Deep Into The Night (Hartz Island Series) (17 page)

Chapter Twenty-Six

"C
ass?”

“I’m back here, Jack, finishing up.”

Still in yoga shorts and Jack’s flannel shirt, Cassie did not feel like a Katerina yet. She examined her appearance and liked the results. Her eyes were heavily made up with dark colors, giving her a sultry look, finishing off with bright red nails. She came out of the bathroom, nearly knocking into him.

He stepped back, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You’re not dressed.”

“No. I thought we would eat first. I don’t want to spill anything on my clothes.”

“Oh, right. So, what did you pick out for me to wear?”

Cassie pointed to the bed where she’d laid out a dark blue, almost black, suit, a dress shirt one shade lighter than the suit, and black loafers.

“Where’s my tie?”

“You’re not wearing one.”

“I’m not?”

“No. You’re going for an informal dressy look. By the way, was Heather able to get any items off my list?”

“She brought in two big shopping bags. I left them in the office. When we get there, you can go through them.”

“You get dressed, I’ll get dinner ready, and after we eat, then I’ll finish up.”

Cassie headed to the kitchen, smiling. Someone was unhappy when he got home, she could tell by his pouty demeanor.

To say he wasn’t disappointed was putting it mildly. He’d hoped Cassie would give a repeat performance from last night instead of being all business-like. Where the hell did that come from? He’d envisioned her moving around in that dress and brushing up against him.

Within five minutes, he was in and out of the shower. Jack had decided earlier he would not be packing a gun into the nightclub, but he wouldn’t be going in weaponless either. Jack pulled his weapons box off the top shelf in his closet and chose two thin, deadly knives. Even though he hadn’t been a SEAL for a while, this was how he had been trained. Jack adjusted the knives just above his ankles in his inner calf. Specialized socks held the blades in place. He finished dressing and checked his image in the mirror. No one would detect the knives.

Cassie smiled when she saw him. He thought she looked cute in his kitchen with his flannel shirt hanging down passed her butt. Was she naked underneath, or did she have on cute little panties? More than anything, he wanted to grab her and find out.

Two place settings of chicken and salad were set on the counter. That made sense after complaining about her jeans. Jack took his place at the counter, and she joined him. During dinner, he briefed her on the night and what to expect. He sensed a change in her but wasn’t sure what. When they finished eating, Cassie cleaned up, and then excused herself. Somehow she’d taken control.

In less time than he expected, Cassie emerged from the bedroom and paused. Her short, tight, shimmering dress with her tall heels had him at attention. He sucked in his breath and boldly stared. At the moment, she had him by the balls and didn’t know it. He wanted to keep it that way. If she was aware of how she affected him, she didn’t show it.

Slowly she turned, displaying the V back and the tightness around her hips, and then she shook her mass of hair and looked over her shoulder at him. Holy hell, she made him so hot. Did she not know the picture she painted? For a second, she bit her lip, and Jack recognized the sign. All she wanted was his approval.

“You look stunning.”

She offered him a shy smile. “Thanks.”

They listened to the language lessons on the ride to his office. He was amused at her determination to get his accent correct. Actually, he had it down pretty good, but he enjoyed teasing her. Jack pulled into the parking lot of I.C.E. and said, “Interesting.”

“What is?”

“There are a lot of cars here tonight.”

He came around and opened her door and helped her out. Holding her hand, he escorted Cassie into the building and down the hall to Criminal Investigations where he swiped the door lock with his identification. He suspected someone had been on lookout duty. The majority of the desks had agents sitting at them, purposely looking busy.

“Don’t you guys have something better to do on a Friday night?” asked Jack loudly.

Paperwork, getting caught up, behind were just some of the comments coming back. Heather waved from his office door, held up the bags, and pointed across the room.

“Let me take your coat. It looks like Heather is ready.”

Jack noticed all the men watched Cassie cross the room, and when they saw the back of her dress, he saw a few jaws drop. The room had gone silent. Not until Cassie and Heather were out of sight did the chatter pick up. He knew what the guys were thinking, because he was thinking it too.

Bill, who was going to be in the van with Heather, gave him the thumbs up. “The van is ready to go. We got Seattle City Light to put up a couple of barriers slightly down the street by a manhole. No one should question us.”

“Are Seattle Police and FBI out at the van now?”

“Yes. When Heather finishes up, we’ll head out.”

Jack and the agents covered the details and any scenarios that could develop. Other than being identified as Feds and firmly escorted out, Jack figured the evening should be routine.

Once again, silence blanketed the room. Jack glanced up. Heather and Cassie had returned.

“Holy shit,” he muttered, but also heard it from the guys.

Wearing a platinum blond shoulder length wig, Cassie strode forward. Heather walked several steps behind, grinning. Cassie stopped in front of Jack and tossed her head, letting the hair settle back in place. “Call me Katerina.” Her eyes widened, then smoldered, her red lips pouted. Finally, she grinned mischievously, and he laughed.

“So what do you think, boss?” Heather asked.

“Ah, wow.”

“I think so too. Cassie looks unbelievable.” Heather pointed to the wrist full of bracelets that took up about four inches on Cassie’s right hand. “That’s our live camera feed. Her microphone is just inside the top of her dress, and she will be wearing an earpiece. You won’t. I need her coat to attach another camera and microphone, and then you’re next.” When she finished, Heather reached into the shopping bag and pulled out a case. “We have business cards for you just in case anyone asks. Here’s your money clip, no wallet. I need you to find a spot for your mike and another for a camera.”

Jack took a look at the minute equipment. He slipped the microphone wire inside the outside pocket, and the pen size tip of a camera poked through the lapel button hole. Heather double checked it.

“Your live feed will be coming out of this watch and hopefully the lapel.” She held up a thick gold banded men’s watch. His eyes shot up at the brand, and he slipped it on. His brows shot up when he counted out the money.

“Seven hundred seems like a lot.”

“A thousand was too much, and anything less than five hundred didn’t seem right. That’s what Cassie said.”

“Where’s the business card?”

She handed him a slender case, and he pulled one out.

“Andrei Sokolov?”

“Sokolov means falcon. So your code names are The Falcon and Chickadee.”

“Code names?”

“I just thought it gave it more pizazz. You are going undercover.”

He shook his head. “Whatever. Whose address is this anyway?”

“I went online and found a really great place in Newport Beach who had a bunch of Sokolovs living there. I earthed it, and it looks hot. That’s where you’re from, and Cassie is your wife.”

Cassie grinned and dangled her left hand so Jack could see the enormous ring.

“So you picked my last name because of its meaning? Just out of curiosity, what does Koslov mean?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll look it up on my list.” Heather whipped out her smart phone.

He lifted Cassie’s left hand up to his eye level and took a close look at the ring, and then looked into her eyes. They smoldered. She winked. This was going to be one interesting night.

“Male goat,” Heather announced.

A quick smile passed between them.

“That sounds about right,” he said.

Heather handed Jack a clipboard with documents for him to sign. He leafed through the paperwork. “Heather, where did you get this jewelry? Is it covered for loss? That ring on Cassie’s hand has a value of ten grand. Accounts payable will have my butt if anything happens.” He handed her back the clipboard with everything signed.

“Ethan’s uncle has a jewelry store. The uncle said if you lose it, he’d be grateful. He has it well insured and hasn’t been able to sell it.”

“That’s the last thing I want to hear. Where is Ethan anyway?” Jack glanced around.

“That’s something I wanted to talk to you about.” Heather motioned with her head toward Jack’s office. He followed her in and waited. “The guys don’t want to miss out on the fun, and they were hoping you’d let Ethan run the live feed to the big screen in the conference room. They have a point in that all their eyes can see stuff that we might miss in the van. We’ll have four cameras going.”

“Is that why they’re all here?”

“That and they wanted to see your…girlfriend.”

He shook his head and let out a deep breath. Having Cassie go undercover was one thing, but being put on display was another.

“You know they’re right. If you’re not fingered at the door, I’m thinking you and Cassie can pull it off. This is our one chance. They’ll see things we’ll probably miss.”

He knew Heather was correct. “Ask Cassie to come in.” Heather started out the door and Jack said, “If she says no, I don’t want to hear another word about it.”

She nodded.

“And, I don’t want to find out later that Ethan ran a high-jacked feed.”

Cassie stepped in and Jack reached for her hand, pulling her away from the door. “Something’s come up, and I have to admit, I hadn’t thought of it. Our tech guy Ethan can run a feed into the big screen here, where the guys can watch what’s happening. They all can be spotters. But, if you feel awkward about the agents watching, I’ll nix it. I don’t want to do something that makes you uncomfortable.”

“Do you think it will help?”

He nodded. “I do.” Jack held his breath.

She reached up and touched his face and smiled. “Jack, this is an acting job. That will be Katerina Sokolov and not me. As long as I’m with you and safe, I don’t care who watches, except if I have to use the toilet.” She grinned.

He brushed the hair away from her face and leaned in quickly, kissing her on her nose. “Thanks.”

She pouted, and he smiled.

“Hey, I don’t want to ruin those luscious lips, my little chickadee.”

With his arm around her, they exited his office, and he signaled to Heather. “Take Cassie out to the van and introduce her. Make sure everything is working.” He waited until they left. “Okay, listen up.” Jack waited until he had everyone’s attention. “If I hear of one lewd comment being made about Cassie or any gossip, your asses are in the slammer. You got that?” He waited a few seconds before continuing. “I appreciate your volunteerism for tonight. Every detail will be important from the outside on in. No one has been able to get inside, not even the FBI, so this might be the one and only chance. It might be a long night. Pizzas are on me. I suspect Ethan already has the feed ready to go.”

He saw the grins. Yeah, it was ready.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

J
ack pulled into the parking garage of the Hilton Hotel on 6th Avenue. The plan was to take a cab to the nightclub, giving the appearance of staying at the hotel. His agents headed to the SODO district—south of downtown, where Seattle City Light had a van parked out on the street just down from the club. It would not be unusual for another van to join them.

Cassie had insisted they listen to the language tapes from the time they’d left his office to when he pulled into the hotel parking garage. She claimed it put them in the zone. He wasn’t sure what the hell she was talking about, but it if made her happy, it made him happy.

They exited the parking elevator and entered the lobby of the hotel where they caught a cab to the edge of SODO and Pioneer Square. The cab pulled up outside a multistory old-style warehouse building that had undergone improvements. At one point, it had been part of the old Yukon Club that dated back to the early nineteen twenties, where people returning from the Alaskan gold rush could bunk out. It still had an old rustic appearance with brick and timbers.

Jack paid for the cab and helped Cassie out. He continued to hold her hand, turning her around so his back was to the building. Like they’d discussed, Cassie fussed with his shirt and fawned over him. He did the same with her, waiting for the go signal from Heather.

Very quietly, he asked Cassie, “I heard you suck in your breath. What is it?”

“The name of the nightclub. Suka Suka. It means bitch in Russian.”

“Did you get that, Heather?”

“Good to go.”

Laughing at nothing, Jack discreetly removed his earpiece and tucked it away. With his arm around Cassie, they made their way through the first initial entrance and found themselves in an expansive foyer where younger people were lined up waiting to get in. He and Cassie were definitely older than the waiting crowd. Age had its benefits. Jack escorted Cassie up to the front of the line where a hulk of a gatekeeper stood watch. And watch he did. Jack knew they’d been under scrutiny from the moment they walked in. Cameras were everywhere. The two men sized each other up. Jack waited for him to speak first while he glanced around.

“Do you have a reservation?” the man asked.

Jack detected an accent, but it didn’t sound like the lessons. It was more guttural. He stared at Jack, but then he watched Cassie. Jack acted surprised, and Cassie made a mewing sound of disappointment. Even though she appeared unconcerned, she gripped his hand hard. He figured Heather must have said something to Cassie, because her camera hand started fluffing her hair and what not. She finally let go of his hand and displayed the gigantic diamond.

“No. I did not realize we would need one.” Jack rubbed his jaw with his watch hand. Besides wanting the live feed to the van, he wanted the man to see the brand of watch he wore.

“So you’re not a member.”

“That’s correct. A friend recommended Suka Suka, and thought we should come when we visit Seattle.”

“We’re a member’s only club. Plus, it’s Friday night and you should have made a reservation. We have several parties tonight.”

“You are right. I did not know.” Jack pulled out a hundred dollar bill and slipped it to the man. “Would this help?”

The man took it. “What friend?”

Jack had to hand it to the guy, he was not budging easily. He pulled out a business card, wrote down a name and handed the card to the man. “Sergei Koslov.” The man did not overtly react.

Cassie gripped his hand hard but didn’t miss a beat. “Andrei,” she mewed and pouted, and gently pulled him away. “I don’t want to stay if they are going to be this mean.” She sniffed and shook her head, truly affronted that they hadn’t been let in. The man watched for a bit, and Cassie continued with her spoiled attitude.

Another man slightly older than Jack joined the gatekeeper. He studied the business card intently. He said something to the gatekeeper, left and returned in a few minutes.

“Mr. Sokolov, we can accommodate you. A friend of a friend is always welcome.”

Jack held up his hand to acknowledge him but leaned down close to Cassie’s face. She pouted a bit more, and then nodded her head. Jack indulged her with a smile. He stepped back over to the men.

“That would be nice. My wife was looking forward to this.”

Jack helped Cassie off with her coat and looped it over his arm. He wanted those men’s eyes on Cassie while he took stock of the situation. The older man motioned for them to follow him around a thick brick wall, which opened into another foyer of modern glass and structures: the nightclub. It all reminded him of something he might see in Las Vegas. A scantily dressed woman with enormous breasts greeted them.

“Please take Mr. and Mrs. Sokolov to their table.” He turned to them and nodded. “Enjoy your evening.”

Jack thanked him again, placed his hand firmly on Cassie’s bum, and followed the young woman. He caught the man’s appreciative look at Cassie.

With a slow and deliberate strut, Cassie moved with the confidence of a woman knowing full well she attracted attention. Holding her jeweled arm firmly in place, clutching the little black bag Heather provided, she let her left arm swing gracefully making her way through the nightclub with just the right amount swing to her hips.

When they reached their table, Jack slipped the Hostess a fifty, which she tucked between her breasts. Cassie saw the look she gave him. An invitation was what she would call it. Taking her time, Cassie smiled and surveyed the club, making appreciative remarks. She actually liked how the cozy seats with small tables were arranged around the enormous room. They were on the second tier up from the dance floor. Halfway around in each direction, a huge bar area sat with a lot of floor space surrounding it all. The man had said they had several parties booked, but she couldn’t see exactly what he was talking about. All she saw was a lot of people of both sexes strutting their stuff to loud music provided by a DJ in a staged area.

Jack strategically placed Cassie’s coat for the camera feed and waited for her to sit down. He scooted in next to her on the dark leather loveseat. They settled in, and he placed his arm casually around her shoulders, where his camera watch was able to pick up one of the views. Cassie kept her right arm up above the table, moving it slowly for optimum viewing. The cocktail waitress in an identical outfit as the Hostess came for their order. Jack and Cassie had decided earlier that a bottle of red wine would be the best way to go. They could hide minimal drinking and offset spiking that might occur. He asked for a wine list, and she returned with an extensive menu.

Cassie snuggled up to Jack. He shielded their faces with the menu. Keeping his voice low, he said, “Glad you insisted I bring seven hundred. I’ve already blown through one fifty of it.”

Cassie pointed to the menu. “Andrei, darling, it’s interesting the extent of the wine list with the dancing age group. Very pricey.”

“So, you are thinking you’d like wine this evening.”

Startled, they both looked up. A man they had not seen stood in front of them. Cassie sucked in her breath and gripped Jack’s thigh and held on tight. Automatically, she smiled. After a few moments, Jack reached down and placed her hand on the table and caressed it.

“Yes, my wife says I cannot drink vodka any more. It’s not good for my heart. Only red wine. Can you recommend a wine from your state, a merlot or cabernet?”

“I would be glad too, Mr. Sokolov. I am Ivan Butkovsky. I understand you are a friend of Sergei Koslov.”

“Business acquaintance. I’m in the import business, but branching out to property development.” At this point, Jack stood and extended his hand, which the man shook. Jack then motioned to Cassie and said, “And this is my wife, Katerina.”

“Lovely. My mother’s name.” The man’s gaze lingered on her, making her uncomfortable, but she kept smiling. “I’m glad we could accommodate you this evening. Welcome to Seattle. Where are you staying?”

“The Hilton.”

“Ah, the Hilton. They have quite the art collection. Do you enjoy art, Mrs. Sokolov?”

“Yes, yes I do. Very much.”

“What did you think of the art in the lobby?”

She hesitated and decided to be truthful. “I have to be honest, my mind was elsewhere. I didn’t notice and I should have because…my mother collected art.”

He nodded and smiled.

“So, when we return tonight I will pay special attention.”

He smiled. “It is a lovely collection. I too collect art. If you like, I’d be happy to show you my small collection.”

“Oh…” Jack discreetly nodded his head. She added, “That would be very nice.”

“I’m sure you’d like your wine. I’ll have that sent now.” And he was gone.

Jack quickly sat down next to Cassie and pulled her in tight. “Are you all right?”

She let out a deep breath and nodded.

“You knew him.”

“Yes. Just give me a minute. I just didn’t expect to see anyone connected to Sergei. And I was surprised earlier when you used his name.”

“Sorry about that. He’s the only name I could think of. This tells me Koslov is not a two-bit operator.” Jack kissed her on the cheek. “You’re doing great my little Chickadee, but I screwed up.” Jack bent his head down by his lapel. “Somebody, get me registered at the Hilton, stat.”

Cassie touched her earpiece. “They’re on it, boss.”

Within minutes, the waitress appeared with their wine. Very deftly, she uncorked the bottle and handed it to Jack. He smelled it and said, “Ah, merlot.” Cassie was impressed. The waitress poured a bit in each glass and left. Jack tasted it and added wine to their glasses. He put his arm around Cassie, and they settled in to watch the crowd.

“What now?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Something has to change. I haven’t seen anything that could be illegal other than their prices.”

“Are we being watched?”

“Definitely.”

“Heather wants to know if we can walk around.”

“Soon. When you use the ladies’ room.”

The lights over the dance floor flickered, and the music changed. Cassie looked up at Jack, and he shrugged. The people on the dance floor understood what was happening. The back wall by the DJ opened, with a floor moving forward. In the center of it was the back of a throne-like chair surrounded by good looking bare-chested men in skin tight pants. They spun the chair around, revealing a posed woman wearing a skimpy dress with a crown and white veil. Cheers roared from the dance floor and all around. The men danced around the posed woman in the chair. As the crowd grew louder, the dancing became more sexual and aggressive with the bride now dancing with the men.

“It’s a Bachelorette Party. I think I’d have to be really drunk to do that in public.” Cassie was surprised at her reaction.

“I think she is. Do you want to watch this?”

Cassie laughed and held up her glass for Jack to fill. “Heather says under no circumstances are we to leave.”

The other side of the wall opened, and an identical chair came out. But this time, bikini-clad women with enormous breasts escorted it. The crowd went wild.

“That’s got to be the groom.” Cassie covered her mouth, laughing. “Andrei my darling, you don’t even want to know what the guys are saying.”

He shook his head and topped off their wine glasses and settled back in, with his watch hand pointed to the stage.

When it ended Jack said, “Now is a good time to get up and walk around. Everything will be crowded, and we can blend in. Let’s take our wine glasses with us.”

They took their time and made their way to the crowded bar area. Cassie noticed the women eyeing Jack. She didn’t blame them. He looked handsome and rugged, especially with his beard growth. After a couple of minutes milling around, he leaned in.

“Katerina, my love, did you need to use the ladies’ room?”

Cassie handed Jack her wine glass before entering the bathroom. Heather assured her they would cut off the feed when asked. Instead, she just washed her hands and touched up her lips. When she exited, Ivan Butkovsky stood next to Jack. Since she could not scream
ah, shit
and run, she took a deep breath and smiled.

“Ah, Mrs. Sokolov.”

“Please, Katerina.”

“And I am Ivan. How did you enjoy our spectacle on the stage?”

“Very entertaining, wasn’t it Andrei?” She brushed his cheek and flashed Ivan Butkosvky a smile. She knew he found her attractive. “Andrei won’t admit it, but I think he enjoyed it as much as I did.”

“If you like, I’ll show you my small art collection now.” Ivan offered his arm for her.

Cassie wasn’t so sure about this, but she felt a gentle push from Jack’s hand in the small of her back. She looped her arm through Ivan’s and concentrated on staying calm and in her zone. Other than finding her attractive and wanting to impress her, Cassie couldn’t figure why he would want to show her his art collection. With Jack next to her side, they walked with Ivan down a wide corridor, passing marked and unmarked doors.

“You have an interesting accent, Katerina. I can’t place it.”

She laughed gently. “Oh, I’m not surprised. I’m Finnish and Russian. I grew up in Helsinki, but my father’s family is Russian.”

“And you Andrei, where did you grow up?”

“Nowhere interesting like my wife. I grew up in California.”

“Ah, yes, the Sokolovs are all over Southern California. Here we are.”