Savannah was relieved when Jenny called through the vent the next morning. At least she was still there.
“Where were you?” Jenny whispered. “I was so worried.”
Vanna told her about the week in the warehouse and how Vlad had made her write a note to her sister.
“Why would he do that? Does he know her?”
“Apparently. I tried to call her.” She explained how she’d “borrowed” Sergei’s phone but it hadn’t worked. “I still need to warn her.”
“About what? You have no idea what he’s up to.”
“I know that, but somehow I need to tell her not to come looking for me.”
“But you just wrote a note asking her to do just that.”
Vanna let out an impatient breath. “Jenny, it’s a trap. Vlad wants her to come looking for me.”
“Why?”
Vanna wondered how another human being could be so dense. “I just told you I have no idea.” She paused. “Maybe Sergei knows.”
“Sergei…the guard?”
“He was my watcher at the warehouse. He may know what Vlad’s planning. Maybe he could warn her for me.”
“Oh sure.” Jenny voice was laced with sarcasm. “He’ll definitely go out of his way for you. Especially after you tried to rip off his cell.”
“Other than that, he’s been nice to me.”
“I’m sure he has. But Vlad pays him a lot of money to guard us. How are you going to pay?”
“I’ll let him do whatever he wants,” Vanna said after a beat.
“I don’t know about that.” Jenny went quiet. Then she changed the subject as if she didn’t want to know any more. “Speaking of plans, something happened while you were gone.”
“What?”
“There’s a new girl.”
“Here?”
“Yes.”
“Pregnant?”
“About to deliver.”
“Is she a blond?”
“Of course.”
“Shit. What’s with him and all the blond girls?”
“I don’t know,” Jenny said.
“Maybe he thinks he can charge a higher price for babies that have blond mothers. Or something like that. Have you talked to her?”
“Not yet. Her English isn’t so good. But she speaks Russian. She and Zoya were talking.”
“Well now, that’s interesting.”
“Why?”
Vanna felt another flash of irritation. Jenny should have been able to figure it out. It meant that Vlad’s business was growing so fast he was now recruiting girls from overseas as well as the US. But more important, it meant this girl could listen in on what Zoya and the guards said to each other. She could eavesdrop on Zoya’s end of a phone conversation, too. And if she could translate what she heard, a bunch of new possibilities had just turned up.
* * *
Later that day Vanna managed to get Sergei to take her for a walk. It was a mild day for February, and the ground was so soggy from melting snow that clumps of mud stuck to her gym shoes. She didn’t care; she’d found the shoes in her closet and they were two sizes too big. As they made their way past the barn, she let out a breath and asked if he’d warn Georgia for her.
“I don’t have money to pay you. But you and I can have our own private party afterward.” She flashed him what she hoped was a seductive smile.
His eyes narrowed. He gazed at her with a frown on his face. Then he shook his head. “Too danger. If Vlad find out, I am dead.”
“Not if no one tells him. I won’t. Neither will you.”
“He find out.”
“How?”
Sergei shrugged. “He has ways. He check cell sometime.”
A wave of guilt rolled over her. With her luck, he’d check Sergei’s phone today. Sergei didn’t deserve Vlad’s wrath. No one did. “I’m sorry for using your phone.” She paused. “But, if he finds out, I’ll take the blame. I’m probably going to die anyway.”
Sergei eyed her without speaking.
“Look, I don’t care. It’s too late for me. But my sister—she has a life. I don’t want her to come into contact with Vlad. It’s too dangerous. You know that.”
Still no answer. They walked to the edge of a stand of trees and turned around.
“Have you delivered the letter yet?”
“Today.”
She clapped her hands. “That’s perfect. Go ahead and deliver it, but then hang around and tell her to ignore the whole thing.”
He looked doubtful, which, perversely, filled Vanna with hope. It meant he was considering it.
“And don’t forget what we’re gonna do afterward,” she purred.
Sergei didn’t say anything, but he stopped walking. “I have daughter. In Ukraine.”
Vanna stopped too. “Then you know how important it is to protect her. All I’m asking is that you help me save my sister.”
“And if Vlad’s men follow?”
“Vlad trusts you. You’re his driver.”
He rolled his eyes, as if that was meaningless in the great scheme of things. Then he started back toward the house. “I make no promise.”
The thought occurred to her that he might be setting her up. That he might double-cross her, run to Vlad, and tell him what she wanted. But she had played her last card. She just had to pray he wouldn’t. She touched his arm and pulled it toward her. “Will you at least try?”
He shrugged.
“You know where Wilder Street is?”