Iris Johansen - Chasing the Night

He got into the car. “Just find out where Czadas lives.” He had a sudden memory of the photo of Luke in Rakovac’s study. “And if the place is on a lake.”

St. Basil’s Cathedral was just ahead.

Catherine’s hands tightened on the wheel of the rental car as she saw the splendid onion-shaped towers of the cathedral come into view.

Rakovac could be there. If not, then one of his men who would take her to him. Take her to Luke.

After all the years of torture and waiting, it was going to happen.

Was she ready? There was no doubt that she would be searched thoroughly. Would they find it?

Stop having second thoughts. She had made both her decision and her plans over a year ago. If it didn’t work, if Luke died, then she’d have to make another decision, and that would be easier.

She drew close to the curb a half block from the cathedral.

Get out. Let them see you.

She stood by the car for only a few minutes before she got the call.

“Right on time,” Rakovac said.

“Where are you?”

“Not anywhere near you. Get back in your car. In a few minutes a black Volkswagen will come around the corner driven by a black man wearing a blue muffler. Follow him. As soon as we determine that you’re not being followed, he’ll bring you to me.”

“I’m not being followed. I wouldn’t take that chance.”

“I hope that’s true, because the situation has changed. You have much more to lose now.” He hung up.

She was frowning as she got back into the car. How could she have more to lose than her son? Bluff? She didn’t know, but her tension was increasing by the second as the Volkswagen came around the corner.

Twenty minutes later Rakovac called once again. “Very good. You haven’t wasted our time. That would have been regrettable.”

“I’ve been driving in and out of every street in this city. When are you going to surface?”

“You sound a bit upset. Nerves, Catherine?”

“Where are you?”

“You’re being led to me right now. I’ve decided that you should leave your car and let me take you to Luke.”

“No, I told you that I wouldn’t do that. I’ll follow you.”

“Your desperate bid to have a little control of your destiny? I don’t want you to have any control, Catherine. I want you totally subservient to my every whim.”

“Screw you.”

“You have no choice. I’m tired of being indulgent with you.” His voice hardened. “I’m sending you a photo that may interest you. I’ll call you back after you have time to access it.”

Luke? She had a chilling memory of the last photo of the skeleton he had sent to her. Had he done something to Luke?

She accessed the photo.

“Shit!”

Kelly and Eve, hands tied, standing in front of a huge oak door.

“No!”

It couldn’t be worse.

Calm down. Yes, it could. Rakovac had taken them prisoner, not killed them.

Yet.

Her phone rang.

“Why?” she asked Rakovac when she picked up. “They have nothing to do with what’s between us.”

“They annoyed me. I told you that anyone who helped you wouldn’t be safe,” Rakovac said. “And I knew Eve Duncan would want to compare her likeness of Luke to the real thing. Wasn’t it kind of me to give her the opportunity?”

“Let them go.”

“Too late. But you can stretch out their lives for a little while longer if you do as I say. I’m parked on the edge of the road about two miles from where you are. You’ll stop, abandon your car, and get in the passenger seat of mine. If you show any resistance, I’ll give the order to kill one of your friends. The young girl, I think. She’s of lesser importance. If you continue, Eve Duncan will take her turn. Isn’t it better to relinquish control to me and let them have a few more precious hours of life?”

“Bastard.”

“One minute, Catherine. Then I’ll hang up and give the order to kill the girl.”

He would do it. Nothing would please him more than to put her through that hell.

She would have to give in. The slim chance she’d had of getting Luke and her out of this situation alive had just become even slimmer. The fragile scenario she’d concocted was becoming dangerously complicated.

Dangerous? No matter which way she turned, it could be lethal. This was just one more obstacle to overcome.

“Catherine.”

“You win,” she said through set teeth. “Don’t hurt them.”

“I’ll always win. You had one victory, and the rest of the prizes were mine. I’ll be standing beside my car waiting for you. You do remember what I look like?”

Satan.

“How could I forget?” She could see the car on the side of the road.

Rakovac was standing by the passenger door. His thick black hair was blowing in the breeze, and the expression on his heavy, flushed face was eager, hungry.

Well, she was hungry, too.

She pulled over behind his car and got out of the driver’s seat.

“Beautiful,” he murmured. “I’d forgotten how exquisite you are, Catherine. I had a photo of you back in my office, but the reality far surpasses it.” He held out his hand. “Come here, I want to touch you. Do you know how often I’ve thought about you in all kinds of positions and ways?”

She was standing next to him now. “I imagine the most frequent was of me dead.”

“That was one of my favorites.” His fingers delicately brushed her forearm. “But there were others…more sexual.”

She forced herself to stand stiff and unmoving beneath his touch. She felt sick. She wanted to reach out and strangle him, break his bones, spit in his face.

Not the time. Take it. Endure.

“You hate this, don’t you?” he said softly. “And I’m not even hurting you yet. Do you know how exciting I find it to hurt a woman with sex? It’s male domination brought to the highest peak. With you, it will be the ultimate pleasure.”

“Take me to see my son.”

“Oh, I will. That will all be a part of it.” He stepped back and opened the passenger door for her. “Step into my world, Catherine. I guarantee it’s going to be an experience you never forget.”

His hand was still on her elbow as she bent to get into the car. “Let me go.”

“I will. Just one more thing…”

Then she saw the tiny hypodermic needle emerge from the palm of his hand on her arm and plunge deep.

“No!”

Swirling heat.

Darkness.

Venable received the information Joe had asked him to request about Czadas twenty minutes after they’d left the farmhouse.

“I’ve got it.” Venable had to shout to compete against the noise of the helicopter rotors as they strode across the tarmac toward the aircraft. He shoved his phone into his pocket. “Mikhal Czadas. Still active in the resistance movement, but more discreetly these days. He purchased the family home of a rich businessman, Nikolai Savrin, some years ago. It’s out in the middle of the back of beyond, which must be convenient for his less-than-legal activities. Some question of how he came by the funds to buy it.”

“How many years ago?”

“Nine.”

“Curious coincidence. What do you want to bet that those funds came from Rakovac to ensure that Luke was kept in the most out-of-the-way place possible.” He boarded the helicopter. “What else?”

“Not much,” Venable said grimly. “Except there are rumors that Czadas has an illegitimate son who he took on several raids over the last few years. The boy was very quiet. Czadas didn’t allow him to talk to strangers.”

“And everyone was a stranger.”

“Exactly.” Venable buckled his seat belt. “It’s shaping up to be an interesting evening. They transmitted a photo of Savrin House. It’s located on a lake. I’ll show you the photo after we get in the air. According to the last report we have, Czadas has a few men patrolling the area, but very few at the house itself. He’s reputedly too full of bravado and a king-size ego to believe anyone can invade his space successfully.”