Dmitri smiles. “What can I say? I’m not you, living on air and water like some brooding ascetic.”
Viktor just shakes his head and mutters something under his breath as they both leave.
Once they’re gone, Olga gives me a knowing look. “Don’t mind Viktor. He’s a softie on the inside, just like Mr. Maxim. They don’t warm up to people easily, but they’re good men.”
I hum noncommittally. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”
But her words linger. I don’t want to see him as anything other than the cold, calculating man who took me. It’s easier that way.
Maxim
I’ve developed several skills over the years in this life. And one of which is, the ability to tell when someone is lying to me.
The micro-expressions, the way their voice cracks, the desperate details they add when they’re trying too hard. But this man… something tells me he’s not lying.
I’ve been working on him for hours.
I’ve done everything, broken bones, cut flesh, threatened his wife and children with a live video feed of them tied up and terrified. Yet he keeps repeating the same story, over and over.
He didn’t leak the documents. He didn’t even see them. He’s just a low-level driver who works one of our warehouses.
A critical shipping route document was leaked to our enemies. The entire consignment was hijacked. Three of my men were killed. The trail led us to him.
I flex my bloody knuckles, staring down at the half-dead man whimpering in the chair. His face is unrecognizable, one eye swollen shut, blood dripping from his split lips.
He’s pleading for his life, but the story hasn’t changed once. Either he’s one of the best liars I’ve ever encountered… or he’s telling the truth.
The door opens behind me. Viktor and Dmitri walk in.
“Still nothing?” Viktor asks, eyeing the broken man.
“No,” I growl. “He keeps saying the same fucking thing. He didn’t do it.”
I wanted to handle this one myself. Normally, when I get my hands dirty, people break within minutes. Hours at most. This one is tougher than expected.
I turn to them. “Are you sure this is the right guy? Because he’s sticking to his story like it’s gospel.”
Viktor crosses his arms. “He might actually be telling the truth. He’s too low-level to have access to that kind of document.”
Dmitri shakes his head. “My investigation led straight to him. Phone logs, timestamps at the warehouse, everything pointed here.”
I’m pissed. I’ve wasted hours on the wrong target.
I glare at Dmitri. “Either your investigation is wrong, or someone higher up fed him the information and used him as a scapegoat.”
Dmitri holds his ground. “This is our guy. I’m sure of it.”
Viktor exhales heavily. “If he’s not, we’re back to square one. I’ll go dig deeper.”
Dmitri checks his watch and smirks. “I will join you in doing that after. I’m waiting for dinner. That meal Calina is cooking smells way too good.”
I freeze.
“Calina is cooking?”
Dmitri grins, rubbing his palms together. “Yeah. She’s in the kitchen with Olga right now. She’s making pelmeni. The whole place smells amazing.”
I stare at him for a second. She’s cooking. In my kitchen.
