Page 22 of Canyon of Deceit
“Uh. He gave me a hundred-dollar bill and said not to tell anyone.”
“Do you have the money with you?”
“I spent it at lunch.”
“Must have been an expensive restaurant. Where did you go?”
“I said I spent it at lunch.”
I guessed what the hundred dollars had bought and questioned the validity of Peterson’s statement.
ELEVEN
As the clock hit 7:41 p.m., Therese and I hurried to board our flight from Houston to Hobbs, New Mexico—just two hours in the air, but more than enough time for everything to go wrong. We’d gain an hour as we crossed over to Mountain Time, which would make the early morning start a bit easier. We stuffed our backpacks into an overhead bin and fastened our seat belts. The early day’s activities had taken a chunk out of my normal energy level, but I’d rest after we returned Alina to her father.
Within minutes, we were in the air and connected to Wi-Fi. The closeness to Therese sent my emotions into areas that needed to be padlocked. Safe to admit I hadn’t gotten over her, and spending the next few days with her made me want a relationship more than ever.
“What can you tell me about your interview with Nick Peterson?” Therese lowered her tray to prop up her iPad.
I shared the details.
“You believed him?”
I shrugged. “Maybe. Peterson and the security cams can’t ID him, but Sergio warned Peterson to take precautions. The ROC isn’t a team of Boy Scouts.”
“Do you have the clearance to receive updates?”
“Sergio will do his best.”
Therese didn’t frown, but she didn’t smile either. “All I’ve put into my brain about the ROC is they are Russian bad guys, and I haven’t had time to search online. What can you tell me?”
“It’s not just one organization but several who may or may not be from Russia. Often the members are Eastern European and use the ROC name as a fear factor. Many launder money in the US for Russians who are apprehensive their government will confiscate their funds, using whatever methods necessary. Other groups accomplish criminal activities through various businesses. They are connected but work under a loose structure. They’re like any other organized crime—they use modern technology and control through internal and external violence around the world.”
She nodded. “Where does Edik Baranov fit?”
I snorted. “With the Russian government’s charges against him, he made a smart move to get his family out of Dodge. My opinion? If Falin and his ROC boys kill Baranov, the Russians will declare them heroes.”
She tilted her head as though working through all I’d said. “Not sure I trust Rurik.”
I laid my Stetson on my lap. “He says his daughter means everything to him, but what about his loyalty to Russia? We don’t have the full picture, and until we do, we ride this storm out.”
“Incredibly complex. I need to do a better job of keeping up with world affairs other than a daily scan of the headlines.”
“I understand.” Reality nudged me. “One thing keeps picking at me—the ROC got wind of what Rurik overheard from Falin at the dinner party. So why didn’t they take out the whole family and leave the bodies as an example?”
She shivered, her oval face clouded with concern.
We were on the same page in many areas. “Where does the ransom fit? Unless it’s a ploy to keep us in the dark? Which makes me wonder if the real issue is not the money but the ROC wanting him to do something, or they’ll kill his daughter like they did his wife.”
She stared at her phone. “I’m sorry for thinking the worst about Rurik, like I should apologize. He shook most of the time we talkedto him today, and you were amazing in your conversation. So much caring about what he’d gone through.”
“He visibly grieved the loss of his wife and missing daughter. That’s why I’m here.”
“Me too. A little girl in trouble needs all I can do to help.”
If an innocent child was involved in a political tug-of-war, no one had better leave me alone with the kidnappers. No matter who was responsible.
“We’re quite the rescue team,” I said. “I’d give my right arm for the names of those kidnappers.”
