“No, I mean he has to have a small computer, a file, a thumb drive on him. Something that’s portable for him to use or turn over to Dabala.”
“If he hasn’t sent him the file already.” Venable shook his head. “And I don’t think he has. He’s still working at completing his revenge on Catherine. He wouldn’t turn loose the wolves until he was on his way to a safe little haven to wait out all the turmoil till it blows over.”
“Optimistic view. This attack will never blow over.”
“They said that about the Nazi war criminals. They may still be hunted, but many of them had wonderfully comfortable lives until they were caught. Some of them have never been caught.” He was frowning. “So I’ll bet he’s going to keep his charts and records to himself until he boards a plane.”
“Why are we standing here trying to decide what he will or won’t do?” Joe said impatiently. “We have to find the bastard.” He started going through the desk. Scribbled notes, photos…He pulled out a framed photo of Catherine Ling. “This is a desk photo. I don’t like the idea that he put it away in a drawer. Very final.” He put the photo aside and checked a few of the notes. Nothing that he could make sense of. He took out the pile of photos. “It seems Rakovac likes to document his vices. I remember he said something about the miracle of photography when he e-mailed the picture of the skeleton.”
Women. Adolescent girls. Even a photo of a much younger Natalie. All involved in S and M acts that were graphic and hard to stare at for more than a moment. No young boys who could be Luke. He went through the pile again. No Luke.
Of course, he wouldn’t want to risk anyone finding a photo of a boy he was keeping captive. But judging by the other photos he kept close to him, Joe couldn’t believe that he wouldn’t have a picture of the boy whose capture had been the supreme evidence of his triumph over Catherine.
Where would it…
He suddenly threw the photos down and picked up Catherine’s picture again.
“What are you looking for?” Venable said.
“This one is framed. He had to have kept it on his desk where he could look at it.” He was unscrewing the leather back of the frame. “What better place to keep a photo of her son? He’d enjoy the thought of keeping the picture close to her heart when she could never be near him and—” He stopped as he saw the five-by-seven photo turned facedown. He didn’t want to turn it over. Not after seeing the other photos in that pile.
He flipped it over. Nothing obscene, he realized with relief. Just the photo of a nine-or ten-year-old boy in front of a large stone house. The boy was thin, dressed in worn gray pants and a black shirt. His hair was long and as dark as his shirt. A handsome boy, his slightly tilted dark eyes and high cheekbones definitely resembling Catherine’s.
Venable gave a low whistle. “My God, that’s Luke? He looks like he’s ready to attack everyone and everything.”
Joe had been so involved with checking out the resemblance to Catherine that he had not noticed the boy’s expression. Venable was right: The boy’s dark eyes seemed to burn, glaring out of the photo in defiance, his lips slightly parted, his white teeth bared.
“Well, I don’t think Rakovac managed to break him,” Joe said dryly. “Not if this is any indication.”
“Maybe he didn’t want to break him,” Venable said. “Maybe he wanted to turn her baby boy into a demon not even a mother could love. This kid is nothing like that picture Catherine has been carrying around with her.”
“Then she’ll have to deal with Luke after we find him.” He handed the photo to Venable. “We managed to find that skeleton after having experts go over the photo with a fine-tooth comb. This photo has more to work with than that grave. A large two-story house, stone, with turrets that look Victorian. And there’s a lake or body of water in the background. Get your people to work on it and find that place.” He reached for his phone and dialed Eve again. No answer. He turned on his heel. “Soon.”
“Where are you going?”
“The farmhouse.”
Venable followed him. “I sent Billings to check it out.”
“I know you did. Why haven’t you heard back from him?”
“It would take time to get from downtown Moscow to—”
But Joe was already gone.
Venable hurried after him.
Savrin house was a huge stone structure that appeared to be part two-story, part split-level due to the fact that it was balanced on the side of a craggy hill. Its Victorian turrets seemed more in keeping with English architecture than Russian. The peculiar structure towered over a clear blue lake that seemed to stretch endlessly into the horizon.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Russo asked as he pulled into the driveway. “It once belonged to Nikolai Savrin, a rich manufacturer who married an Englishwoman from London and brought her here. He built the house for her, and they lived here for forty years. Now, isn’t that romantic? Czadas had an English mother who was killed in a massacre during the wars. When Rakovac decided to buy a house for him and Luke, Czadas insisted that he wanted this one.” He shrugged. “Crazy. Who would guess Czadas would be sentimental about anything? But then Czadas isn’t the most stable person. It’s a wonder Rakovac has been able to control him all these years.” He added mockingly, “At any rate, Luke is lucky to be able to live in such a fine place. I’m sure he’d be devastated to have to leave it.”
It was impressive, Eve thought, but not in a good way. The terrain was all wild grasses and rocky ground. The house appeared very old, the windows long and narrow, the stones crumbling. “You say Mikhal Czadas still lives here?”
“Yes, when he’s not moving around the countryside causing havoc. He has the same violent nature as Rakovac.” He got out of the car. “Only Rakovac has managed to channel it to his benefit. Mikhal doesn’t have his adaptability. He still occasionally raids the villages here in Russia that were settled by the Republic of Georgia’s archenemies, the Ossetians. He’ll be a revolutionary until the day he dies.” He chuckled. “Which may be soon. He’s only survived this long because of the steady flow of bribes Rakovac has been tossing to the local police to keep them from focusing their attention on him.”
“Why?” Kelly was gazing up at the house. “Because of Luke?”
“Yes, it was all about the boy,” Russo said. “So much expense and foolishness all to keep the boy away from his mother. I was very impatient with Rakovac. It interfered with business.”
“What a pity,” Eve said sarcastically. “It’s even more of a pity that you didn’t convince Rakovac to give that poor child back to his mother.”
“Poor child?” Russo’s brows lifted. “Little tiger, according to Rakovac. Come along; you need to meet him. Rakovac wants you all to be together. I’ll have to ask Mikhal where—” He broke off as a big, bearded man came out of the house. “Mikhal, I’ve brought our guests. Eve Duncan and a young playmate for Luke. Kelly Winters I believe is her name. Where is Luke?”
“Rakovac called and told me to put him up in the cell. He’s bringing Catherine Ling tonight.” Mikhal frowned. “I don’t see why we need to bother with these people. I’m willing to do Rakovac favors, but this may be too much.”
“I wouldn’t say that to him.” Russo pushed Eve forward. “Go along with him. I’m sure you’re eager to meet Luke and see if your age progression was true to him.”
“Rakovac hasn’t said that he’d continue with our arrangements after the boy is gone.” Mikhal was still scowling. “Has he told you anything?”
“I wouldn’t count on it. Though I could be wrong.” He turned toward the car. “I’d discuss it in depth with you, but I’m on my way to St. Petersburg to board a flight. My part of this is over. Rakovac said he wouldn’t need me again after I brought you the women.”
“That’s what he told me too.” Mikhal reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an automatic. “He’s done with you.” He shot Russo in the head.
Kelly made a whimpering sound as she instinctively move
d closer to Eve.
“It’s okay, Kelly.” Eve’s arm slid around her waist. It wasn’t okay, but she didn’t know what else to say. She was as shocked as Kelly. Russo might have been as evil as Rakovac, but she hadn’t been expecting his murder. If Eve was this stunned, she could imagine what the young girl was feeling. “No, it’s bad, but we have to hang in there.”
Kelly nodded jerkily.
Mikhal had turned toward them and was gesturing with the weapon. “Come. I’ll have one of my men take care of that garbage. Luke is waiting.”
That sentence sounded faintly ominous, Eve thought. “Where are you taking us?”
“To the cell.” He was urging them up the staircase. “Luke’s second home. Actually, it’s not really a cell. Savrin House had none of those convenient advantages. It’s just a bedroom that we converted for that purpose. Rakovac insisted he be isolated on occasion as punishment. Sometimes I think Luke likes it better than his room. He certainly makes me lock him up there enough.”
“A cell?” Eve said distastefully. “A child in a cell?”
“But this child is like no other. Rakovac made sure of that.” Mikhal laughed. “And I admit I helped enormously.” His smile faded. “Though now it seems I’m to receive no gratitude for past favors.” He glanced over his shoulder at the front door. “Not even for ridding him of that carrion. Though I might have done it anyway. Whenever he came here with Rakovac, I could see he thought himself above us.” He stopped before a thick wood door and took a key out of his pocket. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He took out a camera phone and snapped a picture. “Rakovac is very fond of photos. Come. I have no more time for you.” He unlocked the door, untied their wrists, and pushed them both over the threshold into the half darkness. “Luke,” he called. “You have visitors. Treat them well. They may be your last.” He slammed the door shut behind them, and Eve heard the key turn in the lock.
No sound from the dimness of the room.
Eve waited an instant for her eyes to become accustomed to the lack of light before she looked around the small room. A small table with two metal kitchen chairs, an old leather chest pushed against the wall, wood floors. Late-afternoon sunlight trickled through the bars of the one high window directly across from them.
But the room was empty.
No, there was a small, dark shape huddled in the corner.
Luke?
Eve hesitated. Dear God, was the child hurt?
Or dead.
“Are you Luke?” Kelly had brushed past her and had fallen to her knees beside the boy. “I’m Kelly. Are you okay? Do you speak English?”
The boy didn’t reply.
“Answer me,” Kelly said shakily. “This is terrible enough without you—”
“I speak English.” The boy sat up straighter against the wall. His words had the slightest trace of a Russian accent. “And I don’t have to talk to you if I don’t want to do it. I don’t know you.”
“How do you speak English?” Kelly asked curiously. “You were only two when—”
“Kelly, it’s not uncommon for children to learn their birth language by age two and retain it afterward,” Eve said. “And Russo said Czadas had an attachment to everything English. He probably didn’t try to erase that part of Luke’s former life. Now stop questioning him. We need to tell him who we are and why we’re here.” She came over and stood in the stream of light so that he could clearly see her. “I’m Eve Duncan, and this is Kelly Winters. Your mother has been searching for you, and we came with her to find you.”
He didn’t speak.
Well, what had she been expecting? She had no idea what he thought about Catherine. The memory of her might have been so faint as to be almost non ex is tent. “She loves you very much, Luke. She’s going to try to come here and get you even though it may be very dangerous.”
No reply.
“We have to find a way to get you out of here. Then there would be no reason for her to run that risk. Will you do as I say if I can figure a way to—”
“I won’t do as you say,” He leaned suddenly forward into the stream of light. Eve smothered a gasp. Luke, the Luke of her age progressions, but so much more…and less. The same beautiful bone structure as his mother’s, olive skin, and wide-set dark eyes. But his face was thinner, harder, and his eyes were glittering with defiance and knowledge far beyond his years. He was probably the most beautiful boy Eve had ever seen, but the joyousness that had touched her heart in that photo was no longer there.
“Is this some trick?” Luke asked. “Why would he let you come here to me? Why should I trust you? Why should I trust her? All my life they’ve been telling me what a whore and a beast she is. Sometimes I believe them. Why should I—”
“Shut up!” Kelly was kneeling facing him, her eyes blazing into his. “You don’t talk about Catherine like that. I guess I’m supposed to feel sorry for you, but I don’t. Everyone is trying to help you. So be quiet and let us do it. Catherine loves you and deserves better. Don’t you call her names.”
Darkness and light. The two beautiful young people were kneeling facing each other, and Eve found herself mesmerized by the sight of them. Kelly, so fair-haired and fragile appearing, Luke dark and hard as a diamond. Both glaring at each other, caught in a storm of emotion.
Then Luke’s expression changed, anger ebbing, replaced with curiosity. “You like her.”
“Of course I like her. She saved my life. And she wants to save yours. Don’t you realize that these people will kill you? Did they brainwash you or something? You’re in a cell, for goodness’ sake. Are you stupid?”
“I’m not stupid,” Luke said fiercely. “And I don’t know anything about this brainwashing, but I think that’s an insult, too. Do it again, and I’ll knock you into that wall.”
“You and who—”
“Kelly.” Eve stepped forward. “Catherine wouldn’t want you to defend her in this way.”
“No, she wouldn’t defend herself at all. She’d feel sorry for him and think she’s to blame for what that monster Rakovac and Mikhal Czadas did to him.” Her voice was shaking. “She’s not to blame. They hurt her as much as they did you. And now she’s going to let him bring her here, and he’ll try to kill her because of you. Now you tell us how to stop it.”
“Kelly, what are you asking?” Eve said. “He’s a kid and a prisoner just as we are. There’s no way you can expect him to—”
“Yes, I can,” Kelly interrupted. “It’s a part of his pattern. He survives. Do you think he would have lasted this long if he didn’t have that drive? I’ve been thinking about him since we began to get hints from Rakovac that he was still alive. He’s Catherine’s son, and that would count a lot toward making him like her. He’d have her strength and endurance. And he learns from his mistakes. Two years ago, he knew enough about this place to help Natalie escape. And he was smart enough to know that he couldn’t go with her unless he had enough money to keep himself hidden from them. Luke thinks and waits and takes whatever is done to him.” She looked him in the eye. “But you don’t give up, do you? You never give up.”
He didn’t answer.
“Did they punish you for helping Natalie?”
“Yes.”
“Badly?”
“Yes.”
“But then you waited and started planning again.”
“Yes.”
Kelly looked at Eve. “So don’t tell me about this poor defenseless kid. His pattern is as strong as Catherine’s. If he wants to do it, he can help us.”
“Could you help us get out of here?” Eve asked Luke.
He nodded.
“Will you? Do you want to do it?”
He gazed at her without answering. Then he said slowly, “I don’t know. You come in here and tell me things that are confusing me. I don’t like to be confused. I don’t know if I can trust you.”
“And I don’t know how to make you trust us,” Eve said. “But it’s important that you do. Can’t you see that you have to tru
st someone?”
“No.”
Of course he didn’t, Eve thought. He hadn’t been able to trust anyone but himself for his entire life after he’d been taken from Catherine.
“We can help each other,” Kelly said. “We’re not like Natalie. You felt sorry for her. You don’t have to feel sorry for us.”
“I didn’t feel sorry for her. They were just hurting her, and she was like me. I couldn’t leave yet, but I could take her away from them.” His lips thinned. “I want to take everything away from them.”
“Good. I wouldn’t mind being taken away from them,” Kelly said dryly. “Can we start with that thought?”
“Why? You’re not like me, and I don’t feel sorry for you.” He leaned back against the wall and was once again lost in the dimness. “But I may need to use you to help me get away. I was able to steal some money from Mikhal, but I don’t think it’s enough. I don’t know much about what things cost. But I don’t think I can wait any longer. I think he’s coming to the end.”
“End?”
“Rakovac will kill me,” Luke said simply. “He’s always told me that it was coming. I just never knew when.”
Eve shivered as she thought of a child living forever under that constant chilling threat. Kelly must be right. Luke was indeed a survivor. “Then if you think that we can help you, by all means use us.”
“If I can trust you.”
“Well, you can’t fool around trying to decide,” Kelly said impatiently. “Make up your mind.”
“What can we do to help, Luke?” Eve said. “She’s right, we don’t know how much time we have. Rakovac may be on the way. What do you need from us?”
Silence. “You’re…strangers,” Luke said. “I don’t really know who you are or where you came from. I don’t know you.”
“Then we’ll tell you anything you want to know.” Eve leaned back against the wall. “But it goes both ways. There are things we want to know about you, too. Will you answer questions?”
“Maybe.”
“That’s not fair, Luke,” Kelly said.
“Maybe,” he repeated. “Take it or leave it.”