The Russian Key by Jeri Laber

Author:Jeri Laber
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781951627737
Publisher: Arcade
Published: 2021-04-21T16:00:00+00:00

***

“I met Marina the other day,” I told Max when I next saw him. I was eager to hear what he would say. “The blond girl I saw in front of your building a few weeks ago. Marina Tomashvili; her husband is Georgian.”

“Oh, her.” Max replied. “You must not take her seriously or believe everything she says. She’s married to our systems manager, Nikolayev, not to Deputy Ambassador Tomashvili. She’s bored; she has no work here, so she puts on airs and makes up stories about herself.”

“How does she get away with that? You people run such a tight ship.”

“Well, her husband is a good man and does essential work. And she’s nice to look at. People like Marina can sometimes be useful, just because they are so, how would you say it, up for anything.” Max paused. “But how did you meet her? I’m sure it was no accident.”

“She called and asked to see me. She said she was worried about you. That you were seeing too much of me and people were becoming suspicious. She warned me I could be getting you in trouble. She also told me about your parents, how they died. Oh Max, I am so sorry. It must have been dreadful for you.” I went to put my arms around him, but he quickly stepped aside.

“Someone put her up to this. I think I know who, and why.”

“Maybe it was her own idea,” I suggested. “Maybe she’s jealous. You know, when I first saw her, I was sure you two were lovers.”

“You are my lover, not her.”

“Yes, well, you are my lover, but I also have Steven, you know. You might have someone else, too.”

Max didn’t respond. He was thinking, with that troubled dark look on his face. “I wish you hadn’t met her. She’s up to no good. Please, don’t see her again.”

“I won’t. We didn’t hit it off very well.”

“Good. Marina and her husband share my apartment. She is not my lover.”

I wanted to believe Max. I almost did.

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