Page 83 of Mistaken
Back in the SUV, I dialed Yuri. “Find Patrick and take him. Quickly, no fuss. Don’t let him get a word out to anyone.”
“What are we dealing with?” Yuri asked.
“It is thatsukaKatya, she managed to bankroll the New Year’s Eve attack and she's been paying for the mercenaries. Dante Toscano was recruiting them.” My fist was tightening on the phone and I forced myself to relax it. “There’s Irish involved; we don’t have a name but Patrick could be our traitor.”
“Patrick?” He sounded incredulous and I knew he’d worked alongside ourObshchakfor nearly ten years.
“He has access to all of our movements, where everything is stored. It makes sense. Are you in my study?”
“Yes,” I could hear him issuing rapid-fire orders to Fedor, “should I call Alexi and put him on alert?”
“I will, we need to put together a raid. Locate the most likely locations for Tanya and her lap dog to be hiding. Make sure that-”
A door slammed open on Yuri's end of the line and I heard Ivan’s urgent voice.
“You’re sure?” Yuri said sharply, “Did you search the penthouse? Call Tania immediately and see if she knows where she is.”
“What’s going on? Who’s missing? Is it-” A punch of fear hit me in the chest. “Is it Ella?”
I’ve done it,I thought,I’ve finally broken her enough that she’d rather risk an escape than stay with me.
Yuri came back on the line, “She left an envelope for me,” he said, I could hear the dread in every word.
“What does it say!”
“Sladkiy Iisus, ona ne,” he groaned. He was reading ahead as he talked to me. “She figured out the gas they’ve been using on the raids that has been taking out our guards. She left me instructions on how to compound it.”
“How did she know about the- never mind, this is Ella we’re talking about. What else?” I loosened my tie; my breath was short and I felt like it was choking me.
“Oh, Ella…” Now, Yuri sounded panicked. “Fucking Katya kidnapped Tania. She is going to give herself up in exchange.”
Ella…
An hour earlier…
I was surprised to hear my phone ring. Now that I was married to a Bratva monster I didn’t get many calls. The number came up as unknown and I stared at it for a moment. This was going to be bad. I somehow knew it but I answered anyway.
“Hello?”
“Ah, there she is.” The voice was gleeful as if this was a call she’d waited a long time to make.
“Katya,” I answered numbly, “I do hope you got our wedding present.”
Her laugh was so sweet, tinkling like a bell. “It was shit. I threw it out. But on to business. I have something you’ll want. I think we should get together, relax, and have a discussion.”
Aaand here goes my big mouth, “Considering that I’m certain your idea of relaxation includes putting kittens into a food processor, I’m going to pass.”
There was an irritable sigh, and then an image came up on my phone.
It was Tania, clearly in mid-scream and lunging at the camera, even though she was tied to a chair. There was a huge bruise blooming on her cheek.
“Don’t you hurt her!” I hissed, “D- don’t you put your fucking hands on her!”
There was that Tinkerbell-like laugh again. “Of course not. Just as long as you get to her before my dear husband gets bored.”
Picturing that Kazakhstani musk ox she married, my throat closes up. “Where?”
An address pops up and I shake my head. One of the scariest sections of New Jersey, mainly warehouses and construction sites probably populated with dead bodies. Several, no doubt dumped by my dear spouse.
