Chapter 10

Vika knew today’s rendez-vous would be no chatty coffee klatch. In the past, transactions had gone down quickly. Pick up the package, put it in the hotel safe, deliver it to Bernie. But here the vibe was different. She had a strange premonition that this was going to be dangerous.

But first she had to check out of the hotel. She had already arranged to have her luggage picked up by the Hotel de Rome. To her surprise,  when she approached the desk, she found it wasn’t that easy. The pretty, well-groomed girl at reception just stared at her. The smile was gone.

Impatiently, Vika asked, “You don’t understand English?”

“Yes, Madam,” the girl replied evenly. “But your agreement here in English says you were going to stay for ten days. Wait right here. I’m going to call the manager.”

What a pain! Vika’s checked her watch. Nervous that she could miss Svetlana, she turned to look around the lobby. Saw no one that could be her contact.

A minute later, a tall youngish man stepped up to the desk.

“How can I help you, Mrs Zito? Is there a problem with your room? We can move—”

Vika cut him off. Her voice had gotten louder. “There are many problems. I don’t have time to list all of them but, trust me, I will. I know how Trip Advisor works.”

The manager held up his hand. “Please, Madam. I understand. We will not charge you for the full ten ten days.”

“Fine,” Vika snapped.

“But… but you must pay for another night. We need the time to prepare for another guest.”

“What!” She leaned towards him. Felt like slapping him.

The manager took a step backwards. “Yes, madam.” He sighed and shook his head sadly.

“Goddamit! You’ll be sorry!” With that she turned away and scoured the lobby for her “friend” Svetlana.

She was still fuming and checking her watch. It was well past noon.  There was the usual flow of people, heading to elevators or getting off elevators. An elderly couple was having coffee at one of the nearby tables, a gent waiting for an assignation, hotel staff scurrying around.

Where are you hiding, Svetlana? Her feet seemed to have a mind of their own as she paced back and forth. By now it was almost twelve thirty. Maybe she won’t turn up. But how likely was that? Vika hated delays and complications. Bernie would be furious. She pulled out her phone to call him. She told herself not to worry. She worried.

Something made her stop midway. A taxi had just pulled up at the front door. Traffic seemed to stop as a tall spectacular-looking blonde alighted, brandishing a cigarette and holding a briefcase. Vika immediately put her phone away and headed outside. Finally, finally. It had to be Svetlana.

“Svetlana?”

The woman gave Vika a look—not hostile, not friendly. She flicked away her cigarette and motioned to Vika.

“This hotel no good,” she said contemptuously making a sour face. Her voice was husky. A smoker’s voice. Vika wondered if Svetlana had been banned from the hotel. Had she been mistaken for a prostitute? Was she a prostitute?

Vika waited, her face expressionless.

“Come,” the woman said, taking Vika’s elbow and steered her away from the hotel. “We go there,” she continued, pointing to the nearby Lido restaurant.

Even though the two women had not introduced themselves it was clear to Vika that this was Svetlana. And Svetlana must have been assured by Vika’s appearance. Rich. American.

Stepping inside, Vika frowned. “Self-serve! Yuck! You didn’t like the Radisson but you like this! Can’t we do better? Is this left over from the Soviet Union?”

Svetlana gave a humorless laugh. “Okay, okay. Let’s walk. Nice park across the street.”

They turned to exit the Lido and just about ran into a short good-looking Italian.  Vika didn’t even register that she had seen him before.

As they stepped out onto the sidewalk Svetlana removed another cigarette from her pack, lit it and inhaled. She stepped off the sidewalk into the street.

For a flicker of time everything stopped. Vika’s heart stopped as she realized what was about to happen. They had barely stepped off the sidewalk, Svetlana leading the way, when a car came roaring down the street. Svetlana went flying. For a horrifying moment she landed on the hood of the car. Then the car veered, threw her to the ground and sped away. Vika must have screamed. At that moment all she could fixate on was Svetlana’s briefcase which had landed a few feet away.