The Romanov Ransom (Fargo Adventures 9) - Page 72

“She tells me that she has a location on the Fargos.”

This caught his attention, and he looked up. “I’m curious as to how she managed that. We had every road leading out of that forest blockaded.”

“And yet still they somehow slipped past you. At least she has a solid lead.”

Leopold’s jaw clenched. The man hadn’t liked Tatiana to begin with, and Rolfe suspected he was liking her less and less. He tossed the oilcloth onto the table, then began to reassemble his weapon. “Where are they, then?”

“That’s what I’m asking now.” Rolfe sent the text, then waited for a response. It took a long time coming, but when it did, he smiled. “She saw them walking into a hotel in Wroclaw.”

“Ask how she found them.”

“You don’t trust her?”

“Why should I?”

Rolfe texted her. A moment later, he received the response. “Apparently, the Fargos have been in touch with that old man in Kaliningrad. She has someone monitoring his cell phone.”

“Convenient.”

“Or smart,” Rolfe replied. But Leopold had planted the seed of suspicion, and Rolfe couldn’t let it go. He decided to call her. “Tatiana,” he said when she answered. “Where is this hotel?”

“I’m checking into it now. Easier to break in when I’m a guest.”

“Is that wise?”

“They’ve never seen me,” she said. “How can it hurt?”

“I’ll meet you there. Where is it?”

“Seriously?” She gave a cynical laugh. “You must take me for a fool to give out that information. All so your trigger-happy Wolfmen can come through here, shoot up the place, and bring in the authorities? We aren’t in the middle of the woods. We’re in the center of town. This calls for subtlety.”

“My men had no problem breaking into their last hotel.”

“And how did that work out for you?” she asked.

The dig infuriated him. “Do you honestly believe I’m going to let you walk off with what they found?”

“Unlike you, I keep my word. If they found these items in the tunnel, I’ll bring them to you. What I need is a way out of here when I do get them. I can’t exactly use a rental car, which can be traced back to me, or a taxi, with a driver who can act as a witness.”

“What is it you’re planning?”

“I expect they have to eat at some point. If—when—they do, we’ll go in. I’ll give you the location then.”

“And what if they decide on room service?”

“I doubt it. The restaurant in this hotel is less than adequate. Should that be the case, however, I’ll let you know, and you can do it your way. As long as I’m not around when it happens.”

“I’ll wait for your call.”

He disconnected, then told Leopold what she’d said.

“The Russian’s playing you,” Leopold told him. “She’ll get what she wants and leave.”

“Which will do her no good,” Rolfe said. “She doesn’t have access to the first tin. What good will the second do her?”

“And what if she withholds it from you in order to negotiate a better deal?”

He didn’t like the feeling of paranoia that Leopold was feeding him, but he wasn’t about to admit that the very thought had also occurred to him. “Let’s see if she delivers before we make that judgment.”

Tags: Clive Cussler Fargo Adventures Thriller
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