“They’re fine. Heroes even. Ask anyone.”
“Thank God.” Nicole felt relief spread through her. They’re okay. Her cowboys were safe.
“They were inside when the floor collapsed but their firefighting expertise ended up saving their lives and others. They were able to escape out the back.”
That’s why I didn’t see them.
“Doc is in bad shape but Eric and Scott are with him. I think he will pull through. The Russian guy is dead. Smoke inhalation got him.” Phoebe closed her eyes and sighed. “Charlie didn’t make it, though. He was unresponsive when they found him.” Then she choked out, “Charlie died as they were carrying him out.”
Nicole’s own eyes brimmed with tears. The only time she’d been around the deputy was on her first day in Destiny. Nicole wished she could’ve known him better. Charlie seemed like a very nice man and a good cop.
“Not Charlie.” Ethel shook her head and her lips quivered. “He was only a few days away from seeing his kids again.”
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Ethel put her arm around Gretchen, who was weeping, too. Amber, Belle, and Phoebe were also expressing sadness and holding on to each other in an attempt to soften the blow.
Nicole had never seen a place like Destiny, where people felt for each other so deeply and honestly. Being a neighbor here meant something. This lovely respite from her life had been wonderful, but it was only a dream. Reality waited for her return to her desk. She would hate to leave it, having already fallen for two of its sons, but she must. Her case had blown up and brought tragedy to Destiny. Better to keep the Russian mob in Chicago than out here. With Reed and Sawyer safely out of harm’s way, it was past time for her to go back to where she belonged.
“Flowers, you look like person who just ate bad Solyanka,” Alexei said to her, pulling her back from the women who were trying to console each other over the loss of one of their own.
“What?”
“Solyanka. Sour soup. You have tried? No? Probably for best.” Alexei’s odd speech didn’t put her off. In fact it held an endearing quality. “I see much on face of yours. Mitrofanov man death troubles you, yes?”
She nodded. “I might’ve gotten something I could’ve used to clear my friend back in Chicago.” Henry? God, where could he be? “Now, I’m back at square one.”
Alexei frowned. “Square one?”
“I have to start over on my case.”
“Ah. Square one. Yes. I understand. I have information to help with case of yours, Nicole. Square two.”
“What do you know?” Nicole hoped it was something useful, something that would lead her to Henry’s whereabouts.
“I tell CIA agent already. He does not tell you?” Alexei pointed to Dylan.
“Former,” Dylan corrected. “We should wait for a better time when the sheriff is here, Markov. And we definitely shouldn’t discuss this in the open.”
Alexei snorted. “Why?” He looked around the area. “No Russians here, CIA. Only citizens of US.” Alexei pointed to his own chest. “American. Safe to talk.”
“Tell me what you know, right now,” Nicole demanded.
“The lady wants to know, CIA. Her I tell now. Mitrofanov send only one direct report to here for you. Niklaus is be keeping someone in his pants at your station back in Chicago.”
“What?” she asked, shaking her head. “Why would he have someone in his…pocket. You meant pocket. For a minute I thought I had a much bigger problem. Yes. I already know about that.”
“Word on streets is Niklaus’s insider be very nervous. I hate to say this. It is hard thing. Do you think about fact that this man in pocket is Henry? I know he is being your friend, but I have many suspicions.”
Henry? She couldn’t believe he would be involved with the Russians. It just didn’t fit his personality. “It’s not Henry.”
Alexei shrugged. “I would be placing bet that insider is worried you have evidence to make charges that stick to him and Niklaus.”
“I don’t.”
“Yes, but this is not what Mitrofanov’s man thinks. He thinks you are singing like the pigeons. You know what happens to many singing pigeons in prisons.” Alexei took his thumb and traced it across his throat. “They make the pigeons dead. Are you understanding, Nicole?”
“Yes, I get you. Sort of.” If Henry was the insider, God forbid, Nicole had to find him before Niklaus did. She owed him and the memory of her grandfather at least that. “All the more reason to get back to Chicago.”
“Maybe,” Alexei said. “Or maybe we should be setting trap for insider here.”