CHAPTER NINE:
ALEXANDRA
Alexandra couldn’t help being relieved to see Viktor leave, giving her free reign of the house. She had no intentions of doing anything to cross or hurt him, and wasn’t even sure she’d leave her room immediately, but she was glad to have room to breathe without his dark, foreboding presence.
She called Elena as soon as she was able to retrieve her purse, finding that it had been left in a box of things brought over from the chapel and left downstairs. After several long rings, her friend finally picked up. Their conversation felt strained from the beginning, though, as if Elena was distracted, and Alexandra left the details vague when she asked for an audience with Uncle Tolya.
“You’re being all cagey. Something’s going on, and I have a feeling that, where you’re living now, you can’t talk about it,” Elena said. Alexandra imagined her friend turning a piece of hair around between her fingers. “Why don’t we meet in person?”
Alexandra didn’t want to spend another minute in Viktor’s house today, and Elena insisted her apartment wasn’t an option, so Alexandra took the initiative to ask Roman where he might be comfortable bringing her. He suggested a small cafe that was on one of Viktor’s regular routes.
Alexandra retouched her makeup, opting for a ‘natural’ look this time, slipped on some shoes, and grabbed her purse. It was much easier to convince Roman to drive her to a coffee shop than it had been to persuade him to get Viktor when she’d been locked in her room, and within twenty minutes she was standing in front of the Rose Street Café.
Under Roman’s supervision, of course. She couldn’t shake him, but as long he kept a reasonable distance so she could talk privately with Elena, so be it.
Alexandra and Elena hugged in front of the café and then entered and placed their drink orders. Roman grabbed a seat near the door to give them space, but Alexandra couldn’t help noticing he was watching them closely—presumably to ensure Alexandra didn’t slip away.
While Alexandra waited for her vanilla latte and Elena waited for her soy mocha, they made small talk. Elena was both herself—she chatted incessantly about her new purchases from an upscale cothing store—and very different. Alexandra knew it wasn’t like her not to inquire about her new life as Viktor’s bride, but with the way Elena kept glancing in Roman’s direction, Alexandra got the feeling that she was uncomfortable, and playing it all off. Maybe this would be the best they could do at friendship until he backed off a bit.
Alexandra listened, as always, and tried to act like all was normal, but her mind kept darting back to her family. She had to prove her father’s innocence.
The barista called their names soon enough, and the two friends grabbed their coffees and sat in a booth next to a window. Alexandra glanced outside, trying to figure out how to once again bring up what she’d called her friend to talk about. A light breeze ruffled the bushes, and pedestrians passed. It wasn’t exactly private, but there was no one seated next to them, and the ambient music of the café was loud enough to cover any drifting conversation.
“Elena, I need to ask you for something.” Alexandra shifted her weight on the slippery vinyl of the booth’s seat. Her mouth pursed.
“Yeah? What?” Elena asked, following Alexandra’s gaze outside and then meeting her friend’s look.
“I’m wondering if you could help me arrange a meeting with Uncle Tolya.”
“Yeah, you said that on the phone, but… Psshft, why? He’s old and boring.”
“No, really. I need to talk to him.”
“Okay, then I gotta ask.” Elena cocked her head at Alexandra and gestured as she spoke. “Whyyy?” The word was drawn out theatrically—trademark Elena.
“Viktor thinks my father is the one who killed Boris.” Alexandra fought to keep her voice low. “I don’t know anyone else who could vouch for my father except Uncle Tolya. He’s connected, right? Respectable? He has to be able to convince Viktor that my father is innocent.” Alexandra’s eyes fell to the table. “That I’m innocent. Viktor thinks I’m involved in his father’s death, too, and... And, oh God, Elena—God, this is awful. I think, he might kill my father, and me, too, if I don’t figure something out.” Alexandra hung her head in her hands and took a minute to regain herself.
Elena frowned, crossing her arms in front of her and leaning forward, but her eyes kept flicking in Roman’s direction. When he didn’t flinch, she seemed to force away the cloud of trouble that had covered her face, and she replaced it with what Alexandra could only describe as artificial sunshine. Elena, her perky, bubbly friend, was worried—and trying to play it off.
Alexandra’s dread grew.
“That’s awful,” Elena said, twirling a lock of hair between her fingers, but putting on an air like nothing serious was going on.
Was it an act to misdirect Roman? Alexandra couldn’t tell.
“I couldn’t even come here alone. I have a chaperone to make sure I don’t try anything!” Alexandra pointed again to Roman, who was still maddeningly seated a few tables away and pretending not to watch them. “But I mean it. Do you think you can help me out, Elena? I don’t know who else to talk to about this.”
“A chaperone. Is that who he is?” Elena leaned out from the booth and cast a come-hither glance at Roman, then turned back to Alexandra.
“Elena, Viktor might kill my father, even kill me, if we don’t figure out a way to convince him otherwise,” Alexandra repeated, fighting to keep her voice even as frustration tugged at her.
“Oh, Alexa, you worry too much.” Elena waved Alexandra off, then turned around in her seat to give Roman another look. Still, there was trouble behind Elena’s expression that wouldn’t disappear, no matter how much sunshine and ditziness she put into her act. Alexandra had never seen her like this before, and it worried her. She’d thought the family she was marrying into was respectable, but if Elena was acting this way…
Something had to be wrong.
“Hey there, chaperone,” Elena called out to Roman, tilting her head at him. Roman looked to Elena, grew visibly uncomfortable, and turned away.
When Elena opened her mouth to speak again, Alexandra cut her off. “Elena!” Now she couldn’t help but raise her voice. “This is life or death. Do you even care?”
“Of course, I care! But like I said, you seriously worry too much. Calm down, Alexandra. I know that you’re worried, but… not here, okay? You’re here to ask me a question, right?”
“Boris was murdered, and his family thinks my family did it. If we don’t change his mind, he might kill me and my family! That’s not just me worrying, Elena, it’s the truth.” Alexandra gave Elena a hard look, refusing to back down, and she took some satisfaction in the fact that Elena seemed to deflate.
“Alright, but you have to stay calm.” Elena crossed her arms again and glanced at Roman from over Alexandra’s shoulder. Then, in a lower voice, she said, “You’d think your dad would be glad Boris is dead, with the money troubles he had.”
Alexandra almost choked on her coffee. That was the same motive Viktor had accused her father of having, but Alexandra had had no idea her father was indebted to Boris. How had Elena known?
“You think my father would be glad his friend is dead?” Alexandra snapped back. How could Elena be so… uncaring? They were supposed to be best friends. There was something larger going on here, but Alexandra couldn’t begin to put the pieces together.
Elena didn’t seem to have an answer, and also seemed oblivious to how upset Alexandra was. She made a ‘pfft’ sound with her mouth, even though her eyes were pinched at the corners with worry, and turned to ogle Roman again. Alexandra couldn’t watch, and turned to the window for a distraction. Her eyes followed the pedestrians while she tried to think of her next steps.
But while she was in the middle of wondering why Elena was being so flippant, a familiar form slipped out of a door across the street and passed by outside amongst the pedestrians.
Viktor.
Alexandra felt fear clutching at her chest. Was he going to come in here and yell at her again, this time in public?
Her fear was short-lived when she saw the look on his face, though. Calm, almost serene. The man outside was the man she had met at breakfast, not the terrible, cold-eyed brute who had yelled at her. Again, Alexandra wondered, which was the real Viktor?
She looked to the building he had exited, and was surprised to see the sign overhead: Pathways Children’s Home.
What was Viktor doing at an orphanage?
“I have to go,” Elena said, interrupting Alexandra’s thoughts. Alexandra looked away from the window to see Elena sipping her drink and staring at her phone screen. “Your chaperone’s no fun, by the way.”
“That’s it? You can’t at least give me Uncle Tolya’s number so I can call him myself?” Alexandra asked in disbelief.
Elena shrugged. “He doesn’t like it when people give out his number, but I’ll tell you what. I’ll talk to him, and have him give you a call.” She didn’t look up from her phone screen. “He’s really busy, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks.” Alexandra said, her voice hitting a sour, flat note. Some help Elena was.
Elena rose from the booth, adjusted her bag around her shoulder, and leaned down to give Alexandra a half-hug. “I’ll be in touch, Alexa. Just chill out, okay? Like I said, you worry too much.” On the way out the door, Elena winked again at Roman. He didn’t respond, but shifted his weight in his chair. Alexandra shook her head as she watched Elena disappear into the crowd on the sidewalks.
“What am I going to do?” Alexandra asked herself.