Part 9 (1/2)
Bruno took a tentative step forward. ”Are we supposed to answer?”
”Of course.” Kubikov gave a curt nod.
”Yes, sir,” the men chorused, saluting as if they were in the military.
”Yuri,” his wife's high-pitched voice called again. ”Did you take out the garbage yet? The can stinks. Am I supposed to do everything in this house?”
Kubikov groaned. Sooka. He'd like to shoot that b.i.t.c.hy woman.
”Yuri,” she squawked. ”The garbage. Take it out.
”Not now,” Kubikov shouted in reply. ”I'm in an important meeting.”
”Yuri, do you hear me?” she demanded.
He fingered the trigger on the Glock. He itched to do it. Kubikov would have shot her long ago, but since she was the mother of his son he had to avoid murdering her if at all possible.
”What if I get the garbage?” Bruno asked as he eyed Kubikov caressing the gun.
”No.” Kubikov shoved the Glock back into his holster. ”Betsy doesn't like business a.s.sociates in house.”
”Yuri!” Betsy shouted again.
”Shut up, woman,” he shouted toward the house. ”I'll take out the garbage when my important meeting is over.”
A woman with blonde hair emerged through the sliders wearing a bubble gum pink wrap dress, which revealed her ample cleavage. She carried an infant in her arms. The four-inch heels of her sandals clicked on the cement.
”Stop shouting, Yuri. You'll wake the baby.” She strode to Kubikov and plopped the sleeping infant into his arms.
”I'm going shopping. Watch him.” She walked back toward the house, hips swaying. At the door she glanced over her shoulder, turning a glare on Kubikov. ”You better have filled the gas tank on my Corvette,” she warned before disappearing into the house.
Shaking his head of black cropped hair, he stared downward for a moment. ”I shouldn't have married that zhyeanshcheena. She's always been a diva.” Kubikov gazed lovingly into the face of the baby. ”But all I suffer is worthwhile for my little Misha. Besides, she's very good at the pawkhats-you know. The s.e.x.”
Ivan scowled as he s.h.i.+fted his legs apart to a wide stance and crossed his arms over his chest.
He had never liked Betsy,Kubikov thought.
The blond farm boy type snickered.
Anger shot through Kubikov like a taser, but he rose slowly from the chair.
”You.” Kubikov jerked his head toward the blond. ”Have the respect for the mother of my son.”
The blond backed away, holding up his hands in surrender.
He turned to Ivan. ”Why didn't you follow my instructions? For the first time you failed me. You let them get away.”
The big man hung his head. ”Da. Sazhalets. You're right, brother.”
”And what about how this blackmailer got my information?” Kubikov demanded, getting into his face.
Ivan continued to stare at his feet. ”I'm sorry. I not know.”
Kubikov shook his head slowly. ”Apology is not good enough. Punishment is needed.” He crossed to a playpen set up in the shade and lowered the baby to the soft pad inside. ”I must make an example of someone. I cannot look weak to my enemies,” he said as he stared down at his son. The baby continued to doze peacefully. Kubikov loved the innocent happiness in his son's sleeping face. ”Someone is always trying to knock you out of first place in my business. Perception is one hundred percent of the equation. If I look weak, I am a hundred percent weak. I must always be one hundred percent strong for my Misha.” Kubikov straightened and turned. ”Right, Bruno?”
Bruno nodded.
”Da. Okay,” Kubikov announced to the group, pointing at Bruno. ”Feed him to the alligators.”
”Me? I'm not the one who failed. I wasn't even there.” Bruno's head swiveled back and forth. Two thugs grabbed Bruno by each arm and the smaller man began to thrash between them. ”Ivan failed!”
”True, but he is my brother. I can't kill him. I kill you instead.” Kubikov turned to the others. ”You know where to take him.”
”What if the alligators there won't eat him?” Ivan asked.
”Then take him to where the teen got eaten by alligator last year. Those alligators, they are hungry.” Kubikov's eyes rolled upward. ”Tie a piece of chicken around the neck of Bruno.”
”Da,” said Ivan.
Kubikov looked to the sky. ”Must I think of everything?”
”Da.”
”Agggghhhh.” Kubikov would have taken out the Glock and shot someone...but the sound would wake Misha. So he merely snapped his fingers and the two thugs dragged a protesting Bruno away.
Misha began to cry. Before Kubikov made it to the playpen, the cry turned to a wail.
”Now look what you did?” Kubikov yelled at the departing men. ”You wake the baby.”
He turned back to Ivan and put a hand on the big man's arm. ”This situation is out of hand, brother. I want the blackmailer and the doc.u.ments he took.”
”More bad news, boss. I not tell others, but last time I talk to contact he threatened me. He say Dagger will turn records over to police if no money received by tomorrow.”
Kubikov fired a round into a nearby tree. ”You're just telling me this?”
Strangely, the baby stopped crying at the booming sound of the shot.
Ivan stared at him quietly. ”Why don't you pay the money? Then he go away.”
”I not submit to blackmail,” Kubikov answered. ”Get my doc.u.ments. Get Dagger and his girlfriend.”
”Da.” Ivan started to walk away, but Kubikov pulled him to a stop again.
”Don't fail me,” Kubikov warned.
Ivan nodded.
”This time if you fail, I not know what I do. Brother or no brother.”