Deadly Crossing (Tom Dugan 2) Read Online Free PDF

your girlfriend’s parents is intimidating enough. When the girl’s father is also your employer, it would be more daunting still. That said, he’s got to do it sooner or later, so there’s no time like the present. I think I can give Mr. Havelock an assurance that I can keep your father on good behavior.”
    “Okay,” Cassie said, doubt in her voice. “I just hope Nigel’s not mad. I… I didn’t tell him I was going to tell you about us.”
    Gillian hugged Cassie again. “I’m sure it will be fine, dear. Now off you go. Are you having dinner with us tonight?”
    “If it’s all right, Ingrid and I were meeting some friends for pizza.”
    “That’s fine, but finish your schoolwork before you go, and let Mrs. Hogan know you won’t be here for dinner.”
    “Thanks, Mum.” Cassie returned Gillian’s hug and flashed her a bright smile before rushing off to the kitchen.
    Gillian watched her stepdaughter’s retreating back, momentarily overwhelmed. She’d cared for Cassie almost since birth but had only become ‘Mum’ in the few years since she’d been married to Alex. At times when Cassie called her that, Gillian was almost overcome with emotion. She hoped for his own sake that Nigel Havelock was as wonderful as Cassie believed, because if he hurt the girl, Alex Kairouz would be the least of his worries.
    Gillian composed herself and moved to the phone.
    Kairouz Residence
London, UK
    Gillian arranged the meeting with a single phone call to the offices of Phoenix Shipping Ltd., where Alex Kairouz and Tom Dugan were equal partners and respectively the chairman of the board and the managing director. Dugan arranged to ride home from work with Alex and then called Anna at the MI5 offices in the nearby Thames House. She agreed to swing by their apartment and pick up the two Russians for a meeting at the Kairouzes’. They were assembled around the dining room table within an hour of Gillian’s call.
    “That generally tracks what I learned from the Clubs and Vice Unit boys at the Met,” Anna said, after Gillian had related what she’d learned from Gloria. “They mentioned this Club Pyatnitsa , though they didn’t identify it as the nerve center. Either they don’t know that or they were purposely a bit obtuse. They weren’t particularly keen about me poking my nose into their playpen.”
    “Well, if they don’t want us mucking about, did they present an alternative?” Alex asked. “Perhaps an offer to investigate themselves?”
    Anna shook her head. “No, and I’ve no leverage. Clubs and Vice are a very specialized unit within the Metropolitan Police, and they normally have very little contact with MI5. No one owes me any favors there.”
    “Okay, I guess I need to go to this Club Pyatnitsa and see what I can find out,” Dugan said.
    “ Nyet , Dyed ,” Borgdanov said. “I think it is better if Ilya and I go. As Gillian says, these are very dangerous people. I appreciate help with information, but Ilya and I should do this thing.”
    “Actually, Tom’s right,” Anna said. “No offense, but you two would stick out like sore thumbs. And it’s unlikely that you’ll just go in and spot Karina. A more likely scenario would be having to ask around discreetly.”
    “But most girls are Russian, and we speak Russian,” Borgdanov reasoned.
    “Which might do more harm than good,” Anna said. “You told me yourself that some former Spetsnaz accept employment with the Russian mob, right? You lot may as well have ‘military’ tattooed on your foreheads. Don’t you think it likely that if you show up and start asking questions, the girls will think you either work for their employer or a rival? Either way, they’ll be reluctant to talk or at best will tell you what they think you want to hear.”
    Both the Russians nodded. “ Da , I had not thought of this,” Borgdanov admitted.
    “Perhaps I should go,” Alex said.
    Dugan shook his head. “I think I’m a more convincing john, Alex.