Page 60 of Goodbye Girl
“Correct,” she said.
Theo connected the remaining dots. “And since Kava is not being extradited, I shouldn’t have to worry about the death threat Jack passed along to us.”
“Not correct,” said Coffey.
“Why do you say that?”
“The fact that the bodyguard made no mention of you in his testimonytells me something very different. Kava wants to deal with you himself, outside the legal process.”
“But the threat was clearly stated:ifKava is extradited, Theo Knight is a dead man. He’s not being extradited.”
“Let’s look at reality. There’s no sign of the driver who betrayed Kava. The last we heard from Amongus Sicario, Jack was speaking to him on the phone, heard a gunshot, and heard Amongus say he was hit. But there are no hospital records anywhere in the city showing that Amongus ever showed up at the ER for treatment, and his body has never been found.”
“You’re thinking the oligarch took care of both of them.”
“Don’t you?”
“That doesn’t mean they’ll come after me. I’ll say it again: Sergei Kava isnotbeing extradited.”
She looked off toward the river, then back at Theo. “Have you ever heard the old saying ‘All’s well that ends well’?”
“Sure.”
Her expression turned very serious. “That’s not a creed that Russian oligarchs live by. They don’t just let bygones be bygones. You kidnapped Vladimir Kava’s son with the intent to put him behind bars. The fact that he’s not being extradited doesn’t make that okay.”
Theo considered it. He’d grown up with countless dudes who had the same mind-set. “What would you do if you were me?”
“I can’t advise you on that. What I can tell you is that now that the extradition case is lost, I can’t offer you any protection. And I can no longer pass messages between you and Jack or your uncle Cy. You’ll need to find some other safe way to communicate that doesn’t give up your position to Kava’s thugs.”
“Sounds like I should just go back to Miami.”
“It’s up to you to decide when you feel safe traveling under your own name. I can’t guarantee you that a man with Kava’s resources isn’t somehow monitoring the passenger lists on international flights out of Heathrow.”
“What’s the alternative?”
“Continue making yourself invisible in Bethnal Green for a while longer. Maybe take the Chunnel or the ferry over to the Continent when you’re ready. Fly out of Paris or Amsterdam.”
She finished the rest of her pint and set the glass down heavily, signaling that their meeting was over. “Any final message you want me to pass along to your lawyer or your uncle?”
“Tell them to sit tight. I’ll reach out when I get back to Florida.”
“Done. I wish you luck, Mr. Knight.”
They rose and shook hands. Coffey said it was best that they not leave together. Theo gave her a head start and finished his pint. The large umbrella over the table had kept them dry during their talk, but it was still raining as Theo left the pub and started walking back to the Vauxhall Underground station. A woman was standing on the corner, and Theo quickly recognized her as the girl from the train. He called to her.
“What are you doing out here?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
“I told you to get a room.”
“I couldn’t find that hotel you said was around here.”
The rain started falling harder. “Don’t stand out here getting wet.”
She didn’t answer.
“I can walk you to the hotel,” he said.