Genie. Genealogy. When I questioned Arielle about whether she had met or talked to Miles Wuchnik, Nia had said, “Maybe he was a genie,” and both girls had giggled.
Had Arielle gone behind her family’s back and hired Miles to investigate Chaim Salanter’s history? Should I race back to the Schiller mansion and demand an answer from Nia? I was trying to imagine how to guide such a conversation when my cousin called.
“Vic, I’ve talked to everyone in the group except Tyler and Kira. Tyler’s away at summer camp, some place down in Texas, her mom said, where the kids have to keep their phones off during the day. Kira’s in town, but she lost her cell phone that night in the cemetery and I don’t have her mom’s phone number. Do you want me to drive over to her place?”
“No, I’m only a few blocks away. I’ll make sure she’s okay and get back to you.”
It took me only a few minutes to reach the Dudek apartment on Augusta. My heart was beating uncomfortably as I rang their doorbell. When no one answered after the second ring, I ran to my car to get my picklocks from the glove compartment. I reached the front door again just as Kira, carrying a large bag of groceries, arrived with Lucy.
Kira eyed me warily. “Are you here because of the book club? My mom doesn’t want me to go back.”
“Yeah, she got painted on, she got egged on, she can’t be in such a stranger-danger place,” Lucy chimed in.
“I’m here to make sure you’re okay.” My voice was thin with relief. “Arielle got a message from one of the Ravens and disappeared from her home in the middle of the night. I wanted—never mind. Did you ever find your cell phone? Did you cancel the service?”
Kira shook her head. “It’s a pay-as-you-go phone, so if someone found it, they can use up my minutes, or they can buy some more minutes. What happened to Arielle?”
“We don’t know. Look, just to be on the safe side, can you stay home with Lucy today?”
“We’re going to the park,” Lucy said.
“I’m not one of those rich Vina Fields kids who has a nanny and a private boat and all that stuff,” Kira snapped. “My mom cleans hotel rooms all night, she sleeps during the day, and it’s better for her if I take Lucy out for the day.”
“So you’re bringing home breakfast and then taking off? Clouds are building, looks like rain. I don’t think you’ll be able to spend much time outside. I’ll help you get these bags upstairs and then you can spend the day at my home, with a couple of friendly dogs and a wonderful old man to protect you. Petra will drive you there.”
“Dogs?” Lucy said. “Do you have a horse?”
“Nope. And I don’t have a boat, either. But my neighbor will let you watch horse races on television.” And he would feed them spaghetti and ice cream, and basically do all the things that are supposed to be bad for you, but he would shower them with affection, which is always good for you.
I took Kira’s big sack, and the smaller one Lucy was clutching, and followed them into the building. Their mother was in the front room, with breakfast bowls and glasses laid out on the eating side of the small table. She was still wearing the beige uniform of the Hotel Beaumont’s housekeeping staff, with her name badge (“I’m Ivona. How can I serve you?”) clipped to the breast pocket.
She looked at me in astonishment and rapped out a question in Polish. Kira and Lucy started answering her in unison. I walked over and put down the groceries. I had met Ivona Dudek two weeks ago, after I’d searched the cemetery for Kira’s phone, but I wasn’t sure she remembered me.
“Pani Dudek? Mam V. I. Warshawski.” That was the extent of my Polish, but the fact that I knew any words in her language, or maybe the reminder of my connection to Petra, seemed to calm her down. With the girls chiming in as a chorus, I explained my wish to have them in a safe place until we knew what had become of Arielle.
The three Dudeks had an animated conversation, with the word “miliarder” popping up—close enough to the Italian “miliardario” that I knew they were discussing the billionaire grandfather. They also talked about the “Fundacja Malina.”
“My mother is upset that we have to suffer for the problems of a billionaire,” Kira explained. “But she knows you took care of me when we were attacked last week at the foundation. And she knows she can trust Petra. She’ll let Petra take us up to your home.”