The Romanov Ransom

53

Why do you waste your time with such things?” Leopold asked.

Rolfe drained the last of his wine from his glass, then glanced out the window down to the terrace below, where his guests mingled beneath propane heaters. If not for the constant scrutiny he was under, he’d let them drink themselves to oblivion, never once stepping out there. “It’s important to keep up appearances,” he said.

Suffering through the occasional social event so that he could appear philanthropic had served him well over the years. It created an illusion of legitimacy. When those occasional investigations into his extracurricular activities veered a little too close, there was never a shortage of high-ranking people willing to vouch for him, never mind overlook the whispers of his involvement.

“Americans?” Leopold commented.

Rolfe followed the direction of his gaze. “The Ambassador to Germany and his wife.”

“Why?”

“U.S. connections are always good. I have special interests over there.”

“Legal?”

“Depends on one’s viewpoint.”

Leopold turned back to the guests on the terrace. “What does a party like this cost?”

“Enough,” he said. In truth, too much. What he wasn’t willing to share was that paying the Guard to help him with the hunt for the Romanov Ransom had taken far more capital than he’d ever anticipated. In fact, he had a new appreciation for how it was his father had burned through the family fortune.

“You should have canceled,” Leopold said.

“I don’t have that luxury. I’ve worked too hard networking for my contacts. Canceling the party would start the sort of gossip I can’t afford right now.”

“‘Gossip’?” A look of disgust swept over Leopold’s face. “I’d be more worried about a potential kidnapping charge than what anyone thinks about his invitation being pulled.”

Rolfe didn’t bother mentioning that the only one who could be identified by any witnesses at the scene was Leopold. Instead, he looked at his watch. “You have at least an hour’s drive. Get Tatiana out through the tunnel. The sooner you and your men get there, the better. We don’t want the Fargos to have the advantage.” He started out the door.

“One thing you haven’t discussed — how you’re going to keep Tatiana from talking once the exchange is made.”

He looked back at Leopold. “You don’t think we’re actually going to let her live, do you?”

“And you think Fargo will turn over the key without getting her in exchange?”

He had a point. The Fargos had proven themselves to be more than troublesome. “Get the key, then put a bullet in each of their heads. Just make sure that no one gets out alive.”

“Not a problem.”

Leopold followed him out the door when Gere suddenly appeared in the hallway, still trying to hide his limp.

“What are you doing out here?” Rolfe asked.

“I tried calling you, but it went straight to voice mail.”

“I have the ringer turned off on my phone. What’s wrong?”

“I just checked in with security. There’s an abandoned baby carriage outside the service gate.”

“And I care because…?”

“I checked the video surveillance. The man and woman pushing it definitely looked like the Fargos.”