Chapter 3 - The Enemy Already Inside
By morning, Ara had learned three things about the Kovatch estate.
The coffee was excellent.
The security was terrifying.
And Kalin apparently believed sleeping was optional.
She found him at six in the morning in a library, standing over a table covered with photographs, phone records, city maps, and surveillance stills.
Russo stood across from him.
Another man leaned against the wall.
He was older than Kalin, broad-shouldered, gray at the temples.
Kalin looked up.
“You should be in bed.”
Ara held up a mug.
“You should stop saying that.”
The older man smiled.
“So this is the baker.”
Ara looked at him.
“And you are?”
“Viktor Kovatch.”
Kalin’s uncle.
Ara’s eyebrows rose.
“The Viktor Kovatch?”
Viktor grinned.
“I’ve always wanted to be a ‘the.’”
Kalin didn’t smile.
“Uncle.”
“Yes. Serious meeting. Terrifying faces.”
Viktor straightened.
Ara approached the table.
“What do you know?”
Kalin blocked her view.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
She stared at him.
“My bakery was turned into modern art with bullets.”
Russo coughed.
Ara continued.
“I think I qualify for the meeting.”
Viktor looked at Kalin.
“I like her.”
“You’ve known her twelve seconds.”
“Best twelve seconds of this week.”
Kalin reluctantly stepped aside.
One photo showed the gray sedan.
Another showed a man leaving a warehouse.
Ara leaned closer.
“I’ve seen him.”
All three men went still.
Kalin turned.
“Where?”
“At The Crumb.”
“When?”
“Last week.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because customers generally don’t introduce themselves as professional assassins.”
Kalin pointed at the photograph.
“What did he do?”
“Bought coffee. Sat by the window. Asked about closing hours.”
Russo swore quietly.
Kalin’s eyes darkened.
“What else?”
“He wanted to know if I worked alone.”
Viktor looked at Kalin.
“That wasn’t surveillance on you.”
“No,” Kalin said.
Ara’s stomach tightened.
“They were watching me before you came inside.”
Silence.
Kalin’s gaze shifted to Russo.
“Someone told them.”
Russo nodded slowly.
“Someone knew about the nightly drives.”
Ara looked between them.
“What does that mean?”
Kalin answered.
“It means the Rossi family didn’t discover you because I entered your bakery.”
He straightened.
“They already knew I watched you.”
Ara’s fingers tightened around the coffee mug.
“So someone close to you has been reporting your movements.”
“Yes.”
Viktor’s humor vanished.
“How many people knew the route?”
“Five.”
“Names.”
Kalin listed them.
“Russo. You. Lev. Tomas. And my father.”
Viktor’s jaw hardened.
“Your father wouldn’t.”
Kalin looked at him.
“I know.”
Ara noticed something.
“Who’s Lev?”
“My security commander.”
“And Tomas?”
“Family adviser.”
“Who recommended the route past Fourth Street?”
Kalin paused.
Russo looked at him.
“Tomas.”
The room went quiet.
Ara set down her coffee.
“Well, that seems bad.”
Kalin took out his phone.
“Bring Tomas in.”
Russo shook his head.
“He left the estate at four.”
“Where?”
“No record.”
Kalin’s stare sharpened.
“Find him.”
Russo moved toward the door.
Ara spoke.
“Wait.”
Everyone turned.
She pointed at the map.
“If Tomas knew about me, why attack the bakery with Kalin inside?”
Viktor frowned.
“To kill him.”
“Then why send my photograph afterward?”
No one answered.
Ara continued.
“Maybe they wanted Kalin angry.”
Kalin studied her.
“Go on.”
“You said Anton Rossi controls the southern docks.”
“Yes.”
“And your family?”
“Northern ports, construction, hotels, freight.”
“So a war costs both sides money.”
Viktor nodded.
“A lot.”
Ara tapped the map.
“What if someone wants the Kovatch and Rossi families fighting?”
Kalin’s eyes narrowed.
“Someone who benefits if both weaken.”
Russo stopped at the doorway.
“Tomas?”
Kalin looked toward him.
“Find him alive.”
Ara crossed her arms.
“And when you find him?”
“That depends.”
“On?”
“Whether he talks.”
She stared.
Kalin exhaled.
“I’m not going to kill him in front of you.”
“That wasn’t comforting.”
Viktor chuckled.
Kalin glared at him.
Ara turned toward the windows.
“Can I call my employees?”
“No.”
“Kalin.”
“Your phones may be compromised.”
“I need to know if they’re okay.”
“I checked.”
She looked back.
“All three are safe. I paid them two months’ wages.”
Ara stared at him.
“You what?”
“They lost work because of me.”
“You can’t just throw money at everything.”
“It works remarkably often.”
“This is exactly what I’m talking about.”
“You wanted them protected.”
“I wanted them protected, not adopted by a billionaire criminal prince.”
Viktor coughed into his hand.
“Criminal prince. I’m keeping that.”
Kalin pinched the bridge of his nose.
Before Ara could continue, Russo’s phone buzzed.
He read the message.
“Found Tomas’s car.”
“Where?”
“Fourth Street.”
Ara’s stomach dropped.
Kalin turned toward Russo.
“Near the bakery?”
“Behind it.”
Ara looked at Kalin.
“What does he want?”
Russo’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone stared.
Russo answered on speaker.
A man’s voice came through.
“Took you long enough.”
Kalin’s face turned to stone.
“Tomas.”
“Kalin.”
“You chose Rossi?”
Tomas laughed softly.
“You still don’t understand.”
“Explain.”
“Anton Rossi isn’t your enemy.”
Kalin glanced at Viktor.
“Then who fired at the bakery?”
“I arranged it.”
Ara’s blood ran cold.
Kalin’s voice dropped.
“Why?”
“To make you do exactly what you’ve done.”
“And what is that?”
“Bring the girl inside the Kovatch estate.”
Kalin stopped breathing.
Ara slowly looked toward the doorway.
Tomas continued.
“Thank you for opening the gates for us.”
The line went dead.
A second later, an alarm screamed through the house.
Russo drew his weapon.
Viktor turned toward the hall.
Kalin grabbed Ara.
“Security breach!”
Gunshots cracked somewhere downstairs.
Ara’s eyes widened.
“They’re inside.”
Kalin pulled her behind him.
“No.”
His expression became lethal.
May you like
“They think they are.”
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