Hidden in the Stars

by Robin Caroll

  “Any indication he found Nina?”

  Brody shook his head. “The file’s still open and as far as I can tell, he’s never been given a lead to link her to being in Arkansas.”

  Julian stared at the pictures on the board.

  “What’re you thinking?” Brody asked.

  “I’m thinking it can’t be a coincidence. Dimitri has a past tie to Nina. His brother and accomplice attack Sophia and Nina, asking her where it is before killing her. The Taras family has money. Nina was receiving a large amount of money every year anonymously, and she worked hard to make it untraceable.” Julian shook his head. “What are we missing here?”

  Brody stood up. “I don’t know, partner, but it’s late and I’m tired. Let’s call it a night and see what we come up with tomorrow morning.”

  “Deal.” Julian shut down his computer. “I’ll take these photos by Alena’s in the morning and see if Sophia can identify Boris and Milton.”

  He’d hate to traumatize her, but if she identified them, then they could have the Little Rock police arrest them. Once they had them in custody, they could get answers.

  And maybe Sophia could get a little peace.

  16

  No! Stay away from my daughter. She knows nothing.”

  Mamochka!

  Sophia’s head exploded in bursts of pain and flashes of light. She couldn’t see. Everything was dim.

  “Gde kostyum?” his voice loud, echoing.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Come on, Nina. You do. Look, your doch is unconscious. You can protect her by telling us where you have hidden it.”

  Mamochka screamed, but Sophia couldn’t open her eyes. She could barely breathe her chest hurt so much. Lord, please help me. Make them stop. Save us!

  “You can make it end. Tell us where it is and we will leave.”

  “No.”

  “Nina, Nina, Nina. Do you think he wanted to hurt you? Do you think he wanted it to come to this? No. You know he did not. But this is your fault. You should have never started the shantazhirovali. You knew he could be dangerous, no?”

  “Just go away,” Mamochka cried.

  “You know we can’t, Nina. We must get what we came for, or he will be angry. Just tell us where it is.”

  “No.”

  “Then your doch, your gold medal Sophia will pay.”

  Her face slapped . . . hard, jolting her eyes open.

  His hand, balled into a fist, coming down to her chest.

  Sophia bolted upright, her breathing in small pants and gasps. She swallowed as she kicked the bedcovers off.

  It took her a moment to remember where she was—Alena’s house.

  She stared at the bedside clock. Five ten. The sun hadn’t even begun to creep its way up. She leaned over and got a sip of water. Her breathing became less erratic.

  Had she experienced a memory pulled from her subconscious? She didn’t remember it happening, but maybe it was a suppressed memory coming up. If it was, what did it mean?

  Carefully, Sophia climbed out of bed and headed to the restroom across the hall. As she put on the protective gloves, she studied herself in the mirror. Her face wasn’t nearly as swollen and the bruising looked much better.

  Sophia leaned in closer to the mirror. But . . . she looked . . . different. Older, somehow.

  She stood back. Haunting is what it was. It was the haunting look in her eyes. The tragedy she’d lived through . . . was living through. And the truly scary part was she recognized the look, because she’d seen it in her mother’s eyes on those times she caught her mother in unguarded moments.

  What had haunted her mother? Losing her husband, yes, but there was more to it, Sophia just knew it. There were too many times Sophia would catch her mother just staring off into space, or at the quilt hanging on the wall, and the same look would creep into her eyes as was reflected in Sophia’s right now.

  “Sophia, are you okay?” Alena called out from the hall.

  She finished up and stepped out into the hallway.

  Alena, fully dressed, stood outside the bathroom door. “Are you ready for me to make you some breakfast? The coffee is already hot.”

  She hadn’t planned on being up so early, but why not? She smiled and nodded, following Alena into the kitchen.

  “It is so nice to have you here, Sophia. Almost like having Nina home again.” She poured a cup of coffee and stuck a straw in it.

  Sophia’s pulse stalled. She wasn’t a replacement for her mother. It was kinda creepy the way Alena kept lumping them together in her mind.

  “I will make you good zavtrak. Do you like boiled eggs and kasha?”

  Boiled eggs and porridge? Well, why not? Sophia nodded.

  “Good. I make it for you.” She pulled out one of the chairs at the kitchen table. “Sit. Sit. I will make you good food, so you can get strong and well, yes?”

  Sophia slipped into the chair. If only she could talk, she could ask Alena what gde kostyum and shantazhirovali meant. They were part of her dream she remembered vividly, but were spoken in the Russian she didn’t understand. Her mother had been reluctant for her to learn any Russian.

  Looking at Alena, Sophia had to wonder if she was the reason why. Had Mamochka been so hurt by her mother that she would even turn away from her heritage?

  Alena sat the coffee with the straw on the table in front of her. “Did your mother cook for you? She was good in kitchen.” She turned and put eggs on to boil.

  Sophia smiled and nodded. Her mother had indeed been an excellent cook. She’d loved to make big meals for them to share together. Once Sophia started training, Mamochka had changed the way she cooked in order to accommodate Sophia’s training diet.

  “She and Nadia were always cooking something. Making a big mess, too, but the food was good. Very, very good.”

  Who was Nadia to be such an important part of her mother’s young adult life, but she never mentioned her to Sophia? It almost felt like she’d kept her past a secret from Sophia on purpose. But why?

  “Nadia was not as good as cook, just like she not as good as dancer as Nina. But that was okay. Nadia and Nina, they were like sisters. Until your father came along.” Alena began making the porridge from various different grains.

  Sophia sipped her coffee through the straw, hanging on Alena’s every word.

  “At first, I think it because Nadia jealous of Nina, but then I realize she wants Nina to be with your father, because she wants Dimitri. She always wanted whatever Nina had. She was jealous. Not in a bad way, just envious of Nina dancing and life.”

  Healthy competition, perhaps?

  “When Nina tell us she is pregnant, I made Nadia swear never to tell anyone. If Nina would do as I said, no one but Nadia would have known.” Alena shook her head and adjusted the fire under the porridge. “I thought Nina and Nadia would stay friends even after she married Lance, but they did not. Maybe because Nadia was with Dimitri. Maybe your mamochka was a little jealous. A flip between them maybe.”

  Sophia shook her head. She couldn’t imagine her mother jealous over a man. Especially not someone she’d frowned over every time she’d mentioned his name.

  Or had she been frowning because he was with another woman? Had it been too painful for her to think of them together, so she couldn’t stay friends with her best friend?

  No, it couldn’t be.

  “Ah, but it is in the past, yes? It is time for us to be family now. For me to get to know you.”

  Sophia took another sip of the coffee. It was as strong as her mother used to make it. Family tradition, perhaps?

  Alena pulled bowls from the overhead cabinets and poured the porridge into them, then set them on the table. “The eggs will be ready in a few minutes. Go ahead and start eating your kasha.”

  Sophia bowed her head. Lord, please bless this food You have provided. Use it for the nourishment of our bodies and our bodies to Your service. In Jesus’ name, I pray and give thanks, Amen. She li
fted her head to catch Alena’s stare.

  “You were praying?”

  Sophia nodded.

  “That came from your father. Your mamochka . . . she did not pray like this.”

  Yes, she did. They prayed together. When Sophia was a child, her mother would kneel alongside her at bedtime and pray the “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” prayer with Sophia.

  “Your father made her follow his beliefs. Nina did not do that on her own.”

  Well, Sophia was sure glad her father had led Mamochka to Jesus. At least, Sophia could rest assured she’d see both her parents again.

  Sophia decided she couldn’t argue the issue with Alena even if she wanted to, so she gently set the spoon in her hand, laying it to where she could use her fingertips to manipulate the silverware. She took a bite of the porridge. A bit bland in taste, but it was good. Dr. Rhoads said she could move up to soft foods, and she was thankful to have something more than broth, yogurt or gelatin.

  “It is good?”

  Sophia nodded her thanks.

  Alena smiled wide and for a moment, Sophia could see a glimpse of her mother’s face in the lines around Alena’s eyes. “I will help you get cleaned up after we eat. If you want me to help you. I can wash your hair for you.”

  Oh, yes, it sounded heavenly. Sophia smiled and nodded.

  “Then we will get you fixed up to feel better, yes?”

  The phone rang, and Sophia jumped.

  “It is okay, MIlaya Moyna. It is just the phone.” She stood and grabbed the phone from the living room table before it could ring again. “Hello.”

  A pause, then, “Hello?” Another pause, then she hung up the phone and returned to the kitchen.

  “Nobody said anything. Must be wrong number.” Alena moved to take the eggs off the stove.

  Wrong number, or had she been found again? This time by the men who had murdered her mother?

  * * *

  He hated himself for having to do this, but he had no choice. Not if he wanted to solve this case.

  Julian let out a sigh and pushed the doorbell.

  The curtain in the window next to the door fluttered, then the locks disengaged and Alena opened the door.

  “Good morning, Mrs. Borin.”

  “Detective.” She moved aside and waved him in, then locked the door behind him. At least she was consistently careful. Julian could appreciate that.

  He stood hesitantly in the living room, unsure what to do with himself, which was a new feeling for him. “Mrs. Borin, could you please get Sophia?”

  “She cleaning up. She will be here in a minute. She knows you are here.” She waved to the couch. “Please. Sit.”

  He didn’t want to sit, but he couldn’t be rude, either, so he sat.

  “Do you want a cup of coffee?” Alena asked.

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  Alena rushed to the kitchen, as if she couldn’t wait to escape his presence. Well, it was awkward.

  He set the folder with the pictures on the table and let out a long breath. This was most assuredly going to be upsetting to Sophia, but it had to be done. He just didn’t know if he could stand seeing her upset and not comforting her, but his job prevented him from doing that.

  Sophia walked into the room and stole his breath away.

  Her long, curly hair was pulled back into one of those fancy braids. She wore a tee shirt and a pair of shorts that really showed off her legs. She looked like a Fourth of July celebration.

  He managed to climb to his feet. “G-Good morning.”

  She smiled, pink dotting her cheeks as she sat across from him. She was truly a vision.

  And he had to ruin her day.

  Julian let out a slow breath and tapped the folder. “I have a couple of photos I need to show you.”

  She sat up straighter.

  “It’s pictures of some suspects we have. I need you to let me know if you can positively identify the men who attacked you and your mother.”

  All the beautiful color drained from her face.

  * * *

  She nodded.

  Alena came into the room. Sophia looked up and motioned for her to come sit beside her. Alena did, shooting Julian with inquiring stares.

  “We have some suspects, and I need Sophia to look at the pictures to identify if they are the men who attacked her and Nina.”

  Alena nodded, then put her arms around Sophia’s shoulders. “You can do this, MIlaya Moyna. Our family women are strong. Very strong.”

  Julian was glad Alena was here for Sophia. She could provide strength and comfort when he couldn’t.

  He opened the folder and held up the first picture. The picture of Donald Obstfeld. “Do you recognize this man, Sophia?”

  She studied the picture for a long moment, then slowly shook her head.

  He put Obstfeld’s picture back in the file, then lifted the next photo. Chester Milton. He didn’t even have it all the way in front of her before Sophia’s eyes widened, her face went whiter than white, and she nodded.

  “Is this one of the men who attacked you and your mother, Sophia?”

  She nodded, and tears eased down her face.

  Alena hugged her closer and whispered to her in Russian.

  Julian put the picture away, then reached for the last one. He held it up for Sophia. “Do you recognize this man, Sophia?”

  She nodded, more tears escaping.

  Alena looked at the picture, and gasped. “I know this man.”

  “You do?” Julian asked.

  “Da. It is Boris Taris, brother of Dimitri.”

  “Yes, it’s who he is. Have you seen this Boris in town, Mrs. Borin? Ever?”

  Alena shook her head. “I have not seen Boris since the last time I saw Dimitri.”

  “When and where?”

  “In New York, right after Nina moved away with Lance. I went to see Nadia dance. She danced with Dimitri. I told them both after the ballet they were beautiful dancers and I hoped Nina would return to the stage soon. Nadia laughed. Boris was there with his brother.”

  “And you’ve not seen them in Arkansas?”

  “No. I did know about Nadia dancing in the Nutcracker in the state many years ago, but I did not see Dimitri or Boris.”

  Julian slipped the photograph back into the folder.

  “Boris . . . he is one of the men who attacked my Nina and Sophia?”

  Sophia nodded. She mouthed something.

  Alena shook her head. “I do not understand this lip talking.”

  Sophia looked at Julian. Even though he wasn’t a lip reader, he easily made out what she mouthed: “He killed my mother.”

  Julian nodded. “Thank you. I’m sorry to have put you through all this.” He lifted his folder and stood. “With your positive identification, along with DNA test results, we’re having both men picked up and arrested. I’ll let you know as soon as we have them in custody.”

  Alena stood as well, moving to unlock and open the front door for him. “Thank you, Detective. You see Boris and the man pay for killing my Nina.”

  “Yes, ma’am. That’s what I aim to do.”

  He’d do whatever it took to see the man who did this to Sophia paid, and paid dearly.

  17

  I can’t get over how much better you look,” Charlie said. “Must be getting out of the hospital. Those places always make you sicker, I say.”

  Sophia smiled. “I feel better. Alena washed my hair and braided it. It made me feel almost like a woman again. And taking a long, hot shower with real body wash that didn’t rip my skin off was wonderful.”

  “You reapplied your bandages after your shower just like the nurse showed you, right? And you took your medicine?”

  Sophia nodded and held out her hands for Charlie to inspect them.

  “Sorry. Just don’t want you to get any infections.” Charlie leaned back on the couch. “So, how are you doing? Alena told me about Julian’s visit this morning.”

  “It was hard seeing their faces, but
I’m glad to know Julian was able to identify them so they can be arrested. Julian said he’d call when they were in custody.”

  “I’ve been praying for you.”

  Sophia smiled. “Thank you. I know it’s God who’s holding me up through all this. I’d never make it through without Him.”

  “Amen. But are you okay? I think maybe you should consider speaking to a therapist about the attack.”

  Sophia shrugged. “I might. Right now, I think I’m doing as well as can be expected. It’s hard to look into the face of the man who killed your mother and also killed your ability to keep your career, even if it was only in a picture.”

  “No, it can be traumatic. It’s why I mentioned talking to someone. I know several good people I can recommend. Going through this and then having to relive it over and over to help on the case and then during trial . . . well, it can bring on a wide range of emotions. Nightmares even.”

  Sophia perked up. “Speaking of nightmares, I need you to write something down for me to ask Alena what it means.”

  “Okay. Where’s something to write with and write on?”

  “In the kitchen. Front of the refrigerator.”

  Charlie returned with a pen and paper. “Okay. Ready.”

  “Gde kostyum.”

  “Uh, I’m assuming it’s Russian?”

  Sophia nodded. “I think it would be spelled g-d- and either e or a. Then c- or k-o-s-t . . . and u-m. I think. And another word: shantazhirovali. I think it’s spelled s-h-a-n-t-a-z- . . . I think h-i-r-o-

  . . . and maybe v-a-l- and either i or e. I think”

  “Let me see if I can do a search right quick.” Charlie pulled out her smartphone and did a search. “Well, it’s not the right combination. Let me try another.”

  The front door opened and Alena stepped inside. “I am home.” Her arms full of bags, she kicked the door closed.

  Charlie set down her cell phone and jumped up to grab a bag. “Here, let me help.”

  “Thank you, Charlie.” Alena led the way into the kitchen where they set the bags on the counter. “What are you girls doing? You remind me of Nina and Nadia. Always together doing something.”

  Charlie smiled. “I’m trying to look up how to spell a couple of words in Russian.”