Page 26 of Tarnished Tyrant (Zhukova Bratva 1)

Nikolai Zhukova.

* * *

“This is not a lizard-people-in-Congress, alien-abduction kind of conspiracy theory,” I yell, frustrated tears burning the backs of my eyes. “Officers, you just have to trust me. Nikolai Zhukova kidnapped my sister.”

The larger of the two cops, Officer Sweeney, smooths a hand down his beard. “Do you have proof your sister was kidnapped?”

“She’s missing from our hotel room.”

“She could have run away,” Officer Hedger suggests. He’s young and doing his best to keep me calm. It almost makes me hate him more.

“She didn’t run away,” I snap, even though I thought the same thing at first. “Nikolai left his business card in our hotel room.”

“But you said you are working for Mr. Zhukova, right?” Officer Sweeney says. “You were in his office just before you discovered your sister was missing? You could have accidentally brought it back with you.”

“We’ve already been through all of this.”

“Answer the question, please, ma’am,” he says.

I sigh. “Yes. I came here to do work for his company, and I was in his office. He wanted me to cover up whatever crimes he is committing and I refused. So he took my sister.”

Officer Hedger shakes his head. “I just don’t understand how he could have kidnapped your sister while you were with him.”

“He has henchmen!”

The two officers share a glance, and I know I chose the wrong word. It makes me sound deranged.

Hell, maybe I am deranged. Standing on the sidewalk in front of Zhukova Incorporated, I feel crazy.

But I know one thing for sure: these cops aren’t going to do a damn thing unless I force them.

Before they can ask me any more questions, I turn around and march into the building. I hear them hustling after me, barking orders. But I keep going into the main lobby… where I’m immediately stopped by a security guard.

“The building is closed to all non-personnel for the evening,” he grumbles. “Do you have permission to be here?”

“No, she does not,” Officer Hedger says behind me. “Ma’am, I must ask you to step outside and—”

“I need to see Nikolai Zhukova,” I tell the security guard. “Now.”

The man’s eyes bulge. I know he knows exactly who I’m talking about. This building is massive, filled top to bottom with dozens of companies and the people who work for them. But Nikolai is in with all the right contacts. And the guard who monitors the front doors is an important person to know.

“Call him,” I continue. “Tell him I’m here. With the police. He’ll let me up.”

I don’t actually know if this is true, but blind confidence is all I have right now. Nikolai has billions of dollars at his disposal. I have two police officers who think I’m insane and about seventy-five bucks in Chipotle gift cards. It isn’t exactly a fair fight.

The guard looks to the cops for permission, and Officer Sweeney shrugs. “We’ve got nothing else going on, anyway.”

New York City’s finest, everyone.

The guard ducks behind his desk and grabs the phone. Then I hear him talking. “A woman is here to see you.” He glances up at me. “Yeah, short little thing with reddish hair. Okay. Thank you, sir.”

He gives me a thumbs up. “You’re good to go. Mr. Zhukova will be waiting for you in his office.”

My heart lurches, and I practically sprint to the elevators. The cops plod along behind me.

“You’ll see,” I say as the doors close and the elevator rises. “He did this. I’m not crazy.”

Neither officer says anything. I keep my eyes straight ahead. I have to focus on what I’ll say when I see Nikolai again. The last time, he caught me off guard. He ruffled my feathers too easily.

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