way, the Sergey Inanova way. No mere prison term or court-ordered execution was enough. Only slow death by torture would quench his appetite for revenge.
After laying his daughter to rest in an elegant and somber funeral, he called his most trusted assassin to his home.
Afanasir Petrov was a vicious, short, stocky man with a shaved head and enormous hands and feet. His face was scared by two jagged knife cuts, one across the cheek and one under his chin. He had clear blue eyes that showed no emotion. Living up to his name Afanasir (meaning immortal in Russian), the word among the Russian Mafia families was that he could not be killed, although many tried and were destroyed in the process. Petrov had no conscience and could kill efficiently or with unhurried agony for the victims. He took his pleasure from prostitutes, vodka and cocaine. He was loyal to no one except Sergey, who had smuggled him into the states from Russia and provided him with at least four fake identities. Sergey’s instructions to him were simple, find out who murdered his daughter before the police did. Bring the killer or killers to him alive.
“Don’t return without bringing me someone to mutilate,” were his last words to Petrov.
Petrov accepted a thick envelope filled with cash for his expenses and left Sergey’s home. He traveled to his condo to prepare for the trip. His destination was Green Bay and then to drive to Lookout Mountain and the nearest town, Tomahawk, to find information about the murder of Veronika.
He would not fail. Petrov never failed.
Sergey also called Marino Bastone, his La Cosa Nostra contact, to tell him that he was offering a $1,000,000 bounty on the head of his daughter’s killer. The bounty was payable in cash to the man who brought him the killer alive. He didn’t inform Bastone or Petrov that he was sending both on the same mission. If they crossed paths and a showdown occurred, Petrov would, without a doubt, be the last man standing in that duel.
He didn’t call either of the Mexican drug cartels that he was presently doing business with. He didn’t trust the damn Mexicans.
With Petrov and Bastone searching, he was confident of success. Whoever the bastards were, he was determined to make them pay.
Chapter 16
Leah awoke after only two hours sleep. Her head ached both from worry and lack of sleep. She got out of bed, stumbled to the bathroom, swallowed two aspirins and walked to the window and looked out. Hard rain pelted the windows and daylight tried to filter through the thick clouds. This was only the second day after the tornado struck Lookout Mountain, it felt like a month. After making a pot of coffee and downing two cups, Leahshowered, and prepared herself for another day of searching for Ben. She decided to return to Lookout Mountain and drive the roads herself. The pouring rain stopped and a beautiful rainbow appeared in the eastern sky. Leah looked at it and a tear ran down her cheek.
As she was leaving the motel, she noticed a Denny’s restaurant and realized that she needed to eat before she began her drive. She parked beside a Ford Excursion and went into the restaurant. She was seated and ordered a pot of black coffee, one egg over well, whole wheat toast and cream of wheat. Leah drank her coffee and toyed with her breakfast only eating about half of it. She walked to the register to pay her bill and got in line behind a very tall grey-haired man. He had a frown on his face and looked upset about something. He turned and looked straight into her eyes. She said good morning to him, and lowered her eyes to her purse to get the money to pay the check. She walked back to her car and noticed the tall guy get into the Excursion. He sat there fumbling in his glove compartment as she took her cell phone out of her purse, started her car and drove away.
The traffic was light as she drove down Highway 51. She picked up her cell phone and dialed the Tomahawk police
After laying his daughter to rest in an elegant and somber funeral, he called his most trusted assassin to his home.
Afanasir Petrov was a vicious, short, stocky man with a shaved head and enormous hands and feet. His face was scared by two jagged knife cuts, one across the cheek and one under his chin. He had clear blue eyes that showed no emotion. Living up to his name Afanasir (meaning immortal in Russian), the word among the Russian Mafia families was that he could not be killed, although many tried and were destroyed in the process. Petrov had no conscience and could kill efficiently or with unhurried agony for the victims. He took his pleasure from prostitutes, vodka and cocaine. He was loyal to no one except Sergey, who had smuggled him into the states from Russia and provided him with at least four fake identities. Sergey’s instructions to him were simple, find out who murdered his daughter before the police did. Bring the killer or killers to him alive.
“Don’t return without bringing me someone to mutilate,” were his last words to Petrov.
Petrov accepted a thick envelope filled with cash for his expenses and left Sergey’s home. He traveled to his condo to prepare for the trip. His destination was Green Bay and then to drive to Lookout Mountain and the nearest town, Tomahawk, to find information about the murder of Veronika.
He would not fail. Petrov never failed.
Sergey also called Marino Bastone, his La Cosa Nostra contact, to tell him that he was offering a $1,000,000 bounty on the head of his daughter’s killer. The bounty was payable in cash to the man who brought him the killer alive. He didn’t inform Bastone or Petrov that he was sending both on the same mission. If they crossed paths and a showdown occurred, Petrov would, without a doubt, be the last man standing in that duel.
He didn’t call either of the Mexican drug cartels that he was presently doing business with. He didn’t trust the damn Mexicans.
With Petrov and Bastone searching, he was confident of success. Whoever the bastards were, he was determined to make them pay.
Chapter 16
Leah awoke after only two hours sleep. Her head ached both from worry and lack of sleep. She got out of bed, stumbled to the bathroom, swallowed two aspirins and walked to the window and looked out. Hard rain pelted the windows and daylight tried to filter through the thick clouds. This was only the second day after the tornado struck Lookout Mountain, it felt like a month. After making a pot of coffee and downing two cups, Leahshowered, and prepared herself for another day of searching for Ben. She decided to return to Lookout Mountain and drive the roads herself. The pouring rain stopped and a beautiful rainbow appeared in the eastern sky. Leah looked at it and a tear ran down her cheek.
As she was leaving the motel, she noticed a Denny’s restaurant and realized that she needed to eat before she began her drive. She parked beside a Ford Excursion and went into the restaurant. She was seated and ordered a pot of black coffee, one egg over well, whole wheat toast and cream of wheat. Leah drank her coffee and toyed with her breakfast only eating about half of it. She walked to the register to pay her bill and got in line behind a very tall grey-haired man. He had a frown on his face and looked upset about something. He turned and looked straight into her eyes. She said good morning to him, and lowered her eyes to her purse to get the money to pay the check. She walked back to her car and noticed the tall guy get into the Excursion. He sat there fumbling in his glove compartment as she took her cell phone out of her purse, started her car and drove away.
The traffic was light as she drove down Highway 51. She picked up her cell phone and dialed the Tomahawk police
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