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Near Miss

“That is so. I wish I could have given notice, but there was no time to lose, given the position I was in at that moment. I thought I owed it to you to explain what had happened, but I had to wait to see you in New York.”

“All right, shoot.”

“Not the word I would have chosen,” Greco said. “As you might remember, when I tried to disassociate myself from the family business, Serge Gromyko interpreted my actions as hostile to him, though I felt no hostility toward him, at that time.”

“I recall. But didn’t his passing solve that problem for you?”

“It did, in a way. But after his death, the new Greek contacted me and simply assumed I was still part of the operation. That’s when I realized his brother had taken the knowledge of my betrayal to his grave. I was able to use the excuse of my own brothers’ deaths to lessen my workload and move into more of a consultant role. I thought once I achieved that, I would be able to ease my way out completely, without causing any waves.”

“Let me guess. It’s not turning out to be so simple.”

“That is an understatement. A week ago, I called him and told him that the time had come for me to branch out on my own. He did not take it well. As you might imagine, I have witnessed too much, and Alexei Gromyko does not tolerate witnesses. But that isn’t the true problem.”

“What is?”

“I am a Pentkovsky. My brother started the family. I now realize in Gromyko’s mind I will always be a threat. If I were to stay in the family, he might not kill me right away, but he would eventually find a reason to do so. And I fear he’ll do the same to my wife and daughters. I will not put my family at risk.”

“So, you’re still going to leave the mob?”

“I’m already out. They just don’t know it yet.”

“I see. But surely, he will be even more motivated to kill you than if you stayed. How do you propose to avoid the Greek’s wrath?”

“Is our conversation being recorded?”

“Not unless I press a button, and I have not done so.”

“You are the person who, along with me, has the most to gain from his exit from the planet.”

“I am prepared to meet hostility with hostility, if it comes to that.”

“It may very well come to that.”

“You sound like you know something I don’t.”

Greco smiled without humor. “As you know, my original role in the organization was that of chief financial officer. I no longer hold the title, but I still have sources there who tell me things. And apparently a select few are aware of your involvement in the death of Gromyko’s nephew.”

Stone stiffened, but only slightly.

“So, it’s true, then,” Greco said.

“I will neither confirm nor deny.”

“Lucky for you, that information has not been passed on to Gromyko. Yet. Not to put too fine a point on it, but when he does find out — and don’t think he won’t — your life will be at risk every time you walk out your door.”

“I’m not sure you could put a finer point on it. Any notion on when the odds of my impending doom will increase?”

“If I were you, I’d assume they already have.”

“So, you’re saying I should never go outside again.”

“I’m saying Gromyko is a problem that needs to be dealt with, because if he can figure out how to kill you in your chair, he will. Walls won’t save you.”

“Did you plan this visit to cheer me up?” Stone asked. “Which, incidentally, is not working. Or did you just happen to be in the neighborhood?”

“I was in the neighborhood, and I thought we should have a chat about our mutual problem.”

Stone glanced at his watch. “Would you like to join me for lunch?”

“Thank you, yes.”

Stone picked up the phone and pressed a button. “We will be two for lunch, in the study. Peter, do you have any dietary requirements?”

“None whatsoever. I eat anything.”

Stone passed along the instructions and hung up. “Where were you born?” he asked, because he couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“In St. Petersburg, then it was Leningrad, of course. We emigrated to the States when I was five. I became a citizen at sixteen.”

“Your brother Anton was older?”

“By six years. He had already established the crime family by then. He made it clear that I might join him whenever I wished. I declined, but he didn’t think my choice was permanent. He kept pestering me about it, until I acquiesced.”

“And became his financial guy.”

“Yes. A job that I continued to do for the Gromykos, for a while.”

“Did you keep the books?”

“I did.”

“Was there more than one copy?”

“I have a thumb drive containing everything for the past seven years. Including the time since the Gromykos took charge.”

“That would be very useful to your not being killed by breaking free of the family.”

“It’s like you are reading my mind. The information I have would put Gromyko and many other influential members of the family away for good. But I can only do so if you help me get it in the right hands.”