if you need to."
Petrov looks at me for a long second. I have known Petrov for twenty-two years. The look is the look of a man who has watched me grow up from the boy whose father was killed when he was twenty-one to the man standing in this corridor at 8:47 AM, having just decided not to put another body in the pit.
Petrov says, "Yes, boss."
Then he says, in a different voice, "Lex."
"Yes."
"Your father would be proud of what you just did."
I do not respond. I cannot respond. I nod once. I leave.
? ? ?
I drive back to the brownstone.
