High stakes, p.21
High Stakes, page 21
“Maybe Volkov kept the game quiet on purpose. He was very angry with Sandrino. Maybe he had something on his mind besides poker.”
“Maybe. What else? No one knows Volkov killed him? He got away with it?”
“As far as I know. I’ve no real proof that he was killed. Only the supposition. I’ve sent a man to Las Vegas to ask questions and I did get some answers. I have a few reports about where the game happened, and where Sandrino might be found whether he’s dead or alive. But yes, almost certainly Volkov had something to do with his disappearance.”
“You set me up,” he said roughly. “You came to me and conned me into taking Lara when you knew it would send him after me. You wanted me to kill him.”
“Yes, but I also made a deal with you to give you what you wanted in return. I just delivered him to you. You were smart enough to figure the odds.”
“I’m not complaining. But I’m curious. I can’t see why you’d be shy about going after Volkov yourself.”
“Ordinarily, I’m not. But all Russia is a tinderbox right now. And I seem to be the prime target. Besides, I didn’t want all the families to be warring among ourselves. It’s bad for business. If I’d made the first move, that’s what it would have come down to. It would be much cleaner to let an outsider do it.”
“So you supplied me with a reason to go after him for you.”
“I just supplied you with a name and location. You’d been searching for Sandrino for a long time. Are you going to stop now?”
“Hell, no.”
“I didn’t think so. I’ll give you all the information I have. If you find it getting a little too hot for you, let me know and I’ll get you help.”
“He won’t need help,” Rennell said coldly. “Just let me know where to find this Volkov.”
“The general direction will be easy enough. Nikolai told me he left Moscow for New York shortly before we did. I rather imagine he was heading somewhere in Connecticut or this area to join Anton.” He added, “If you were helping Nikolai scout out the grounds this evening, you might have stumbled across him then. Nikolai had orders to keep an eye out for him.”
“You thought he could be here?”
“He had Tanner’s name.” He looked at Lara. “And she was going to be here. Though he might not have known that, it still increased the possibility.”
“You were going to use me as bait,” Lara said slowly. “That’s why you paid Tanner to extract me.”
“The idea did occur to me. But I decided to let Tanner make the call. Though it would have been the most practical thing to do.”
Her lips creased bitterly. “Much too good to be true.”
“I got you out,” Kaskov said quietly. “And the bait concept came as an afterthought. I didn’t find out that Volkov had set up a Trial that might kill you until that Friday night. I had to move fast.”
“Still, it was a brilliant idea.”
“That I’m not going to use,” Tanner said curtly. “I told you that if Kaskov set you up with a comfortable situation, I was out of your life.”
“Yes, you did.” She got to her feet. “But maybe you’d better make sure that Kaskov is going to follow through with his promise to us before you desert us. He’s very wily, and I’m not sure I can trust him. I’ll have to think about it.” She started toward the door. “I’m going to my room. I have a lot to think about. I’ll leave you to squeeze Kaskov for all that information you need from him.”
“I never allow myself to be squeezed,” Kaskov said. “It’s so undignified. But I might graciously allow myself to dispense whatever wisdom they need.” He tilted his head. “Good night, Lara. It’s been a difficult time for you. I am wily, but all the trickery concerning you is at an end. Now you’re the one who has to make the decisions.” He took another sip of his coffee. “Which isn’t going to be that difficult considering your options.”
“I’ll come by later and tell you what arrangements I’ve made for you,” Tanner said in a low tone as she passed him. “I’ll make certain that you’ll be safe.”
She nodded and the next moment she was closing her bedroom door behind her.
Silence.
She needed the silence and the darkness in this moment. She’d been bombarded by emotions and sensations tonight and she wanted to take them apart so that she could think and come to some decision.
Because there was a decision to be made. Tanner was all set to tell her what she had to do again. He would try to fit her into his busy schedule and then talk her into what was best for her.
Bullshit. She had to clear her mind and think.
* * *
She still had the lights out when Tanner knocked on her door two hours later.
She was across the room in seconds and threw open the door. “Come in.” She stepped aside. “You were a long time. Did Kaskov give you everything you need to know?”
“Everything he knows.” He turned on the lights and she saw he’d taken off his tuxedo jacket and unbuttoned the top buttons of his white shirt. He had a bottle of beer and handed her a Coke. “Which was considerable since he was digging deep for facts about events eighteen months back. There are some things Rennell and I will have to find out for ourselves on the spot.”
“You’re going to Las Vegas?”
“It’s the next step. Kaskov couldn’t tell me absolutely that Sandrino is dead. I have to be sure. I have to know what happened in Las Vegas. Then, if that leads me to Volkov, I’ll go on the hunt.”
Her gaze was searching his face. “You still hope he might be alive.”
“Hell, yes.” His lips twisted. “Sandrino performed magic for me and Rennell, and I can’t help hoping he might have pulled one more magic trick out of his sleeve for himself. But I know how slim that chance is.” He looked at her sleep shirt. “You took off the white gown. Pity. I liked it.”
She made a face. “It wasn’t me.”
“Kaskov wanted it to be you. He went to a lot of trouble to turn you into the prima pianist of the century. He’s still working on it.” He dropped down on the couch and took a drink of his beer. “But you’re not going to have any trouble with Kaskov wanting to harm you. He’s a genuine music lover, and he’ll fight to keep that talent alive. You can cross that off your list of things to worry about.”
“I figured that might be true. Maria said that she’d watched him while I was playing, and he was…feeling…it. You think that I can trust him and accept favors until I get on my feet?”
He frowned. “I said he’s not a danger. Accepting favors is different. I don’t want you owing him. Come to me if you have a problem.” He was thinking about it. “And you shouldn’t be around him, if you can help it. Even he said that wasn’t a good idea. He has too many enemies.”
“Is there anything else?” She sat down across from him. “I’ll have to memorize all the things I can’t do with Kaskov.”
He grinned. “Not a bad idea.”
“Yes, it is.” She put her Coke on the coffee table. “I don’t mind suggestions, but I don’t like orders.”
“Faux pas? Sorry. It’s just that Kaskov could be a threat and I didn’t want you to do anything that might put you into a bad spot.”
“You wanted to take care of me.” She nodded. “Very kind, Tanner, but it gets a little old.”
His expression was suddenly wary. “That’s not about Kaskov. What are you trying to say?”
“You dropped by to tell me what you’ve arranged for me. What did you decide?”
“Things aren’t going to be safe for the next few days, but I want you to be as secure as possible. Kaskov was a possibility, but I’ve already told you the problems I have with that. I decided that the safest place would be for me to send you back to Sandrino Place to be with Maria. I’ll leave Mallory there to take care of both of you until I get back and can make other plans.” He tilted his head. “Sound good?”
“Excellent. But it’s not going to happen.”
He tensed. “Why not?”
“Because I’m going to be in Las Vegas with you.” She held up her hand as he opened his lips to protest. “Don’t argue. I thought it over, and that’s what I’m going to do. I told you once that it wouldn’t be a one-way street, and if you helped me that I’d do anything I could to help you with Sandrino.”
“Hell, I’m not asking you to do that. Sandrino is my business. I don’t want you to do it.”
“That doesn’t matter. It’s not only about Sandrino now. You said it was only the first step. You’re going after Volkov and Anton. I told you that’s what I intended to do from the moment I woke on your plane.” She was speaking fast, trying to make him understand. “Don’t you see? As long as they’re alive and free, Maria and I will never be safe. I’m sorry I can’t care as much about your friend Sandrino, but it’s pure self-preservation for me to go after Volkov.”
“Dammit, it’s not necessary.” He was on his feet, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her up to face him. “I’ll do it for you. Rennell will do it.” He shook her. “It doesn’t make sense. We know what we’re doing. We’ve both been trained.”
“That doesn’t mean something can’t go wrong. He kills people. He probably killed Sandrino.” She looked him in the eye. “He wants to kill me, and if he gets a chance, he’ll do it. I’m not going to sit in that nice, safe mansion and wait to see who he kills next.”
“I don’t need your help. You’d get in my way.”
“Then teach me how not to get in your way. I learn fast. Make this another Trial for me.” She glared at him. “And you do need me. Kaskov was speculating what great bait I could be. He was right and you know it.”
“That doesn’t mean I want you to—” He stopped. “You’re not listening to me.” His teeth were clenched. “Why won’t you listen to me?”
“Because you’re wrong. You know it’s smart to take me with you. If you don’t do it, I’ll find a way to follow you. I want to be free. I will be free. You’re just being—” She searched for a word. “What are you being, Tanner?”
“Scared shitless.” He let her go. “Okay, you’ll go with me. But you obey orders and you let me take the lead.”
She drew a deep breath. “That sounds reasonable.”
“And you’re not committing yourself.”
“I’m not stupid. I won’t be careless.”
“I know you won’t.” For an instant, his fingers gently touched the hair at her temple. Then he turned away. “We’ll leave first thing in the morning. We’ve already been here for too long. I phoned Sherman and told him to have Jordan fly the Gulfstream to the airport here and pick up me and Rennell. Do me a favor, call Maria and tell her what you’ve talked me into? Maybe she’ll be able to talk you out of it. She’s the only one who has a chance of convincing you of anything.”
“I’ll have to call and tell her everything that happened tonight anyway.” She hesitated and then smiled shakily. “It really is the right thing to do, Tanner. I’ve known that since I was eleven years old and hit the bastard with a poker.”
“I just hope you’ll let me be the one to hit him this time,” he said grimly. “I promise he wouldn’t get up.” The door closed behind him.
Lara took a deep breath and tried to relax. It had been quite a battle, and she was still shaking. She’d hated fighting with Tanner, but it was a battle she couldn’t afford to lose. She sat back down in the chair and pulled out her phone. Time to call Maria and hope that there wouldn’t be another battle.
Evidently it was too much to hope for. Maria listened quietly as she told her about the events of the evening. It was only when she’d reached the end, when she’d told her about her plan to go to Las Vegas with Tanner, that she spoke one succinct word. “Bullshit.”
“I’ll be fine,” Lara said quickly. “Tanner won’t let anything happen to me. He’s being ridiculously protective.”
“Good. But that doesn’t mean that you’ll allow him to be as protective as I’d like. You can be impulsive. Who knows that better than me.”
“I won’t this time. It can’t happen. I have to be slow and deliberate.” She paused. “I know you’ve told me not to do this, but it’s the only way I can be certain that we’ll both be safe.” She added quickly, “And then there’s Tanner and Rennell. I can’t let anyone else be killed.”
Maria was silent. “No, I don’t like the idea at all. It scares me. We’ve almost gotten free of them, Lara. I want to tuck you away and not let you out of my sight.” She paused. “And I particularly don’t like the idea of you trying to keep me stuffed out here at Sandrino Place. I won’t be a prisoner here. I’ll follow you. If you’re going, I’m going with you. At least, I’ll be able to keep an eye on you.”
Panic raced through Lara. I’ll follow you. They were almost the same words she’d used with Tanner. “Don’t do that to me, Maria. I have to keep you safe. You’re my Achilles’ heel.”
“Then you’d better get this over very quickly, because when you look over your shoulder, I’ll be there. Call Tanner and let him know he’s going to have another passenger and make arrangements to get me there.” She cut the connection.
“Dammit!” Lara should have known that she wouldn’t be able to get Maria to stay at Sandrino Place after she’d had so much trouble with her when she’d come here to Indian Hills. Perhaps she had known, but wouldn’t admit it to herself, she thought. They’d fought Volkov and Anton together all her life, and now Maria wouldn’t want to be left out of the final battle. Lara could understand it, but it terrified her. She was remembering the ugly photograph of a tortured Maria that he’d posted on the door of the office at the Connecticut airport. The threat and command had been clear. Come.
Well, she was obeying that command, she thought bitterly, but so was Maria. And because she was, it doubled the stakes and they had to somehow find a way to turn that demand against Anton and Volkov.
Come on, you bastards. Follow us. We’ll be waiting.
She picked up her phone and started to dial Tanner.
* * *
Atlantic City, New Jersey
3:20 A.M.
Volkov was not looking pleased, Anton thought as he watched him come through the ornate casino door and stride toward him across the foyer. Well, screw him, he’d done everything he could do without the funds Volkov had promised. Nevertheless, he pasted a smile on his face and got to his feet. “You made good time. I reserved you a suite in case you wanted to rest. It’s a first-class hotel, and the casino is up to your standards if you want to play. Evidently, Tanner does well for himself even when he’s not doing an extraction.”
“Are you an idiot? I don’t want to play. I want you to tell me that you’ve been able to locate Lara.” He glanced impatiently around the luxurious lobby. “Or tell me why you’ve dragged me here. Have you been able to contact Tanner? Can we negotiate with him?”
“I haven’t been able to reach him. He owns this casino, Indian Hills in New York State, one in Miami, and another in Dallas, Texas. He owns several others around the world, but he delivered Lara and Maria to Connecticut, so I’d bet they’re still in the U.S.”
“Brilliant,” Volkov said sarcastically. “But you can’t locate them for me.”
“I’m sending a team to Indian Hills and I’ve questioned his people here at Atlantic City.” Anton paused. “I’ve hired an investigator to give me a dossier on Tanner. I know you said you’d heard of him, but I hadn’t.” His brow wrinkled as he shook his head. “He has money to burn. He hasn’t done an extraction in years. Why would he decide to make Lara an exception?”
“How do I know?” Volkov asked harshly. “Find out. Someone had to have paid him. You kept saying you never let them have contact with anyone, so they couldn’t have arranged it even if they’d had the money.”
“I’m only saying it’s strange,” Anton said. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t be able to find him for you. You said you’d heard of him before. Did you hear anything about him that would help me locate the bastard?”
“No.” Volkov was silent a moment. “The only thing I heard someone say is that he’s one hell of a poker player.”
“That won’t help. He owns casinos, for Pete’s sake.”
“Then don’t ask me stupid questions,” he said. “I don’t like this. It has to be over quickly. See that the word gets out that Tanner has merchandise that I want and I’m willing to pay premium for immediate delivery.”
“I promised you I’d get her back. You’re not going to wait?”
He shook his head. “You’ve made me uneasy. I don’t like it that Tanner’s in the picture and no one knows why. I’m going to get that bitch back so that I can ask her myself.”
* * *
Indian Hills Airport
6:40 A.M.
Maria was waiting inside the door of the Gulfstream when Lara, Tanner, and Rennell got out of the hotel courtesy car and started up the stairs. “You were very efficient, Tanner,” she said. “Mallory had me out of the house and delivered to the Gulfstream before daybreak.”
“Good.” Tanner nodded, then strode directly up the aisle toward the cockpit. Maria glanced at Rennell, who had come in behind him. “We keep running into each other. Sorry. I know it must be annoying for you.”
“No.” He shut the door and tossed his duffel in a closet. “I’ve no problem with it. Tanner says we may be able to use Lara as bait.” He smiled cheerfully. “Maybe you, too? I have to accept the bad with the good.”
“We can always count on you to be pleasant.” Maria looked at Lara. “She didn’t mention that to me. But then she’s much more valuable to Volkov than I am. I’m sure she didn’t want me to worry.”
“It probably won’t happen.” Rennell shrugged. “We’ll take care of it if it does.”
“That’s comforting.” She hugged Lara. “Come to the galley and have a cup of tea with me. I need to get away from all the sunshine and rainbows that Rennell is throwing at me.”
“He was joking…I think.”
