Page 86 of Near Miss

“Good luck with this one, guys,” he said to his team. “Question all the hit men on our list. Nobody’s going to miss Gromyko. You’ll come up dry.” Everybody filed from the squad room and went to work, while Dino returned to One Police Plaza, to issue a statement and return the phone calls of media people.

That night, he slept the sleep of the ignorant.

Chapter 42

In the wake of Gromyko’s murder, the council meeting was delayed until oneam. Two members of the family’s inner circle were in Boston and had to fly back. A third was in the hospital, recovering from a gallbladder operation, and had to be transported to the location via ambulance.

The Bean Counter was in attendance, though word of his earlier meeting with the Greek, and its antagonistic nature, had made the rounds, and few of the others would even make eye contact with him.

The gathering was chaired by Igor Krupin, the senior member of the council and the person who oversaw operations near the docks. “For the third time in less than a year we are meeting because our leader has been murdered. I know you all are as angry as I am. And that—”

“Do we know who did it?” The question came from Dmitri Asimov, the man who oversaw the family’s distribution business.

“I was getting to that.”

“Get to it faster.”

While the question of who was responsible for the Greek’s death needed to be answered, the Bean Counter knew the more important question was who would lead the family now. Because until that was decided, the tension between not just Krupin and Asimov but every man sitting around the table would only escalate.

Krupin glared at Asimov. “At this point, it’s too early to know who is behind it.”

A chorus of upset voices broke out.

Krupin held up a hand. “Quiet. Quiet!”

“Of course, we know who did it,” Asimov said. “Gromyko himself was sure if he were killed, it would be at the hands of the lawyer, Barrington.”

“Barrington?” another man at the table asked, incredulous. “The same Barrington who was responsible for the death of the elder Pentkovsky brother?”

“Andthe first Greek.”

Everyone turned to Krupin.

“Why hasn’t he been killed yet?” a man sitting next to the Bean Counter asked.

“We can’t afford to make a mistake in this,” Krupin said. “We must make sure before we take action. Trust me when I say I am doing all I can to resolve this quickly.”

“You say that like you’re in charge,” Asimov said. “I don’t recall us making that decision.”

“Someone needs to—”

More shouting broke out, all of them trying to drown out each other. All but the Bean Counter. Once he felt the cacophony had gone on long enough, he stood and looked around the table, without saying a word.

One by one, the men fell silent.

“Mr. Asimov has a point,” the Bean Counter said. “Our first priority should be deciding who will take over the family. Only when we have a new leader can we discuss dealing with whoever is responsible for the Greek’s death.”

One of the men scoffed. “I suppose you’re going to suggest you should be given the job.”

The Bean Counter absolutely thought he was best suited, but he was smart enough to know now was not the time. “You would be wrong. I do have a suggestion, but it is not me.”

“Who?” Asimov asked.

“There is really only one choice,” the Bean Counter said, then smiled.

Chapter 43

Stone decided to spend the next day at home. Given the Greek’s death, it seemed a reasonable precaution.

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