The Truant Officer (33 page)

“This is Alexei Sarvydas.”

“The son of your manager, Viktor Sarvydas,” Jessi subtly moved the microphone in front of Alexei. “How does it feel to be a free man, Alexei?”

“It’s a great feeling. And I have come tonight to personally thank those who are responsible making tonight necessary.”

That was the last question she could get in before Zubov pushed them inside. Jessi returned her attention to the red carpet, and witnessed a tuxedo clad Darren McLaughlin running toward the entrance like he was trying to catch a bus.

She tried to stop him, hoping for a follow-up interview from yesterday morning, but he rudely pushed past her. She followed him, her cameraman right behind, tape rolling.

She reached out and grabbed Darren’s arm, pulling him back.

He looked like a different person—gone were the puppy dog eyes of the grieving husband. His personality had transformed. He reached into the cummerbund of his tuxedo and whipped out a gun. “I’ve got a job to do, and if you get in my way, I’m going to shoot you on national TV.”

He turned and marched into Sarvy’s.

Jessi followed him. The story just kept getting better.

Chapter 79

For the third time today, Darren entered Sarvy’s. But for the first time he was on offense.

The place had been transformed into a space-age dance club. The heavy bass of Natalie Gold music pounded the walls, creating the illusion that the structure was shaking. Or maybe it truly was shaking—Darren wasn’t sure. He wasn’t sure of anything anymore.

Natalie stood with Alexei and Zubov at her side, mingling with celebrities in the middle of the room, her gold dress practically glowing. Bodyguards surrounded her like they were protecting the president.

Right on cue, Nick Zellen moved toward the trio. Darren gripped his gun tightly. There was part of him that wanted to shoot Nick, but that wasn’t his instructions—plans had changed since Dava Lazinski put that bullet through Parmalov’s forehead. He was to kill only Alexei.

But his mission veered sharply off course...again. Nick and Natalie’s eyes met and it was like their world had stopped. It was a strange scene—it was as if they knew each other—and Darren couldn’t take his eyes off them, captured by their intense connection.

He was close enough now to overhear Nick address her. “Audrey?”

“Nick,” Natalie belted over the pounding music. She ran to him as a mishmash of celebrities and bodyguards cleared out of her path. They flew into each other’s arms and embraced like they would never let go. This was not part of the plan.

Darren moved closer. Her guards were too mesmerized by the couple to stop him.

“I told you to go away, Audrey,” Nick said.

“I did this for you,” she passionately shot back.

“I never told you to do anything for me. I told you to stay out of it—it’s too dangerous. I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“But Nick…”

“And to go to
him
—you have no idea what you’ve got yourself into. There is no way out of this for you now.”

“I don’t want out. I want to be where you are.”

The conversation baffled Darren. But his attention was diverted by his target—Alexei Sarvydas. Perhaps not thrilled that Nick was spending time with his date, Alexei brandished a gun.

“So we meet again,” Alexei announced with a menacing smile, his gun locked on Nick’s temple. Part of Darren wanted to let him go through with it.

“Haven’t you killed enough of my family, Alexei?”

“Because of you, I spent a year in prison. But the funny thing is, I was sent there for a murder I didn’t commit.”

“You killed my mother, you son of a bitch!” Nick shouted over the music. His face was filled with rage. But Alexei had something he didn’t have—a gun.

“Now you and your mommy are going to get to spend a lot of time together.”

Natalie screamed, but it was drowned out by her own music. Security backed off.

It was time for Darren to move in. “Drop the gun, Alexei,” he yelled as loud as he could.

Alexei looked more confused than anything. As expected, Zubov offered Alexei no help. When Alexei saw that his new adversary was Darren, his smug look returned. “Nick is the one you should be aiming at—he’s the one who’s been banging your wife.”

“I said put the gun down,” Darren remained firm.

Alexei bellowed a laugh. “Why would I put the gun down if you are going to shoot me?”

“Because if you don’t, then I will,” rang out a familiar voice.

Darren turned to see Becks. She had changed clothing, and her left shoulder was bandaged, but he was relieved to see that she was alive and kicking. She demonstrated that her shooting arm was completely healthy, as she held her Glock on Alexei.

“You too, Darren. Drop the gun—now!”

Dropping the gun meant Lilly would die. “Get out of here, Becks. I need to take care of this.”

“I can’t let you do that, Darren. If you don’t drop your weapon, I’m going to have to shoot you. I know I haven’t been straight with you the last couple days, but I’m dead serious right now.”

Darren raised his gun in defiance.

“I know why you’re doing this, Darren,” Becks pleaded. “Dava threatened Lilly’s life if you didn’t kill Alexei for them. And my guess is that Nick was used to lure Alexei, or else they’ll harm his sister. Isn’t that right, Nick?”

He didn’t get a chance to answer.

“If you don’t shut up, bitch, I’m going to make your death slow and torturous. First, I’m going to shoot your friends. And then I’m going to shoot you,” Alexei stated confidently.

“This place is surrounded by FBI—that’s a suicide mission, Alexei,” Becks shouted.

“Then I guess we’re all going to hell together,” Alexei said and took aim directly at Darren.

Before Darren could even compute what was happening, a gunshot echoed throughout the club and he hit the ground with a painful thud. But he hadn’t been shot. Becks had tackled him. And she returned fire at Alexei. A direct hit right through the heart.

People scattered. Celebrities, bodyguards, and Russian mobsters all stampeded. The music was drowned out by screams.

Becks pushed Darren away. “Get out of here now!”

“Not without you,” he replied.

She shook her head in annoyance. “I don’t like this new spine thing. Now get attah here!”

Darren knew how to take orders—it’s what he was best at. He scrambled to his feet. The feds and Russian thugs began shooting at each other like they were reenacting the Cold War. The gunshots were so loud that Darren thought his ears would pop.

Darren ran like he hadn’t done since he was known as Run DMC. He had one purpose—to get to Lilly and make sure she was safe.

Chapter 80

Darren knew the object being thrust into the small of his back was a gun. He turned slowly to see Zubov, sitting in his wheelchair with a smile on his face.

“You failed in your mission,” he said coldly.

“Alexei is dead, that’s what I was sent to do.”

“Technically yes, but I don’t remember anyone giving you permission to outsource the dirty work.”

“I would’ve killed him.”

A chuckling Zubov removed the gun. “Tell it to the judge.”

The Hummer limo skidded to a stop just feet from them, adding to the curbside bedlam. A door flung open and Darren was shoved into the back. Zubov was helped in, leaving his wheelchair behind.

Darren was seated next to Lilly, who was shaking. He wanted to reach out to her, until he noticed Nick on her other side. He
had
reached out to her, their hands were touching. It was like salt was running through an IV into his wounds.

Dava was seated across from them, along with Nick and his sister, and a visibly shaken Natalie Gold.

“Zubov tells me the mission was completed, even if it fell far from a success,” Dava said, glaring right through Darren.

“I did my part, now let Sasha go free like you promised,” Nick implored.

Sasha didn’t agree. “I’m not going anywhere without my brother.”

But Zubov had the final word. He grabbed her, opened the door and threw her out onto the sidewalk.

Zubov limped to the front of the limo. Without warning, he put two shots through the driver’s head. The gunfire sent shock waves of fear through the captives, and Lilly’s scream sliced through the limo.

In an apparent justification of his actions, Zubov declared that the driver was not innocent, as he had been working for Parmalov.

Zubov took over the driving duties—not acknowledging any pain from his kneecaps—directing the limo away from the chaos outside of Sarvy’s.

Darren remained seated beside Lilly, with Nick on her other side. Lilly was once again in the middle.

Dava addressed Lilly, “You are a very lucky woman to have these two men fighting over you.”

Lilly said nothing, but Darren couldn’t help noticing her subtle movement toward Nick. It was almost instinctive. She thought of him as the one who would protect her.

Nick didn’t seem to pick up on her body language—he was too busy staring at Natalie Gold. The woman he had embraced like a long-lost lover in Sarvy’s and referred to as Audrey. Darren still didn’t know what to make of that.

“I think you chose the wrong man,” Dava continued. “Your husband was the one who risked his life for you, willing to take another man’s life to save your pathetic one.”

Lilly hung her head. “Please let Darren go—he’s innocent. I’m the one who deserves to die.”

The look in her eyes told Darren another story. She would never put her life on the line for him, the way he did for her. And he couldn’t get the woman who did risk her life for him out of his thoughts. He feared the worst for Becks and regretted leaving her in that crossfire.

“It’s not up to you if you die,” Dava shot back, “but you will soon go on trial, just as all of you will.”

“Trial?” Nick asked.

“You will be tried in the court of Viktor Sarvydas at his estate in Netanya. I will be the prosecutor in the case.”

“Netanya, as in Israel?” Darren asked. This thing got crazier by the moment.

“It’s certainly not out on Long Island,” Dava snapped back.

“Why did you kill Alexei?” Natalie Gold asked.

“I’m sorry about your date, Ms. Gold, and that your party didn’t come off as expected. But we were ordered to bring you home,” Dava informed.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Natalie pushed.

“All the answers you seek will come out at trial.”

Darren found his inner-Becks, and proclaimed, “I have no idea who came up with this insane plan, but there is no way you will be able to get to Israel. All the airports are already on high alert. Do you really think they are just going to let you board a plane with hostages and clear you for takeoff?”

“No, I expect you to walk us onto a plane. And I expect you to fly us to Israel.”

“That has a zero percent chance of working.”

“Oh really,” Dava responded to Darren. She took out a cell phone and made a call. “It’s Kelli. We’re headed for the airport...we’ll see you soon.” Pause. “Yes, Nick is with us. Along with the McLaughlins and Natalie Gold. Let me know when we’ve been cleared.”

Dava smiled confidently upon hanging up. “That was Viktor—he sends his best and looks forward to your arrival. He assured me we will be cleared for takeoff. It seems the US doesn’t want blood on its hands if Israel’s national treasure, Natalie Gold, was to be killed on US soil. And when you have friends in the highest places, these things have a way of working themselves out so that everyone gets what they want.”

All eyes went to Natalie. Except Nick’s—his had never left her. Dava picked up on this, as had Lilly.

“Seems your favorite student has a wandering eye,” Dava announced. She then turned to Darren.

“You are a better person than I am, Mr. McLaughlin.”

“Since you are a murderer, I don’t think that’s saying much.”

She ignored his retort. “After your wife so egregiously betrayed you, you risked your life for her, knowing that she wouldn’t even piss on you if you were on fire. Your response amazes me.”

“Marriage is for better or worse. Until death do us part,” Darren said.

“We’ll see what the judge has to say about that.”

Chapter 81

Becks stood fists on hips, refusing any medical treatment for her second bullet wound of the day, which tied her personal record. This one grazed her thigh, and besides the awful pain, it ruined a good pair of jeans. Just a typical night out in Brighton Beach.

At least three medical technicians and two federal agents informed her that she was “lucky” to only have a flesh wound. She just gritted her teeth and nodded. The sting in her leg was pulsating through her entire body, but she wouldn’t allow anyone to see her wince, especially the FBI agents. Or Eicher, who stood next to her outside of Sarvy’s under the April moonlight.

Before he could even start in with the predictable condescending lecture, she went on the offensive, “So do you believe me now?”

“What I
believe
is that you messed up this whole case from the beginning, Fitzpatrick. From your substandard protection of Nick in Arizona, to recklessly exacerbating the situation in the club.”

“He was going to shoot Darren.”

“I think the judge will see it that Darren was the aggressor, especially since he threatened to shoot that TV reporter on his way in. The Sarvydas lawyers will have a field day—they already have made the case that we were on a witch hunt after their client, and now five minutes after he gets out of prison he gets shot by a rogue federal marshal.”

“If it wasn’t for me, Alexei Sarvydas would be dead,” she paused for a moment, her face turning distressed. “Okay, he’s dead anyway—but if I didn’t determine that Darren would be the shooter, he would have shot him instead of me.” She thought for a moment. “Yeah, I guess that’s not in our favor either. If it makes you feel any better, I think they were planning to kill Lilly McLaughlin and Sasha Zellen if Alexei lived. So you could make the case that I saved lives.”