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Pivoting sharply, I hurry the opposite way down the hall to the large master suite The double doors are closed but never locked I stride into the roo as if I own the place The best way to promote efficiency in undercover work is to move with utter confidence I close the door behindit cracked just an inch so I can keep an ear on the situation outside the room

I’ been in hereat his request But I do know he has built-ins that house a large, flat-screen TV I move quickly to the unit, dise of the TV and the edges of the custom-built cabinetry The TV is h to give me a clear view

I can’t quite see the ports, so I have to quickly wedge es of the television I , realize I’ a deep breath, I start another search,as far back as I can without being hindered by the cabinet edges

Finally, I stuht spot It takes more careful examination to determine the difference between the HDMI slots and those for the USB cables Two of the five slots are already housing cables, and I locate what I think is the correct port I pull Bebe’s device out of -in portion, and maneuver it into the slot

I breathe out a sigh of relief, push the TV back into place, then immediately break out into a cold shen I hear Anatoly’s office door open

His booh the crack of his bedroom door “Those motherfuckers think they can be late with my product and not suffer the consequences?”

No clue who he’s talking to, but it’s clearly someone on his cell phone He doesn’t talk business with his muscle

My entire body freezes and I hold ets closer to the bedroo in here And hell, all he has to do is glance this way to see the door is opened just a crack If he does, he ht come this way to check it out

“You tell Kolisnyk he has until close of business today to coers through a straw for a long ti,” Anatoly pro a visit with Kolisnyk later this evening if he doesn’t comply, and Karl’s knuckles will be busted up nicely fro had to carry out those orders for Bogachev before

I hear nothing My ears strain to pick up the sound of footsteps if they start co this way, but it’s just silence

And then finally, froachev continues talking into the phone My body relaxes when he says, “Yeah… eating an early lunch, then heading out for an appointment Call me later”

An outflow of air gushes fros Iin his room, and put my ear up to the crack I hear muffled voices now, so I assume everyone is in the kitchen

Carefully, I open the bedrooh, and I slowly pull it closed behindsound of the latch When I release it, I let out another breath of relief

Walking calachev’s office I don’t spare it a glance, knowing the door will be locked He never leaves it accessible to anyone but himself

Hitting the living room, I cut my eyes across to the entryway to the kitchen I can only see a portion of the island and fridge, but the clink of dishes and silverware says Bogachev is being served Heading toward the door, I take two steps before a heavily accented voice stops me in my tracks

“What are you still doing here?” Karl asks

Glancing overout of the kitchen My expression remains bland as I jerk my thumb over my shoulder “Had to use the john”

He frowns, but he can’t really dispute it The bathrooachev’s office The Russian just nods, because I can tell he doesn’t have the smarts to question me past that