Nikolai Delov by Dante James

Author:Dante, James
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Omsk Publishing
Published: 2017-07-09T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

Andrei Konstantinov, Vladimir’s father, the man whom had been deemed too rich to die, had at age eighty succumbed to prostate cancer, which he had never disclosed having. For the past week, the media had been running features on the man’s extraordinary life. During the early days of privatization, the former Communist Party official had become a born-again capitalist. Until a few weeks before his death, he still functioned as head of his financial and mining empire. The alternative press flew into its predictable assertions that the oligarchy was alive and well, repeating the claim that roughly a hundred individuals controlled a third of the country’s wealth. Even the Kremlin had joined the chorus of critics. To Nikolai this commentary was akin to throwing raw meat into a cage of toothless tigers.

Inessa Zorina had attended the private funeral services. On this occasion she wouldn’t be riding in Vladimir’s limousine. Not that she had wanted to in the first place. When she spoke to Nikolai over the phone, she sounded unimpressed by the fact that she had stood among the most powerful political and business leaders in Russia. If anything, she was annoyed by the security guard who passed a wand over her at the cemetery’s entrance and by the TV news helicopter that hovered over the ceremony.

Soon enough Nikolai would have his chance to hobnob. Thanks to an uninformed Konstantinov employee, Nikolai and Anatoly received their engraved invitations to Andrei Sergeyevich Konstantinov: A Life Remembered, to be held at Hotel Metropol. A black-tie event. The evening was to be hosted by Vladimir. Since Inessa had, of course, been invited as well, Nikolai suggested that the two make it date. “That’s not funny,” she said, insisting that male rivalry had no place when it came to the passing of a family member. In fact, she couldn’t believe Nikolai had the nerve to show up there.

When Mikhail Reznikov stopped by to see Nikolai in his office, he noticed the invitation on the desk and picked it up.

“I’m impressed,” Mikhail said. “I guess I’m not this important yet. Are you going?”

“I might. I suppose I should send the grieving son my condolences first. I need to find his direct email since I don’t want my message going through one of his assistants.”

Anatoly walked into Nikolai’s office. Nikolai said, “There’s the other honored guest.”

“What are you talking about?” Anatoly said.

Mikhail showed him the invitation. Anatoly waved his hand indifferently.

“I’m not wearing a tuxedo for a dead oligarch, even if they are putting out a fat buffet.”

“If they’re holding it at the Metropol, I don’t think there’s going to be a buffet line,” Mikhail said. “White linen and crystal all the way.”

“That’s more my brother’s style. Anyway, Nikolya, I want to ask you about an even better event. Are you and Inna definitely coming this weekend?”

“What’s this about?” Mikhail said, perking up.

“We’re driving to our family’s old dacha near Borodino this Sunday,” Nikolai said.

“I thought you and that charity worker were finished as a couple.

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