The Uccello Connection (Genevieve Lenard, #10)

by Estelle Ryan

“Was she also beaten up?” Roxy asked.

  “No, but she was handled quite roughly when she refused to go with them. Hopefully, we’ll know soon who she is.” Julien took his phone from his trouser pocket and glanced at the screen. “Nothing yet. Madame Godard and the president have been up all night trying to smooth things over.”

  “What does that mean?” I asked.

  “President Godard will hold a press conference in a few hours. With all the recent terrorist attacks, the bombings at airports and crashed planes, he hopes to keep everyone calm.”

  “People’s minds most likely already jumped to terrorism the moment the first report came out about the plane being missing.” Roxy pushed some of her wayward curls behind one ear. “I don’t know what the president would have to say to convince people to think otherwise.”

  “As soon as the president was briefed about the missing plane, we started working on a way to deal with this.”

  “In other words, spin it.” Francine lifted one eyebrow.

  “Call it what you want. We need the public to believe that we have the situation under control.” He inhaled deeply. “That’s a bit difficult since some of the passengers managed to contact their loved ones. Apparently they barely have phone reception where they are.”

  “What’s their exact location?” Manny asked.

  Julien looked from Manny to Francine to her tablet. “Search for Lake Osveya. The border crossing is right next to it.”

  “Got it.” Francine tilted her head. “It really is in the very north-eastern corner of Belarus. And Latvia is right there too.”

  She held out her tablet and I took it. The road where Daniel’s plane had landed was a few kilometres from where the borders of Russia, Belarus and Latvia met. “They’re very close to the EU border.”

  Julien nodded. “Yes. I think if the passengers had known how close they were, they would’ve opted to walk through the forest at night in order to reach the safety of a European Union country rather than walk fifty metres to enter a country that still has such close ties to Russia.”

  Francine tapped her manicured nail on the table. “Well, I can tell you now that this Lake Osveya might be in the middle of nowhere and might not have any signal, but believe you me, the moment those gunmen disappeared, people took out their devices. And the moment they got within range of a signal, they most definitely connected with someone.”

  “Or put it on one of those bloody social media places. The news of Daniel’s kidnapping is most likely everywhere.” Manny pressed his palms against his eyes. “That means there’s no containing it.”

  “And that means we have to use what we have.” The calculation in Julien’s expression confirmed his skills at turning any situation into positive publicity. “And that means that we’re going to play up the art theft. We’re feeding this to the media, making it a shocking heist.”

  “What about Daniel?” Vinnie asked.

  “No doubt that will come up. The passengers are going to talk about this, but we’ll find a way to play it down. It will be much better for Daniel if no one knows his identity and therefore his true value.”

  “Or the value of the woman.” I wondered how she connected to Daniel, Fradkov, Emad, the threats to Daniel as well as Aleksei Volyntsev’s polonium-210 poisoning.

  A foreign ringtone drew my attention to Julien’s phone. He swiped the screen before it could sound a second time. “Privott... Who...” His eyes widened and he paled. “Shit... Yes... I’m on it.”

  “Who is she?” Manny sat down, his body braced as if expecting impact.

  “Amélie Didden.”

  I jerked when Roxy gasped loudly. “Oh, my God! I know her.”

  “What do you mean you know her?” Manny glared at Roxy. “Who is she?”

  “She’s a nuclear specialist. One of the best in nuclear chemistry and nuclear physics.” Roxy scratched her head, which dislodged more riotous curls to fall around her face. “I was at a conference last year where she was the keynote speaker. She talked about the key implications in radiation, nuclear processes and nuclear properties. She’s an incredible scientist.”

  An uncomfortable insight settled in my mind. “Would she be able to weaponise polonium-210?”

  “Oh!” Roxy’s mouth hung open for a second while she processed the full impact of my question. “Oh, this is not good. You’re talking about the polonium-210 that’s still missing from the last case with Fradkov and Emad, right? Oh. Oh, this is not good.”

  Manny threw his hands in the air. “Stop saying ‘oh’ and tell us if this Didden woman can use the polonium-210 to cause mass casualties.”

  “Watch your tone, old man.” Vinnie crossed his arms, the look he gave Manny menacing.

  Roxy chewed her thumbnail, ignoring both men’s posturing. “Huh. Polonium-210 is not impossible to weaponise, but people have to ingest or inhale it, since a piece of paper would be a sufficient shield against any external exposure. Getting people to ingest it would be the best way to deliver a deadly dose.”

  “Could she do it, Rox?” Vinnie asked softly.

  “Yes. Oh, most definitely yes.” She nodded so hard her curls were bobbing. “If anyone could create an effective weapon that could kill thousands, even tens of thousands, it would be Amélie Didden.”

  “Holy, bloody hell!”

  “What else do you know about her, Doctor Ferreira?” Julien asked.

  “She is a leader and spokesperson for ISOLDE at CERN.”

  “Who’s Isolde?” Julien narrowed his eyes. “Or is Isolde a what?”

  “It’s the On-Line Isotope Mass Separator. It is a facility located at CERN, which is the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland. ISOLDE started operating in 1967 and has numerous applications, including the production of radioactive nuclei.” Roxy twisted one of her many wayward curls around her finger. “She’s also a prolific researcher and has published many important articles. I can think of three of those articles that might be of interest to criminals like Fradkov and Emad.”

  “I have more.” Francine pointed at the monitor of her laptop. “She’s frequently lectured at three universities in Russia. And the topics she lectured on? The threats and implementations of a hydrogen bomb, based on lithium deuteride. She also had a session on how to obtain electricity from controlled thermonuclear reaction. Then there were a few more lectures and meetings about all kinds of fusion things. Russia has kept some of those lectures and discussions from being accessed by the public.”

  “Another element pointing to Russia being guilty of some sort of conspiracy.” I ignored the burst of envy at Amélie Didden’s lectures and academic papers. It was a foreign experience for me and most unwelcome, so I kept my focus on the topic. “Aleksei Volyntsev’s polonium-210 poisoning pointed to Russia, the plane landing in Russia and the SUVs registered to a Russian company all point to Russia.”

  Fradkov had started his campaign against Russia which had brought him to our attention seven months ago. If he had succeeded then, it would’ve had devastating political implications. My research into Ivan Fradkov had led me to believe that he possessed not only a higher intellect, but also impressive strategising skills.

  What confounded me was this second attempt to aim for the same outcome. His profile didn’t indicate repetition of mistakes or even taking action to rectify a failure. So why was he so determined to put the blame on Russia for these events? Was this more than a paid job for him?

  “I’m totally working on the assumption that Fradkov and Emad are behind every single thing that’s connected to this case.” Francine winked at me. “So now my question is, why would they want Russia to look guilty of things that could start a war? Oh, my God! Is that it? Does Fradkov want Russia to start a war?”

  I thought about this. “I can’t claim to know what Fradkov is thinking or what he is planning, but this would be in the realm of possibilities. His history has shown us the many times he’s changed the course of a country’s political future by caus
ing a scandal or assassinating a key opposition leader.”

  “Dammit.” Julien leaned back in his chair. “This has to do with this peace treaty we’re busy negotiating.”

  “Can you give us more specifics?” Manny asked. “The president’s wife only told us... don’t you bloody look at me like that, Privott. The president’s wife trusts us and she knew that whatever she said would not go anywhere.”

  Julien shook his head. “Sorry. I’m just really shocked that she would say anything. She’s usually the one reminding everyone to watch what they say and to whom.”

  “Well?” Manny lifted one hand palm up. “Are you going to tell us or do I need to phone the president?”

  “You can really be an unpleasant bastard.”

  “Says the pot to the kettle.” Colin chuckled, even more so when both Manny and Julien glared at him.

  Julien pressed his lips tightly together for a second before turning to me. “In the last few years, Russia has turned the freeze up on friendships with the West. Their indiscriminate bombings in Syria that have killed hundreds of vulnerable civilians and their annexation of Crimea are only two examples of actions they’ve taken in complete disregard to any peace discussions they’ve had with the West.

  “Europe, the US and other entities are concerned about the direction Russia is taking. This is the biggest reason for this classified and immensely important peace deal being discussed at the moment. Whatever Fradkov has got up his sleeve to make Russia look bad will be disastrous. It would get Europe pissed off with Russia for killing people with polonium-210 and stealing art worth millions. It would get Russia pissed off because they’ll know they’re being set up and all hell will break loose.”

  I thought about this. “This is in the same tone as the threatening email Daniel received.”

  “What do you mean, Doc?”

  “From what you just said, it sounds like Fradkov wants Europe to lose respect for Russia, no longer care for, support or help Russia. The same as the threats.”

  “Huh. You might be onto something there. We already suspected Emad sent Daniel those emails. And we know that Emad is working with Fradkov.” Manny sighed. “And who the blazes says, ‘I will annihilate everything you are’ when they threaten someone? Annihilate? Hmph.”

  Roxy jerked and lost colour in her face, but no one else noticed. She looked at Manny, her frown intensifying. Her left hand immediately lifted to twist a wayward curl round and round her finger. The insight I’d gathered into Roxy from spending time with her in the last seven months taught me that she twisted her curls for many reasons, one of those being when she tried to make sense of something.

  I interrupted a disagreement between Julien and Francine when I knocked on the table. I waited until Roxy looked at me. The moment she registered the expression on my face, she rolled her eyes. “Sometimes you’re fun, but sometimes you’re not.”

  “What’s going on, Rox?” Vinnie asked.

  “Doc?” Manny asked me, but I didn’t take my eyes off Roxy.

  She sighed dramatically. “She saw me react when you said ‘annihilate’.”

  “Why would you react?” Vinnie moved closer to Roxy, lowered his head and stared at her. “Did someone use those words with you?”

  “Yes.” I saw it on her face.

  “I’ll answer for myself. Thanks, Genevieve.” Her tone was annoyed, but fear was the predominant expression on her face. “Twice now, I’ve received emails telling me that this person was going to annihilate everything I am. I thought it was some nutcase. Or spam. Or some Russian beauty who wanted me to download her naked photos so I can have a sexy virus on my computer.”

  Everything in me stilled. This was adding another element to the case that didn’t quite connect. Roxy was connected to us, therefore indirectly connected to the president. Her work in exotic diseases and her expertise in polonium-210 poisoning was another connection. The strongest link was the fact that she was the one who’d killed Emad’s brother.

  The official report stated that Claude had been killed by Daniel. It had been a unanimous decision to keep the reports simple as well as to keep Roxy safe. But now she was in danger. I shifted in my seat, most displeased with the emotional weight of the irrational desire to protect the people in my life. This time, my protective instinct was aimed at Roxy.

  I was not the only one displeased. Vinnie’s lowered brow, tightened lips and flared nostrils conveyed anger, fear and frustration. I was not surprised when he got up and towered over Roxy, his jaw jutted and his hands fisted. “Rox, what the fuck are you talking about?”

  Chapter ELEVEN

  “Don’t growl at me like that, snookums.” Roxy gently rested her palm on Vinnie’s cheek. “I’m safe.”

  Vinnie leaned in closer. “Safe? Really? Then why the fuc... why are you receiving threats from Emad?”

  “We don’t know who sent the emails.” I would agree that it was likely to be Emad. But we didn’t yet have irrefutable proof it was him.

  Vinnie ignored me, his expression not softening. “Why didn’t you tell me about these threats?”

  “Because this would happen.”

  “This what?” Vinnie straightened. “This, the fact that an international criminal is probably now looking to add you to his kill list? This, the fact that your life is in danger?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “This, the fact that I didn’t want to be a worry, a burden to you.”

  “What the fuck?” Vinnie took a step back. “A burden? How can you think that?”

  “You worry about everyone all the time, snookums.” Her emotional guilelessness astounded me. I detected no awareness on her face for the audience listening to their private exchange. “I want to give you a respite from that.”

  Her expression told me that she didn’t see the hurt that flashed over Vinnie’s features. I couldn’t let that go unaddressed. “By giving Vinnie a respite from protecting you, you are robbing him of the biggest gift he could give you. He’s a protector by nature, Roxanne. If you don’t allow him to be who he is, you’re not accepting him.”

  At first, Roxy was offended, but by my last statement her eyes had grown wide. She looked at Vinnie. “Is she right?”

  “She’s always right.” Vinnie glared at me. “Even when she tells the whole frigging world I’m a pussy.”

  “I didn’t—” I stopped when Colin put his hand on my forearm and shook his head. I didn’t know why he was smiling. Vinnie was clearly upset.

  Roxy got up and stood in front of Vinnie. The top of her head only just reached his chin. She raised herself on her toes and kissed him lightly on his lips. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

  “Good, now give us access to your bleeding email.” Manny mumbled something else about soap operas. I didn’t ask him to explain because I recognised his irritated scowl.

  Roxy gave Vinnie another soft kiss and sat down again. “Um, you want to have full access?”

  “You have something to hide?” Manny lowered his chin and stared at her from under his brow.

  “You are such a drama queen.” Roxy rolled her eyes at Manny and turned to Francine. “Are you in my email yet?”

  “Yes.” Francine’s smile was genuine and without apology. “Do I have official access?”

  Roxy laughed. “Yeah. Just ignore all the online shopping confirmation emails.”

  “Show me the emails with the threats.” Only if I read them would I be able to determine if it was the same person who had sent the threats to Daniel.

  “They’re in my ‘Other’ folder.” Roxy put her index finger on her lips. “Or maybe my ‘Crap’ folder. Oh, shit, I don’t remember where I put it.”

  “Got it. It was in your ‘WTH’ folder.” Francine looked at the laptop in front of me. “I sent it to you.”

  I thought of asking what ‘WTH’ could possibly mean, but didn’t want to waste any more time. I opened my email and clicked on the first unread email. Colin leaned in closer to read it as well. I read it three ti
mes before I opened the second email.

  I leaned back in my chair and studied the second email, allowing my mind to run through all the information we had gathered so far. The first email was a generic threat that Roxy had to stop keeping company with ‘ill-chosen people’ and that it would end her career. She had received the second email six days after the first. This one had information that interested me. “What happened in 2011?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Roxy tugged on a curl. “Is that the part where he tells me that my actions from 2011 will come back to haunt me?”

  “Those weren’t his words.” I looked at the email. “The email reads, ‘Doctors so often have a god complex and you are no different. The difference is that you are a bad god. The world needs to know what you did in 2011. And soon everyone will.’” I turned my attention back to her. “What did you do?”

  Julien grunted loudly when Roxy glanced at him. “Roxanne Ferreira, do you really think I don’t know who you are? The moment you started hanging out with this bunch, I had you thoroughly vetted. Only to find out you had already been vetted. Top-secret clearance and all. Not surprising, really. Not when you know more about biological weapons than most of the numerous agencies that sang your praises. I’m the director of public relations for the president of France. In order to do my job, I’m privy to highly sensitive information and secrets that range from threatening national security to threatening every single moral value on this planet. Your little secret is not going to impress me. Really.”

  Roxy bit her bottom lip, then nodded and looked at me. “In 2011, I prevented an assassination attempt on the president of Moldova and killed the opposition leader.”

  A shocked silence followed her statement. Vinnie sat down hard on his chair, his expression a combination of respect and awe. Francine looked giddy, Manny’s scowl was severe and Julien’s eyebrows were raised high on his forehead. “I stand corrected. I’m impressed.”

  “Speak.” Manny’s tone mirrored his scowl.

  “I was part of a six-month work exchange in Chișinău.”

  “What? Where?” Vinnie squinted. “It sounded like you sneezed.”