The Property of a Lady - Elizabeth Adler [229]
Valentin shrugged indifferently and took aim, “It would probably make things easier if I did just that,” he said thoughtfully. “In fact, I could probably take you both with a single shot.”
Genie slumped forward, half fainting with terror, and Boris tugged her angrily upright again. She stared at Valentin in horror. She had thought he had come to her rescue and now he was going to kill her as well. Her head swam and she trembled as Boris tightened his grip.
“There is a way out of this,” Valentin said quietly. “You can walk off this ship with me now. We take the girl with us. I guarantee I will get you to the airport and onto that private jet back to Ankara. It is waiting on the runway now. You will be out of this international mess and no one will be any the wiser. Of course, if you choose not to …” His finger tightened on the trigger and Genie suddenly began to scream.
Boris thrust her back into her chair. Perspiration was trickling down his forehead. He licked his lips nervously, his small, treacherous eyes flickering around the cabin, searching for a way out.
“You have five seconds,” Valentin said coldly. “One … two … three …”
“Very well, I agree.” Boris’s voice was pitched high with fear as he held up a hand, palm outward, to stop the deadly count. “I will do as you say. But how do I know you will keep your word?”
Valentin shrugged. “Trust me,” he said coldly. “Untie the girl’s bonds.”
As Boris’s hand went to his pocket, Valentin jammed the revolver into his ribs. “I need my knife!” Boris shouted. The jackknife blade flashed under the harsh light of the electric bulb and the gun pressed against his temple as Valentin said quietly, “Just the rope, Uncle….”
Sighing, he slit the thin rope at Genie’s wrists and ankles. She moaned as the blood pumped painfully back into her hands and feet.
“Give me the knife, then put up your hands,” Valentin commanded. Boris did as he was told, standing stiffly while Valentin frisked him, removing the heavy Colt that was his favorite weapon.
“Rub your feet, Genie,” Valentin ordered. “You must get the circulation going quickly. You will have to walk by yourself.”
She rubbed her raw ankles, searching the floor for her sneakers and forcing them onto her swollen feet, that were still burning with pins and needles. Valentin kept the gun trained on Boris, who was staring at it with the fascination of a cobra at a mongoose.
“You will go in front of me with Genie,” Valentin told him. “You will tell the guards that we are leaving. We will walk down the gangplank together and at the bottom we will walk toward the crane a hundred fifty yards on the left. Make no mistake, I will be right behind you. I will not take my eyes off you. And at a distance of two feet, I cannot miss.”
Boris’s mouth tightened but he made no reply, smoothing his bald head in a nervous gesture. His eyes darted from side to side as they stepped into the hold, searching for a sailor or a guard, anyone who could raise the alarm, cursing as he remembered that he had confined the crew to quarters until they sailed. He climbed the spiral steel ladders, glancing behind him once and meeting Valentin’s stare. Hate burned his guts. Valentin was just like his father. He finally had both Ivanoff children together and he would see them in hell before he would let them get away. He would bide his time, take care, be alert for an opportunity….
The troopers at the gangplank snapped to attention as they appeared. Boris spoke to them quickly and they saluted and stepped aside. Valentin was two steps behind them as they filed down the gangplank, his hand on the Luger in his pocket. The area around the ship was shrouded in darkness, and as they walked away Boris felt the thrust of the gun in his ribs. He could hear Genie moaning as she stumbled along behind him.
After ordering Boris into the backseat, Valentin gave Genie the gun. “Sit next to him. If he makes a single move, pull the trigger. You can’t miss.”
Boris smiled confidently as he saw how her hand shook. Now he knew he had his chance. “I didn’t know you two knew each