Near Miss

“Don’t either of you shoot the FedEx guy,” Stone said. “Fred awaits. Carly, remember: no leaving the house or the office without him, me, or both of us.”

She tapped her head. “And you remember, I never forget anything.”

“I’ll take her to the garage,” Joan said.

After they left, Stone sat down and took some deep breaths.

Chapter 36

The speaker on Lauren’s desk buzzed, followed by the Bean Counter saying, “Send him in.”

She looked at Korolev, not hiding her concern.

He gave her a smile that said everything would be fine and then headed to the door. Everything was not fine. He had been dreading this meeting since Lauren had woken him with a call at nine am, telling him he was expected at eleven.

He entered his boss’s office.

The Bean Counter was standing behind his desk, pulling his suit jacket on. Korolev stopped a respectful distance away and waited.

The Bean Counter checked his computer screen and picked up his briefcase before finally looking at Korolev. “Let’s go.”

“Go? Where, sir?”

“To see the Greek.”

Korolev felt a chill run down his back.

The Bean Counter didn’t say another word until they were in the back seat of his sedan, on the way across town. “I assume you failed.”

“It did not go as hoped.”

“What happened?”

Korolev told him about last night’s attempt to kidnap Matilda Martin, leaving nothing out, knowing to do so would not go unpunished.

“Are you even sure she was there?” the Bean Counter asked.

“I...”

The Bean Counter raised an eyebrow.

“No,” Korolev said. “I’m not sure. She has not been seen for several days.”

“Is it possible she left the city?”

Korolev reluctantly nodded. “It is possible.”

The Bean Counter sighed. “Then I guess I have no choice.”

The Greek’s assistant met the Bean Counter and Korolev at the entrance of a building in Brooklyn that was undergoing renovation and led them through the first floor to a closed door.

“One moment, please,” the assistant said, then went inside. Five minutes passed before he reappeared and motioned for them to enter.

The Greek sat at the only table in the room, working on a plate of cacio e pepe. In three of the other chairs were members of his inner circle. None of them were eating.

Without looking up from his food, Gromyko said, “Nice of you to stop by. I haven’t seen you for what? More than a week now, isn’t it?”

“My apologies, Alexei,” the Bean Counter said. “I’ve been busy.”

“You must have been. Can I assume the reason you’re here now is because you finally have an answer for me?”

The Bean Counter had hoped to avoid this, but the failure to find Matilda Martin and offer her up instead meant he no longer had a choice. “I do. I would have reported to you sooner, but I wanted to make sure there was no mistake.”

Gromyko looked at him. “So, tell me. Who killed my nephew?”

“The short answer is he did it to himself.”

The Greek stared at him, face blank.

“The bomb was his,” the Bean Counter said. “He intended it for someone else, but it went off when it was still in his possession.”

His boss’s gaze did not change.

The Bean Counter gestured to his companion. “I asked Mr. Korolev to learn all he could about the incident. He can fill in the details.”

Gromyko’s eyes shifted to the younger man without his face moving. “Leonid, isn’t it?”

“Yes, sir,” Korolev said.

“I’ve heard good things about you. Prove to me I have not been misinformed.”

Korolev told the Greek everything except about the failed mission the night before, as it had no bearing on the question that had been asked.

At the mention of Stone Barrington, the already uncomfortable atmosphere turned tense.

When Korolev finished, the Greek focused his attention back to the Bean Counter. “How long have you suspected Barrington’s involvement?”

“His involvement is limited to being an acquaintance of a woman Trench was interested in.”

“How long?”

“A few days.”

“And you didn’t think it was important to tell me immediately?”

“I wanted to determine his role, if any, in what—”

“Stop.” Gromyko closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths, then pushed himself to his feet. Teeth clenched, he said, “Barrington is responsible for the deaths of at least the last two heads of this family, and dozens of our men. If he even breaths in the direction of one of our people, I should be told. Or do you not think that’s the case?”

“I didn’t want to give you—”

“I don’t care what you wanted. What I want is Barrington’s head on a pike, mounted to the door in front of his law firm.”

He walked up to the Bean Counter, until their faces were only inches apart. “Are you even aware that Barrington is already involved in an even bigger problem for us? Or was your head too far up your ass hiding this from me to notice?”

The Bean Counter’s brow furrowed, unsure what the Greek was talking about.

“Why do you think we’re meeting here in this dump?” the Greek said. “Because your buddy Stone Barrington has convinced the FBI to arrest me. There are agents scouring the town looking for me right now. Were you aware of that?”

“I, uh... no.”