Temptation

Part 15

Brendon slowly turned around to face the cane, pointed right at his forehead. Tatyana Khabrova smiled disdainfully at him, as if she wasn’t surprised, but disappointed.

“I knew there was something not right about you,” she said. “Such a pretty face could never be so innocent.”

He did not reply; he was fully aware she could kill him at any minute. All he could do was to use his brains to convince her not to. And the wisest thing to do was to keep calm and let her talk first, giving him time to think of what to say.

“So, everything, even the poker game, was just a scene,” Tatyana continued, still holding the gun firmly. “I should have known. I thought you were different, Joshua, if that is really your name. Now, I will give you two options. One is to tell me who hired you to spy on me and what were you looking for; the other is to keep your mouth shut and take your secret to the grave with you. Be warned that I will find out what your secret is either way.”

Brendon put both his hands up, in a redeeming act. “I am willing to talk, Miss Khabarova. But I won’t say anything with a gun pointed at me.”

“You are not in a position of making demands.”

“It is not a demand,” he said. “It is just a long story and it must be told properly.”

She gave him a defiant smile. “You amaze me. Very well. Sit by that chair.”

Khabarova indicated an armchair on the corner of the room. Brendon walked slowly to it and sat down, still with his hands in the air so she could see he was cooperating with her. Satisfied, she sat down on the bed and put the gun on the bedside table, close enough for her to reach in case Brendon decided to drop the cooperative posture.

“Very well, Joshua. I am kind enough to let you talk comfortably. Now, speak.”

Brendon sighed, choosing his words carefully.

“I am not from London. I am American.”

“Who do you work for?”

“Unfortunately, I cannot reveal that. It is for your own safety.”

“My safety?” Tatyana laughed. “It is not my life who is in danger now.”

“It might as well be, as we speak.”

“Explain. What do you want from me?”

That was the decisive moment; Brendon needed to mention Tatyana’s ex-husband and hope she would react to it in any way. If she showed any signs of worry, protection instincts or anything that could express a sympathetic feeling towards him, Brendon would need to convince her that he was somehow in danger. However, if she showed any repelling reaction, he would tell her  a half true.

“I was sent to investigate your ex-husband, Donald Tucker.”

For a minute, Brendon thought he had spotted a trace of irritation, or even resentment passing through Tatyana’s beautiful face. It passed as swiftly as it came, but it was enough for Brendon to know exactly what to say.

“Naturally,” she muttered. “What for?”

“We believe he is connected to something dangerous.”

“As ever,” Tatyana replied arrogantly. “And, as ever, you will find out he has absolutely nothing to do with whatever it is.”

“Tatyana,” Brendon said, slightly leaning forward in an urgent tone. “There is no need to give me such answers. I am no fool.”

“And do you take me for one?”

“Not at all. That is why I will tell you now that we suspect he has connections with some dangerous men in Russia, and the lives of three children are in danger.”