The Partners in Crime Collection, page 61
“I should’ve drowned that bitch at birth,” Mischa replied.
“It’s not too late,” Sergei rumbled in return. “We just have to be smarter about it. We’ll go to Mexico, have a little vacation, and take care of things from a distance.”
“If you were going to take care of things, you’d have done it already,” Mischa said to Sergei. “You know, this is all your fault. If you hadn’t encouraged her…”
“Woman, shut your mouth before I shut it for you. She’s got more balls than all four of those sons you gave me. I may not like what she’s doing, but I have to admire how she’s doing it,” Sergei said.
Sergei looked back at Stevie where he stood nearby holding a tray and gave him a dirty look. Stevie walked away and offered the drinks on his tray to the next crowd of people.
“Nicely done,” Jack said into the mic and saw a discreet thumbs up from Stevie. “See if you can get closer to the priests.”
A few steps later, Stevie was against a different wall where they could hear Will and Lucian talking and see Creegan and Komarov filling their plates at the buffet table.
“How long are we going to wait before you arrest that man?” Lucian asked Will.
“I’d rather get him alone, but it looks like Komarov is glued to his side. I might have to just interrupt them to get him,” Will said.
“Who cares if he’s with Komarov?” Lucian said. “He’s not going to be armed in this gathering. You saw the scanners at the door, right?”
“Scanners mean nothing. Haven’t you heard about plastic and ceramic guns? Besides, I’d rather not create a scene in this particular collection of people. The less notice we bring, the better.”
Stevie stepped closer to the priests and they could hear him speak. “I could help distract Komarov for a few seconds.”
“Appreciate the thought, but no,” Will said. “He’s a snake and you don’t need to get bit. Hey, is there anything non-alcoholic to drink?”
“These two are sparkling cider. No alcohol,” Stevie said and they saw him hand over two fresh flutes.
“Great, thanks. Better keep moving,” Will said and Stevie headed to the next group of people but stayed close enough for the mic to still pick them up.
“Who was that kid?” Lucian asked.
“A friend. Here, hold my drink,” Will said and shoved the glass at Lucian so he instinctively grabbed for it as Will walked away.
Creegan had just left the buffet line and was headed towards his table while Komarov was still making his selections. The camera picked up Will wrapping one hand around Creegan’s upper arm and taking his plate away to set down on a random table as he hurried Creegan out of the room towards the rest room corridor.
Jack was about to ask Stevie to follow him when Stevie did just that. He set down his tray and took the towel off of his arm so it looked like he was heading for a fresh one.
“You’d better let me go,” Creegan snarled at Will. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“I know exactly what I’m doing,” Will said and pulled out his cuffs, slapping them on Creegan’s wrists before he had time to struggle. “I’m Will Stanhope of the FBI and you’re under arrest.”
Will then went through Creegan’s pockets and pulled out the device. He shoved it in his own pocket and patted Creegan down for weapons, then grabbed his arm again and marched him towards the kitchen.
“That’s my personal property,” Creegan said.
“No, that’s the property of the Vatican. You stole it and abused it. Now you’re headed back to Rome to face multiple charges,” Will replied.
“What are you doing with that man?” Komarov said as he entered the hallway.
Will ignored Komarov and gave Stevie a nod as the CI pulled the kitchen door open and pointed to the left where a clear path led to the back door. Once Will and Creegan were through, he shut the door – in Komarov’s face.
Will hurried Creegan out the back and into a black sedan parked nearby. He buckled Creegan into the back, then slid into the driver’s seat and started up the car. Komarov slammed the door against the building with the force of his exit, screaming at Will to stop as the car pulled out of the lot.
Komarov ran over to his own vehicle and climbed in, tearing out of the lot after Will and Creegan.
Stevie stood in the doorway and watched, then looked over to where the van was parked. “You guys saw all that, right? What do you want me to do?”
“Go back inside and keep an eye on the rest of the gathering,” Jack said. “Jamie’s calling in backup for Will. You’re doing great, Stevie.”
“Okay, heading back in,” Stevie said.
“Aidan’s got a couple of guys headed to intercept Komarov and back up Will,” Jamie said.
“Hope he’s going to be okay,” Jack said as she turned back to the monitors and watched Stevie get a fresh towel and a tray of glasses.
“Me too. Komarov looked like someone stole his date for the prom and he was out for blood,” Jamie said.
“Look, the parents are leaving,” Jack said. “And Stevie’s getting closer to Tatiana.”
“What was that uproar near the kitchen?” Tatiana asked her husband as he took his seat beside her.
“Ilya was upset about something to do with his priest,” Victor replied.
“I’m tired of Komarov and his pets. He and Grimes need to go,” Tatiana said. “Tell Nikolas to handle it.”
Victor got back to his feet. “Time frame?”
“Two days at the most. I want it done yesterday,” Tatiana replied.
“Understood,” Victor said and walked away.
Tatiana drained her glass of champagne, then waved Stevie over to take two more off of his tray. As soon as he stepped back, she drank half of one of the fresh glasses and sighed. “I’m tired of idiotic old white men who think they know how things are done. Papa should’ve ended Grimes months ago. Now it’s my mess to clean up. As usual.”
“Holy shit,” Jack breathed. “This is gold.”
“What we got from Grimes, Robertson, and Tulley was not worth the bullshit we’ve had to put up with. And now Komarov being so blatantly disrespectful…bah. Things are changing. I am making changes. No more of the old way,” Tatiana said.
Jamie was dialing Lincoln’s number before Jack even realized her jaw had dropped.
“Comish, it’s Jamie. Yeah, Ellen Robertson and Jackson Tulley are your two rotten apples. Tatiana Orlov just named them with Grimes. She plans on taking them out,” Jamie said.
“I’ll bring Robertson and Tulley in and get them protection,” the Commissioner said. “Grimes is already under twenty-four hour watch.”
“We’ll get you a copy of the recording where she names them in about ten minutes, sent to your phone. You can use that for the arrest warrant,” Jamie said.
“Good work, you two. Let’s talk in a couple of days and plan our next steps.”
“Yes, sir. Talk to you then,” Jamie said and disconnected the call.
Jack was already saving the recording so far and sending the link. The faster they had the information, the faster the warrants could be served.
“Having Stevie in there has been a gold mine. Good call, Jack,” Jamie said.
“It’s all on him. He reached out to me when he got the catering gig. He’s going to go places, that one,” Jack replied.
“We’ll have to see what we can do to help him along,” Jamie said as he handed Jack a bag of chips.
“I was thinking the same thing. Oh, what did the Comish say?”
“He wants to talk in a couple of days and plan our next steps. Hopefully, it means we can be real detectives again. Joey’s changed and I’m not a fan of some of the changes. If I plan on keeping that friendship, I need to get out from under his roof.”
“I noticed your patience with him was a lot less than before,” Jack said.
“He’s become complacent and he’s not stepping up like I believe he should. He’s not old or ill, he’s perfectly capable of helping the city – but instead of, say, joining us to help clear the buildings in the Plaza, he stayed back where it was safe. That’s not okay, in my book.”
“Maybe your standards are a little high? I mean, he’s not a cop anymore. He was shit on by the department and his fellow officers, and they still talk about him as if he were bad news. I don’t blame him for taking a huge step back. Is it what I would do? No, but I’m not Joey, and neither are you.”
“Maybe,” Jamie said after a long pause. “I know I still think of him as a cop, so maybe that’s where the disconnect is. I’ll have to think about it.”
“Joey has given us a place to work, has supported us and the Commissioner with this undercover operation, has let us take up space in his building when he could really use those offices for active PIs that are working cases to make him money. I mean, he’s got Ian and Jeff doubled up in that little office at the end of the hall. I’ve already moved most of my stuff back home, but you might want to think about emptying your office and just moving the few things you need into mine so we’re hogging less real estate.
“Joey has been nothing but supportive and generous. You need to adjust your attitude, in my humble opinion.”
“You’re right,” Jamie said. “And I’ll get my shit out of that office I’m never in, since we’re always in yours anyway. Hopefully, in a couple of days, we’ll be back at the precinct.”
“What if it’s still shitty?” Jack asked after a moment.
“Then we talk to Aidan. I have a feeling it’ll be just fine, though. Maybe a couple of bumps, but nothing like it was before.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Me, too,” Jamie said.
Dead Reckoning: Chapter Twenty-One
Will hit the coastal road before Komarov’s headlights were in his rear-view mirror. Creegan fumed in the back seat, muttering and grumbling about how Will would pay for this and did he know who he had just arrested and so on.
“Why don’t you shut up so I can concentrate? This asshole behind us is driving like a lunatic and I’d prefer to not dump us both in the harbor,” Will said in what appeared to be a conversational tone. The grip on the steering wheel would say something different.
Mike showed up in the seat beside Will. “Komarov is behind you and he’s trying to run you off the road. He’s also armed. I sure as hell hope you have that device.”
“I’ve got it,” Will said. “And I figured it was him.”
“Aiden’s sending backup, but I don’t think they’ll get here in time. The next turn to the left will take you to a boat ramp and the beach. Slow down and make the turn and get into the sand, then you can use the car for cover and protect yourself. He’s planning on trying a PIT maneuver, and this will keep that from happening.”
“Okay, tell me when.”
“See that light up there? Turn there. Slow…slow…Now!” Mike said.
Will slowed the car, hit the brakes and slid sideways a bit as he turned and then drove down the ramp and off the side into the sand. The car stopped and he slid across to the passenger seat and out the door, pulling his gun out of the glove box and taking up a position along the front passenger’s side tire.
“You might want to duck down,” Mike said to Creegan. “Or not. I’d be happy to flush you into the River if you end up dead.”
“Go to hell, evil spirit,” Creegan snarled – but he did duck down as much as the seat belt would allow.
Komarov’s car skidded to a stop at the top of the ramp and he stayed inside it, the window rolled down so he could yell out. “Let Creegan go and I’ll let you live.”
“This is the FBI. Get out with your hands up,” Will yelled back.
“It’s just you and me here, Willie boy,” Komarov replied. “I’m not giving up.”
“Backup is on the way. You’re about to be outnumbered, Komarov,” Will yelled.
“I’ll go check on the backup,” Mike said and disappeared.
The sound of Komarov’s engine revving filled the air. Will was hiding behind a compact four-door sedan made of plastic. Komarov was behind the wheel of a military-styled SUV type of vehicle with lugged tires and a lot more steel than plastic in the frame.
Will fired off a shot towards Komarov’s vehicle as it started to move. He didn’t notice that Creegan had weaseled his way out of the back seat and was running down the beach.
Komarov stomped on the gas and his vehicle leapt towards where Will was hunkered down. Will stayed where he was until he realized Komarov wasn’t going to stop, then turned and ran. The sound of the collision screamed in broken glass and twisting metal as the car flipped over and pinned Will beneath it.
Will screamed and Komarov backed up.
Creegan scrabbled into the passenger seat of Komarov’s vehicle just as the sound of sirens and the red and blue of flashing lights could be seen down the road.
“Go, go, go!” Creegan yelled and Komarov drove back up the ramp and into the night.
Will looked up at Mike as he crouched beside him. “He got away.”
“It’s okay, we’ll get him. And we’ve got the device now, so the ghosts can help. Just stay still and they’ll have you out of here in a jiffy,” Mike said.
“Over here,” Will called out as the officers came over to the car. “I’m pinned. The perp escaped with Komarov in a military-styled SUV. Put out a BOLO and call me a bus?”
“We’ve got you, Agent. Hang in there,” one officer said.
Will smiled – and passed out.
“Will was in an accident and Komarov helped Creegan escape. Will is going to be fine, and he still had the device on him. It’s in his personal effects at the hospital, so you need to get someone over there to claim it before Creegan gets it back,” Mike said.
“What happened to Will?” Jack asked.
“Komarov rammed his car and it rolled over on him, but he was on the beach in the deeper sand and it kept him from being crushed. He’s got a couple of cracked ribs and he’ll have some impressive bruises, but nothing was broken or ruptured,” Mike replied.
Jamie pulled out his phone and Jack shook her head. “I’ll take this one.” A few taps on her phone and she called Doc. “Hey, Kendrick. First off, everyone is okay. Will is at Harbor General after an accident, but nothing’s broken and he’s going to be fine. However, you should probably go pick him up and put him in the guest room – and make sure his belongings, including that device Creegan was using on the ghosts – are secured.”
“Will – and the rest of you – are okay?” Doc asked.
“Yes, love. We’re all fine. Will is going to be bruised and feeling it for a few days, but we’re more worried about Komarov or Creegan showing up and reclaiming the device. And Will shouldn’t be alone for a couple of days. We can make sure he eats and rests and doesn’t develop any complications, right?” Jack said.
“I’m on my way to the hospital now. I’ll make sure he’s comfortable, and I’ll put the device in the safe. Be careful and I’ll see you when you get home. Love you.”
“Love you, too. Thanks for this.”
“He’s my friend. Of course we’ll help. Thank you for letting me know.”
The call disconnected and Jack smiled wryly at Jamie. “See? Having a doctor in the family is useful.”
“I’ll go stay with Will until Doc gets there,” Mike said and disappeared.
“This recording is going to be gold for several cases,” Jamie said after a moment. “I’ve made sure that it’s uploaded directly to our cloud, just in case anything happens to the van.”
Jack reached out and tapped her knuckles twice on the wooden board that made up the shelf the monitors were bolted to. “No cursing us, but a good idea nonetheless.”
At the moment, Stevie was standing against the wall near Sergei Jr. and Mikhail, across the room from Tatiana and Victor.
“Where’s Elena?” Junior asked.
“She went home. She made her obligatory appearance, then said the sitter got sick, so she left. The sitter didn’t get sick, it was just Elena unable to stomach any more of Tatiana’s show,” Mik said.
“Don’t let Tati find out she lied,” Junior said.
“She won’t, unless you tell her.”
“You’re kidding, right? She doesn’t speak to me except to spit out orders. Now that Mama and Papa are going to be gone, I’m leaving, too. I start a new job in Zurich on January third,” Junior said.
“Did you tell Tati?”
“Nope. None of her concern. I don’t work for the family, she refuses to acknowledge my existence, so I’m taking my economics degree and going to work for a company that likes to make money.”
“At least she’s not taking Babushka’s away from us. Elena and I have put our hearts and souls into that place. With our parents leaving, we can finally update the décor and make it more our own. I don’t care if Tati has meetings in the private dining room as long as the rest of the place I can run the way I want to run it,” Mik said.
“I hope it works the way you wish. Just come visit in Zurich anytime you need to get away,” Junior said. “I’m going to head home myself. Will you be doing Christmas at the restaurant for family this year?”
“Just Elena, the children, me, and Peter. You’re welcome to join us if you want. Nikolas and Mari are supposed to go to her parents with the kids and Tatiana is having some kind of business and family thing at her house. Mama and Papa will be in Mexico by then,” Mik said.
“I’ll come for dinner, but I have to leave by eight so I can get to the airport in time. I fly out that night. My things are shipping out in two days, and I’ll be staying at the Waldorf in town for the last week or so,” Junior said.
“Then I’ll see you then. Get home safe,” Mik said and shook his brother’s hand.
Junior turned his chair and headed for the exit where his driver waited to take him home.
Nikolas came over and dropped into a chair next to Mik. “What were you and Junior talking about?”
Mik tensed as the younger brother showed up. He didn’t trust Niko one bit. “Dinner plans for Christmas. He’s going to join Elena and I at the restaurant.”
