Chasing the Night - Iris Johansen [101]
“I don’t think you have all that much time. You keep telling me that you’re being forced to bring our relationship to a close. Why?”
“That’s none of your concern, Catherine. Though I may tell you before the end what splendors my life is going to hold. It will make your final moments all the more bitter.”
“Cut to the chase. Where do you want me to go? I’m sure that your three goons have told you that neither Duncan nor Quinn are with me here at the market.”
“You’ve spotted them? Of course you have.”
“Short, burly man in a yellow Windbreaker, a tall, thin man, a giant who looked like a weight lifter.”
“That would be Zeller, Sminoff, and the giant is Borzoi. Borzoi may look like he’s got more muscle than brains, but actually he’s the pick of the bunch. I thought you’d spot them. You’re very experienced, and Borzoi’s men aren’t as subtle as I’d hope. But they’re good at the basics, so I tolerate them. Yes, Borzoi reported that Duncan and Quinn have left you to your own devices. So I think we can proceed. I want you to meet me at St. Basil’s Cathedral in two hours, and we’ll start the journey to your Luke.”
“I’ll meet you at St. Basil’s, but I’m not getting in any car with you. I’ll follow you in my own car.”
He chuckled. “Incredible. You’re still hopeful of being able to whisk him away from me.”
“I’m still hopeful, period. What else have I got? But I know that hope will go straight down the tubes, and it will all be over the minute I get in any car with you.”
“True. And I have no objection to stretching out the end a little longer. By all means, follow me.” He paused. “As long as you can slip away from my men. They have orders to capture and bring you to me.” He added with sly malice, “And, as you say, that will be the beginning of the end.” He hung up.
She drew a deep breath and shoved the phone into her pocket. Had NSA managed to trace the call? Rakovac had called so late that it was doubtful that they’d hung around for it. She wanted to call Joe, but that would be a dead giveaway to the three goons, who were monitoring her every move.
Okay, get away from them. Leave the market. She’d call Joe as soon as she lost them. Then she’d have only two hours to find a place to rent a car and get to St. Basil’s.
She started moving in and out of the crowds as she made her way toward the streets bordering the market. The man in the yellow Windbreaker was following, so was the one in the olive green sweatshirt. Zeller and Sminoff, Rakovac had called them. But where was the huge man, Borzoi, who she had spotted ten minutes ago, then lost in the crowd?
His absence made her uneasy. Wrong man? She didn’t think she’d made a mistake about him being one of Rakovac’s men, and Rakovac had recognized the description. Her every instinct had locked in on him as soon as she’d seen him.
But where was he now?
An enemy in view was much safer than one who had fallen from the radar.
Leave the market, let them follow her to a place where she could take them out. She moved quickly through the crowd, dodging between carts and booths.
Yes, they were following.
But she had to get a good distance ahead of them and out of sight.
She was almost running by the time she reached the street bordering the market and started for the far corner.
The gray Mercedes still parked at the curb. Kelsov’s car. No one in it. Dammit, she had told him to go back to the farmhouse.
She ran past the car and down the block. She remembered there was an area of flower shops around the corner. It was much quieter than the market itself and should suit her purpose.
She glanced over her shoulder. They were behind her, running, the man in the yellow Windbreaker Rakovac had called Zeller in the lead, Sminoff following a few yards behind.
She turned the corner. This street was virtually deserted. If there were customers, they must be inside the flower stores. She pressed against the wall beside a flower cart before a shop.
They should be here at the corner in seconds.
Take the first one as he made the turn.
It should startle