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“Your honor, I will prove that Mr.Petrov has been meeting with gangsters.Not only that, but Konstantin Petrov is working for the Ivanovich bratva, a branch of organized crime that has infiltrated our shores, and is wreaking havoc on our fair city,” the prosecutor droned on with a vigor that had Konstantin gritting his teeth.
The man truly was a Weasel, in every sense of the word.But he was saying some pretty damning things.Accusing Konstantin of being a bad American, of flouting New York’s own import and export laws, and opening its shores to the Russian mob.As if he were responsible for that?
“Stop growling,” Jensen whispered, and gave him a sharp look.
Konstantin cut off the sound, even if he rather enjoyed the way Ermine gulped and stretched his collar with his index finger.
“I have evidence that Konstantin Petrov and hisassociates—” Ermine spat the word—“have been seen together on more than one occasion where they discussed his plans to launder the crime organization’s dirty money, among other misdeeds, your honor.”
“Your honor, before this goes any further, I believe, I have a witness who can clear this up for us,” Jensen said.
“Approach,” Judge Harris beckoned the lawyers forward, and Konstantin strained to listen.
“Your honor, this is highly irregular---”
“Your honor,” Jensen said, interrupting Mr.Ermine.“I have documented proof here that Mr.Petrov met with members of the Ivanovich family regarding a matter of life and death.My client is a victim of this family’s nefarious plots and is innocent of any wrongdoing.”
“Your honor---”
“Mr.Ermine, be silent.Is this something one witness can prove, Mr.Jensen?”
“Yes.I believe she can.”
Konstantin exhaled and waited for Theo Jensen to work his magic.After interrupting the prosecutor’s longwinded and mostly defamatory speech, he’d been worried.But once he saw his dark haired sister emerge from the waiting room looking healthy and safe, his inner Tiger chuffed in approval.After she was sworn in, she sat down, folding the skirt of her simple blue dress beneath her legs as she sat.Tall, thin, and regal looking with her face bare of makeup and her elegant ballerina’s build, Alina was the epitome of innocence.But she was not weak, never that.A Tigress lurked behind her blue eyes, pale and bright as his own.
“State your name for the record,” Jensen said.
“Alina Petrova.”
“And you are the sister of the defendant?”
“Yes.Konstantin Petrov is my big brother,” she said in her heavily accented English.
“Did you just arrive in New York?”
“Yes---”
“Your honor!Must we listen to this drivel?Who cares when she got here?”
“Your honor, it is relevant.I promise.”
“Continue then, Mr.Jensen.And Mr.Ermine, you know better than to shout in my courtroom without making a formal objection.Do it again, and you will be held in contempt.”
“Apologies, your honor,” the Weasel said and smirked.
“Ms.Petrova, how did you come to be here in New York City at this time?”Jensen asked.
“I was kidnapped by order of Gleb Ivanovich.His three sons, Grigory, Evgeny, and Gavriil, all participated in taking me from the ballet company where I was practicing and bringing me here.”
“To your understanding, why did they do this?”
“Because Ivanovich is bratva.They do what they want.And they want to use me to try and coerce my brother to wash their blood money.”
“I see.So, to your knowledge, was Konstantin meeting with Ivanovich to make a deal?”
“He did not know they had me until that meeting.”
“And they tried to force him to act then, didn’t they?”
