16: Here for something

KATHY

It had been two weeks already.

Two weeks of waking up in Viktor Svyatoslav's mansion.

Two weeks of teaching Anya English.

Two weeks of pretending I wasn't there to destroy the man who owned the place.

And somehow...

I still hadn't found anything concrete.

I adjusted the strap of my bag as I stepped into Commissioner Harris's office.

He looked up from the stack of files on his desk when I entered.

"Detective Bishop."

"Sir." I answered, shutting the door behind me before placing a brown envelope on his desk.

"I've brought everything I could gather."

Commissioner Harris immediately opened the envelope. One by one, he spread the contents across his desk.

Photographs of the mansion, the locations of the mini cameras and audio recordings I'd secretly taken over the past two weeks.

Shift schedules, guard rotations, estimated guard count during the day and at night.

Vehicle registrations entering and leaving the estate.

His lips slowly curved into a satisfied smile.

"Excellent work."

I folded my arms.

"It's still not enough."

"It's more than enough for two weeks."

He tapped one of the photographs.

"At this rate..."

He looked up at me.

"...we'll finally be able to catch him."

My stomach twisted.

It was strange.

Hearing Viktor's name spoken like that suddenly didn't feel right anymore.

I quickly pushed the thought aside.

This was exactly why I had gone undercover.

To catch a criminal.

A criminal who might have been involved in my parents death.

He is nothing more than that.

"I'll keep digging," I said.

"I know you will."

Harris leaned back in his chair.

"Just remember, Katherine."

"Don't get comfortable."

"I won't."

His expression softened slightly.

"You're one of my best detectives."

"I trust your judgment."

The words should have made me proud.

Instead... I thought of Anya.

What would happen to her if she eventually looses everything.

I stepped out of his office and nearly bumped into Officer Reeves.

"Katherine."

"Reeves."

He smiled.

"Haven't seen you around lately."

"I've been... busy."

"So I've heard."

He glanced around the hallway before lowering his voice.

"Still working the Russian case?"

I hesitated.

"I can't really discuss that."

"I figured."

He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I'm looking into some of their financial records myself."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

He nodded slowly.

"The more I investigate..." He frowned, "...the less this whole thing makes sense."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know."

He shook his head.

"Something feels off."

"How?"

"I've been expecting to find evidence of dirty money everywhere."

"And?"

"I haven't."

I stared at him.

He continued.

"I'm not saying they're innocent."

"But..."

He sighed.

"It feels like someone's steering us toward them."

Before I could ask another question, someone called his name from down the corridor.

"I've got to go."

He pointed at me.

"Just..." He hesitated. "Keep your eyes open."

Then he disappeared around the corner.

I walked down the building thinking about what he had said about something feeling off and someone steering us in the direction of the Mafia.

I walked past what used to be my desk just two weeks ago and I missed it. I missed my job.

Some of my co workers stopped to greet me, while others talked about how they missed having my company in the office.

I wanted to go see Nana and still be back in time to get to the mansion before Viktor gets back.

I didn't want him yelling or cursing at me in Russian.

By the time I reached Nana's house, the afternoon sun had tanned me enough for me to look like a roasted chicken.

I barely had time to knock before the front door flew open.

"Kathy!"

Nana wrapped her arms around me before I could even say hello.

I laughed.

"Easy, Nana."

"I'm old, not fragile."

"You literally had a heart attack."

"A minor inconvenience. That was two weeks ago"

I smiled wholeheartedly.

"I've missed you."

"I've missed you more."

She pulled me inside.

The house smelled like stew.

Home.

Real home.

Not marble floors and million-dollar chandeliers.

Just...

Home.

We spent the next hour talking about everything and nothing.

She complained about the maid I'd hired.

Apparently the woman folded towels "the wrong way."

I tried not to laugh.

Gabriella had stopped by earlier that morning, bringing groceries and refusing to leave until Nana promised to eat properly.

I silently thanked her.

"So..."

Nana said suddenly.

"How's the new job?"

"It's good."

"You like it?"

"I..." I paused. " It's different."

"I can hear it in your voice." She smiled.

"Hear what?"

"You're happier."

I laughed nervously.

"I don't know about that."

She reached over and squeezed my hand.

"Just don't forget yourself."

"I won't."

"I mean it."

"So do I."

A small knot formed in my chest as I hugged her goodbye.

I went into my car, buckling my seatbelt before driving off.

Night had already fallen by the time I returned to Viktor's mansion.

The estate was unusually quiet.

Most of the lights downstairs had been dimmed.

I quietly slipped through the front entrance.

As I climbed the staircase I heard voices.

It was Viktor and Natalia and they were speaking in English, not Russian this time.

I wanted to move on to my room, then I heard my name.

I froze.

"I don't trust her," Natalia said coldly. " You never should've allowed her into this house."

"She's here to teach Anya."

"She's here for something. And it's not to teach English." Natalia's tone sharpened. "I can feel it."

I moved a little closer to the study room. The door was slightly opened. My heartbeat quickened.

"You trust people too easily."

"I trust no one." His answered calmly.

Natalia laughed softly.

"Then why her?"

There was another silence.

Long enough to make me wonder if he'd answer at all.

Instead...

I heard footsteps.

Curiosity got the better of me.

I leaned just enough to see through the partially open doorway.

Natalia stood directly in front of him.

Elegant and beautiful as usual.

Dangerously close to Viktor.

She lifted a hand and rested it against Viktor's chest.

He didn't move.

Didn't step back.

Didn't stop her.

Then...

She leaned forward.

And kissed him.

My chest tightened so suddenly it almost hurt.

He didn't resist.

For one unbearable second...

He simply stood there.

Bile rose up my throat.

I looked away before I could see anything else.

What the fuck.

A bitter laugh escaped me.

Of course.

Why wouldn't he?

He was a mafia boss.

She was his dead brother's widow.

Maybe this had been going on for years.

Maybe everyone knew except me.

I turned and hurried toward my room before they could catch me listening.

Once I was inside my room, I shut the door a little harder than necessary.

I pressed my back against the door.

My breathing uneven.

"Why do I even care?" I whispered to myself.

One thing became painfully clear.

Seeing Natalia kiss Viktor had bothered me far more than it should have.

And that scared me more than anything I'd discovered in the last two weeks.

Fuck.