Chasing the Night - Iris Johansen [111]
“I wouldn’t count on it. Though I could be wrong.” He turned toward the car. “I’d discuss it in depth with you, but I’m on my way to St. Petersburg to board a flight. My part of this is over. Rakovac said he wouldn’t need me again after I brought you the women.”
“That’s what he told me too.” Mikhal reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an automatic. “He’s done with you.” He shot Russo in the head.
Kelly made a whimpering sound as she instinctively moved closer to Eve.
“It’s okay, Kelly.” Eve’s arm slid around her waist. It wasn’t okay, but she didn’t know what else to say. She was as shocked as Kelly. Russo might have been as evil as Rakovac, but she hadn’t been expecting his murder. If Eve was this stunned, she could imagine what the young girl was feeling. “No, it’s bad, but we have to hang in there.”
Kelly nodded jerkily.
Mikhal had turned toward them and was gesturing with the weapon. “Come. I’ll have one of my men take care of that garbage. Luke is waiting.”
That sentence sounded faintly ominous, Eve thought. “Where are you taking us?”
“To the cell.” He was urging them up the staircase. “Luke’s second home. Actually, it’s not really a cell. Savrin House had none of those convenient advantages. It’s just a bedroom that we converted for that purpose. Rakovac insisted he be isolated on occasion as punishment. Sometimes I think Luke likes it better than his room. He certainly makes me lock him up there enough.”
“A cell?” Eve said distastefully. “A child in a cell?”
“But this child is like no other. Rakovac made sure of that.” Mikhal laughed. “And I admit I helped enormously.” His smile faded. “Though now it seems I’m to receive no gratitude for past favors.” He glanced over his shoulder at the front door. “Not even for ridding him of that carrion. Though I might have done it anyway. Whenever he came here with Rakovac, I could see he thought himself above us.” He stopped before a thick wood door and took a key out of his pocket. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He took out a camera phone and snapped a picture. “Rakovac is very fond of photos. Come. I have no more time for you.” He unlocked the door, untied their wrists, and pushed them both over the threshold into the half darkness. “Luke,” he called. “You have visitors. Treat them well. They may be your last.” He slammed the door shut behind them, and Eve heard the key turn in the lock.
No sound from the dimness of the room.
Eve waited an instant for her eyes to become accustomed to the lack of light before she looked around the small room. A small table with two metal kitchen chairs, an old leather chest pushed against the wall, wood floors. Late-afternoon sunlight trickled through the bars of the one high window directly across from them.
But the room was empty.
No, there was a small, dark shape huddled in the corner.
Luke?
Eve hesitated. Dear God, was the child hurt?
Or dead.
“Are you Luke?” Kelly had brushed past her and had fallen to her knees beside the boy. “I’m Kelly. Are you okay? Do you speak English?”
The boy didn’t reply.
“Answer me,” Kelly said shakily. “This is terrible enough without you—”
“I speak English.” The boy sat up straighter against the wall. His words had the slightest trace of a Russian accent. “And I don’t have to talk to you if I don’t want to do it. I don’t know you.”
“How do you speak English?” Kelly asked curiously. “You were only two when—”
“Kelly, it’s not uncommon for children to learn their birth language by age two and retain it afterward,” Eve said. “And Russo said Czadas had an attachment to everything English. He probably didn’t try to erase that part of Luke’s former life. Now stop questioning him. We need to tell him who we are and why we’re here.” She came over and stood in the stream of light so that he could clearly see her. “I’m Eve Duncan, and this is Kelly Winters. Your mother has been searching for you, and we came with her to find you.”
He didn’t speak.
Well, what had she been expecting? She had no idea what he thought about