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ere a dozen, several from George letting me know how things were, obviously before the abduction. A couple were from my stepmom, telling me to call her as soon as I could and let her how I was. My dad called and left me a very heartfelt message, saying he knew I was innocent and that I'd be out soon. The rest were from Donny's sons, checking in from the gym and letting me know how things were going with the clubs.
The final message was from Sergei.
"Hunter. I want to meet at my club as soon as you're out. We have unfinished business to discuss. By the way, your little bird is very delicate. I would hate to see any of her feathers plucked or her spirit crushed by captivity. Call me so we can arrange a time and place suitable to us both."
Like hell.
I was going in with as big an army as I could. I called up my contact in Romanov's business.
"What have you heard about Sergei abducting Celia Parker?"
There was a pause on the line, as if he were deciding to whom he should be loyal.
"I'll pay you very, very well if you give me her location."
"He's keeping her at one of his safe houses. I can give you a couple of addresses but I don’t know which one for sure. You'll have to monitor activity to decide which one."
I called a few security experts I knew and asked them to do some sleuthing for me. They agreed to set up a couple of sentries to watch the two properties my informant had given me. We'd find out sooner rather than later where she was, based on the kind of movement into and out of the locations. These security experts were skilled in surveillance and I knew I'd get usable intel, and fast.
Then I drove to Mass General to see how George was doing.
George was still in ICU recovering. He was being cared for by a pretty young nurse when I entered the room. She turned and seemed almost fearful when she saw me. Did she recognize me from television coverage of the murder? Whatever the case, she patted George on the hand and left quickly, skirting beside me like she was afraid I'd hurt her while she passed.
"How are you, you old bastard?" I went to George and leaned over, giving him a squeeze on the shoulder without a bandage and kissing his cheek.
"What? You kissing now? So glad to be out of jail and see old Russian?"
"Yes," I replied. "A thousand times yes."
He smiled at me while I sat on the chair next to his bed, scooting closer because he sounded a bit hoarse, like talking was hard.
"So, tell me. Have you heard from Sergei?"
"Yes," I said. "He wants to meet to discuss ‘unfinished business.’ It’s the guns."
"What is your plan?"
I sat back, crossing my arms. "I'm going all in. I'm going to take her back."
He shook his head. "No. Don't go all in. Negotiate. He might hurt her."
I glanced away, barely able to keep my emotions in check when I thought of him abducting her, shooting George, and killing several of my men.
"I'll talk to my contact in the FBI."
"Good," George said and he seemed to relax. "Let them handle. Don't let anger make you reckless. He will kill Celia. He doesn't care."
"He needs to be taken out," I said, anger welling up inside of me again.
"Use FBI. Don't be vigilante. They want him. Work with them to take him down. Get her out first. Agree to anything. Don't do it. Get Celia out."
Of course, George was right. As much as it would please me, I couldn't go all in, guns a-blazing. That might kill Celia and that was not my goal. I wanted her out alive. I wanted her safe.
I wanted her in my bed, night after night, but I knew that so long as Sergei was free and his family was powerful, she would always be a target.
I'd have to send her away.
