AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Just over fifty million U.S. dollars.”
“Okay. Fifty million. Grisha, I know you got your cash up front, but do you want a cut?”
The Russian shook his head.
“Then Claudia and I are going to keep ten to finish what we have to do. That leaves forty. Split between Kent and Donatella, that’s twenty each.”
Black’s head rolled forward off his lounge chair. “What? Did you just say that you’re going to transfer twenty million dollars into my account?”
“Yeah. And you’re free to start contracting again. Or you can sit on a beach for the rest of your life. Just stay out of my way.”
“Not a problem,” he said, getting up and making rounds, shaking everyone’s hand. When he got to Rapp, he just backed away cautiously. “It’s been real, man.”
Rapp waited for him to disappear around the corner before he spoke again. “Donatella. I don’t have a lot of pull at the CIA right now, but it doesn’t matter. Claudia’s as good as anyone at this. It’ll take a couple of months, but she’ll put a clean identity together for you and get you set up in New York. Obviously you’re going to have to get some work done to your face.”
“I have someone in Buenos Aires.”
“No contracts, no fashion industry, and no Italy,” Rapp reminded her.
She nodded. “I assume we won’t meet again in this lifetime?”
“Not unless something goes very wrong.”
She glided up to him and gave him a lingering kiss on the mouth. “If you ever need someone to watch your ass again, don’t hesitate to call.”
Stepping back, she looked at the others. “It’s been a pleasure working with all of you. Claudia, I’ll send you my contact information when I get to Argentina.”
“I’ll look forward to it. And while you’re there, ask them if there’s something they can do about your nose.”
Rapp tensed but, to his surprise, Donatella grinned and the two women hugged before she wandered off.
The sound of Kent Black’s motorcycle speeding away reached Rapp just as he turned to the last man left on the terrace. “I assume you want something more than the dollar I paid you in Costa Rica.”
Azarov set down his drink and stood. “It’ll probably turn out to be nothing.”
“But?”
“Should any of the enemies I made in Russia ever decide to come back into my life, I might need help.”
“I’ll be there.”
He nodded respectfully and then walked over to Claudia. She looked a little nervous when he kissed her hand, but the naked fear that was so obvious at their first meeting had faded.
When Azarov was gone, she turned toward Rapp. “Just the two of us.”
He popped the top off one of the unopened beers Black had left. “Yeah. Just the two of us.”
CHAPTER 53
CIA Headquarters
Langley, Virginia
U.S.A.
IRENE Kennedy glanced over her reading glasses as her office door opened and her executive assistant slipped through.
“I know you asked not to be disturbed . . .”
