Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Alvarez nodded. “Plus, I must reiterate that no Witness Security Program participant who has followed all program guidelines, like Maks has, has ever been harmed or killed. Period.”
It was a damn impressive track record.
“For all intents and purposes, Maks has been, so far, a model WITSEC participant. He has made a fresh start that is completely separate from who he once was. There is no possible way that this was an attempt on his life. That being said, we cannot allow him to remain here in this community.”
“That’s not fair,” Ada said, getting up from the kitchen table and walking into the living room. “He didn’t do anything wrong.”
“That’s true, ma’am,” Alvarez agreed, “but any coverage in the newspaper would include Maks, and we simply can’t have that.”
“But he has a new name,” Ada argued.
“Yes, but not a new face.”
“We can keep it out of the newspaper,” Chief Ramirez assured Alvarez. “I can speak to Javier Vega, who now owns the town paper, to make sure there’s no mention of this incident.”
Small town. So small. I was certain that until that moment, Alvarez didn’t really get how tiny the place actually was.
“Maks already has a stellar reputation in the community,” Gale chimed in. “Moving him from here when he’s only just arrived seems like a waste of both time and resources.”
Dix said, “I will chime in here and say that the biggest town around is Seaside, with a population of nearly 8,000.” He looked from Alvarez to Byers. “I think you’ve done an excellent job of placing a high-profile witness, and I’m certain the FBI would agree with me.”
“This is an insular community,” Ramirez told the two marshals. “In such a short time, Maks has made a place for himself and will continue to be an asset, I have no doubt.”
Everyone speaking for me was humbling. I had been a pariah in my old life, but no one saw me that way anymore.
Alvarez took hold of my bicep and led me out the front door. Together we walked out into the yard, near the barn. I noted that it was all closed up for the night. Ada never missed taking care of her sheep.
Alvarez let me go, took another few steps, then rounded on me. “Well?”
“This isn’t my fault.”
“Yes, I know. I’m just concerned for your safety.”
“Again, this isn’t about me. This is about Gale, and since I care about him, I need to get back in there to do some brainstorming and figure out who wants him dead.”
She nodded. “I do agree that if your father found out where you were, he would send the best people he could to end your life. Money would be no object.”
“Haven’t the Feds frozen all his assets?”
“I’m sure he could borrow it or—c’mon, Maks, we both know he’d figure out a way to get it done.”
“I agree.”
She took a breath. “I was going to tell you this next week when I came out to see you, but Lev Kamenov was recovered in Paris.”
“Paris?” I had to smile because I knew who else was there. “Was he with my stepsister?”
“Yes. Everyone thought he was in love with your cousin—”
“Dinara,” I offered.
“Yes. But apparently, that was for appearances. It was Galina he was crazy about, and from what we understand, when your father was informed, he threatened Kamenov’s life.”
“I bet.” Couldn’t have two of his own children in love.
“My understanding is that Kamenov, for his protection, will be sent to ADX Florence.”
Lev would live out the rest of his life completely alone in a supermax. I couldn’t think of a worse punishment for the naturally gregarious man.
It was strange to think that if he hadn’t betrayed me, if, instead, Lev had come to me and told me he was in love with Galina, I would have assured him it could never be. There was no future with my stepsister. Even not knowing he was my father’s son; I could have counseled him that Grigory Lenkov would never let him marry his daughter. To keep him safe, so my father would never know that he and Galina had been together, I would have gotten Lev away from the family. Sava would have hidden him as a favor to me, and he would have lived the rest of his life in exile, but happy. Now, because he’d turned on me, his freedom was a thing of the past.
“I’m surprised the justice department doesn’t want Lev to testify to what he knows and place him in WITSEC as well.”
“You’re the only witness the Feds need to make their case, Maks. That’s why decisions have to be made to determine if you are, in fact, safe in this town.”
“I think the first step to figuring that out would be to find out who was here shooting tonight, and why.”