The Mistress(61)

“No, I don’t.” She wished that Athena would stop looking at her as though she knew something. She had eyes that seared right into Natasha’s brain and tore at her conscience. She kept thinking of what she’d seen and wished she hadn’t, and she knew what he’d done was wrong. But she didn’t want to betray him. He had always been good to her. But he had stolen a hundred million dollars’ worth of art, and perhaps if they found out, they would blame her too, and think she had known about it. Why were they talking to her now? Maybe they suspected her. “We were almost boarded by pirates off Croatia,” she said to change the subject, and Athena looked shocked.

“How awful. That must have been terrifying.”

“It was. But we got away, and no one was hurt.” But she still looked troubled as she said it. She was thinking of the gun room again. And Athena could tell something was upsetting her, more than just the pirates.

“That could have been very dangerous if you were boarded,” Athena said sympathetically. She was startled by how young Natasha seemed. She had the feeling that Natasha didn’t speak to strangers often, and led a totally sequestered life.

“I know,” Natasha almost whispered, remembering the pirates, and the paintings. And then feeling swept away by a wave of compassion for Theo, Natasha knew she had to tell her. It was too wrong, and she didn’t want to be part of it. She wanted Theo to get his father’s paintings back. And Vladimir hadn’t stolen one, he’d stolen twelve. “The crew got out the guns. We keep them in a locked room for emergencies.” She looked straight at Athena as she said it. She stood up then, as though she had to go somewhere, and Athena understood that the visit was over. They had come up dry again. She was discouraged by her gut feeling that whatever this girl knew—and she thought there was something—she obviously wasn’t going to tell her. Natasha walked her downstairs herself from the upper deck, and halfway between two levels, she turned to Athena and spoke in a whisper.

“I think they’re in the gun room. I saw them.” And then she continued down the stairs, expressionless, as though she had said nothing. Athena was shocked for an instant, but didn’t react, and looked casual and relaxed as they continued down to the loading dock, and thanked her for letting her come onboard. She knew that Natasha had just endangered herself by giving her the information, and didn’t want to increase the risk she had just taken. It was incredibly brave of her. They shook hands formally, and Athena looked disinterested as she and Steve got in the police boat. He had stayed downstairs to talk to the crew and shoot the breeze. Athena had wanted to be alone with her, in case she was shy, and they connected better without a man present. She was still struck by Natasha’s seeming innocence, and bowled over by what she’d told her, but it didn’t show.

They were halfway to shore when Steve asked her the question he already knew the answer to. He could see it from the expression on Athena’s face. “Blanks again, right?” She waited until they were out of the speedboat before she answered in a low voice.

“They’re on the boat. Now all we need to do is get a warrant. I’m not going to tell them who told me. I’m just going to tell them I know. I don’t want to put her at risk. He could hurt her, or worse.” She was deeply concerned for Natasha and sensitive to the position she was in. If Vladimir knew Natasha had betrayed him, there was no telling what he would do to her. Athena felt honor bound to protect her, and somehow Natasha had felt that, which had allowed her to speak.

Steve looked shocked. “Wait a minute! She told you they’re on the boat?” Athena nodded. “You have to tell them how you know. They’re not going to give you a warrant for a guy like him on a hunch. He’s never been in trouble before. You’ll have to reveal your source,” Steve said with a determined look, stunned that Athena had a lead and had gotten it from Natasha.

“He’s just never been caught. We’d probably be horrified if we knew what he’s done in his own country. If I reveal my source, he’ll kill her. I’m not taking that chance. I don’t care how much the damn paintings are worth. I’m not trading her life for them, at any price. And God knows what he’s capable of. He’ll chain her to a wall for the rest of her life, or throw her overboard. He won’t take it lightly if he finds out.” She was dead serious as she said it, and Steve knew she could be right about Natasha, and what Stanislas might do to her.

“He’ll be in prison,” Steve said calmly, if what his partner had said was true, and they found them on the boat. “That would protect her.”

“Maybe not. Or maybe he’ll have someone else kill her. It’s my way or no way, and that goes for you too. She’s my source! If you put her life on the line, I’ll kill you.” And Athena looked as though she meant it.

“Okay, okay. Relax. But you’re not going to get a warrant out of anyone with hocus-pocus like that. And he’ll get away with it if you don’t get a warrant.”

“Watch me,” she said with a determined look in her eye.

She went straight to her chief inspector later that afternoon, and he told her there was no way he was going to get a warrant on flimsy information from an informant she wouldn’t identify. He didn’t believe her, and was afraid she was just guessing, since she had refused to reveal her source. “You’re going to have to get me more than that,” he said.