Read Online Eden's Gate by David Hagberg - Free Book Online Page A

weeks from the time you supply me with the four men.”
    Lukashin nodded. “I see no problem with this,” he said. “I’ll get back to you soon. Where can I reach you?”
    â€œThrough Thomas Mann.”
    â€œGood enough.”
    Â 
    Speyer, Baumann, and Lane walked back to the car while the Russians stayed behind at the reflecting pool. “Have you ever met Lukashin before?” Speyer asked Lane.
    â€œI don’t think so. But his face sure looked familiar. Maybe I saw a photograph.”
    â€œWell, he gave you a double take when he first saw you.” Speyer turned to Baumann. “What do you think, Ernst?”
    â€œI didn’t notice anything. But if he knows Browne from somewhere, wouldn’t he have said something?”
    â€œMaybe,” Speyer said. “When we get back I want you to do some checking. Perhaps Lukashin was stationed in South Africa.”
    Lane let a look of surprise cross his face. “Do you think the bastard was involved with the accident that killed my wife?”
    â€œI don’t know. But I’m going to find out.”
    Â 
    When Lukashin got back to the Russian embassy on Wisconsin Avenue in Glover Park, he went with his number two, Nikolai Mironov, directly into the referentura —the secured room. When the door to the suite was shut and the electronic countermeasures activated, eavesdropping by any means was utterly impossible.
    â€œI know one of Speyer’s bodyguards, and it wasn’t from Germany,” Lukashin said.
    â€œYou should have demanded his name.”
    â€œDoesn’t matter the name he would have given me, Nikki, what matters is who he really is.”
    â€œWhat are you thinking?”
    â€œIt might give us a clue to what Speyer is really after. Whatever it is, it has to be big because he’s willing to pay plenty for it.”

    â€œWhat did he offer you?”
    Lukashin had to smile. “He’s going to pay off my house mortgage—that’s about seven hundred thousand—and all my credit cards—that’s another couple of hundred thousand. And you’ll get some.”
    â€œHe’s serious.”
    â€œThat he is,” Lukashin said. “I’ll pull up a recognition program from the mainframe, but in the meantime I want you to get his fingerprints.”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œI got the license tag number when they drove up. Run it through Metro DMV. I suspect it’s one of Thomas Mann’s cars, which means they’re staying over there with him in Georgetown. That guy was driving and he wasn’t wearing gloves, so I expect his prints will be all over the driver’s side.”
    Mironov nodded. “I’ll take care of it myself once they get bedded down over there. Do you know anything about their security?”
    â€œNo, but you should be able to find out which agency they use and pull something up from their website,” Lukashin said. “Before I start cashing in favors I want to know exactly who I’m dealing with.”
    Â 
    Lane parked the Town Car in the back and he, Speyer, and Baumann went into the house. Thomas Mann was still at a formal dinner at the British embassy. It was only a few minutes before eleven and Speyer was keyed up.
    â€œAnyone care for a nightcap?” he asked.
    â€œI’m going to get on the computer and check out Lukashin,” Baumann said.
    â€œI’ll have a drink with you,” Lane said. He and Speyer went back to the library where Speyer poured them brandies. They raised snifters. “Success.”
    â€œYes, success,” Lane said, and they drank. “I was wondering. What if Lukashin knows me from somewhere? Will that create a problem?”
    â€œWe’ll have to see. But that might depend on you.”
    â€œIn what way?”
    â€œLet’s say that he was involved in the deaths of your wife and child.”
    â€œI see what you mean,” Lane said