Deadly Crossing (Tom Dugan 2) Read Online Free Page B

well-appointed living room to a love seat Gloria indicated with a wave of her hand.
    “Oh, this and that. Just this and that,” Gloria said with a sly smile as she took a seat across from Gillian and busied herself pouring two cups of tea from the silver tea service that sat on the coffee table between them.
    “And how’s Cassie?” Gloria asked.
    “Wonderful, thank you for asking. She’s more lovely every day, and she scored absolutely brilliantly on her last battery of tests. She tested at the low end of the normal range.”
    “Well, bugger the tea!” Gloria stood and moved to an antique sideboard. “That calls for a toast!” She returned with an ornate cut-glass decanter and two brandy snifters on a tray.
    “I really—”
    “Just a small one,” Gloria replied, brushing aside Gillian’s objection and pouring a healthy measure into each snifter. “It’s not every day I hear such good news, and we mustn’t tempt fate by seeming unappreciative.”
    “Very well.” Gillian took the proffered snifter.
    “To Cassie.” Gloria raised her glass.
    Gillian joined the toast and set her glass on the coffee table after taking a small sip. Across from her, Gloria settled back in her chair, snifter still in hand.
    “And is Cassie excited?” Gloria asked.
    “Very. It’s a heady time for her. She’s even started something of a relationship with a young man.”
    “Well, good for her.”
    “Yes, I think it’s healthy, but Alex is, of course, less excited.”
    Gloria snorted. “And how is His Nibs?”
    “He’s fine. And he sends his best, by the way.”
    “Yes, I’m sure.”
    “Really, Gloria. Alex is a good man.”
    Gloria nodded. “I never doubted it for a moment, but you have to admit he’s a bit rigid.”
    “He is,” Gillian replied, “and that’s unlikely to change. He is who he is and so are you, and I’ve the rare privilege of loving you both. But I didn’t come here to discuss Alex. Were you able to find out anything?”
    Gloria’s face clouded, and she leaned forward and put her glass on the coffee table before settling back in her chair.
    “Aye, enough to concern me. Are you sure this is something you want to get involved with?”
    “It’s not a matter of wanting, Gloria. Sergeant Denosovitch has nowhere else to turn, and I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t help him do everything possible to rescue his niece. Not after what I… not after—”
    “I know, I know, love. But these Russians are orders of magnitude nastier than our homegrown British bastards. I just want to make sure you understand what you’re getting into. To be honest, I’m a bit nervous to even be nosing around.”
    Gillian was taken aback; she’d seldom seen Gloria more tentative. “Go on.”
    “Well, the Russian mob is like an octopus with a lot of tentacles. The preeminent group at the moment seems to be called the Brotherhood, or Bratstvo . They’re into everything, from legit businesses to every criminal enterprise imaginable. They have strong ties to the Russian government, and many of them are former members of Russian police or intelligence organizations, making them practically untouchable in Russia — I’ve heard they pretty much do what they want there.”
    Gillian nodded as Gloria continued.
    “Outside Russia, they operate through legal fronts where possible. They always engage the best lawyers, and if they can, they buy police or government officials — their businesses throw off a lot of cash.”
    “What about here?”
    “Drugs, girls, loan-sharking — the usual.” Gloria shrugged. “As far as bribes go, it’s hard to say. Your guess is as good as mine, but given the money they have to throw about, I’ll wager at least a few coppers are on the take.”
    “What makes them any more dangerous than any other criminals?”
    Gloria shuddered. “Utter ruthlessness. They began to arrive in the UK in significant numbers eight or ten years ago, but the Armenian mob got here ahead of them and