The weekend was approaching, and I had booked a week off to go fishing. I had packed my truck and was ready to leave. All I had to do was get through this one last meeting.
I smiled noncommittally at our guest, not bothering to listen as he and my business partner, Andrusha, exchanged pleasantries. I rarely cared what someone said, but rather focused on how they said it. The man before us spoke with a glib tone and an insincere smile. I disliked him almost immediately.
None too soon, Andrusha leaned back, switching gears. “Drake, what can we help you with?”
Drake opened up his tablet and got down to business. “You are the two owners who run this security firm?”
“That’s correct.”
He checked his notes. “You both served in the Russian military and then you immigrated to Canada. Viktor, you were in special forces and then you were dishonorably discharged?”
He glanced up at me, but I refused to react. He continued speaking. “Andrusha, you recently served time in jail for racketeering but got out early for good behavior?”
I watched as my partner reacted to that personal truth about himself. Andrusha didn’t hide these facts, but we buried them deep enough that few people figured it out. The ones who did… had big connections. Now he was reassessing our client. “We walk the straight and narrow. Every service we provide is legitimate and legal.”
Drake didn’t bat an eye. “I’m not worried. I heard your business provides specialized services.”
“That depends on the service required.” Andrusha spoke with an ease to his voice. He was far better at dealing with assholes than I was.
Drake leaned forward. “A shipping tycoon has gone missing, and we think there is a connection with his granddaughter.”
I studied him without letting on that I was watching. The guy was lying about something.
Andrusha frowned and looked at his own notes. “You said on the phone you were federal government?”
“We’re somewhere between federal defense and the military.”
“Between?” Andrusha paused and looked up. “What department would that be?”
“That’s classified.”
“What do you need from us?”
“We tend to contract out the drama so we can focus our energy on the bigger picture.”
“I see.” Andrusha’s tone sounded measured and calm. Too calm.
“And we’d like to keep this off the books.”
“How far off the books?”
“All the way.”
Andrusha and I made eye contact for half a second.
This job is complete bullshit. Andrusha read my thoughts loud and clear. We both had a say on new clients, but this time I didn’t have to say anything. He didn’t like this job any more than I did. “Like I mentioned, we’re trying to stay credible with the CRA.”
“You’d still be working for the good guys. The only difference is… less paperwork.”
Andrusha’s mask slipped slightly, showing his impatience. “All the same, we’re going to take a pass.”
Drake stood up. “Suit yourself, gentlemen. You’re leaving a lot of money on the table.”
Andrusha stood up but noticeably didn’t offer to shake his hand. “Let me walk you out.”
What a dick. Andrusha and I wanted our security firm to stay on the right side of the law, no matter how much money was at stake. We knew firsthand how slippery the slope was to the other, less legal, side of business, and neither of us was interested in going back there. The sun didn’t shine in that dark place. I stood up and moved to bring Drake’s water glass to the kitchen, but habit made me start to clean up the room.
Andrusha appeared in the doorway. “That guy was a turd,” he complained. “If I were going to break the law, I wouldn’t break it to work for a wanker like him.”
“You find out what he wanted?”
“Didn’t want to know.” He watched me clean. “Thought you were leaving for your weekend getaway.”
“I am.”
He stood there, looking perturbed.
I knew all of Andrusha’s expressions. “What’s up?”
“Something isn’t right with Drake.”
“Not our problem,” I reminded him.
“I have a bad feeling.”
“He’s gone. We said no.”
“You’re right.”
“Don’t you have dinner planned with Olivia?”
“I do.”
“Then go. I’m almost done, and then I’m leaving too.”
He stood there for another long moment. “Okay. Have a great weekend.”
I took the garbage out back. I walked back through the kitchen and stopped short. Andrusha stood in the middle of the hallway with his hands laced behind his head. Behind him, Drake leaned casually against the wall. He was pointing a Glock at Andrusha’s back. I knew I could get a shot off and take him out before he fired, but I needed a cleaner angle.
Drake sounded bored. “Before you go all hero on us, Viktor, you should know that my team currently has eyes on Olivia. If my men don’t hear from me in an hour, then they have their instructions.”
Rage and fear washed over Andrusha’s face as we communicated silently. We would not take the chance of risking Olivia’s life to handle Drake the way I wanted to.
I spoke for the first time to Drake. “What do you want?”
“I already told you. We’re in a bit of a pinch, and you have some specialized skills we need.”
“The shipping heiress.”
“Now that her grandfather is missing, she’s the key to solving all our issues.”
My stomach rolled sourly as I realized that he possibly wanted a targeted kill. I glanced over at Andrusha. He was staring at the ground. His honor didn’t allow him to ask me to do what needed to be done to protect Olivia, so he avoided my eyes, if only to hide how badly he needed me to keep her safe.
My friend didn’t have to ask.
I would do this and a hundred other unthinkable things to keep his wife safe. I had very few things in my life worth dying for, but Andrusha and Olivia were at the top of my list.
“I need assurances that Andrusha and Olivia will walk away from this.”
Andrusha lifted his gaze, his emotions a mixture of torture, apology and, most importantly, relief.
“I’m a man of honor.”
That I doubted, but it’s not like we had a lot of choice in the moment. I would show compliance until I had an opportunity to deal with Drake the way I wanted. “Where is she?”
“She’s currently staying at her grandparents’ house in the mountains.”
I motioned to the map of BC we had hanging on the wall. “Whereabouts?”
He studied it for a moment and then pointed at a spot. “Past Whistler, just up Highway 99, northeast of Lillooet Lake. I’ll send you the exact coordinates of the road that connects to their property when you get closer. It’s about an hour north of Vancouver.”
“You can guarantee she’s at the house?”
“She’ll be arriving there tonight.”
“Any other security?”
“Two high-level guards posted at the gate of the property. Possibly one maid acting as shadow protection, but we haven’t confirmed that.” He paused and then pointed to the driveway. “The media are lined up along this entire road.”
I frowned. “Why?”
His tone was mocking. “Does it matter?”
Not even a bit. “How many?”
“Last count, about twenty-four trucks.”
Jesus. “Is there any other way in?”
“By foot, only from the back.”
There had to be a reason Drake wasn’t sending in his own team, because even the most basic-trained man would be able to take her out without issue.
I looked at his face, watching for any tells. “Who else is looking for her?”
His eyelid twitched slightly. “No one.”
“Bullshit.”
He held up his hands. “Honest to god’s truth. As far as I know, we’re the only ones interested in her.”
The man was lying. “I need at least twenty-four hours.”
He also didn’t fuck around. “You have only twelve hours.”
I glanced over at Andrusha. “I need to talk to my friend alone.”
“Nice try. You have five minutes to pack up whatever you need.”
He reached into his bag and tossed me a cell phone, which I assumed tracked my coordinates and was a convenient way to control me. “Let me know when our target is in your scope and wait for further instruction.”
“You’re an asshole.”
He smiled. “Your men here will be under the belief that you and Andrusha both went fishing. Any attempt to contact them will result in a bullet in Olivia’s head.”
