Cassie had insisted they listen to the language tapes from the time they’d left his office to when he pulled into the hotel parking garage. She claimed it put them in the zone. He wasn’t sure what the hell she was talking about, but it if made her happy, it made him happy.
They exited the parking elevator and entered the lobby of the hotel where they caught a cab to the edge of SODO and Pioneer Square. The cab pulled up outside a multistory old-style warehouse building that had undergone improvements. At one point, it had been part of the old Yukon Club that dated back to the early nineteen twenties, where people returning from the Alaskan gold rush could bunk out. It still had an old rustic appearance with brick and timbers.
Jack paid for the cab and helped Cassie out. He continued to hold her hand, turning her around so his back was to the building. Like they’d discussed, Cassie fussed with his shirt and fawned over him. He did the same with her, waiting for the go signal from Heather.
Very quietly, he asked Cassie, “I heard you suck in your breath. What is it?”
“The name of the nightclub. Suka Suka. It means bitch in Russian.”
“Did you get that, Heather?”
“Good to go.”
Laughing at nothing, Jack discreetly removed his earpiece and tucked it away. With his arm around Cassie, they made their way through the first initial entrance and found themselves in an expansive foyer where younger people were lined up waiting to get in. He and Cassie were definitely older than the waiting crowd. Age had its benefits. Jack escorted Cassie up to the front of the line where a hulk of a gatekeeper stood watch. And watch he did. Jack knew they’d been under scrutiny from the moment they walked in. Cameras were everywhere. The two men sized each other up. Jack waited for him to speak first while he glanced around.
“Do you have a reservation?” the man asked.
Jack detected an accent, but it didn’t sound like the lessons. It was more guttural. He stared at Jack, but then he watched Cassie. Jack acted surprised, and Cassie made a mewing sound of disappointment. Even though she appeared unconcerned, she gripped his hand hard. He figured Heather must have said something to Cassie, because her camera hand started fluffing her hair and what not. She finally let go of his hand and displayed the gigantic diamond.
“No. I did not realize we would need one.” Jack rubbed his jaw with his watch hand. Besides wanting the live feed to the van, he wanted the man to see the brand of watch he wore.
“So you’re not a member.”
“That’s correct. A friend recommended Suka Suka, and thought we should come when we visit Seattle.”
“We’re a member’s only club. Plus, it’s Friday night and you should have made a reservation. We have several parties tonight.”
“You are right. I did not know.” Jack pulled out a hundred dollar bill and slipped it to the man. “Would this help?”
The man took it. “What friend?”
Jack had to hand it to the guy, he was not budging easily. He pulled out a business card, wrote down a name and handed the card to the man. “Sergei Koslov.” The man did not overtly react.
Cassie gripped his hand hard but didn’t miss a beat. “Andrei,” she mewed and pouted, and gently pulled him away. “I don’t want to stay if they are going to be this mean.” She sniffed and shook her head, truly affronted that they hadn’t been let in. The man watched for a bit, and Cassie continued with her spoiled attitude.
Another man slightly older than Jack joined the gatekeeper. He studied the business card intently. He said something to the gatekeeper, left and returned in a few minutes.
“Mr. Sokolov, we can accommodate you. A friend of a friend is always welcome.”
Jack held up his hand to acknowledge him but leaned down close to Cassie’s face. She pouted a bit more, and then nodded her head. Jack indulged her with a smile. He stepped back over to the men.
“That would be nice. My wife was looking forward to this.”
Jack helped Cassie off with her coat and looped it over his arm. He wanted those men’s eyes on Cassie while he took stock of the situation. The older man motioned for them to follow him around a thick brick wall, which opened into another foyer of modern glass and structures: the nightclub. It all reminded him of something he might see in Las Vegas. A scantily dressed woman with enormous breasts greeted them.
“Please take Mr. and Mrs. Sokolov to their table.” He turned to them and nodded. “Enjoy your evening.”
Jack thanked him again, placed his hand firmly on Cassie’s bum, and followed the young woman. He caught the man’s appreciative look at Cassie.
With a slow and deliberate strut, Cassie moved with the confidence of a woman knowing full well she attracted attention. Holding her jeweled arm firmly in place, clutching the little black bag Heather provided, she let her left arm swing gracefully making her way through the nightclub with just the right amount swing to her hips.
When they reached their table, Jack slipped the Hostess a fifty, which she tucked between her breasts. Cassie saw the look she gave him. An invitation was what she would call it. Taking her time, Cassie smiled and surveyed the club, making appreciative remarks. She actually liked how the cozy seats with small tables were arranged around the enormous room. They were on the second tier up from the dance floor. Halfway around in each direction, a huge bar area sat with a lot of floor space surrounding it all. The man had said they had several parties booked, but she couldn’t see exactly what he was talking about. All she saw was a lot of people of both sexes strutting their stuff to loud music provided by a DJ in a staged area.
Jack strategically placed Cassie’s coat for the camera feed and waited for her to sit down. He scooted in next to her on the dark leather loveseat. They settled in, and he placed his arm casually around her shoulders, where his camera watch was able to pick up one of the views. Cassie kept her right arm up above the table, moving it slowly for optimum viewing. The cocktail waitress in an identical outfit as the Hostess came for their order. Jack and Cassie had decided earlier that a bottle of red wine would be the best way to go. They could hide minimal drinking and offset spiking that might occur. He asked for a wine list, and she returned with an extensive menu.
Cassie snuggled up to Jack. He shielded their faces with the menu. Keeping his voice low, he said, “Glad you insisted I bring seven hundred. I’ve already blown through one fifty of it.”
Cassie pointed to the menu. “Andrei, darling, it’s interesting the extent of the wine list with the dancing age group. Very pricey.”
“So, you are thinking you’d like wine this evening.”
Startled, they both looked up. A man they had not seen stood in front of them. Cassie sucked in her breath and gripped Jack’s thigh and held on tight. Automatically, she smiled. After a few moments, Jack reached down and placed her hand on the table and caressed it.
“Yes, my wife says I cannot drink vodka any more. It’s not good for my heart. Only red wine. Can you recommend a wine from your state, a merlot or cabernet?”
“I would be glad too, Mr. Sokolov. I am Ivan Butkovsky. I understand you are a friend of Sergei Koslov.”
“Business acquaintance. I’m in the import business, but branching out to property development.” At this point, Jack stood and extended his hand, which the man shook. Jack then motioned to Cassie and said, “And this is my wife, Katerina.”
“Lovely. My mother’s name.” The man’s gaze lingered on her, making her uncomfortable, but she kept smiling. “I’m glad we could accommodate you this evening. Welcome to Seattle. Where are you staying?”
“The Hilton.”
“Ah, the Hilton. They have quite the art collection. Do you enjoy art, Mrs. Sokolov?”
“Yes, yes I do. Very much.”
“What did you think of the art in the lobby?”
She hesitated and deci
ded to be truthful. “I have to be honest, my mind was elsewhere. I didn’t notice and I should have because…my mother collected art.”
He nodded and smiled.
“So, when we return tonight I will pay special attention.”
He smiled. “It is a lovely collection. I too collect art. If you like, I’d be happy to show you my small collection.”
“Oh…” Jack discreetly nodded his head. She added, “That would be very nice.”
“I’m sure you’d like your wine. I’ll have that sent now.” And he was gone.
Jack quickly sat down next to Cassie and pulled her in tight. “Are you all right?”
She let out a deep breath and nodded.
“You knew him.”
“Yes. Just give me a minute. I just didn’t expect to see anyone connected to Sergei. And I was surprised earlier when you used his name.”
“Sorry about that. He’s the only name I could think of. This tells me Koslov is not a two-bit operator.” Jack kissed her on the cheek. “You’re doing great my little Chickadee, but I screwed up.” Jack bent his head down by his lapel. “Somebody, get me registered at the Hilton, stat.”
Cassie touched her earpiece. “They’re on it, boss.”
Within minutes, the waitress appeared with their wine. Very deftly, she uncorked the bottle and handed it to Jack. He smelled it and said, “Ah, merlot.” Cassie was impressed. The waitress poured a bit in each glass and left. Jack tasted it and added wine to their glasses. He put his arm around Cassie, and they settled in to watch the crowd.
“What now?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Something has to change. I haven’t seen anything that could be illegal other than their prices.”
“Are we being watched?”
“Definitely.”
“Heather wants to know if we can walk around.”
“Soon. When you use the ladies’ room.”
The lights over the dance floor flickered, and the music changed. Cassie looked up at Jack, and he shrugged. The people on the dance floor understood what was happening. The back wall by the DJ opened, with a floor moving forward. In the center of it was the back of a throne-like chair surrounded by good looking bare-chested men in skin tight pants. They spun the chair around, revealing a posed woman wearing a skimpy dress with a crown and white veil. Cheers roared from the dance floor and all around. The men danced around the posed woman in the chair. As the crowd grew louder, the dancing became more sexual and aggressive with the bride now dancing with the men.
“It’s a Bachelorette Party. I think I’d have to be really drunk to do that in public.” Cassie was surprised at her reaction.
“I think she is. Do you want to watch this?”
Cassie laughed and held up her glass for Jack to fill. “Heather says under no circumstances are we to leave.”
The other side of the wall opened, and an identical chair came out. But this time, bikini-clad women with enormous breasts escorted it. The crowd went wild.
“That’s got to be the groom.” Cassie covered her mouth, laughing. “Andrei my darling, you don’t even want to know what the guys are saying.”
He shook his head and topped off their wine glasses and settled back in, with his watch hand pointed to the stage.
When it ended Jack said, “Now is a good time to get up and walk around. Everything will be crowded, and we can blend in. Let’s take our wine glasses with us.”
They took their time and made their way to the crowded bar area. Cassie noticed the women eyeing Jack. She didn’t blame them. He looked handsome and rugged, especially with his beard growth. After a couple of minutes milling around, he leaned in.
“Katerina, my love, did you need to use the ladies’ room?”
Cassie handed Jack her wine glass before entering the bathroom. Heather assured her they would cut off the feed when asked. Instead, she just washed her hands and touched up her lips. When she exited, Ivan Butkovsky stood next to Jack. Since she could not scream ah, shit and run, she took a deep breath and smiled.
“Ah, Mrs. Sokolov.”
“Please, Katerina.”
“And I am Ivan. How did you enjoy our spectacle on the stage?”
“Very entertaining, wasn’t it Andrei?” She brushed his cheek and flashed Ivan Butkosvky a smile. She knew he found her attractive. “Andrei won’t admit it, but I think he enjoyed it as much as I did.”
“If you like, I’ll show you my small art collection now.” Ivan offered his arm for her.
Cassie wasn’t so sure about this, but she felt a gentle push from Jack’s hand in the small of her back. She looped her arm through Ivan’s and concentrated on staying calm and in her zone. Other than finding her attractive and wanting to impress her, Cassie couldn’t figure why he would want to show her his art collection. With Jack next to her side, they walked with Ivan down a wide corridor, passing marked and unmarked doors.
“You have an interesting accent, Katerina. I can’t place it.”
She laughed gently. “Oh, I’m not surprised. I’m Finnish and Russian. I grew up in Helsinki, but my father’s family is Russian.”
“And you Andrei, where did you grow up?”
“Nowhere interesting like my wife. I grew up in California.”
“Ah, yes, the Sokolovs are all over Southern California. Here we are.”
They stood outside a carved wooden door. More than anything, Cassie wanted to turn and look at Jack for reassurance. He gave her arm a gentle squeeze. Butkovsky keyed in several numbers on the keypad. The electronic door buzzed, and he held it open for them to enter.
Stunned, Cassie gasped quietly, and Jack sucked in his breath. A richly furnished foyer greeted them with various pieces of artwork displayed. What were the chances of someone who knew Sergei also collected the same artwork? This was not a coincidence. Cassie watched Jack but his eyes were now glued to what was happening beyond the glassed wall. She grabbed his hand firmly for him to join her in front of a very modern painting. She oohed appreciatively even though she thought it was butt ugly. There had to be more to this artwork than taking up space on a wall.
“So you recognize this artist?” Butkovsky asked.
Yep, she sure did, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. She made a few noises and acted perplexed.
With a sweep of his hand he proclaimed, “It’s a Sashay.” Then, he pointed to two others and a statue of some sort under a glassed box near the glass wall.
“Sashay. Of course. Darling you remember—” she turned to Jack—“this is the artist from the reception we attended in Morro Bay. Andrei, you must look at this statue.” Cassie guided him to the monstrosity and clapped her hands in glee. “I remember the gallery owner said she was the next Picasso. What do you think?” she asked Ivan.
For the next five minutes, Cassie listened intently to the Russian expounding the virtues of the artist in hopes of Jack getting his live camera feed fed on the statue and the room beyond. When he finished, she thanked him and made a point of looking at each piece he had on display. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Ivan join Jack at the window looking into the big room.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
"Do you enjoy gambling?” Butkovsky asked Jack.
Jack smiled and nodded. “Yes. Twenty-one, and definitely a good game of poker.” He laughed. “One could say business is now a gamble.”
“Will you be coming to Seattle often?”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“Your wife is enchanting. Will she be coming with you?”
Jack made some noises and said, “Maybe occasionally.”
Ivan gave Jack a card. “When you come without your wife, I can make special arrangements for you.” Ivan nodded toward a scantily clad woman.
“I see.” Jack smiled and slipped the
card inside his jacket.
Butkovsky gestured at the activity. “Would you enjoy gambling this evening?”
Jack waved Cassie over. “Darling, would you enjoy some casino tonight?”
She hesitated and locked eyes with him. “Would you?’
“Yes, for a bit. You like roulette.”
With a swipe of a card, they were through the door and into the beehive of gambling. Ivan escorted them to the bar for them to place a drink order. Jack ordered merlot for the both of them and watched the barman pour their glasses.
“I did not settle my tab in the club,” Jack reminded Ivan.
“I will have it transferred up here.” Ivan looked at his phone and excused himself.
Jack watched to see where he exited. With one hand on Cassie’s elbow and the other holding his wine, he escorted Cassie around the crowded room, which equaled the size of the nightclub. They stopped and viewed the various tables. No poker, which led him believe it was somewhere else. They stopped at a roulette table, where they watched. It allowed allowed Jack to see the back area. He noticed barmaids entering and exiting a room. Probably the poker room.
“Let me get you some chips.” He pulled out the chair for her. When he returned, she nodded to the table and widened her eyes. He realized Cassie didn’t know how to play roulette. Jack kissed and whispered, “Just put the chips down on any numbers. Red or black. Odd or even. You need to lose.”
While Cassie placed her chips, Jack watched the room at the back. On the opposite side was another door. Interesting. Cassie glimpsed up and smiled. He saw what she picked. Thirty-six, her age.
The dealer spun, and she won. Excited, she squealed softly. Jack continued to watch the room discreetly, keeping an eye on the door. Cassie lost a few times, but her winning pile grew.
Deep Into The Night (Hartz Island Series) Page 18
