Blood Trust - Eric van Lustbader [48]
“I don’t care what it takes,” he said. “Get it done and get it done now.”
He grinned at McKinsey, beckoning him in. “Laws? What laws?” he said into the phone. “I don’t give a shit about laws. If you do, you’re in the wrong business. If you like, I’ll bring in … No, I thought not.”
He severed the connection, said, “It’s the same all over, good help is scarcer than a toad with balls.” His grin widened. “How goes it on the inside?”
“Fine and dandy,” McKinsey said.
There was nothing at all on the dented metal of the desktop, save a small plaque in the center of which was a bronze bas relief of a Greek warrior’s helmet.
ELEVEN
GUNN REGARDED Naomi with a vaguely ironic smile. “It’s public knowledge that I’m an investor in InterPublic.”
Naomi didn’t like that smile. “A major investor.”
“What can I say? I have a facility for making money.”
“Uh-huh. And what other things have you and Mr. Carson cooked up?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Naomi shrugged. “Maybe InterPublic isn’t the extent of your dealings together. Maybe there are deals that aren’t public knowledge.”
Gunn sat looking at her for a moment. “I do believe you’re trying to piss me off.”
“Not at all.”
“For what reason I cannot imagine.”
Now that they were talking at cross-purposes, it was time for Naomi to go. But before she did, there was one item left remaining on her agenda. She rose and headed for the door, before turning back.
“I’d appreciate the dossiers on the three men who were assigned to guard Alli Carter.”
Gunn appeared unfazed. “Bennett will hand them to you on the way out.”
She smiled. “A pleasure, Mr. Gunn.” Her smile widened. “That macchiato was so good I promise I’ll be back.”
* * *
“THE IZMAYLOVSKAYA recruit,” Thatë said when Jack had finished explaining his storied past. “Their representatives go far afield—Albania, Romania, all of Eastern Europe, so I’m told.” He looked down at his hands, their long fingers laced together. “That’s how they found me.” He looked up. “Why should I say no? They offered me a home, training, a steady job, security—none of the things I had. It was everything I wanted—and needed.”
“I thought the grupperovka were all Russian nationals.”
“Once, maybe.” Thatë rose, got them two more beers, and sat back down. “But these days the families are under a shitload of pressure from the Kremlin. They gotta expand beyond Russia in order to survive.” He shrugged as he snapped off the bottle cap. “They don’t like it, but what the fuck else can they do. The fucking writing’s on the wall.”
The day had wasted itself in gray rain and intermittent spurts of sleet that rattled on the concrete sidewalks. Now, exhausted, day had given way to night, a darkness muffled in low clouds and swirls of icy rain. Far above, the sky was dully phosphorescent with the lights of the far-off prosperous sections of the city, but the glow did little here. Streetlights worked only intermittently; illumination was at a premium, which was just how the roving gangs liked it.
Jack checked his watch. “It’s almost showtime.”
“Time to go, no?” Thatë glanced over his shoulder. “The girl’s awake.”
Jack turned. Alli was standing in the doorway, dried blood all over her. She looked even smaller than usual, almost like a child.
“Jack…” All at once, tears rolled down her cheeks.
He rose and went to her, held her while she shook and sobbed. “It’s always worst the first time.”
He felt her freeze, almost as if her breathing had come to a halt. “He’s dead?”
“Yes.”
“I … I didn’t mean to, but he wouldn’t stop coming after me.”
“What happened?” Jack said gently.
After a shuddering breath, Alli described everything that had happened