Shattered Mirror (Eve Duncan #23)(50)

“I don’t believe Interpol said anything about Norwalk’s having a twin brother.”

Darcy’s lips twisted. “But no one knew I had a twin either. Check it out.” She moved over to the swing and sat down. “But I’m still confused about all this. It seems like the tip of the iceberg. Maybe this Kaskov will be able to find out more. Eve seemed to believe he could.” She stared Cara in the eye. “What do you think?”

“Eve’s very smart.”

“That’s no answer. You know your grandfather better than Eve, better than anyone. Can he help me?”

“Me?” she repeated quietly. “This isn’t only about you, Darcy. We’re all in this fight together.”

She was silent. “I know that.” Her lips twisted. “But I sometimes forget. I spent all my life being number one. Number one in the spotlight. Number one in responsibility. Number one behind the eight ball.” She wrinkled her nose. “Though that last doesn’t make much sense, does it? You know what I mean.”

“Yes, I do.” She sat down beside her and took her hand. “And number one when Sylvie was left behind. You don’t want her left behind this time.”

“She can’t be left behind,” Darcy said fiercely. “I won’t let that happen.” Her hand tightened on Cara’s. “So tell me about Kaskov.”

“You’re expecting more than I may be able to give. Can he find out the information we need to know? Probably. If he chooses to do it.”

“Will he choose to do it? You’re a target. He must care something about you, or he wouldn’t want you to spend a month with him every year. That’s sort of sentimental, so he can’t be that tough.”

Cara looked at her incredulously. “Sentimental? Kaskov doesn’t know the meaning of the word. Tough? He walks in the room, and everyone else fades away.”

“Do you fade away?”

“Not when I’m playing for him, but that’s the only time I know I have any value for him. It’s the music. It’s always the music.”

“Why?”

“He grew up in a work camp in Siberia. His mother was a violinist. Kaskov was going to be a musician. But one of the guards smashed the bones in his hands. It ruined his chance of a career as a performer.” She grimaced. “So he told me that he went in ‘another direction’ to reach the top. Evidently, he reached that goal when he was in his twenties and never let go. In Moscow, he’s not only a premier crime boss, but he controls a good many of the political parties that come and go. He’s a contributor to the arts, and he even funds scholarships to various music academies. He’s extremely clever, completely ruthless, and he never lets down his guard.” She moistened her lips. “Which makes it almost laughable that Norwalk thinks he can take him down.”

“Unless he can strike at an Achilles’ heel. Does he have any other family?”

She shook her head. “Just me. His mother died years ago. He had two children—Natalie, my mother, and his son. They’re both dead now. I’m not sure how his son died, but I heard a few years ago that my mother had been killed in a helicopter accident.”

“You heard?”

“We weren’t close. Never.” She made an impatient gesture. “Enough. Norwalk won’t find any weakness in Kaskov as far as family is concerned.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” she said. “And I’ll back off, Cara. I haven’t forgotten my promise. I just had to know. I might—We might need to use him.”

“Eve is already going down that route. I gathered she wasn’t entirely sure she’d handled it right.”

“I received the same impression.” She was frowning. “Would you mind if I seduced him?”

“What? Who?”

“Kaskov. I could probably do it. And that would solidify any chance we might have to—”

“Yes, I would mind,” she said in exasperation. “First, you’re going to seduce Jock, and now Kaskov? That’s playing with fire, Darcy. I thought I’d made that clear. That’s crazy.”

“No, it’s Sylvie,” she said quietly. “Sex is only a fun game to me, and I wouldn’t use it ordinarily. But all the rules are off now. However, if it upsets you, we’ll have to find another way.”

“It upsets me,” Cara said positively. “And besides, the last I heard, Kaskov has a mistress who’s a diva in the Bolshoi Opera.”

“No problem. I could overcome.” She smiled. “But I can’t overcome you, Cara. I’ve never had a friend like you.” She released her hand. “And now that I’ve thoroughly rattled you, why don’t you go inside and be referee between Eve and Jock, while I sit here and think more about Norwalk’s call.”

“Are you trying to get rid of me? You said that Eve didn’t need me.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you have a need to help her.”

And that Darcy might need to be alone to recover from the agony of that call, an agony that she’d managed to submerge while she tried to find something of value in the message. “True.” Cara got to her feet. “I’d hate to prove all your psychological mumbo jumbo about my relationship with Eve is a total fallacy.” She moved toward the door. “I’m off to the rescue.”