Chapter Fifty-Eight



Eli

I can't believe how amazing Dani is right now. I wasn't sure how she'd react at the shooting range, but she's just thrown me for a loop again. Apart from the slight panic with me standing behind her and the laughing incident she was totally amazing. Her aim isn't half bad for a beginner as well. Her attitude seems to be changing slowly as well. She's opening up and relaxing a little bit more, which I am so thankful for. I feel bad that I've just got to drop Dani and run, but I have to meet up with Arrow and Ash at my house in 30 minutes. Apparently Ash is making dinner, so I don't know how that's going to turn out.

I step into my apartment and check my mail before going around and opening the curtains. I used to love this apartment, but it's feeling less like home every day. I consider Dani's more like home now, which is a very strange feeling. As I'm just clearing up some of my stuff, there's a knock on the door and then Ash and Arrow just waltz in. We greet each other and Ash says, “I'm just going to set the food out. You got any beers?”

“Yeah, in the refrigerator.”

I hear Ash chuckle and say, “Yeah, that's like the only thing you have in here. Well, besides a moldy... is that a burrito? I can't even tell anymore...”

Arrow laughs and goes to investigate the contents of my kitchen. I didn't realize it was so interesting. Ash knows exactly why it's so bare in there; I'm never here anymore. They appear at my side and Arrow looks me up and down before commenting, “Well, you haven't lost loads of weight, so you're definitely eating. Maybe it's just not here, huh? Would this have anything to do with this Dani I heard talking the other day?”

Ash bursts out laughing and exclaims, “It has everything to do with her!”

I fight the blush that I know wants to creep onto my face. Thankfully, my training helps to keep that at bay.

I mutter, “Whatever. Can we just eat and get down to business?”

“What? You don't even want to catch up, LT? I haven't seen you in what, 8 or 9 months and you don't even want to check in? Dude, that's cold.”

“No, he just doesn't want to talk about Dani. Arrow, man, the dude is gone, I tell you.”

They both laugh at my expense and I should have known it would go down like this. I shouldn't really be surprised and I shouldn't really be annoyed. These two guys are pretty much my other brothers, of course they're going to tease me, but that's their way of showing they care.

I sigh, “She's one of our analysts. She's the one that's in trouble. We've become very good friends, and I'm just trying to protect her.”

Arrow wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, so I quickly say, “It's not like that, man. She's special. Don't even go there about her.”

Arrow turns to Ash, frowns and then says, “Scott, you're right. He's completely gone. This is a very different LT standing in front of me...”

“Yeah, he got old...”

The two of them burst out laughing; they're such children sometimes. Ash is only a couple months younger than me and Arrow is a couple years younger, 32 years old if I remember correctly.

“Maybe the pair of you should trying growing up at some point, huh? You're both getting on a bit, you can't stay young forever...”

I shouldn't have said that because they both start singing, “Forever young.... I wanna be forever young....”

I shake my head but I can't help but laugh at the crazy pair. I have missed these two guys being together. There's never a dull moment, that's for sure.

Eventually they quieten down and we start eating. Half way through dinner, Arrow says, “Right, so I've been following this guy for two weeks now. I have to admit, it's pretty boring stuff. He spends most of his days at work, and his lunches he either spends in the building or with your brother, LT.”

“Hmmm, I don't think that's strictly a friendship. I think they're using Ty to be honest. What about his evenings?”

“Well, Friday nights he's at the Downhouse Lounge off Shell Road and Avenue X. That's a Russian bar. What did peak my interest though, was his visit to the Bratva Bar on Coney Island. That was on both Saturday afternoons. Now, the name could just be a coincidence, as in Russian it means brotherhood. I know it is pretty much only associated with the Russian Mob, but it is an actual word in their language too.”

“I know. It's not a coincidence though. There's something going on in Coney Island. We saw someone there that recognized Dani ages ago there. I just didn't think about it until now. Anything else of interest?”

“He spent a few hours after closing at a bank on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.”

This peaks my interest. “What bank?”

“Ergo in Midtown.”

It's Ash that frowns this time and I know he's putting the pieces together.

“Eli, what if that hidden vault in the bank wasn't for stuff so much as for a meeting place? That would explain a lot, especially after hearing about Artur's visits. What if that's where they hold their little get togethers?”

“Makes sense. It looks legitimate, because it's a bank. No wonder they stalled in talking to the Captain, they wanted to get the word out to everyone so they didn't turn up. I need to call Greggson.”

I grab my cell and call Captain Greggson. After I apologize for calling on a Sunday, I say, “I think I might have a break in that bank case, Captain.”

“Go on. I could use some good news.”

“We've been watching an attorney called Artur Babkin, we believe he has links to the Bratva. He's been tailed to a bar in Coney Island, called the Bratva Bar. I think that's a drinking hole for them, but more than that, he's been followed to the Ergo bank, after it's all closed up. We're thinking maybe that secret vault is for meeting in, rather than hiding stuff.”

“Really? Can I ask why you're tailing this guy? And an attorney of all people?”

“My CI threw me a bit of information, which led me to believe this Artur guy was connected. Then I found out he's working with my brother, who's an attorney. It just seems a little too coincidental that he's befriended my brother, especially considering my job. My brother has never been shy about talking about his family and what we do. It far too many coincidences for my liking.”

“No, I see your point. I want you to back off now, Ramirez. I'll look into this Artur Babkin and I'll have my guys sit on the bank and watch for anything suspicious. I'm serious Ramirez, stand down.”

“Yes sir. You'll keep me in the loop, right?”

“Yes. Just stay away for now. I can't have this investigation compromised. Anything even slightly wrong and a good attorney will get it all thrown out. Ok?”

“Yes sir, I hear you.”

“And thanks for the tip, Ramirez.”

After I hang up, Ash immediately asks what's happening. I relay what Captain Greggson said and Arrow looks disgusted, “You're actually going to pull me off this, just as it's getting interesting?”

“Not a chance. Ash and I can't go anywhere near it, but you can. As long as you're not seen, then go ahead and keep a watch on it all. I need to know exactly what's going on. It's our safety we're talking about here.”

“So, what exactly is the story here? How are the Bratva looking for this Dani girl?”

“She escaped from them a few years ago. They thought she was dead, but Babkin saw her at my parents' house, so now he knows she's alive. If he's smart, he'll keep his mouth shut until he needs to use the information as a bargaining chip, but who knows what he'll do.”

“I can snatch him up and find out what he's done with the info...”

“No, Arrow. He'll be trained in withstanding torture. Plus, he'll be more scared of them than he is of you. I'm sure they're willing to go much further than you can or will.”

“I don't know about that. Just answer me this; did he hurt this girl?”

Ash scoffs at that and Arrow doesn't need an answer.

“That's all I need to know. You obviously care about this Dani girl, so I'll kill him if I have to. All I need to know is that you care about her, you want to keep her safe, but you can't do what you need to do because of your job. I can do that for you and I will do it, if I have to. That's it.”

I smile at him, realizing just how good these two guys are. “Thanks man, but I can't let you do that. And as much I want to do it myself and I'd like you to finish him off for me, I can't actually allow that. That is painful for me to say, knowing what he's like and what he did, but you can't do it.”

“For now I'll take that. But if I ever get the opportunity, I'm going to take it. Just to warn you.”

In spite of the situation, I chuckle, “You never were good at taking orders.”

“Why thank you. I'll keep tailing the guy and see what else we come up with. I'll watch over the cops as well. I'm sure I'll do a better job of keeping myself hidden.”

“I'm sure you will. Ash, I took Dani to the range today...”

His eyebrows shoot up, “Really? How did she do?”

“Really well actually. She emptied about 50 rounds and almost half of those were actually inside the target lines.”

“Pretty good going. When's your next session?”

“Tomorrow after work. Don't stop by, you'll make her nervous.”

“Geez, don't sugar coat it or anything, LT. What a way to hurt Ash's ego, man.”

“His ego could do with a little bashing every now and then.”

“Hey! Dani is like immune to my charm, so it takes a bashing every day, thank you very much.”

I frown. I know what Ash meant, but it does sting a little more than I'd like, admitting why Dani is immune to his charms. If she didn't have the background she does, maybe she would have befriended Ash instead of me. He's always been a ladies man.

Ash snaps me out of my thoughts, “Hey, I didn't mean it like that. You know she's just different with me. You're the one she trusts, that's way more important than anything.”

I mumble, “I know. I just don't like to remember why she can't be normal with everyone. I'm being too attached; I need to distance myself a bit when I'm working on the case. I know it's easier said than done, but I need to do that for my sanity.”

“With a bit of luck, Greggson will pull this thing apart and it'll be over soon.”

“Yeah.”



Although I'd like that to be true, something tells me we're not going to be so lucky. It takes months to build a case against people like this. I can only hope they don't see us as a threat before they get taken down.