Game Over (The Baltimore Banners Book 2)

by Lisa B. Kamps

  It would be over, and she could move on, forget everything and just…move on.

  “She will be safe?”

  Bobbi looked up at Nikolai’s quiet words and saw him standing in the doorway, refusing to move as Howard tried to lead him out. She opened her mouth to speak, to reassure him once more that yes, Katerina and Dmitri would be safe now, but was interrupted by an impatient wave from Denny.

  “Mr. Petrovich, I assure you that Agent Reeves will be completely safe.”

  Bobbi snapped her mouth shut and sat back, tearing her gaze away from Nikolai, wondering why he would even be concerned, wondering why he wasn’t running through the hangar to meet his wife and son. She could hear the whine of the engine as it got closer, knew it was now entering the hangar. In minutes, the engine would cut off, the door would open and the steps would be lowered.

  And Nikolai would be reunited with his wife and son.

  Bobbi heard the quiet click of the door and looked up, making sure nobody was left in the room, then leaned forward and put her head in her hands. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, willing her heart to slow down, willing her tears to disappear before they fell.

  It was over.

  She pushed herself out of the chair and walked across the room, opening the door just wide enough so she could watch what was happening. Morbid curiosity? Guilt and penance? Or a need to swiftly kill every thought and emotion swirling through her?

  She swallowed around the lump in her throat as the small boy ran down the steps and hurled himself into Nikolai’s arms and buried his face against his neck. The woman was slower to disembark, looking around with caution and hesitation before finally climbing down. Then she, too, was in Nikolai’s arms, all three holding tightly to each other. They were too far away to hear, but the emotion was clear, even from this distance.

  Bobbi swallowed again, blinking rapidly as she turned away from the scene. A hand closed over her shoulder and she shrugged it off as she reached into her jacket pocket.

  “Warrants have been served on both Jacobs and Toomey, and their respective offices and homes are already being searched. It should all be over within a few hours.” Denny’s voice was even, but she could hear the excitement under the words. She turned to look at him, shaking her head at his reaction.

  “Good for you. I’m glad you got what you wanted.” She made no attempt to hide her impatience or sarcasm as she held her hand out toward Denny. He looked down at her, his brow creasing in confusion as he saw what was in her hand.

  “What’s this? What are you doing?”

  She dropped the leather wallet into his upturned palm. “I’m done. I gave you what you wanted, and now I’m done.”

  “Bobbi, you can’t be serious. You’re just going to quit? Just like that? Think about what you’re doing.”

  “I have thought about it, and I’m done.” She cast one more look at Nikolai and his family, still tightly embracing, then turned and walked out the back door without another word.

  **

  Bobbi curled deeper into herself, hugging her knees tight against her chest. The house was dark around her, no noise except the hum of the refrigerator coming from the kitchen.

  She wasn’t sure how long she stayed that way, hours, minutes. And she didn’t really care. This was her time, her time to grieve, her time to feel sorry for herself, her time to dwell on her regrets. Regrets. So many, she didn’t know where to start.

  She heaved a sigh and straightened her legs, wincing at the mild cramp as she rolled over onto her back and stared at the dark ceiling, her mind slowing down, finally turning numb.

  The reunion scene from the airport flashed through her memory again, and she squeezed her eyes closed, trying to erase the image. How many more times would she be forced to see that play out in her mind? It seemed as if that was the only thing her memory wanted to keep front-and-center, wanted to torture her with.

  She had left the airport and immediately come home, then promptly changed into a pair of old sweat pants and an oversized long sleeve t-shirt. A pint of Ben and Jerry’s Phish Food had been swiftly devoured, followed by two glasses of her favorite Riesling…which was then followed by three Excedrin.

  None of which had made her feel any better.

  She raised her left arm above her head and squinted at her watch. Almost seven in the evening—time for more Excedrin. And maybe some more Riesling.

  But no more ice cream—only because she hadn’t thought to buy more.

  Hoisting herself up from the sofa with a groan, Bobbi shuffled into the kitchen, wincing as she turned on the overhead light. Her eyes scratched and burned and she flipped the switch off, deciding it would be better to use the smaller light over the stove.

  She grabbed the Excedrin and fought with the cap for a brief moment, finally sending it flying across the room when she popped it off. Ignoring it, she shook out three of the white caplets and popped them into her mouth, then went over to the sink and turned on the faucet. She lowered her head into the sink and drank, then closed her eyes and let the cold water run over her face.

  Patting her face dry with a paper towel, she reached into the refrigerator for the bottle of wine and filled up the empty glass on the counter. She tossed the empty bottle into the trash can then shuffled back to the living room, ready to throw herself back onto the sofa when the doorbell rang.

  “Dammit.” Bobbi glanced across the room to the door, then looked back at the overstuffed cushions of the sofa. Knowing that her house looked as if nobody was home, she decided to ignore the unexpected company and sat back down, leaning her head against the cushions and closing her eyes.

  The doorbell rang again, a little longer this time, yet she still ignored it, willing whoever it was to go away.

  Once more the bell rang, even longer, the shrillness making her wince.

  “Go away,” she muttered, taking a sip of the wine.

  There was a brief moment of silence, then the doorbell rang again, a long continuous shriek in her otherwise quiet house, followed by insistent banging on the front door.

  “Dammit!” Bobbi jumped from the sofa, the wine still in her hand, and stalked to the door. Prepared to read the riot act to whoever was disturbing her, she yanked open the door.

  And froze, her mouth still hanging open as the words she had been ready to yell died on her lips.

  Nikolai stood on her front porch, his son held securely in his arms, his wife at his side. The young boy’s eyes were drooping, most likely from being tired, yet he still gazed at her with innocent curiosity. Bobbi couldn’t bring herself to look at the woman, so she settled for resting her gaze in the middle of Nikolai’s chest and prayed for her tears to stay gone.

  “You did not stay so we could say thank you.” Nikolai’s voice was quiet, a hint of question in the tone. She shook her head, still not looking up at him.

  “Um, yeah. Really, there’s no need to—”

  “May we come in?” Nikolai interrupted her, and she was so surprised by the quiet demand in his voice that she finally looked up at him.

  And wished she hadn’t. The look in his eyes was determined, stubborn. Demanding and even angry and hurt. She took a deep breath and stepped away from the door, turning on lights as she led them into the house. She caught a glimpse of herself in the hall mirror and winced at her tousled hair and red eyes. Yeah, she really looked presentable, especially compared to the beautiful woman standing next to Nikolai, uncertainty in her dark haunted eyes.

  Bobbi stood up straighter, drawing on whatever professional reserves she had left, and motioned for them to sit on the sofa. She tried offering them drinks, tried to at least appear to be a gracious hostess, but was interrupted again by Nikolai.

  “I would like to introduce you to my family. This is Katerina, and this is Dmitri.” He motioned to each in turn—as if Bobbi didn’t know—then gazed down at the young boy in his lap and spoke in Russian. “Dmitri, you must thank Ms. Reeves, for she is the one who made it possible for you to be
here now. My beautiful one has done something beautiful for all of us.”

  Bobbi sat down heavily in the chair, her face heating in shame and embarrassment, waiting for her eyes to be scratched out by the other woman. “Nikolai, I don’t think that’s an—”

  She was interrupted when Dmitri pushed himself off Nikolai’s lap and ran over to her, throwing his small arms around her neck. Bobbi froze, completely stunned, then wrapped her arms around the boy in return. He was small in her hold, much thinner than she thought a boy of his age should probably be, but there was a strength inside him as well. He was whispering something to her, so low she couldn’t make it out, then quickly pulled out of her hold and ran to his mother, jumping in her lap and hiding his face against her shoulder.

  Bobbi sat back in the chair, her eyes misting, unsure what to say.

  “Dmitri does not talk much. He was always a quiet child, but has become much more so since his father died,” Nikolai explained in a soft voice, stressing the word ‘father’. Bobbi turned her head so fast that the room spun. She blinked hard several times, staring at Nikolai as he leaned forward on the sofa, his hands clasped between his legs, his gaze steady as he watched her. Surely she hadn’t heard him right.

  “Dmitri is my nephew, and Katerina is my brother’s wife. They have been my only family since my brother was killed eight years ago. It has been up to me to keep them safe.” He must have seen the look of horror on her face and interpreted correctly, because he offered her a sad smile and shook his head. “Dmitri does not speak English, and Katerina only a little, so they do not understand the words. Though I am sure they understand enough.”

  “Your brother…I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. I thought…” She let the words drift off without finishing, not sure what she could say as she watched Katerina hold Dmitri tight against her.

  “You thought Katerina was my wife, and Dmitri my son.” Nikolai’s voice was flat, lifeless as he stared at her. Bobbi swallowed against the accusation she saw in his eyes.

  “I’m sorry. That’s what I was led to believe.”

  “You think I would betray vows so easily? You think I would love another while married?” His voice was slowly rising in volume, yet he barely moved, just sat with that stillness and kept watching her. Katerina turned her head from side to side, looking first at Nikolai then at her, then back at Nikolai. Then she pushed against Nikolai’s shoulder hard enough to shove him and spoke in a harsh voice, the Russian tumbling from her mouth.

  “You are a fool, Nikolai Petrovich. I do not know what you say, but you are hurting this woman. This woman who loves you, who has brought us together! You should be groveling—”

  “Enough Katerina! This woman, she speaks Russian! She understands what it is you are saying!”

  Katerina stood suddenly, her beautiful face marred by a frown as she looked at Bobbi, her haunted eyes thoughtful. She turned and faced Nikolai, pushing against his shoulder again. “Then you are truly a fool, for I see in her eyes the look I wore when I would see your brother, just as I see that look in your eyes. You are a fool, for you have learned nothing in the last eight years.”

  The woman pushed Nikolai once more in the shoulder, then turned to face Bobbi, a small smile on her sad face. “You must excuse my brother-in-law, for he is an ignorant stubborn mule. You must not hold that against him because even though he tries to hide it, he is in love with you. I fear this is a weakness that effects all Petrovich men.”

  “Me, Mama?”

  Bobbi choked back a laugh as Dmitri peered up at his mother, his blue eyes wide with concern. Katerina dropped a kiss on his forehead, a fleeting smile lighting her face. “I am afraid so, my son. But I will teach you better so you will not be so bad as your uncle, yes? Good.”

  Dmitri nodded, apparently satisfied with his mother’s answer, then rested his head back on her shoulder and closed his eyes. Katerina turned so she could look at both of them, her dark eyes holding a hint of sadness. “Do not be a fool, Nikolai Petrovich. Do not waste what life has given you. And you, Ms. Reeves. Do not hold Nikolai’s faults against him. Because even though Petrovich men can be stubborn mules, they are fierce in their love. They do not give it freely, but when they do give it, it is meant forever.”

  Bobbi’s eyes burned with unshed tears at Katerina’s words, at the pain of loss that was still fresh under the surface of this beautiful woman. She stood and wrapped her arms around both Katerina and Dmitri, offering some small comfort, letting the woman know without words of her sympathy and her thanks.

  Katerina squeezed her close, then abruptly stepped back. “Now, I must get Dmitri into bed. Nikolai, you will stay here, and I will have the man drive us back.”

  “I’m sorry. The man? Which man?” Bobbi followed Katerina to the door, her senses suddenly on high alert, and tried to step in front of her, to keep her from leaving.

  “The agent, Denny Lowe. He is a strong man, but I think one not to be trusted with the heart. I will be safe with him.”

  “Wait, I don’t understand. Denny brought you here?” Bobbi grabbed Katerina’s arm just as she reached for the door knob, stopping her, pulling her back. She ignored Katerina’s exclamation of surprise and kept pulling her away from the door, back to the living room where Nikolai was looking at her in confusion. “Denny brought you here?”

  “Yes. He is the one who said you thought Katerina was my wife. Why?”

  Bobbi shook her head, motioning for everyone to sit as she reached for her cell phone and turned it on. “Because Denny is the one who told me she was your wife. And because Denny never does anything without a reason.” As she waited for the phone to power on, she went around the room and began turning off lights, leaving only the stove light and a small dim lamp on.

  The phone beeped several times, indicating waiting voice mail, but she ignored it and dialed a number. The phone rang twice before being answered with a simple greeting.

  “Denny. What’s going on?”

  “I’m not sure what you mean, Bobbi.”

  “It’s been a really long day, Denny, and I’m not in the mood for games. Now what’s going on? What are you up to?”

  A long silence, followed by a sigh. “I just thought I’d bring them over to see you. Petrovich was quite stunned when he learned you thought he was married.”

  Bobbi tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder and walked to the door, peering out through the side window. She scanned the street and saw Denny’s car parked several houses up. “Yeah, thanks to you. So you, what? Decided to wait? Out of the goodness of your heart?”

  “You know me.”

  Her eyes continued to scan the street, her pulse pounding heavily, anger building. “Yeah, I do know you. That’s the problem. Why the additional cars?”

  She had spotted at least two, but only because she had seen them before. To anyone else, they would look like they belonged in the neighborhood. Anxiety mingled with her anger and she stepped away from the window, tossing a look back over her shoulder.

  The living room was mostly dark, but she could see Katerina sitting on the edge of the sofa, tension in her tight shoulders as Dmitri curled in her lap. Nikolai stood close to both of them as he watched her.

  “Toomey disappeared before we could pick him up. We believe he could be heading here.”

  Bobbi closed her eyes, cursing under her breath. She could sense Nikolai moving behind her but she waved him off with a quick motion, her mind spinning. “So you just brought all three of them here? What the hell was your plan, Denny? The more, the merrier? That makes it pretty damn convenient for him, now doesn’t it? Not to mention pretty damned irresistible.”

  There was a pause, and Bobbi could imagine Denny gritting his teeth in frustration. She turned back toward Nikolai and motioned for him to follow her, for all three of them to follow her.

  “Nothing is going to happen, Bobbi. Agents are watching the house. We’ll get him before you even know it.”

  “Yeah. Except Katerina almost walked out t
he door. Perfect target, don’t you think?” She heard him swear under his breath, and knew that he hadn’t expected for her to leave so soon.

  And she suddenly knew, with cold certainty, that Toomey wasn’t just expected to head here—he was already here.

  Somewhere close, just outside her house.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Bobbi led the trio toward the back hall and adjusted her grip on the phone, talking in a low hiss. “Damn you Denny. Where is he?”

  “Bobbi, it’s under control.”

  “Damn you to hell. You do not let anything happen. Do you hear me?”

  “I said it’s under control.”

  “Do not let anything happen,” she repeated before ending the call. Nikolai and Katerina stopped in the hallway, their eyes on her. Nikolai had heard everything she said and he knew something wasn’t right. And while Katerina may not have understood what she was saying, Bobbi could see from the shadows in her eyes that she knew something was wrong.

  She turned and led them into her dark bedroom, walking over to pull the drapes completely shut before moving to her closet. It was a small walk-in, just big enough for what she needed.

  Bobbi leaned in and pulled a lock box from the shelf, then turned toward Nikolai and Katerina. Without saying a word, Katerina nodded and walked into the closet, bending over so she could lower the still-sleeping Dmitri to the floor against the back wall. She sat down next to him, positioned slightly in front, looking for all the world like a ferocious lioness ready to attack.

  Bobbi grabbed the bedspread and several pillows from her bed and handed them to Katerina, a look of apology on her face. She then pulled a flashlight from the top shelf and handed it to the woman. Katerina took it, then grabbed Bobbi’s hand and squeezed.

  “We will be okay.”

  Bobbi squeezed her hand in return but said nothing, just turned and faced Nikolai, who looked like an immovable blockade standing at the entrance to the closet, his arms folded across his broad chest, his jaw tightly clenched, the look in his eyes ferocious.