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“You’re armed, I assume?” Kholkov said.
“Seemed the prudent thing to do,” Sam replied.
“Very carefully, Mr. Fargo, let’s have it.”
Sam slowly pulled the Luger from his pocket and dropped it on the ground between them.
Kholkov looked around. “Where’s Cipriani?”
“Hog-tied and gagged in his barn,” Sam lied. “After a little coaxing, he told us about your partnership.”
“Too bad for him. At any rate, here we are. Give me the book.”
“First call off Bianco.”
“You have no leverage. Give me the book or at the count of three I’ll order Bianco to shoot her. Then my friend here will shoot you and we’ll take the book.”
Ten feet behind and to Kholkov’s left, a shadowed figure rose from the weeds alongside another crypt and started creeping forward.
Sam kept his eyes fixed on Kholkov. “How do I know you won’t shoot us once you have the book?”
“You don’t,” said Kholkov. “As I said, you’ve got no leverage.”
The figure stopped just beyond arm’s reach behind the Russian.
Sam smiled, shrugged. “I have to disagree.”
“What exactly is that supposed to mean?”
“I think he’s referring to me,” Umberto said.
Kholkov tensed, but didn’t move a muscle. Mustache, however, started to spin toward Umberto, who barked, “He moves another inch and it’ll be my pleasure to shoot you, Kholkov.”
“Stop!” the Russian ordered.
Mustache froze.
Umberto said, “Sorry for the disappearing act, Sam. I saw them pulling in and only had a moment to decide.”
“You’re forgiven,” Sam replied. Then to Kholkov: “Tell Bianco to give Remi the gun and join us.”
Kholkov hesitated. Sam could see the muscles in his jaw pulsing. “I won’t ask again,” Sam said.
“Bianco, give her the gun and climb over the fence.”
Bianco shouted something. While Sam’s Italian consisted of little more than simple greetings, he felt certain his response was either scatological or carnal in nature, or both.
“Bianco, now!”
Without turning, Sam called over his shoulder, “Remi . . . ?”
“I’ve got the gun. He’s climbing over the fence now.”
“Kholkov, tell your mustachioed friend to take his rifle by the barrel and toss it over the fence into the trees.”
Kholkov gave the order and the man complied. Bianco appeared on Sam’s left and walked around to join Kholkov and Mustache.
“Now you,” Sam told Kholkov.
