BooksBarbecue
Back The Asset
Chapters (86)
  1. Foreword
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. Afterword

It was straightforward, but because of Tatyana’s training, he’d have to be careful. She was as familiar with killing as he was, and wouldn’t think twice about it. She was trained to look for the slightest signs of incongruity. Any slip ups and he’d be done for.

His advantage was that she had no reason to suspect him. She thought he was her target, a soft, dimwitted slob. Nothing he did in the bedroom would cause her to think otherwise.

His phone rang.

It was Timokhin.

“Hey, asshole,” he said to the driver. “Get out.”

“What?”

“Get the fuck out of the car.”

The driver unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car.

“Close the door, dipshit,” Goldin said.

The driver closed the door and waited on the sidewalk.

They were still blocking the lane, traffic wasn’t heavy at this time but that didn’t stop every second car from honking.

“What is it?” Goldin said into the phone.

“She’s arrived,” Timokhin said.

“I saw her.”

“You know how to do Rhode Island accent?”

“Close enough,” Goldin said. “She won’t know the difference.”

“She’s smart, Sheldon.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“She thinks you work for a senator.”

“I read the file.”

“Just be careful. This is … important. Sensitive. I need footage of the meeting.”

“I got it, boss.”

“We have to get confirmation of who she’s meeting. That’s critical.”

“Any idea what to expect?”

“I just received more data. I’m sending you photos now. Male. American. Thirty-eight. Very dangerous. Used to be Delta Force.”

“Delta Force?”

“Just film the meet. Don’t approach them. He’s extremely dangerous.”

“The file said kill her.”

“Forget that. This new data changes everything. If her contact shows, just film them. Under no circumstances are you to approach. From what they sent, this guy is some sort of assassin. Film them. Keep your distance. But stay the fuck back.”

“And what if the man doesn’t show up?”

“He’ll show. This meet is the only reason she’s in New York. She’s risked everything.”

“All right.”

“Let her do all the work. She’ll be motivated.”

“Oh, she’ll work. Believe me.”

A police cruiser pulled up behind him and flashed its lights.

“I’ve got to go, boss. We’re blocking traffic here.”

“She keeps a gun in her purse.”

“I know. A Browning. I told you, I read the file.”

33

When Tatyana entered the bar, heads turned. People made way.

She looked like Chanel paid her to wear the dress.

And that was the point.

The hard part of her job wasn’t tempting these men, but giving them a reason to believe a woman like her would want them.

This jowly Goldin from Rhode Island wasn’t an idiot. If a woman like her approached him in a place like this, he’d want to know the angle.

And she would give him one.