Page 29 of Tangled Roses
CHAPTER 16
ARMAN
Thank fuck. My gamble paid off because from the expressions around me, these men are not involved. I scrutinized every single one of them, and it was obvious. They are businessmen and greedy ones at that, which is the extent of their involvement in this club and, as a shot in the dark, it appears my aim hit the target.
Michael is the first one to speak and says thoughtfully.
“I know of Nikolai Barinov. Your father spoke of him one day and it wasn’t good.”
“What did he say?” He holds my full attention now because this may be the information we seek.
“It was a few years ago now and is almost a distant memory, but the urgency in your father’s expression told me it was serious.”
Joel nods. “I was there too. It was a party similar to this one, early on in the evening. He asked if any of us had heard of Nikolai and, of course, nobody had. He appeared thoughtful and I only remember because his expression was worried. Your father never looked worried, so I asked him why. He told us he was a known assassin for your government and rarely ventured out of Russia. However, he was aware of his visit to New York and had him followed.”
“That sounds like my father.”
It creates a sharp memory that threatens to distract my attention from the business at hand, and only a reassuring smile from Gabrielle chases the memory away.
She understands.
I see it in her eyes and for some reason that stuns me a little. Nobody ever understands me. I am a closed book that even my family can’t read and yet she reacts to the most unlikely sentences, almost as if she has a window into my soul and can read me loud and clear.
“What did he discover?” Gabrielle asks for me and I note the excitement in her eyes as Joel shakes his head. “That he was having an affair with your mother.”
Gabrielle doesn’t react and just nods. “I see.”
I listen as I sort the information in my mind and I wonder if she is thinking along the same lines as me. Is Nikolai her father? Could that be a possibility? The timeline works out because Marsha has been involved since the beginning and we can’t rule anything out. If he is, I doubt he intends on killing her, but why now? Or is it just a coincidence that he is in New York at the same time as Gabrielle and we got this wrong?
“Do you think this man Nikolai murdered your father?” Ed says with concern and I shake my head.
“He may be involved, but it’s doubtful he administered the poison himself. It might just be a coincidence.”
I lean forward. “I need to know what my father was working on before he died. Did he mention anything at all to shed some light on this?”
Tony speaks up. “He was working on many things; we all were and still are. There is nothing unusual about any of them. Certainly not anything I’m involved in.”
Ed smiles ruefully. “It appears we can’t help with your search, Arman, but we can assure you of our cooperation. The fact you trusted us with this means a lot and there is no reason why our involvement with your family should alter.”
The others nod in agreement.
“We will notify you if we hear anything and return to business as usual.”
Michael stands and offers me his hand. “Welcome to the club, Arman. What happens here stays with its members and that includes anything you tell us. We protect our members and our association well, and this will be no exception.”
As I shake each of their hands, I sigh inside. I may have helped our business but I’m no further forward with the mystery surrounding my father’s death.
I stand and nod to Gabrielle. “We must leave.”
She doesn’t waste any time in standing and as I turn back to the men, I add, “There is one way you can help my situation.”
“Consider it done already.”
Michael assures me, and Gabrielle gasps when I say, “Make it known that Gabrielle was here tonight. I’m interested in what Marsha does about that.”
They share an amused grin and Joel laughs out loud.
“It will be our pleasure.”