Sins of the Father (28 page)

Because I think you raped my mother.

“I could be your father.”

“You could be. Were you in Liverpool at the Adelphi Hotel in June of 1977?”

“I don’t know. I might have been. That was a long time ago. I’m sure I have far more children than I had with my wife. We could do a DNA test. I’d be proud to acknowledge you.”

“There’ll be no DNA test. If a rapist like you is my father, I’d rather not know.”

“Does your mother say she was raped?” Romodanovsky asked.

Though he was loath to betray his mother’s privacy, he was angry enough to say, “Yes.”

The Russian looked him up and down, and Kael detected a slight softening in the man’s eyes, a genuine desire to find some common ground and explore it. “What does it matter how you came into the world? A man like you must have come from good stock. All that matters is that you are here. Now call the boy and come inside. Let’s talk.”

“I’m leaving. Don’t try to stop me or someone will die.”

“Stay just for tonight. I’ll fly you home on my private plane tomorrow if you want.”

“No, you won’t. I want nothing from you.” Kael looked at Angel, who stood beside the car, staring intently into the dense oak forest. Following the line of the boy’s gaze, he saw nothing.

“Daddy!” At a run, Angel crossed the thirty feet of snow-covered lawn between them. “There’s a threat in the forest.”

“Impossible,” Romodanovsky said. “I have hundreds of security patrolling every inch of my land. You are probably looking at my plainclothesmen.”

“Shut up,” Kael said to Romodanovsky. “Where?” Angel pointed into the dense, bare-branched trees several hundred yards away. “I don’t see anything. Give me the coordinates.”

Angel told him the exact location and still Kael could see nothing. “Tell your men to check the forest,” Kael told the Russian. “The threat is twenty-five hundred feet away.”

“The boy is mistaken. He can’t possibly see that far and not through dense forest.”

“Die then! I don’t give a shit.” He grabbed Angel’s hand. “Let’s get in the car and get out of here.”

“There’s two of them. They’re getting closer. They’ve got high-powered rifles. Another minute and they’ll be able to take a shot. ” The tone of Angel’s voice made Kael realize how seriously his boy perceived the threat. “Daddy, get me a rifle. I’ll take them out.”

Kael looked about and spotted a uniformed guard holding a Steyr LG 110. “Tell him to get over here,” Kael said.

For a split second, the Russian looked at him and then beckoned the guard. “Give the boy your gun.” The man met Romodanovsky’s gaze hesitantly before obeying.

Angel grabbed the rifle and looked through the scope. “Get him down! The dude’s getting ready to take a shot!”

Kael dragged Romodanovsky to the ground just as a bullet flew past, clipping the man’s shoulder. Angel stood focusing on his target. Kael’s stomach flipped when he realized how vulnerable his boy was to getting killed. Angel scoped his target and, a split second later, fired twice. “Got them! I got them both, Daddy.”

A small army of men took off toward the trees. Kael pulled Romodanovsky to his feet and grabbed Angel by the arm, running with both of them toward the house. Inside the beautiful entrance, he went to the window to watch. The threat had been eliminated. Angel looked up at him with a grin on his face. “I guess I did something good.”

“You are a boy genius.” Kael laughed and hugged him. He glanced at Romodanovsky. “Not that I care if you live or die, but my boy just did some brilliant work.”

“He did. Please come to the fire.”

Romodanovsky walked into the extensive, beautifully furnished living room with a roaring fire in the hearth. A servant, who appeared as if from nowhere, poured three glasses of vodka. Kael drank his one mouthful, but Angel looked dubiously at his glass. “Would you like something different, Angel?” the Russian asked.

“Can I have hot chocolate, please, sir?”

With an indulgent laugh, Romodanovsky said, “Of course. You can have anything you want. You just saved my life.” He spoke in Russian to the servant, who hurried away. “How did you see those men without a scope or binoculars?”

“I’ve got extremely long vision. Unusually long,” Angel said. He looked up at Kael. “Right, Daddy?”

“You’re exceptional in every way,” Kael told him. He didn’t even try to hide the love in his voice and his expression. Why should he? He was so proud of Angel.

“I will employ you too,” Romodanovsky said. “You could have a brilliant career in my service.”

Even if Romodanovsky wasn’t the man who had raped his mum thirty-three years ago, he had raped other women, and despite the things Kael had done without a second thought, he could not bear that. But he found himself fascinated by the man.

“Please sit down.” When Kael hesitated at the invitation, Romodanovsky said, “At least until the threat has been investigated.”

Without removing his coat, Kael threw his hat on the beautiful, traditional brown leather chesterfield and sat down. Angel cuddled in beside him while Romodanovsky sat opposite. When his hot chocolate arrived, Angel took off his coat and sat sipping it. He smiled every time Kael looked at him. “How come you lied to get me here, Mr. Romodanovsky?” Angel asked.

“Because I knew you would save my life.” The man spoke as if to a child.

“You knew Daddy would come if you got me here. Don’t think I’m not angry about it, because I am. You used me. You made me look stupid.”

As if Kael were not there, Romodanovsky said, “I wanted Mr. Kael Saunders to see what I can offer him. Tell him you would like to work for me. You will be very well paid.”

Angel looked at Kael, who said nothing. “Daddy makes the decisions for us.”

Stretching his long legs in front of him, Romodanovsky chuckled. “Daddy. How sweet.”

They all looked at the door when a uniformed man walked in. He spoke in Russian to Romodanovsky. “Sir, there were two men. They both had gang tattoos. They were probably fairly well trained but low intelligence, low-ranking members of an organized crime gang. The rifles were expensive. Part of a shipment that was stolen at the border three months ago.” The man looked at Angel. “I don’t know how he managed to see that far without binoculars or how he managed to shoot with such accuracy at such a distance through trees, unless he has military training.”

“The only training I have, I got from Daddy,” Angel said in halting Russian with a heavy accent.

“You speak Russian. Why didn’t you tell me?” Romodanovsky looked at Angel, his smile showing he was impressed with the boy. He waved away the man, who quickly left the room.

“I understood most of what he said.”

“And where did you learn?” Romodanovsky’s smile broadened. “Don’t tell me. Daddy taught you.”

“Yes,” Angel said simply. “Everything I know that’s of any use, Daddy taught me.”

“You saved my life, not only by spotting the threat but by eliminating it. I will write you a check for your service.” He rose and crossed the room to the sideboard.

Even though Angel’s face lit up, Kael said, “Don’t bother. Consider it a favor. We don’t work for you, and we never will. And we’ll be leaving in a moment. I expect to be driven back to Moscow and not to see you again.”

With a checkbook in his hands, Romodanovsky asked, “Will you leave Russia immediately?”

“No. I might as well use the opportunity to show Angel the important sites in Moscow. We’ll stay a couple of days. It will be very educational.

“What a good daddy you are,” Romodanovsky said. “I can have the minister of tourism take you around.”

“No,” Kael said firmly. “I know my way around Moscow. I’ve been here before.” He stood up. “We’re leaving. Angel, get your coat on.”

Romodanovsky walked them outside to the car. This time Kael got in the back with Angel, grateful to have his boy safe in his arms again. “Take us straight to the Hilton Hotel in Moscow,” he told the driver. He neither looked at Romodanovsky nor said good-bye.

* * * *

“A double room,” Kael said in Russian to the desk clerk at the Hilton Leningradskaya. He tossed his American Express card on the counter.

“Mr. Saunders, the King Presidential Suite has been booked for you and paid in advance by Mr. Romodanovsky.” The man leaned forward and spoke quietly when he said
Romodanovsky
.

Looking at Angel, Kael said through his teeth, “That wanker just won’t quit, will he?”

“Daddy, let’s take it. If he wants to pay, let him. I’m tired. I want to eat, and I want to lie down. I’ve hardly slept since I left London.”

Only now, in the harsh light of the bronze chandeliers in the beautiful ornate lobby, did Kael see that Angel’s face was pale and drawn. The boy had drifted off to sleep in the car about halfway to Moscow. Now he looked ready to cry with exhaustion.

“Give me the key,” Kael said to the desk clerk.

The man handed him the door card. “Do you have luggage, sir?”

“No,” he said walking toward the lift. “Is there a gym?” he called over his shoulder. He needed to work out for a couple of hours to stop himself from killing someone.

“Yes, sir. There is a booklet in your suite with all the amenities listed.”

The three-room suite consisted of a large bedroom, a sitting room, and a luxurious bathroom. Angel headed straight for the bedroom and stripped off his clothes, then went to the bathroom. By the time he emerged from the shower, he was pink and pretty, wearing a white bathrobe that was far too big for him. He climbed into the middle of the big bed and sat cross-legged, rubbing his hair with a towel. Kael always loved to watch Angel towel his hair. Dark from the water, it grew blonder and blonder as it dried.

“Daddy, my school uniform is dirty. I’ve been wearing it for the last three days. It’s all I’ve got to wear.”

Kael picked up the phone and asked for someone to be sent up to pick up dry cleaning. Then he went over and sat on the bed. At once Angel crawled into his arms, releasing a long sigh.

“What’s up, sweetheart? Tell Daddy.” Kael kissed Angel’s smooth, warm cheek and neck.

“I feel like such a fool,” Angel said quietly. “I thought it was a real job. I thought I was going to get paid and then you would think I was pulling my weight and contributing something to our family.”

Family
. They were a family. Kael had never thought of them that way before. “Sweetheart, you contribute lots. You cook and clean. You’re the best little houseboy in the world.”

“I wanted you to be proud of me for something other than schoolwork.”

Cuddling him close, Kael said, “I’m proud of lots of things. Your good manners, your intelligence, your kindness. Lots of things.”

Angel sat up straight, looking into Kael’s eyes. “Intelligence? I got on a plane to Russia because someone called and told me to. How smart is that?”

Kael kissed him tenderly on the lips. “How many times have I said don’t go beyond your knowledge?”

“I thought it was Mr. Conran, but it wasn’t, was it?”

“Conran would never send you on a job. You’re not trained, despite knowing more than you should. If you were properly trained, you would know that a handler would never call you on an unsecured line and give you a job to do.”

“The dude sounded exactly like Mr. Conran.”

“You can sound like Conran, remember.”

A knock on the door made Kael release him. He gathered Angel’s clothes and took them to the door. “Get these dry-cleaned as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, sir,” the manservant said.

“And I want some clothes to work out in. Can you get me something?”

“Yes, sir. What is your shoe size, sir?”

“UK size ten,” Kael said. “And we want dinner. Angel, what do you want?” he called. The boy joined him at the door.

“I want a cheeseburger and fries with a Coke.”

While Kael would have preferred he ate something healthier, he decided to let him have anything he wanted. “And I’ll have smoked salmon and a Waldorf salad.”

In the bathroom, Kael stripped and then showered. When he returned to the bedroom wearing a bathrobe, Angel was in bed, naked, leaning against a pile of pillows as he drifted off looking like a Sleeping Beauty. “Wake up,” Kael said gently.

“I’m not asleep, Daddy. But I’m so tired. I was working all the time I’ve been here, acting as one of Mr. Romodanovsky’s security team.”

Kael sat on the bed beside him. “It was good experience.”

“All he wanted to talk about was you. You should see his private plane, Daddy. It was like a luxury hotel room with beds and a bar. I wanted to lie down and sleep, but I swear that man never sleeps. He was wide awake, and all he wanted was information about you. What you’re like to live with and what books you read. Any information about you. He’s obsessed with you.”

He believes I’m his son
. “What did you tell him?”

“I told him you’re brilliant. He already knows you got a first at Cambridge. I told him all the languages you speak, and that you take care of me and teach me stuff. That’s all. Nothing private. I was really careful.”

Room service brought their meal and the clothes for Kael to work out in, but Angel ate no more than half his burger and a few chips.

“Come on. Let’s brush our teeth.” Kael hauled him off to the bathroom and put toothpaste on a new hotel toothbrush. When Angel made a feeble attempt at brushing, Kael took the brush from him. “Open wide.” With Angel’s chin resting on his fingertips, he brushed his boy’s straight white teeth with great care. “There, now rinse.” Angel rinsed while Kael wrapped a length of floss around his fingers. “Open up again.” Angel obeyed, head tilted back, eyes nearly closed with exhaustion while Kael flossed his teeth. “There you go, sweetheart. Rinse again.” Angel rinsed and then sat on the toilet seat to pee, a sure sign he was tired. When he was finished, Kael said, “Bed.” He patted him on the arse to encourage him.

In the lavish bedroom, Angel climbed into the king-size bed and stretched out, looking up at Kael. “I want my Daddy,” he said, making Kael chuckle. He lay beside his boy, cuddling him close, and found himself humming “Rock-a-bye Baby.” When Angel was fast asleep, he put on the workout clothes and headed down to the gym.