Page 58 of Crimson Oath
Ivan frowned. “What?”
“The CFO role, of course.”
Ivan was trying to bait him and provoke a reaction. The best way to counter his brother was to not react. Pretend to be focused on mundane business matters and treat Ivan like an afterthought.
It would drive the vampire crazy.
Oleg patted his older brother’s shoulder. “Rudov and Juliya have already sent me names, but I haven’t heard anything from you, and I know you have people who deserve consideration. I hope you’re thinking carefully about it.”
They stepped out of the building and into the spring streets of Moscow. The building they left was painted a bright yellow color, and it bordered a park where blossom-covered branches created an arch over the sidewalk.
“Oh, I am.” Ivan sneered. “Filling corporate desks is my top priority.”
“Good, good.” Oleg smiled. “Leave policing the territories to Polina, brother. You’re better suited to the city.”
It was the absolute worst insult one could give to one of Truvor’s sons.
Oleg spread his arms. “Such a beautiful spring we’re having, yes?” He stepped toward the street where a black-windowed car had just pulled up to the curb. “I’ll see you soon. Send me your candidates! I can’t wait to see your top talent.”
Oleg slipped into the black sedan, and the car pulled back into slow evening traffic as Ivan grew smaller in the rearview.
Mika held out a manila folder. “You were right. They were here.”
Oleg nodded. “In Moscow?”
“They stayed on the outskirts, but there are records of Sami and Danior Novak staying in a hotel in Krasnogorsk two weeks before the first truck hijacking.”
“Any evidence that they met with Ivan’s people?”
“No, but that’s not the worst part.”
Oleg paged through the files, but his eyes only skimmed them. “What’s worse than my own brother trying to undermine my shipping operation and beating my human employees nearly to death?”
“It’s possible that Ivan didn’t poach those soldiers from the Poshani. I called my little bird in Ivan’s office. Vano le Krizenovhad a meeting with Ivan at the same time that Sami Novak was staying here in Moscow.”
Oleg’s head shot up. “No.”
Mika nodded.
“We need to get to the airport tonight,” Oleg said. “How long is the flight to Bucharest?”
They landedin Bucharest two hours past midnight, and Mika made another call to his connection in Radu’s office as soon as they landed, but again there was no answer.
“Still nothing?” Oleg asked.
Mika shook his head. “It’s just going to her voicemail.”
“What are our options?”
“You really think this is some kind of emergency?”
“Vano is a Poshani terrin,” Oleg said. “There are three supreme leaders of that clan, and he is one of them.”
“And it’s time for the kamvasa to start.”
The roaming safe house meant the Poshani clan was about to start its big seasonal caravan, and most of their leadership would be out of communication with the outside world.
“Still,” Mika said. “It’s possible that his meetings with Ivan were for completely legitimate reasons?—”
