Private Moscow (Private 15)

“Like I said, he didn’t like to talk about it,” she replied. “And he had his official records sealed by court order. I think he tried to erase as much of his childhood as he could. He just found it too painful.”

I thought about her answer. Karl’s behavior was compatible with the actions of a spy, or they could have been those of someone who wanted to forget a traumatic childhood.

“Anything else?” Victoria asked.

“Can you dig out any childhood pictures you have of Karl?” I asked. “Send them to Justine?”

“Sure,” Victoria replied. “And Jack …” She hesitated. “Thank you for everything you’re doing.”

“Don’t thank me,” I said. “I owe it to Karl to find out the truth.”

“What did she say?” Dinara asked from the back after I’d hung up.

“He lost his parents young and went into care. He took steps to get his childhood history sealed.”

“Either he suffered things as a child that he wanted to keep secret,” Leonid remarked, “or he’s a spy.”

“My thoughts exactly,” I said.

“I may have a way for us to find out what was going on at that base,” Leonid said. He was leaning back in the passenger seat, which he’d set to recline, and looking at him made me think of a lazy snake. Languid and patient, but lightning fast and deadly when the time came to strike.

“It will involve us doing a deal with the devil,” he revealed.

I shot him a skeptical look.

“Let’s go,” he told me. “I’ll explain on the way.”

I put the truck in gear and we headed into darkness.

CHAPTER 73

LEONID BOYKOV YAWNED and shifted in his seat. He’d told Dinara and Jack his plan during the drive back from Volkovo. He’d billed it as a deal with the devil, but that was melodramatic. In truth, he planned some mutual backscratching with a Moscow cop, and Jack had approved the idea.

They’d arrived back at the Residence shortly after midnight, and Leonid had resisted Feo’s invitation to join him and a few reprobates in a backgammon tournament. Instead, Leonid had gone straight to bed.

He’d risen at 5 a.m., feeling tired and dull, but a coffee and the short walk to his car that had filled his lungs with ice

-cold air shocked him awake. He’d driven through the quiet city to Zhitnaya Street and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. He’d parked nearby, and had gone inside. After introducing himself to the officer on duty, he’d taken a seat in the grand lobby and waited.

A call to an old colleague had revealed Anna Bolshova’s shift started at 6 a.m., and when she arrived ten minutes early, she looked tired and miserable. Her mood darkened further when she caught sight of Leonid. He intercepted her as she crossed the expansive lobby.

“Whatever it is,” she said, “I don’t have time.”

“I’ve got something for you,” Leonid replied.

“Really,” Anna said, feigning interest. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life.”

“You are,” Leonid responded.

Anna’s mood soured. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? They’re talking about sending me back to regular duty for destroying an SVR investigation.” She picked up her pace. They were almost at the security barriers.

“It’s a big one.”

Anna stopped in her tracks and turned toward Leonid. He felt waves of anger radiating off her.

“What have you got for me this time?” she asked. “Are you going to get me to raid the Kremlin? Or perhaps round up the government?”

“You’re going to like this,” Leonid said.