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I
September, 2001
Frenetic was the only way to describe the start to the month.
Hugh had the semester to plan, Shaidullin had cancelled the Samara meeting, Viktor was overseas wooing this lady, Valentina returned to her regular work, Geneviève had no further purpose in Samara and was now in Shadzhara, Marc had kept to his original schedule.
He phoned Hugh and said he was in town, Hugh demanded to put him up for a few days, best not to complicate things with Dilyara’s parents, Dilyara now working in Prague.
Hugh suggested they visit Giuseppe for a meal and make it a small party, he phoned Ksenia and said there was something special going on and would she come to Giuseppe at 18:00, he was also going to phone Anya and ask if she wanted to bring her Italian?
.o0o.
They converged in dribs and drabs from 18:00 to 19:00 and each new visitor surprised someone.
At first it was only Geneviève, Marc and Hugh and the latter had actually arranged it that way, giving the others later arrival times.
Ksenia was meant to enter halfway between the two groups and what she wore made a huge statement, for the very reason that she did not attempt to outshine anyone but in doing so, in a curious way, she did outshine all. Wearing a simple white blouse, pale blue jeans with black two inch heeled shoes, an unostentatious belt and thin gold necklace, it was only her scent which gave her away to Geneviève, the latter nodding with approval, which Ksenia was doing her best to show was neither here nor there, whilst at the same time praising Geneviève to the sky.
Marc and Hugh looked at one another – wimmin [!] was the unspoken thought, noticed by the wimmin in question.
What Geneviève saw was that the old snarling lioness was not there, what she did comment on was how radiant Ksenia had become, so at ease compared to their file footage.
Ludmilla came in next, to almost everyone’s surprise but as she was a known face now, she attracted little attention that way, except that everyone thought she looked marvellous in her navy and cream outfit, given what they knew of her reported age.
Louise arrived and they were already tucking into the pizzas by that stage. She was appalled by the food and they, in turn, were bemused by her manner.
Anya had gone the simple route too but her light coloured outfit with the textures only the Italians seemed to achieve was not bought from the local boutique.
One of the girls made to bring the pizzas over and Geneviève put up a hand to stop her. Ksenia saw the ploy and when Geneviève got up to go and get hers, eyes all over the room were following those famous thighs. Ksenia saw Hugh from the corner of her eye and his jaw had dropped. Men!
Now Dilyara walked in, which stunned Marc and everyone bar Hugh and Ksenia – she had to know because they’d have his flat and he’d stay at Ksenia’s. Dilyara had also gone the simple route, tipped off by Hugh, which rather created a France-Russia divide.
‘Er Marc,’ said Ksenia, ‘this is where you get up and kiss her like there’s no tomorrow, then introduce her to anyone who doesn’t know her.’
‘Right, right.’ Dilyara was grinning, she nodded to Anya – good, thought Hugh, this was going swimmingly, Ksenia noted that and liked it.
.o0o.
As the meal moved on through the ice cream, the cakes, the coffee, Ksenia was waiting to see Hugh’s surreptitious glances at Geneviève or Anya but she caught him, from the counter at one stage, eyeing her instead and as she suspected he was mentally undressing her, she went red.
Geneviève noted it too and found it curious. Understandable of course in one such as Ksenia … but still curious. Marc had eyes in one direction only, as did Dilyara.
Hugh went to the loo but didn’t come back immediately, he stood by the double glazed window with the pot plant and looked out at the tree lined street – was he hoping one of them would come through?
Geneviève was the one who came through to the bathroom, he spun around to look at her the moment he judged she’d gone past him but she’d stopped and turned to face him too – he was caught, she was highly amused, she turned and went to the loo.
In the other room, Anya had been about to go to the loo herself but Ksenia, surprisingly, rested a hand on her arm and made that facial gesture, such that Anya sat down again. Just what was going on? Ludmilla read some security implication into it, Louise did too.
.o0o.
When Geneviève came out, it was perfectly obvious that neither had any real business remaining there, they both accepted that. ‘Hugh,’ she said in that calm, deep, sultry voice. ‘You have a lovely friend in there, she is very, very beautiful.’ She nodded towards the main room. ‘And happy too,’ she added.
Whilst saying that, she had rested one hand on his forearm and there was a hell of a lot in that touch. Then she suggested, ‘Well, shall we join the others?’
‘Oui, d’accord.’
Observing them through the two archways from the main room at that very moment was Anya. Geneviève asked if there might be trouble.
‘No there can’t be, nothing has happened.’ He looked into her eyes. ‘Has it?’
‘Has it not?’ she replied, then, ‘no, you’re right, nothing has happened.’ She smiled that smile.
They went back.
.o0o
Ksenia and Hugh got back to her flat around 22:00 after dropping Anya at her place, Marc and Dilyara at his. They couldn’t wait to get to bed, either of them.
The moment their heads hit the pillow, she said, ‘Great day, you knew it would be like that, didn’t you? Always invite me to those, Bebe, please plan more of them.’
‘You liked it then,’ he smiled. ‘Do we need anything to drink?’
‘In ten minutes or so. We’ll get to Geneviève’s and your behaviour later too – I set that up by the way.’ He looked at her. ‘Oh yes, Bebe, I wanted to see that one play out. But later for that too -’
‘You saw me undressing you, you went red.’
‘Hugh, I didn’t actually like that. I think it was after our outrageous time at my father’s dacha, which I do not regret but all the same, there’s a thing called making the most of a situation and then there’s a thing called slutty. I believe I was on the edge, I asked about if it was unholy, I do think it was something to do with falling for you and I knew you had too. You’re an interesting one – you’re so sexual but then you don’t treat me as if I’m a plaything. It’s been curious. I think it was all right in that dacha but not so much at Giuseppe.’
‘Ah, right.’
‘I want to remain proud of you.’
‘Noted for future reference.
‘I have anything to worry about with Geneviève?’
‘Anya was quite unhappy with me.’
‘I know, I had to stop her going out there but she still got up and looked. She is good at making those faces, isn’t she?’
‘She’s a very long story.’
‘You haven’t answered my question properly yet.’
‘Geneviève is a femme-fatale, the French do have that chic.’
‘Except for Louise.’
‘Probably it’s better to say it’s Parisienne. Yes, I should not have stayed out there.’
‘No you should not have if you wished to keep me.’
‘Ouch. I hear you, I agree, I should have thought about us moving further on.’
‘Thank you.’ There was a pause, then she said, ‘If I allowed you to go to Paris, say for a week, would you go?’
‘Genevièves will arise, Genevièves will fade away, I can’t see a situation arising, except in one way. Everyone was saying how radiant you were and I couldn’t help but think that if you lose that edge of efficiency -‘
‘It’s crossed my mind too. I think there’s trouble ahead and I need to stay sharp. Also, I will have to deal with these two guys, the ones I mentioned, for once and for all. Talk, Hugh, it will just be talk.’
‘If it really is a farewell, then I see that as a current soon to be ex and I don’t [cough] really mind you know … the once.’
She was staring at him. ‘You mean that? You would really allow that? I won’t allow it now with you.’
‘My feeling is that if it’s definitely a current becoming an ex, then I’d prefer to leave that last meeting for you to judge.’
She could not find words. She wasn’t sure she even wanted that freedom.
III
Late November, 2001
Viktor Igorovich was back, he’d had his old security chums over for a knees up and one of them had told him something very curious about Frederika.
Not only was she in Russia but she was coming to Shadzhara, the question was why and so Viktor called a summit meeting with Ksenia, Anya and Hugh.
They arrived at Viktor’s separately.
.o0o.
‘I think to kill,’ Ksenia was first to answer that question, over the coffee. ‘She’s a cold blooded killer and enjoys it. I’m a cold blooded killer too but I hate it. If my lover died, I’d rather die too.’
‘And the other way round?’ asked Anya.
‘Hugh and I have already discussed that question, said Ksenia quietly. ‘This thing was ordered from Shadzhara, not Moscow – the contract makes no strategic sense, it just seems that way to me. It seems to me to be about settling old scores. If I had to guess, then I’d say she’s coming to take out both Hugh and me.’
‘There has to be money involved somewhere,’ put in Hugh. ‘Frederika doesn’t work for free.’
‘No, she doesn’t, so who’s paying her? There is another scenario of course, more elaborate – that Frederika herself is being set up for a hit.’
‘Why?’ asked Anya.
‘Old scores, knows too much, there are a dozen reasons. It’s possible she has something for Hugh and plans to protect him, rather than kill him.’
‘Protect him from whom?’
‘From me, for example. I know both of you would not put it past me but I say this – it simply cannot happen.’
They lapsed into silence and then, in the midst of that silence, the phone rang like a klaxon. Hugh looked at his watch – 20:24. He whispered to Viktor, ‘I re-routed my calls to your second phone, as we agreed.’
‘Well,’ demanded Anya, ‘aren’t you going to answer it?’ Viktor nodded to Hugh, who did an ‘Allo-e’ in the Russian manner.
‘Hugh, hi, how are you?’ her hard voice instantly recognisable.
‘Fine Frederika, long time no hear.’
Her reply was barely audible to those present.
‘Of course, but I work tomorrow, can’t get out of it. How would you like to meet at the Baumana McDonald’s in the afternoon – around 16:00? You know Baumana?’
He replaced the receiver.
‘Of all the nerve,’ commented Anya.
‘Well, well, well,’ commented Ksenia.
‘So now, ladies and Viktor,’ requested Hugh, ‘what do you think? To go or not to go?’
.o0o.
Deep in the forest later that day, on the blanket, she was at rest in a manner of speaking.
Then she suddenly stopped, took his face in her palms and said, ‘What I fear is that, having made love to Frederika in the past, you’ll approach her as if her fondness for the memory will stop her.’
‘You mean tomorrow?’
‘No, the day after when she goes back – whenever that day is, that’s when it will happen.’
IV
He arrived early at McDonald’s, ordered a McChicken Meal and took it upstairs – Frederika was already there. The inevitable mutual scrutiny took place and the mutual compliments. She stood out among the Russians.
After the desultory conversation, they got down to business. The gist of her tale was that she’d been approached to do a bit of free lance business – Hugh himself, in fact. She hadn’t accepted that but had accepted the second offer and so here she was.
Who had ordered it?
Of course she didn’t know, these things are never done directly, she said. Anyway, she was staying at the ‘Regina’ and had a train ticket to Moscow for the following evening. Call her please. It was good to see him again.
He now touched on their time together and she said that time goes quickly. She took her leave.
He just sat there, thinking it through. Right, so there were a number of possibilities. Firstly, that Frederika was going to do it anyway and had simply been sizing him up. Supporting this was her contention that ‘these things are never done directly’ and ‘time goes quickly’.
Next most likely, as Ksusha herself had hinted, was that she herself was being set up as a target by someone and planned to turn the tables.
.o0o.
He asked Anya over for supper and put it to her, over the dessert, ‘How do you read this?’
‘One’s a proven killer and the other I don’t trust an inch.’ She became very serious and lowered her voice. ‘I don’t know what passed between Ksusha and you on that cruise but it’s too late to worry about it now, she might be your friend.’
Hugh gazed across at her. ‘We got out of touch with each other, didn’t we, love?’ he said. ‘We lost it, you and I.’
‘Why do you always think bad things of me? I’m all at sea, I’m trying to find a port to come home to, despite what you see but I don’t think you and me again is a very good idea, not at this moment. Time passes quickly though.’
He looked at her thoughtfully and wanted it all to go back to where it had been but in that instant, he knew it would have ended the same way, whichever permutation had occurred. He took her in his arms and she rested her head against his chest. ‘Anya, what do you really want?’
‘For my Italian to take me seriously, to take me as his.’
‘I told you about that.’
‘I know but you asked me what I wanted, I know what you wanted to hear but I can’t give you that.’
‘You don’t want Ksenia with me and you don’t want to be with me yourself. You wish for me to be alone.’
‘I do want you with me but not the way you think – you’re still important in my life. You also come back to me so easily, you kiss me without ever thinking whether you still have the right to, whether I want it or not, you don’t even check that with me. You’re lucky I do want it and I always will.’
He lifted her chin and kissed her on the lips. She paused and allowed it to deepen, they stood like that, doing that, for maybe a minute and then she slowly withdrew. ‘That’s what I mean,’ she breathed. ‘How can you do that, if she is your woman? How could you make eyes at that Frenchwoman at Giuseppe, if Ksenia is your woman?’
‘She set that up, she had to know. But she spoke of you in my arms too.’
‘Oh?’
‘She was anxious – she knows everyone is against her.’
Anya was going to think that one through.
V
Marc flew in late and Hugh was there to pick him up. On the way back, he spoke of the meeting with Frederika and how this thing was coming to a head either tomorrow or the next day. ‘I might be dead after that -’
‘Don’t talk like that.’
‘Marc, I need a trustee for my will – Viktor’s a beneficiary, so I can’t ask him. It would be straightforward, all on paper, addresses, phones etc.’
‘Ksenia?’
‘Beneficiary, same with Anya. Your fee would come from the estate as a percentage.’
‘I don’’t need a fee.’
‘Yes you do or it could be challenged and I don’t need complications from beyond the grave. Will you?’
‘’You know I will, just have it all in one place and then it can be done quickly. But I don’t think it’s needed.’
‘It would be a weight off my mind, that’s all.’
VI
Frederika lay on the bed in her hotel room and hoped she’d intrigued him enough, she was running out of time, it was true, and it was going to be tricky, this double cross.
All the players were accounted for except this Anya – Frederika didn’t know how to factor her in. Ksenia was as plain as day – she was doing her own double cross. Safin was also as plain as day. Hugh was hopefully under the influence of Ksenia and that would make it easier.
She thought that, unless something presented itself later this night, then early tomorrow evening, before the train, had to be the time, banking on their preference for a crowded place – she’d never try it on there, would she? There was a slight thrill to it all and she knew that feeling – that thrill.
VII
Ksenia was at her place, Hugh with Marc at his. She phoned and said she thought best alone, she was going to think it through and report on the morrow. There were far more than Hugh and her in this and she had to have everyone covered.
VIII
Sergei Safin was ready for the morrow. He’d just put down the phone and Ksenia’s report had been encouraging.
He checked his SR-1 Vektor and the Makarovs he’d prepared for Frederika and Ksenia but he was thinking maybe the old PSS with the SP-4 slug might be better for the close range work. It was a girl’s weapon anyway. Useless over three metres but the target was likely to be far closer than that, wasn’t she?
He allowed himself a tight grin and poured himself another tipple. So, not much more could be done now. He wondered how Ksenia was progressing and hoped Frederika wasn’t out roaming but there’d been no report.
It was going to be split second tomorrow, that was a given. He hoped he was still sharp enough. The girl who’d be kidnapped, Yulia, should distract the French end and Ludmilla long enough to allow tomorrow to happen.
He went through the plan one last time and each link held firm.
IX
The next morning was crisp outside. Some birds hit the window pane and everyone was lying low.
.o0o.
The phone went at Hugh’s place – Frederika – why hadn’t he phoned? She’d waited in last evening and now only had a few hours left in Shadzhara. Could they meet? They could? Oh good. Where? The Railway Café? Yes, she knew it. 18:00? Fine, she’d be there.
.o0o.
Ksenia called twenty minutes later. She’d just heard Frederika had a tiny weapon for close range. He reported on the conversation.
.o0o.
Viktor called. What they’d agreed still held and Anya was at his place.
.o0o.
17:20. Various parties drove to the general area and took up positions.
Hugh’s car stopped on the path outside the café and three tall men appeared from nowhere, crowding his door. He got out and was shepherded to the café door.
Inside, there was a barman, also two waitresses, a guy and his girlfriend in the middle of a shaslik and then there was Frederika, over by the far table, her lap covered by the table cloth. Hugh walked up behind her, put his arms round her neck and embraced her.
There seemed no weapon below the cloth but there was still her handbag to consider. She was sitting facing the door, so Hugh would have had to sit with his back that way. He did so, both in order to keep his eye on the kitchen and also to allay her further suspicion.
‘Frederika, put the bag on the table, at the far end.’
She slowly reached for it and placed it where he’d asked, her eyes were fixed on his and he’d seen that look before.
‘You’ve eaten already?’ he asked.
‘No, I waited for you,’ she said in a very low voice, ‘we have about thirty minutes, then I’ll have to go across to the train.’
The waitress came up and Hugh recognised her as a regular. She took their order for steak and shaslik with salad. He asked if they could hurry it up because of the time. She said they’d try.
‘So, Frederika, here we are.’
He looked at her in greater detail now. Life had not treated her terribly well and her face was close to haggard – a tragedy in one so young. ‘Have you enjoyed Shadzhara? What did you see today?’
She was looking at him evenly, summing him up. He kept wanting to glance at the kitchen entrance and then stopped himself. Interesting, she thought. She went with the idea that there’d be back up for him outside as well, then again, he’d always been a maverick.
‘It’s sure good to see you again Hugh. It’s been a very long time.’ A smile played on her lips but something very emotional was going on inside her. Was she scared?
.o0o.
The food came and they both tucked in and polished off their dishes, like real trenchermen. ‘Do you like it here in Shadzhara, Hugh?’ she ventured, eyes still rivetted on him.
‘There are some definite pluses.’
‘Ksenia?’
‘Yes.’
Everything was being weighed in the balance and evaluated. Everything had to be just so and she was scanning for any nuance, anything which might alter the balance of the coming events, it was almost as if there was no pretence any more – the conversation was so far beyond normal that it couldn’t be retrieved.
Finally the moment arrived. ‘Hugh, it’s time to catch the train, would you see me across?’
‘That’s exactly what I’d planned to do – what both of us had planned. Yes?’
She caught her breath at that. She was either nervous or high. That was it, wasn’t it? She was high on what she was about to do.
Now he could see the sardonic cruelty in the mouth, the cold, mocking eyes, he could even have made love to her now and it would have been indescribable, he was sure. Suddenly he thought that saying that might do something to alter the balance, so he told her and it did throw her momentarily.
.o0o.
They got up, gathered their things and moved towards the door, Hugh slightly behind her. One of the three beefy boys now came through the door, demanding to be fed. The waitresses began a haranguing conversation with one of them but Frederika was already through the door, with Hugh close behind.
She propped and offered her elbow to be taken – they were to walk over to the train, arm in arm, according to her agenda. He offered his arm instead, she laughed, took it and he could feel her bony strength. ‘Old times, Frederika. I won’t throw your handbag in the river this time.’
She didn’t reply. She was walking evenly, closely and expectantly now, no shadow of a doubt about that, almost padding along on those feet. He asked, ‘Will you take me out first or second?’ She glanced at him sharply and he answered her glance. ‘Oh yes, love, everyone knows about your PSS.’
She was so far into her mental preparation by now that he couldn’t distract her for more than a moment. He tried again, ‘Whatever you’re about to do, Frederika, Blackheath will always remain for us.’ She caught her breath, glanced and saw that he was gazing at her with affection and sympathy.
Damn him, she thought. Damn him. They started to cross the road.
Suddenly a Passat pulled out from the kerb to the left and squealed past them, window down, two metres from a parked Volvo off to the right. Hugh saw a red beam from the Volvo, Frederika whipped out her pistol and fired at the Volvo passenger but too late, three cracks from different places and Frederika dropped like a sack of potatoes and he did too – excruciating upper arm – but he’d heard two other people’s cries as well, on the right.
Four shots – that was it – all over.
X
Early December, 2001
Strangely, the first visitor to the convalescing Mr. Jensen was Louise and she wasn’t alone, she had Geneviève with her.
In French, Louise began, ‘Ah, what has happened to you, Hugo? Come to France, come for one year – I’ll arrange everything. I have a little gift to cheer you up.’
The gift was sweet – a ribbon tied wooden box of truffles and he thanked her … but it had come from both of them. While he concentrated on the garrulous but basically nice Louise, it was the quiet scrutiny by the other woman that had him entranced.
He glanced across at her and she smiled back at him, in a kindly manner, he thought. Anya phoned and said she’d be there ten minutes later.
.o0o.
She was entirely unprepared for the plumed Louisa to usher her in with her bag of mandarins and half litre of kefir. Louise, as ever, was on the move, Geneviève had barely had time to say hello and that was the end of the French contingent.
Anya laughed that old laugh. ‘Don’t be like that,’ Hugh admonished, ‘Louise is all right.’
‘The other one is all right too?’ she smiled.
Hugh ignored that and put to her the question on his mind. ‘I asked the staff here and they either didn’t know or weren’t telling me – give me the news straight out, with no umming and ahhing. How’s Ksusha?’
‘Alive, Hugh, in hospital.’
‘She was shot then.’
‘Yes, I came to you first.’
‘Well, I’ll visit her later.’
‘You won’t be visiting anyone today. Tomorrow maybe.’
He sunk back to the bed. ‘Will you take her a message – tell her I’m alive?’
‘Ludmilla did that. I’ll go there if you want but Ludmilla has been with her today.’
‘Well, may I speak with her?’
‘Hugh, I’m not preventing you but she’s not well and they’re keeping her sedated. She’ll live, as I said.’
‘I see. Tell me about what actually happened. I was there but didn’t see much, you’d appreciate.’
Her cheeks coloured. ‘I didn’t see much either – I’m going to kill Viktor.’
‘No, kill me because I asked him to keep you out of it.’
‘You did?’ She thought about it, couldn’t think of what to say, he saw the wheels turning in her brain, then she just said, ‘Hugh.’
‘Well, are you going to tell me or not?’
In Anya’s eyes, the story was pretty straightforward, once you understood who was paying whom and what each player’s motivation had been. Ludmilla had told her the likely scenario had been this:
Frederika had been commissioned by Shaidullin and, having lost his mentor and his means of livelihood, it must have cost him deep in the purse to take out Hugh for his part with Katya, and to take out Ksenia for her betrayal. So that was simply revenge.
However, Frederika had been pondering whether to refuse the Hugh commission or not – at least, this is what Anya could gather, but to decide that, she had to judge Hugh’s attraction for her, personally and that meant a night together. When that hadn’t materialised, she’d left it until the last moment to decide, during the café meeting.
Who could say but it would seem logical that she would first take out Ksenia, then the unarmed Hugh if she still wanted. Safin had only ever been motivated by money and it was Shaidullin’s money which had Safin there, to make sure that if Frederika did backslide, he’d do the job. Hence his rifle trained on Hugh but he had a second shot for Ksenia. Or Frederika, whichever was necessary.
Ksenia was on an official assignment to disable Frederika, whom they were sure was gunning for both herself and Hugh. But when she saw that Safin was supplying the weaponry and after she reasoned that Shaidullin was behind this – easily verifiable via bank accounts – it was family business once again to take out Sergei from the Passat, for knowingly supplying Frederika with the weapon which was to kill her, Ksenia, plus Hugh. She was sure Safin would try to take Hugh out if Frederika didn’t and then his second shot – who knew?
Ksenia’s first shot, therefore, had to take out Safin and her second was for Frederika. She’d assumed Frederika’s first shot would be for her and so a Section sniper was in place to incapacitate Frederika the moment she made any move whatever with a weapon.
Viktor hadn’t been anywhere near. He’d risked Anya’s eternal displeasure by physically preventing her from getting out of the car, a short distance from the action, until the firing had stopped. This was at the request of Hugh but it had also been from her parents.
Now it was vital for Hugh to visit the wounded Ksenia – even Anya recognized this – she went and filled in copious amounts of paperwork, brought it back to sign, he was prepared for the journey, she drove him to the hospital in his own car.
.o0o.
Propped up in bed, one half of her face covered, he tried to smile. ‘What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be shot.’
He walked over, his legs fine and kissed her left cheek and Anya followed suit. ‘Two lovers at one time – I’m so lucky today.’
.o0o.
He went home this day, she went home the next.
XI
Mid-December, 2001
Timur Shaidullin had thought it over for some weeks.
His priority list had had to be redrawn, given the events at the station and his financial loss. Still, he hadn’t had to pay Frederika, so he was in a more benevolent mood.
At the head of the list to be eliminated were Valentina Alexandrova, who’d blighted his life, together with Natalia Kurbatova, who’d come back from the dead and had blown his cover, Ksenia Sharova, the former lover and traitress who’d colluded to destroy him and of course his wife Katya who was now a constant threat.
On the list to be discredited were Ludmilla Petrova, Viktor Igorovich, Valerie Stepanov, Konstantin Mishkin and Pavel Denisov in Nizhny plus Hugh Jensen – he had now been downgraded to show Timur’s disrespect and disdain.
The essential element in the removal of these people was ‘plausibility’. For example, Jensen’s Head of English, Habibullina had several rivals and it should be relatively easy to introduce an issue which would divide them to the point of discord.
Ludmilla Petrova was easy because of her little act of nepotism and Jensen was easier still because of his predilection for the ladies. Once the protective screen had been removed, it would be relatively easy to move in for the kill.
Alexandrova had been the sticking point, with her white-as-a-sheet record and family history but an idea had suddenly come to mind. If her little girl was kidnapped and a ransom demanded by Sharova, the father would come into it and all sorts of good things might result.
It might just work. It was to be timed for mid to late March.
XII
Ksenia decided not to front him with her full disfigurement straight away. She’d insisted they have a week away from each other, this was now over, he was at her flat door after phoning in the morning.
She opened the three doors, he asked, ‘Which bit am I allowed to kiss?’
‘You still want to kiss me, do you?’
‘My question first – which bit is not as painful and so I can kiss that?’
‘Go away, Hugh.’
‘No. Last time I checked, you were my woman, so no, I am here now.’
‘You’re deliberately ignoring THIS!’ She pointed at her scars and she was in high dudgeon. They’d never had this before and so he stepped forward and took her in his arms but she broke away and pushed him hard, so that he fell over on the floor, hitting the shoulder.
She was down on her knees crying, stroking his cheek. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.’ he thought – not a bad result in exchange for a bit of pain. ‘Can you get up, can you make it to bed?’
He moved onto his knees, she went to offer her hand to get up and he said, ‘Better I do it. Prepare the bed.’ She scuttled off to do that.
He knocked and went into her room, the cover was back, he gingerly got in and found a reasonable place on the other side. She stood there. ‘Please get in, I’m not well.’
The two things were not related in any way and she thought them funny. She sighed, kicked off her tapechki and climbed in.
‘Well, here we are, Bebe. I want to know the literal truth about your feelings for me now, not some pap you give me to make me feel better. There is one thing I do NOT want and that is sympathy or you staying with me because of duty or because you feel sorry. I don’t need it – I am Ksenia.’
‘Have you finished?’
‘Yes.’
‘For a start, I don’t make love to your face, just your mouth and the rest of you. And the rest looks like it works fine. I kiss the parts of your face that I can now, the others later as you recover -’
‘Recover? Haven’t you woken up yet? I’m scarred for life.’
‘I know that, I know all about Ludmilla and she will try to put you on other duties but I don’t think she can -’
‘Why not? How would you know?’
‘Anya saw some flight manifests and Shaidullin had flights coinciding with them -’
‘It was my 30th birthday the day of the shooting.’ He collapsed back on the bed.
She looked across and thought he was overdoing it but now she realised he was having trouble breathing. Actually, he was.
‘You really are in shock, aren’t you. I’m making tea now, I’ll bring it here. Don’t argue, get your breath back.’
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