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“Of course,” she agreed seriously She glanced down at her clipboard, but only to give herself so to do She already knew the next question she would ask “When the other et”

“Yuri Ivanovitch He was Russian,” Tabor said with a touch of contempt “Not Zakharian”

“Right, Yuri,” she said, snapping her fingers, as if she’d known it all along but it had just slipped herin whispers, did they ever mention another name?”

Tabor’s eyes fell under hers “Yes, but II did not knoho they were talking about”

“So it could not have been Prince Nikolai”

“No”

“If you heard the nanize it?”

He hesitated for several seconds “Perhaps”

Angelina sensed she was close “Would you try so for me, Mr Tabor?”

“If I can”

She leaned her chin on her hand again “Close your eyes Sometimes, e close our eyes, our other senses take over Would you do that for elina smiled her most innocent smile, and he eventually closed his eyes “Thank you, Mr Tabor You are so good to help me like this”

His chest swelled with pride, and Angelina quickly lowered her eyes to leam of satisfaction at how easily he could be manipulated “Noith your eyes closed, Mr Tabor,” she said, keeping her voice guileless, “think about Yuri and Sasha whispering together” She used their first na the difference between them and the formal way she called him “Mr Tabor,” as if he were more important than they were, ht they were keeping secrets from you but you were too smart for them You could hear them sometimes, but you did not let on You did not trust them, so you listened Not to spy on them—you are too honorable a man for that—but to protect yourself, yes?”

“Yes That is exactly what I thought”

Her voice was soft and deliberately fe thehiether Whispering, perhaps But you can hear them You pretend you do not, but you can hear thenize, but you know it is important somehow You know you must remember this name in case they try to deprive you of your fair share of the h Sasha The ain your pride as a man The money you need to win back your wife”

Mentioning his as a calculated risk, but Angelina took it And it didn’t draw a protest from Boris Tabor “No, you will not let them trick you out of the money you have earned,” she continued, still with that soft, hypnotic cadence “So you remember the name The name You say it to yourself over and over so you will never forget You repeat it when they are not around It is burned in your ether The name you must remember”

“Yes,” Tabor said in a near trance “Vishenko Alexei Vishenko Another Russian, like Yuri I did not recognize the name, but I kneas important Prince Nikolai—Tcholek said Prince Nikolai would pay, but he was in prison How could he pay? I needed the money A fortune I was promised I could not trust Tcholek because he lied when he said Prince Nikolai would pay So I listened And then I knew the money came from the other Russian, from Alexei Vishenko”

Tabor ca silence Then he opened his eyes and stared at her, almost transfixed, as if he couldn’t believe he’d told her the name he’d denied even existed

“Thank you, Mr Tabor,” Angelina said with a disarlad you rerateful, too”

“You” Boris Tabor shouted “You tricked elina could react, reaching for her throat She blocked his hands with an upraised forear hi him facedown onto the table Captain Zale and the two majors rushed into the interview rooelina had undone, cuffing Tabor’s arms behind his back

“Come, Mr Tabor,” Captain Zale said pleasantly “Let elina, his eyes ith respect and admiration “I will return shortly, Lieutenant”