Chapter
Fourteen
WITH NOTHING left to do, I gestured to a passing cab and waited for it to pull into the curb. I’d already told Vincenc good-bye and good luck, so it surprised me when he stepped forward and spoke again.
“Just a suggestion. When Kowalski calls for his money, stall him.”
“What?” I spun around, eyes wide. “They’ve already hurt—”
“I know, but maybe you won’t have to give him any more money. Give me a few hours to see what I can do.”
“Why would you help me with this?” I asked helplessly.
Vincenc shrugged and smiled. “I have my club. You seem like a decent guy. And I would love to see that sack of shit brought down from his pedestal.”
“But Sasha… they could kill him.” Nausea threatened and I took a deep breath.
“They won’t while you have the money. Otherwise they’ll have nothing to threaten you with.”
“Fuck,” I muttered. “I don’t care about the money. I need to know he’s okay. I want him safe, with me.”
“A few hours,” Vincenc repeated, glancing at his watch. “Tell them you’ll have the money in the morning.”
I swore again, wringing my hands. “What do you think you can do?”
“We’ll see. I know you don’t know me and you probably don’t trust me, but maybe I can fix this. Maybe you can leave for England, or wherever you plan to go, without having to lose any more of your money. A good start for you and your… Sasha.”
“All right.” I heard myself utter the words, but I felt as if I were watching someone else speaking. None of this seemed real. How could I have got myself dragged into this world? Yet again I wondered if my decision to let Vincenc step in was wrong. “Can I ask a question?”
“Of course.”
“If this was about someone you love—”
“I have a son. Eight years old.”
“The same age as my niece,” I put in, surprised.
“He is my life. If he was taken, I would do the same thing.”
Something else occurred to me then, and I didn’t know how I hadn’t thought of it sooner. “His men are watching me. So they must know I’ve been in contact with you.”
Vincenc smiled. “Of course. But they are also being watched. I have many more eyes than Kowalski. I’ll be in touch, Joel.” He waved at the cab waiting behind me, and I backed away. Vincenc turned and strode off along the street.
“Shit.” I climbed into the car and gave the driver my address. More waiting. Hours slipping by while Sasha was potentially hurt more; while he wondered if he would ever see me or his family again. Although his parents had driven him out, I knew he’d be thinking of his little sister at least.
I didn’t hear from Piotr Kowalski until the early evening, and then it was his messenger who called my cell phone. I recognized his voice immediately.
“We are waiting.”
“You won’t have to wait much longer. I will have money tomorrow. All of it and interest.”
“Really.” He sounded skeptical.
“I sold the night club,” I added. “The money will be in my bank tomorrow, probably around midday. I’ll make a transfer to your boss as soon as it’s in my account. Please don’t hurt Sasha.”
“I’ll have to speak to the boss. He’s not a patient man.”
“Tell him I’ll pay extra. Double the interest. Please just hold on a few more hours.”
I heard a click, and a moment later Kowalski came on the line. “Tomorrow? Is this definite?”
“Yes. I’ve sold my club. I told your employee this. I expect to receive the money by the middle of the day.”
“You have until two o’clock. If you have not settled your account by then, you will never see your bartender again.”
“You’ll have the money, I swear. Please, don’t hurt him anymore,” I begged. “Will you let me speak to him?”
“You’ve done enough speaking. No more until you do what you say.” He hung up and I slammed my phone onto the coffee table in frustration. When my landline phone rang, I jumped up and grabbed the receiver. This time it was the police.
I explained I was selling Červenà, my reasoning being that whatever happened, I’d had enough of Prague and wanted to go back to London to be with my family. If Sasha was returned to me safe and sound, I would take him with me. I realized telling them the club was already sold, and to a known criminal, wouldn’t be in my best interests or Vincenc’s while he was trying to help me, so I didn’t let them know the sale had been completed. They’d find out soon enough.
So far it seemed the police investigations hadn’t made any progress, which didn’t surprise me. Vincenc had told me that if Kowalski and his men didn’t want to be found, they wouldn’t be, but lying to the police, at least by omission, made me feel like the bad guy. I said as little as I could and hung up with relief when the call ended.
I heard nothing more from anyone that evening, and I collapsed into bed around ten, convinced I wouldn’t sleep but too exhausted to stay up. I thought about my staff starting work in the club, and my heart ached. Vincenc was probably there, spending his first night overseeing things until he could appoint a manager.
Eventually, I slept. When I opened my eyes the gray light of dawn seeped into the room through the gap in the curtains, and I groped for the bedside clock to check the time. Almost seven. A few seconds passed during which I didn’t think about anything, or remember the situation I was in, and then my cell phone rang and vibrated on the coffee table where I’d left it, and everything came flooding back. I hurled myself out of bed and rushed to the living room to answer the call.
A voice I didn’t recognize instructed me to write down an address and get a cab to take me there. Scribbling the District 4 address onto a scrap of paper, I asked who was speaking.
“My name is not important.”
“Who asked you to call me?”
“Mr. Jankovic.”
“Oh!” Relieved, I loosened my grip on the phone. “Can you tell me what it’s about?”
“No. Hurry, please.” The line went dead and I cursed in irritation. If Vincenc had news, why didn’t he tell me on the phone? Why did he get one of his minions to call me? Why were these people so damn secretive?
I muttered and mumbled as I moved around the apartment, pulling on clothes and finding wallet and keys before I ventured outside. By the time I found a cab, Prague was a bustle of activity with people preparing for their day, and the journey to the address I’d been given took longer than I would have liked. I shuffled impatiently in the backseat until finally I was dropped off outside a large house with trees lining the driveway. Checking the number on my note against that on the gatepost, I walked hesitantly up the drive to the front door.
A large brass knocker adorned the dark wood and I lifted my hand toward it. But the door swung open before I made contact and I dropped my hand again. A young woman in a gray suit stared back at me.
“Mr. Jones?”
“Yes.”
“Come in, please.”
“Is this Mr. Jankovic’s house?” I asked as I stepped inside.
“One of them.” She closed the door and led me along a corridor. The musty smell indicated the house was either in need of a good clean or wasn’t in regular use. The carpet beneath my feet was expensive-looking, but faded. Patches on the walls showed the positions where pictures had once hung. “Upstairs, please. Last door on the right.”
I realized we’d reached the foot of a long staircase, and I glanced up, then back at my companion. “You’re not going with me? Is Mr. Jankovic here?”
“Please.” She merely gestured to the stairs again, then left me. My pulse quickened as I ascended slowly, wondering what I would find. I hated surprises, and my imagination wasn’t my best friend. Immersed in a world I’d only seen on the TV, I pictured myself opening the door at the end of the landing and finding Piotr Kowalski, perhaps with the back of his head blown out the same way Karel’s life had ended. Then the possibility that Sasha was in there hit me, and I bounded up the last few stairs and strode past three doors to the one at the end. Sucking in a breath, I pushed open the door without knocking.
“Sasha! Oh my God, Sasha.”
He lay motionless on one side of a large bed, uncovered except for his underwear. A middle-aged woman, whom I took to be a nurse despite her casual clothes, bent over him, carefully cleaning blood from his face and neck. Deep purple bruises marred the pale skin of his chest and sides, partly hidden under thick strips of white tape, and both his eyes were swollen shut. He whimpered as the nurse cleaned around his mouth, revealing a split lip and more bruising. I rushed to the side of the bed and dropped to my knees, carefully grasping his hand.
“Sasha, I’m here. It’s Joel. You’re safe now. I’m so sorry.”
His lips moved, but no sound came out. Then he groaned and a fresh trickle of blood leaked down his chin. The nurse wiped it away.
“How bad is it?” I asked her.
“Bruising, mainly. A couple of cracked ribs. A doctor has examined him. It looks bad, but he will be all right.”
“Is Mr. Jankovic here?”
“Downstairs. Come down when you’re ready.” She straightened up, unfolded a sheet, and laid it over Sasha’s body before slipping from the room.
“I’m so sorry, Sasha,” I repeated. “I’m so sorry.” Tears burned at the back of my eyes, and I blinked rapidly.
“Where…?” He licked his lips and winced.
“You’re in a house in District 4. Vincenc Jankovic’s house. No one’s going to hurt you again, I promise. As soon as you’re better, I’m taking you away from Prague.” I had no idea what to do in the meantime. He didn’t look fit to be moved.
“They said… they would… kill me. They said… they would send me back to you in unrecognizable little pieces.” The words were barely audible and his voice cracked at the end. He sobbed, face contorted, but his eyes were dry, too swollen even to leak tears. I gripped his hand tighter and gently stroked his hair, too afraid to hold him properly in case I caused him more pain.
“I’m so sorry. I should have done more… quicker.” My own voice gave up and tears tracked down my cheeks. I sniffed loudly and wiped my face on my sleeve.
“How did you know… where I was?”
“I didn’t. Vincenc’s men must have found you.”
“Why…?”
“He offered to help. The man who took you… who had Karel killed, is an enemy of Vincenc too. I sold the club to him.”
“No!” Sasha dug his nails into my hand. “Why? You love—”
“I love you. More than anything. Vincenc will be a good boss. He’s met the staff and they’ll be okay. You’re more important. I’m taking you away from here, Sasha. To England.” I wiped away another stray tear and cleared my throat. “We haven’t had the best start, baby. That first date was perfect and then everything with my mother and Karel got in the way. It’s been a long time since I’ve been with someone like this, and I was sure I’d messed it all up. Then when we started seeing each other properly it seemed perfect. But with everything else….” I stroked my fingers through his hair and down the side of his face, finding unbruised areas to touch. “We need to start again, away from all this. I’m going to find a new life for us. We’ll stay with my sister for a few days until I can find something. A place of our own to live and a new business; something we can do together. Would you like that? You do want to go with me?”
“Yes. I want to forget about this.” Sasha licked his lips again. “That night they took me, I had a surprise for you. Maybe when we get to England, you’ll get to find out what that is.”
“I can’t believe you’re thinking about that now.” I chuckled despite everything and Sasha’s lips twitched at one corner.
“I want to think about something good.”
“Well, you keep thinking that.” I leaned closer and brushed my lips against his forehead. “I should go and speak to Vincenc. Will you be all right for a few minutes?”
“Yes.”
Reluctantly, I left him and made my way back downstairs. The young woman who’d let me into the house found me in the hallway and directed me to a room to the rear of the building. When I walked into the large sitting room, Vincenc put down an iPad and gave me a brief smile.
“Joel.”
“I… thank you.” I shrugged helplessly. “How did you find him?”
“It wasn’t too difficult. My men knew where to look.”
“Kowalski?”
Vincenc’s lips thinned and twisted at one side. “You’ll be reading about him in the news eventually.”
“You… you had him… killed?” The implications of me leaving the country with Sasha and the thug being found dead swirled around my head, but much to my surprise, Vincenc laughed.
“Really, Joel, what do you take me for? He’ll be found, arrested, and sent away for murder. You don’t need to know the details. All you need to know is that your boy is safe. My private doctor has examined him. No serious injuries, just a few cracked ribs. He will heal, but you won’t be able to move him for a few days. You’re welcome to stay here, of course.”
“But… are you sure?”
“Of course. I’ll be leaving later today. We don’t use this house much. The nurse and one or two of my staff will stay to take care of your needs until you leave. You should probably pack up your apartment and sort out whatever else you need to deal with.”
“What am I going to tell the police?” I wondered.
“Try the truth. You sold the club to get the money to pay the man who threatened you. You couldn’t wait any longer for them to find him because you were scared your boy would be killed. You paid the money and you got your boy back. That’s it. They’ll be frustrated, but they’ll get over it when they catch Kowalski anyway. Now… I have things to do. I must find a manager for my new business.” Vincenc moved closer to me and offered his hand. I slid mine into it and we shook. “We won’t meet again, but you have my number. If you need anything before you leave, let me know.”
“I don’t know how to thank you.” Stunned, I hardly knew what to say.
“No need.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I have what I want. So do you.”
I watched as Vincenc walked out of the room. Muffled voices drifted back into the room, and a door opened and closed. When I heard an engine start outside the window, I guessed he was leaving. I hurried back to Sasha’s room to reassure him again that things would be all right. I hated to leave him again so soon and in such a terrible state, but there were things I had to do, too, and quickly. Mine and Sasha’s belongings had to be packed up; I had to speak to the police and speak to my property agent about the penthouse. Since I didn’t plan to come back, it could be rented out complete with all the furniture.
I was away from Sasha much longer than I wanted to be. I visited my property agent first and signed the papers required for them to rent out the penthouse. When it was done, I returned home and packed everything, somewhat surprised that my years in Prague had only accumulated enough items to fill three cases. Most of it consisted of clothing, books, DVDs, and music, with a few pictures and personal items, mainly gifts from my family.
When everything was packed, I took a last look around each room. The linens, crockery and cutlery were all being left behind, and I’d emptied the refrigerator and cupboards of perishables. No doubt a businessman like myself and the others in the building would soon move in and make use of all my things. The place was ready to be lived in again, once my agent had sent cleaners in.
I locked up and had a cab take me back to Vincenc’s house with my cases and the bag Sasha had been bringing to my place the night he was taken. The lady who looked like a secretary let me in again and gave me a key, and after another brief visit with Sasha, I took off again. The penthouse keys were delivered to the agent and after some hesitation, I made my way to Červenà and called Tomáš. He came out to meet me almost immediately, hair standing on end as if he’d just hauled himself out of bed. His sparkling eyes and flushed appearance indicated he hadn’t been alone.
“Anything to tell me?” I smiled despite my somber mood.
“I met someone.”
“A man?”
“No, I turned straight.” Tomáš rolled his eyes. “Of course a man. He’s been in the club a few times. You probably didn’t notice with all you’ve had going on lately, but I’ve danced for him every night he’s been in. Only him.”
I vaguely remembered seeing Tomáš on the podium with a guy groping his crotch before the pair disappeared upstairs, and I wondered if this was Tomáš’s new boyfriend.
“I’m glad.”
“So… you’re leaving.”
“Yes. In a few days.”
“And Sasha?”
“He’s going too.”
“So he’s all right? You didn’t tell us much before, but I thought something had happened. You looked terrible. Still do.”
“Thanks. Sasha was taken by the men who had Karel killed.”
The color drained from Tomáš’s face and his eyes widened. “Where is he?”
“Safe now. Beaten, but otherwise he’s okay.”
“I want to see him!”
“I don’t think—”
“He’s my friend. If nothing else, I want to be able to say good-bye properly. Is he at your place?”
“No.” I explained quickly about Vincenc and the penthouse, and Tomáš made to go back inside.
“I need to tell my man I’m going out for a while. Can you give me two minutes?”
“Of course. Will you do something for me? Sasha was bringing most of his things to my place and I have his bag, but will you check if there are any of his clothes or personal items left in his room?”
Tomáš nodded and ran into the building. While I waited, I wondered if the sight of Sasha might shock Tomáš too much, but it was only fair to give them the opportunity to see each other one last time. I could at least warn him.
“It looks worse than it is,” I explained as we traveled back to District 4 in another cab. “There’s a lot of bruising and his eyes are too swollen to open. But he has no serious injuries.”
Tomáš stared at me, pale and worried. “I can’t believe this has happened. I hate Karel.”
“You and me both. But he’s gone, so we all need to look to the future.” I pulled out my wallet to pay the driver as he stopped the car at the end of the tree-lined drive. This time I was able to let myself in, and I took Tomáš straight up to the room where Sasha lay. I carried the plastic bag containing the few items Tomáš had collected from Sasha’s old room.
“Oh God,” I heard Tomáš mutter under his breath.
“Sasha, I’m back.” I hurried to sit on the edge of the bed and took his hand. With Sasha covered to the neck by a sheet, the bruising on his face appeared more vivid against the white fabric surrounding him. “Tomáš is here.”
“I must look terrible.” Sasha grimaced and winced.
“You always did. No change there.” Tomáš teased, but his expression belied his tone. He hurried around the other side of the bed and hovered, taking Sasha’s other hand. “It won’t be the same without you. Either of you.”
“I’m sorry.” Sasha licked his lips.
“Don’t be stupid, man. You bagged a hot rich guy and you’re off to a new life.”
I raised my eyebrows, and Tomáš mouthed “joking” in my direction.
“Tomáš!” Sasha hissed, appalled.
“He’s joking.” I was glad Tomáš was trying to keep the mood light. I lifted Sasha’s hand and kissed his knuckles. “I’ll leave you two to talk for a little while and find something to eat. Perhaps you could manage something, Sasha.”
“Yes, please.”
“Tomáš?”
“No, thanks, I’ve had plenty to eat this morning.” Tomáš sniggered and lowered himself into the chair beside the bed. “I got a new man, Sasha. Wait until you hear.”
Reluctant to leave Sasha again so soon, even for a few minutes, I hovered by the door. But he needed to catch up with his friend, and I needed to make sure he ate and regained his strength. I forced myself to leave the room and went downstairs to find the kitchen. A woman looked up from one of the counters, where she was slicing bread.
“Mr. Jones. I am Danica. Are you hungry? I’m making food for Sasha.”
“Oh! Thank you. Yes, I could eat a sandwich.”
“It’s sausage, cheese, and salad.”
I nodded again and thanked her. She quickly finished putting together the sandwiches and placed two plates on a tray. Glasses of juice and a plate of sliced cake were added, and I took the tray from her.
“I will be here until you leave. Let me know when you need meals or anything else.”
I thanked her once again and hurried back upstairs. When I entered the room, Sasha was laughing softly at something Tomáš had said. Despite Sasha’s battered face, his smile and humor made him seem a lot better. I set the tray on the table beside the bed, and Tomáš and I helped Sasha sit up. Sasha ate carefully, nibbling tiny bites of the sandwiches and wincing in discomfort, but he managed to eat every crumb.
Tomáš stayed a couple of hours. When it came time for him to leave, both boys wept, and again I felt a lump in my own throat. It brought home to me how much I was leaving behind, but at the same time my future with Sasha would be safer, and close to my family. For that, I couldn’t wait.
“Tomáš, do you use Facebook?” I asked before he went down to the cab I’d ordered for him.
“Of course I do.”
“So you can keep in touch with Sasha that way. Sasha can use my computer until he has one of his own. This doesn’t have to be good-bye.”
Tomáš grinned. “Maybe I can visit one day. If things keep going well with Boris, he could come too.”
“I’ll make sure we have a guest room in our new place,” I promised.
“Yeah, I’d better get back to Boris now. He said he’d wait, but I don’t want him to be too bored.” Tomáš glanced at his watch. “We’ve got time for a few more rounds before I have to get ready to dance.”
Sasha laughed. “You’re obsessed with sex.”
“It’s been too long since I had it on a regular basis.” Tomáš slipped away while we were still laughing.
“How long do we have to stay here?” Sasha asked.
“Just until you’re comfortable enough to travel.”
“And until I look something like my passport photo. Shit! My things!”
“I have your bag, and Tomáš brought the rest of your belongings from your studio. Everything is here.”
Sasha sighed with relief. “My passport was in the bag I had with me that night.”
To put his mind at rest, I checked the bag I’d placed in the corner of the room and found his passport in a small zipped pocket on one end. “It’s here. Now you have nothing to worry about except getting better. In just a few more days, we can leave and go to our new home.”