Between HeVan and Hell (23 page)

Since he was calling her by her name
and no longer using the diminutive, Olga Kadyrov knew she’d angered
her Great Uncle by questioning Anton’s actions. Cousin Anton was
the favorite and could do no wrong in her uncle’s eyes.

“I apologize, Uncle, I meant no
disrespect. I was only relaying what I heard and the possible
connotations of the conversation. My conclusion is most likely
wrong, as you say,” she said.

“That’s alright, Olychka, you are
forgiven. Get your cousin out of jail quickly and keep me
informed,” finished Mr. Kadyrov before he hung up.

Olga Kadyrov turned off the cell phone
and put it back in her purse. She waved and smiled to the gate
attendant as she left the parking lot reserved for City personnel
and headed to the courthouse. She felt that her viewpoints were
valid and wished that her uncle had more faith in her skills. A
part of her hoped Anton would go to jail, because then perhaps
she’d be allowed to take his place. That was a pipe dream; they’d
gone to a great deal of trouble to get her to this position. Soon
she would be ready to run for State’s Attorney, and then she’d be
able to do even more.

When he was leaving the police
station, Jett called Jalen’s cell. He was going to meet them at
Grace’s cover apartment. They used the brief meeting with Margie to
let her know that Grace would be moving in with them. Now they
would make a show of moving out her things. Waving his hand, he
flagged down a cab.

The cab pulled up in front of her
building. After paying off the driver, he rang the buzzer for her
apartment but there was no answer. He leaned against the wall of
the building to wait. A few minutes later, he saw them walking down
the block hand-in-hand. She was a beautiful woman and he couldn’t
wait to show her their home back on HeVan.

“We stopped for coffee and I ran into
a couple of the dealers; the story is planted well and good now. I
hope you haven’t been waiting long,” said Grace.

“Not long at all. I’m glad you will be
leaving this neighborhood. It’s a bit unsavory,” said
Jett.

“Nah, it’s okay. There are good people
here,” she said. “Now remember, the place is bugged. Both audio and
visual devices were here the last time I checked early yesterday.
Wow, so much has happened since then, it’s hard to believe it’s
only been a day.”

“It has been the best day of our lives
so far,” said Jalen, speaking for both brothers and Jett
nodded.

They went up the stairs and entered
the apartment. Jalen looked around and then turned to Grace and
said, “How long have you lived here, Grace? Somehow, this is not
how I envisioned you living. I understand better why you always
came over to my place.”

“I’ve only lived here for six months.
It’s a furnished apartment. My lease runs for another six months,
so I’ll need to get another job soon,” said Grace.

“I’m a wealthy man, baby. We’re
getting married and leaving the country in three months. I’ll buy
out this lease and if you feel you just have to work, you can come
and work for me,” said Jalen.

Jett’s phone started vibrating and he
pulled it out.

“Jalen, I’m detecting something. Hold
on a sec, okay?” said Jett.

Both Jalen and Grace stopped what they
were doing as Jett began to walk around the apartment. They had
decided to let Jett ‘find’ the bugs they suspected were planted by
the Kadyrovs.

Grace walked over to Jalen and took
his arm. Looking up into his face she whispered, “What’s going on,
Jalen? What’s he doing?”

Jalen leaned over slightly and said,
just barely loud enough for the hidden microphone next to him to
hear, he said, “In our business, the competition does whatever they
can to find out our sources. Jett developed a tracker that detects
all kinds of electronics. It works especially well on audio and
visual surveillance. Remind me later to tell you the story about
the Millionaire and the Monet.”

“You’re joking. That sounds like the
name of a hokey crime novel,” she retorted.

“True story, I promise. Now watch, he
built it into his cell phone. It appears someone has bugged your
apartment.”

“What?” she shouted, then immediately
lowered her voice, “I mean, what? Why would anyone want to listen
in on me? I’m generally a very boring person.”

“Jett suspects and I agree with him,
that Anton Kadyrov is obsessed with you. He could easily afford to
have someone monitor you.”

“Eww, that’s just creepy. No more
convincing. I am so moving in with you. You’re never getting rid of
me now, Jalen,” said Grace.

“Good thing we’re getting married,
then,” he said with a wink while he held her close. Another minute
later, Jett came back into the room.

“I think we should call Captain Udaka.
Grace has listening technology all throughout her apartment, both
audio and visual.”

While Jalen called the police, Grace
went in to the bedroom to pack up her clothes. Jett followed her in
when she motioned to him.

She said in a loud whisper, “Would you
make sure I don’t pack anything with a bug on it? Thinking about
someone watching me and listening to me without my knowing, that’s
just totally creeping me out. If you can’t be sure the clothes and
stuff are okay, then I don’t want to take them.”

“I don’t think they would bother to
bug your clothing. The items I’ve found so far aren’t that
sophisticated. My own devices are far superior.” Seeing the worry
in her eyes, he went on to re-assure her, “But just to make sure,
I’ll check everything over very carefully, even your suitcases.
Okay?”

“Okay, Jett. I’m glad you’re such a
geek and keep inventing all this stuff for your brother,” she said,
as she continued to pack.

Captain Udaka arrived twenty minutes
later. She was allowed to take her clothes, personal items, and
some toiletries. She left everything else behind. She’d come back
another time, she told him, after he cleared it. Knowing the bugs
were still active, he advised Jalen to take her out of town for a
few days.

Grace, Jalen, and Jett left to go back
to the condo. After making sure they weren’t followed, they stopped
along the way to buy groceries. Justyn had said he would be making
dinner—she was in the mood for steak.

Late that afternoon, Anton Kadyrov
strode into his Grandfather’s house. He was still seething over his
arrest that morning. Passing through to the study, he barely
noticed the fine carpets or furnishings in the rooms he went
through. Finally reaching his destination, he walked in to find his
grandfather sitting behind his large desk.

Mr. Kadyrov picked up the phone and
pushed one button. “Bring the meal I requested to my office,” he
said, and hung up.

“Sit and calm down. Have your meal and
we will discuss what to do next.” When Anton continued to pace the
room, he raised his voice, “Anton, sit down! What have I always
told you? You need to have a cool head before making a decision.
You have already shown me the result of your anger without
thinking. Let us improve upon those actions by using a little more
intelligence with less heat!”

Anton threw himself into a chair in
front of the desk. “Sorry, Grandfather. But the Contadinas are
interfering in my plans!”

“I understand, and they will be dealt
with. It is how they are dealt with that concern me. My suggestion
is that the next time you make an order that your victim be made
aware of exactly who ordered his pain and suffering, you also order
that the information be given when he’s about to breathe his last
breath.” Mr. Kadyrov stated in an angry voice.

There was a knock on the
door.

“Come.”

A man entered carrying a tray. He
placed it on the desk in front of Anton and then left, closing the
door behind him.

Anton looked up and spoke while he put
his napkin in his lap. “What news of the old woman?”

“Our men went by her shop. They were
able to gain entry rather easily for a jeweler’s. They found the
place stripped to the floorboards. Not a sign of her. There was a
chair lift on the stairs, so she is handicapped in some way. Word
from the neighboring businesses is that she has been reunited with
a long-lost sister and left to move in with her,” said
Vasily.

“Have you started a background
check?”

“Yes, we’ll know where she is soon
enough. She has to contact the State’s Attorney’s office to give a
statement. If all else fails, Olga will bring her to us. You will
agree to participate in a line-up and we’ll make sure she’s
followed from the police station. She won’t live to testify. Olga
was able to make sure you weren’t charged on the attempted murder
so we have time to take care of Ron. He’s currently still in the
hospital; I’m told his knee is broken.”

“What about Grace’s men; have we been
able to get anything on them? Even if they are connected, I’m still
taking them down,” said Anton.

“As is your right; they should not
have interfered in your pleasures. Unfortunately, the tiny village
they are from in Northern Italy was buried in an avalanche three
years ago. They are not citizens of this country and have been here
a very short time. I’m waiting to hear from the local Cosa Nostra;
if they are connected, we’ll know by the end of the week. I’d like
to avoid a war when you take her,” he said. Looking up at the anger
in Anton’s eyes, he added, “Don’t worry, all we need is a thread
and we will quickly unravel the story of their lives. Let us take
care and plan something a little more elegant than thugs in an
alley. They may have information we can use.”

Just then the phone rang. While Mr.
Kadyrov spoke to the caller, Anton began eating his meal. He was
pleased he’d refused the food they’d been serving at the jail. In
his Grandfather’s house he was served this delicious filet of sole
and asparagus in cream sauce. He was dabbing his mouth with his
napkin when his grandfather put down the phone.

“That was Gregor on the phone? What
did he have to say?” he asked.

“Grace and the Contadinas went by her
apartment to pack her things. He played me a portion of the tape.
It seems Jett Contadina habitually carries an electronic detection
device in his pocket. And he also let slip that his own devices
were far superior to ours. It seems he’s an inventor of
sorts.

"And last night he stayed and toured
all over the casino. If they are cops, he wouldn’t have passed up
the opportunity to plant some,” said Mr. Kadyrov.

“If he had planted a listening device
in the club, they would have had a recording of me ordering the hit
on him last night. Surely the police would have mentioned evidence
like that when they arrested me. The charges would have stuck and
I’d still be in jail,” said Anton.

“You’re right, my boy. Olga thought
they might be cops and I told her we were sure that they weren’t.
This proves they aren’t. If they were working undercover and had
planted bugs, the cops would have jumped on it.

"However, just to be safe, Gregor is
reviewing all the casino’s security tapes from last night. He’ll
double check every move Jett made after he went out on the floor
and do a new sweep for surveillance,” said Mr. Kadyrov.

The two of them discussed various
methods of taking and dispatching the Contadina brothers while
Anton finished eating his dinner.