moved faster than her mouth could. “Once I gave Dominick Katya’s identity as an FBI asset, the plan was to have her moved into witness protection and make it look like she’d been killed by a Russian hitman before the Volkovs got a chance to get to her themselves.”
“With her believed to be dead, she really could have started over. No one would be looking for her,” he said with a nod, trying to keep up with her. “Plus, you would’ve given Dominick what he wanted, proving your loyalty. But it wasn’t your fault that the SVR got to Katya first considering the beef between the two organizations.” Damn brilliant.
“Only something obviously went wrong. There was never supposed to be a real kidnapping, but Ivan Smirnoff must’ve somehow got to Katya hours before the plan was set into motion to move her to WITSEC for what was supposed to be the fake hit.”
“So, where does this forger who supposedly worked for your parents come into play?” In this heat, and with his shirt beginning to cling like something fierce, she might need to spell it out for him. He was growing a bit light-headed.
“When I told Porter about my dad’s only lifelong friend, who also happened to show up with artwork every time he visited, Porter suggested he may be a forger, and he began looking for him.”
“Did Porter confirm he was a counterfeiter of sorts?”
“Yes, his name is Anthony Vincenzi, an Italian artist by day, and a forger by night. And if Anthony can verify he made copies of the originals, maybe he made more? Or knows where my parents would have hidden the real ones?”
“So, now you’re offering the Volkovs the forger, am I right? You told Grigory copies were made?” Heat exhaustion or not, it was clear why everything hinged on her leaving D.C. regardless of what the Bureau would think about her actions. A woman on a mission, but even if Porter kept the UC assignment on the down low, there had to be evidence of her work in the FBI server, right? Someone over Porter’s head had to have signed off on the UC operation.
“Yes, and that’s how my contact with Grigory comes into play. A few weeks ago, I told Dominick that the Bureau believed someone forged the original ledger and key fifteen years ago. I told him I would track down the forger. And the next day, I heard from Grigory Volkov himself. He was interested in the key, not the ledger, which I assume means he is already in possession of either the original or a copy. But if I can find the key, I can use it to draw out Grigory and take him down, as well as identify any remaining spies in the U.S. listed in that book.”
“What I don’t get is why your parents would hide a real or a fake ledger in Budapest, the location where it was originally stolen. I assume they did it that week before they died. But that doesn’t make much sense to me.”
Her hand went to the column of her throat before sliding beneath the fabric of her tee telling him the heat was now getting to her, too. “There are so many ideas spinning in my head, and it’s mostly speculation for now. But that’s why I am down here. To get answers. Porter left me a message yesterday to go dark. He said he finally found the forger, and he’s planning to bring him to our safe house on Friday. Anthony’s my best shot.”
“Best shot at what?” A.J.’s stomach dropped. He had a good idea what she was going to say and really didn’t want to hear it.
When Ana looked away and toward the pond, he knew he was fucked. How would he protect a woman who’d resent his protection as she’d done with her ex? “Trying to understand what my parents were up to. Find the real key.”
“And you agreed to do this because . . .?” His back, shoulders, neck—everything tensed up, including his hands as they rested on the blanket on each side of his body.
“Because my parents are the reason why so many people died. Because they were criminals. Spies. Because I’m the Bureau’s best hope to get on the inside, and Porter didn’t know who to trust. He’s worried there are still spies working for Russia at Headquarters.” She held her palms open. “You pick a reason.” Her tone switched to defense-mode, anxious he’d try and