CHAPTER ONE
Barshan lifted his glass and sipped at the clear liquid inside. He sat behind his desk at the Red Star Security offices and enjoyed a quiet moment. He was drinking Stollchanya Vodka, a gift from Nikoli after his son was returned to him a couple of months ago. Each of his brothers had gotten a case when they refused the reward Nikoli had posted for the last twenty years.
Getting to his feet, he stood well over six foot tall and weighed well over two hundred pounds, closer to three hundred pounds of lean muscle; he walked over to the window and looked out over the city that had become his home. New Orleans, Louisiana. He knew if he turned his head to the left, he would be able to see the Gulf of Mexico, if he turned his head right, he could see the city lights. His office was located on Decatur Street in the French Quarter of the city. He was a block away from the bay and he could clearly hear the trolley cars during the day as well as the Steamboat horns but he’d lived here for so long, he could overlook the noise he heard on a regular basis.
Checking the clock, he noted the time. Nine p.m. He was supposed to be meeting a client, Russell Jerome. Russell had come to him a few months ago requesting a great deal of money. He’d offered up half interest in a jewelry shop as collateral of the loan. The jewelry shop, Christophe’s was well known in the city and worldwide. The one of a kind designs caught the eye and were well received for their beauty and style. They were also a high end jewelry business so Barshan wasn’t sure why Jerome needed the money he borrowed but when Jerome passed over the title deed for him to hold, Barshan inspected and accepted it.
Jerome told him he was married to Claudette Janick- the late owner’s widow and as he needed money for another business venture. He’d said that had no doubt that the loan would be paid back within the two month time limit.
His time was up and tonight, he would either get the loan money back or take half interest in the jewelry store. Part of Barshan hoped Jerome couldn’t make the payment. This could be another legal business opportunity for the five brothers to invest in.
When a knock sounded on the door, Barshan turned and called out, “Enter.” When the door opened and Russell Jerome walked in, Barshan looked at the other man and studied him for a moment. Russell thought he was a ladies man but Barshan didn’t see it. He was a medium size man, older, maybe around sixty or so, he had rich dark hair that Barshan would bet came from a hairdresser but that was his choice. He was dressed impeccably in a dark suit offset by a blue shirt and a red tie. His shoes reflected the soft light of Barshan’s office in their shine.
“Mr. Stanikoff.” Jerome nodded.
“Mr. Jerome.” Barshan acknowledge him. “Have you come here to conclude your business with me?”
“Yes, I have.”
“And do you have the payment for me?”
“Actually, that’s what I want to talk to you about.” Russell shifted his stance. Leaning more heavily on the walking stick he always carried, he widened his stance and gave Barshan a steely stare. “When I came to you I was newly married and thought I’d have a lifetime with a good woman but unfortunately things have changed. I lost my wife a few weeks ago. It was a very unexpected illness and has torn my world apart.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Barshan extended the standard sympathy, although he was reluctant to do so. He wasn’t impressed by the man at all. He had a feeling something was up but he allowed Jerome an opportunity to explain.
“Yes well, I thought she was the woman of my dreams and to lose her so quickly has shaken my faith in humanity. I’m finding it very hard to stay here in the city without her, so I’m willing to let you keep the deed to the jewelry shop as payment if you would agree to that.”
“You only offered a half interest,” Barshan reminded him. “Who holds the other half?”
“That would be Claudette’s grown daughter Talli.” Russell sighed heavily. “She’s been very belligerent toward me since her mother died which is another reason why I feel the need to leave town. Mother and daughter were very close and I think Talli resents the fact that her mother could fall in love with another man after her father died.”
Barshan didn’t really care about the daughter. “Her feelings don’t concern me. What does concern me is will she accept someone else as a partner? Someone not related to her? Christophe’s has always been a family owned business, from the little I know of the business.”
Russell shrugged. “She wouldn’t have a choice. Her mother’s share came to me as next of kin when she died.”
Barshan stared at the other man for a moment then nodded. “Alright, I’ll accept your deal.”
“Good, that means I can go ahead with my plans to relocate.” Russell stepped forward and held his hand out.
Barshan shook his hand and opened his desk to produce the deed Russell had given him as collateral weeks before. Laying it out on the desk, he handed Russell a pen so he could sign the title over to him.
Russell put his signature on the document and handed him back the pen. “Then our business is concluded.”
Barshan watched as Russell turned and left his office. When he was alone again, he picked up his glass and took another sip. He thought about waiting until tomorrow to view his new business then he checked the clock again and found it was only a few minutes past nine. He looked the deed and found the shop was only a few blocks away. He also noted the hours of operation of the store and found they didn’t close until nine thirty.
He finished up his drink and grabbed his keys. He was in a hurry to find out more about the jewelry business and he wanted to meet his new partner. He finished off his drink and smacked his lips as the vodka warmed his belly.
Locking the door behind him, Barshan walked out to the parking lot. Opening the door to his car, he got in quickly and drove the short way to the parking lot of the store he was now a partner in. When he came to the door, he looked through the window and saw Ivan Barcoff arguing with a small woman behind the counter. Barshan frowned and hurried inside.
The closer to the store he got the more he heard of their argument. Barshan’s frown deepened as he listened to the harsh words from both of them.
“You have to honor this agreement.” Ivan scolded her.
“I don’t have to do anything of the kind,” the young woman told him. “That agreement is worthless, it’s a fake. Russell Jerome never owned any part of this store and he never will.”
“What is going on here?” Barshan demanded as he walked through the door.
Ivan turned to glare at him. “I suggest you keep your nose out of my business Stanikoff. This does not concern you.”
“I’ll decide what concerns me and what does not,” Barshan growled. “Now what is this all about?” He looked to the young woman behind the counter.
She was a small woman, barely five feet tall. Her long dark hair wasn’t quite black but it was a darker brown color with red highlights pulled back into a ponytail at the back of her neck. She was slim but busty and her hips flared out. Now her eyes flashed green flames at both of them. “This man,” she sneered. “Is claiming to own half my jewelry store. I’ve been trying to tell him he doesn’t but he’s not listening to a word I say. He claims a man name Russell Jerome signed over half the store to him for a loan he made him some weeks ago.”
“And did he? Did Russell Jerome sign over his shares?” Barshan asked as fury snaked through his belly.
“Russell Jerome never owned any part of this store and I have the papers to prove it. Well, my attorney does.” She looked him over and asked, “Who the hell are you anyway?”
Barshan stiffened in anger. “My name is Barshan Stanikoff and it seems we all have the same problem.”
“What?” She looked faint. Her skin paled and she stumbled back a step from the counter.
Barshan nodded and reached inside his pocket. He brought out another set of papers exactly like the ones Ivan had shown her.
“I don’t freakin’ believe this,” she muttered as she grabbed the papers and searched them for a moment then threw them back at Barshan. “My name is Talli Janick and I’ll tell you the same thing I told this other man. Russell Jerome never had any shares in this jewelry store. After my father was murdered ten years ago, the store went to my mother and myself. That’s the way he wanted it and the contracts he signed when he was alive are ironclad. We’ve never seen reason to change them and now it’s too late. When she married Russell, the shares still remained in her name. When she died a few weeks ago, her shares reverted to me, not to Russell and he knew this. He’s never owned any part of this store through his marriage or any other way and never would. He knew this before he married my mother.” She motioned to the papers on the counter. “If he used a fake ownership to gain money from you then I’m sorry but that’s his business not mine. Go after him for what he owes you. I am not responsible for his debts.”
Barshan felt the fury inside him rise. He hadn’t been duped in forever and he didn’t like the feeling. He glanced over at Ivan and noted he didn’t look any better. “How much did he get from you?”
“Half a million.” Ivan growled. “You?”
“Two hundred fifty thousand.”
“Are you two for real?” Talli gasped. “Why would he need that much money?”
“It doesn’t matter anymore does it?” Barshan gritted. “As you said it’s our problem now.”
“Good luck finding that little worm.” She sneered.
“I need the name of your attorney,” Barshan informed her. “It’s not that I don’t trust you but I don’t. I need to see the original partnership papers.”
Talli nodded. “I’ll let you see the papers but I do have to tell you both something. Russell Jerome is not who he pretends to be.”
“What does that mean?” Barshan glanced at Ivan and then back to Talli.
“Well, before my mother died unexpectedly, I began to look into Jerome. There was just something about the man I didn’t trust. The only Russell Jerome I was able to find died at the age of three, sixty years ago. He told my mother he came from Atlanta but he lied about that as well.” She pushed away from the counter. “My attorney’s name is Thomas Franklyn. I’ll phone him in the morning and arrange a time for you to stop by and check out the papers for the store. Until then please leave me alone. I am not responsible for Jerome’s debts.”
Barshan gathered his papers together and prepared to leave. He waited for Ivan to do the same. When the other man was ready, they booth walked to the door.
Talli followed and locked it once they were on the other side. She then glared at them and shut the lights off.
“I’m going to find that little piece of shit and take my money out of his hide.” Ivan vowed through his teeth.
“Let me know when you do find him and I’ll help you.”
“I don’t need your help.” Ivan growled.
“I know you don’t. I just want a little piece of him for myself.”
“There won’t be anything left for you once I’m done with him.” Ivan vowed.