“Guest,” I said.“But you’ll want to talk to the tenant—she’s in the bathroom.And you’ll want to check my wallet, but don't advertise it.”
The first officer checked, found the badge, and relaxed a hair.“Sorry about that.You can get up now.”
Just as I was rising, Nadya stumbled out of the bathroom and immediately came to my side.I put a protective arm around her, hoping it would soothe her, tell her I wouldn't let anyone hurt her.
“Can we make a statement in the morning?”I asked, hoping the officers would understand I didn't want to talk in front of the perp.
“Of course.”The one who had seen my badge eyed me, then the teardrop fucker.“We’ll be seeing you in the morning.”
They read the man his rights, and as they hauled him out, I caught a final glimpse of his face.Eleven teardrops.Eleven victims.Eleven families who might finally learn of their kids’ fates.Assuming those kids even had a family, which wasn’t likely considering the adoption scam.
I squeezed Nadya’s waist one more time to remind myself that she made it out.Not every child these fuckers got their hands on was doomed.
As soon as the two police officers and the teardrop fucker left, I locked the door behind them and set to work.First, I wedged the sliding balcony door shut with a broomstick.Then I double-checked every window, every latch, every possible point of entry.The adrenaline was still hammering through my veins, but I forced my hands steady, checking and re-checking, making sure I hadn’t missed anything.
When I finished, I found Nadya at the kitchen table, wrapped in a blanket, eyes rimmed with red.She was staring at a mug of tea, but it was clear she had no intention of drinking it.
I sat across from her.For a full minute, neither of us spoke.
“Someone will come tomorrow to spruce up security in here,” I said, in hopes it would make her feel better.“And I’ll have to tell my superior about this.I’ll make sure you're safe.”
She nodded but didn't say a word.Fair.She never struck me as talk-about-feelings type, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t feeling too much right now.What could I offer her that would help but didn’t involve getting wasted?
I got up and opened the freezer to find a tub of ice cream.A couple of scoops should do the trick.Although...I dismissed the idea and gave her the whole thing.
“Thanks,” she mumbled as she dug in.
I watched her for a moment before I pulled out my phone and dialed Renat.He answered on the fourth ring; voice filled with sleep and suspicion.“Volkov.”
“It’s Nick Santana.We had a visitor tonight.You heard about the teardrop tattoo guy?”
There was a pause.“He’s still alive?”
So, Renat knew who I was talking about, even though Nadya’s written testimony didn’t include that detail.
“NYPD has him at the Twentieth.”
“Good.Don’t talk to the locals.Let me handle it,” he said.
“I promised them a statement in the morning.”
“Fuck that.I’ll have him quietly moved to our jurisdiction.”
It made sense.Renat couldn't afford to blow his cover before he even went undercover.
“In that case, call me if you need anything,” I said before hanging up.
I put the phone down and looked at Nadya.
“You should get some sleep,” I said.
She almost laughed.“Right.I’ll get right on that.”
I crouched at her side but didn’t touch her.“I’ll be right here.All night.”
She nodded.“He’s not going to get away with just a breaking and entering charge, right?”
“Not a chance,” I promised.“I have a feeling he’ll go away for life.”
