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We file through the living room area into a smaller den with walnut paneling on the walls. While Seamus, Novikov, and I sink into the plush white sofa and easy chairs, Niall and the man-mountain hover close to the other two, their eyes locked in a silent stand-off.
Unperturbed, Novikov pours three glasses of vodka, gesturing for us to take them.
“????? ???????!” He raises his glass. Seamus smirks, saluting him right back.
“Sliánte.”
I echo Seamus’s toast as we knock back the vodka in one swallow. Novikov’s eyes linger over the man-mountain as he flicks his fingers dismissively. The man hesitates for the merest moment before leaving the door, closing the door firmly behind him. Seamus’s eyes slide toward Niall, who crosses his arms.
“Not a fecking chance, Fitzy.”
Novikov’s lips twitch, and he shrugs. “I did not send my man out of the room to force you to show the same consideration. I did it for privacy.”
He fishes the flash drive out of his pocket and throws it at me. I catch it as Novikov grins.
“No copy was made. I made sure of it.”
Seamus leans back, his eyes on Novikov, his eyebrows raised. “So what was on it?”
Novikov slugs another vodka, shrugging and toying with his glass. “Names.”
“What names?” I frown, leaning forward, resting my elbows on my knees.
“Police. Politicians. Judges.”
“Informants? Those on the take?” Seamus plucks the flash drive from my fingers, frowning at it.
“How many can the Moldovans have?” Seriously. That’s why they smashed up my place? Fucking unacceptable.
“It’s an Italian list,” Novikov grunts, pouring a third glass of whiskey. Seamus’s eyebrows shoot up, his fingers closing around the flash drive.
“They stole it from the Italians?”
Novikov shrugs. “I don’t know if they did. But that’s not what I was asked to uncover.”
“And you say you didn’t make a copy?”
“That’s what I said, Wolf Pup.”
Seamus bristles at the use of his hated nickname but holds his tongue. His eyes dart to the door, still closed, with no sign of the man-mountain.
“Who knows about this?”
“I do. And Petrov.”
Seamus’s lips thin. Apart from him not seeing the beauty in poker, I find Petrov to be an okay guy. Seamus has other ideas.
“Only you two?”
“We cracked the code. There didn’t seem to be a need to share the information around.”
“And Petrov was okay with no copy being made?”
Novikov shrugs. “He did it as a favor to me. I did it as a favor to Lucky.”
Seamus nods, muttering something about poker under his breath. Hey, poker got us this information free of charge. I don’t know what he’s complaining about.
Seamus rises, sliding the flash drive into his pocket as he extends a hand to shake Novikov’s. I also stand, offering my hand. As we leave the room, Niall and the man-mountain resume their glaring stand-off, all the way to the front door.
