Free Belly of the Beast by Blake Crouch, Douglas Walker Page A

said softly.
    “The snow was crimson,” said the old woman from the other side of the room.
    Niki turned.
    “That’s just Galina,” Yuri whispered. “Years ago, she was a courier who learned too much. Now, no one on either side cares enough to kill her or care for her.”
    “I guess someone cares,” said Niki. “Thank you, Yuri, for taking care of my mother too.”
    Yuri shrugged. “Taking care of some of my own is the least I can do.”
    “Green base, blue kicker,” said Galina in drawn-out English. “Slide on the glide.”
    Niki spun back toward the old woman on the bed. Galina slowly closed her eyes and smiled as if a big fish had just chomped a baited hook.
    “What did you say?” demanded Niki.
    Galina frowned, eyes still closed. “Nothing.”
    Niki grabbed Yuri’s arm. “My mother always said that when we waxed skis.”
    Yuri turned to Galina. “How do you know about Lana?”
    “Lana?” said the old woman. “What do I care about her? I was going to tell you about me.”
    “Perhaps another time.”
    “Wait,” said Niki, “she knows something.”
    “I was going to tell you how to wax skis,” said Galina, “but I need cake. Chocolate cake with coconut. We will have a party.”
    Yuri nodded. “Yes, Galina, a party for you just like the old days. I’ll come back in a few days.”
    “No,” said Niki. “Crimson snow. Alex vomited blood on the snow before we realized he had Leukemia. Somehow she knows about him.”
    “She couldn’t,” said Yuri. “She’s been in this room with Lana for three years. You have the blood sample. Isn’t that what’s really important? Let’s go.”
    Niki nodded and followed Yuri toward the door.
    “Fifteen January,” said Galina. “The snow was red with the afterbirth. I know everything. Lana don’t know nothing about birthing no babies.”
    Niki grabbed Yuri’s arm again. “Wait. She knows about my birthday too.”
    “I would like tea with my cake,” said Galina with a smile, “in a silver samovar. Three o’clock, and bring presents.”
    “The bit about birthing babies is a line from a movie,” Yuri whispered. “Galina would say she was Scarlet O’Hara herself just to get attention.”
    Niki followed Yuri to the hall. “But she knew my birth date.”
    “We were all trained to gather information. Maybe your mother talked to Galina before she got here. Galina knew about you and the cat in the tree, but these days, Galina is confused about everything”
    “She wasn’t confused about my birthday.”
    “But we’re not even sure of that date, are we? Let’s get your samples checked so you can return to your son.”
    Niki nodded. “I guess that’s the important thing.”
    Yuri led Niki to the car. “Where to?”
    “The University Hospital on Divisadero.”
    “Next to the urology clinic? I know exactly where it is. Your mother will be a good match with Alex, and everything will be fine.”
    “But what if she’s not?”

CHAPTER TEN
 

     
    Yuri drove.
    Niki took notes.
    “What are you writing?”
    “Nothing. Everything. Plan B. If my mother is not a match, I need to find Malenkov.”
    “That’s not likely. Let’s hope your quest ends here. You’re not writing about me and my rest home , are you?”
    “No,” Niki lied as she closed her notebook. “I know that’s secret.”
    Yuri lit a cigarette. “You’ve drawn blood before.”
    Niki stared at nothing out the side window. “I learned when I took courses to be a medical technician so I could work on an ambulance. It didn’t work out.”
    Yuri pulled onto the expressway heading back north. “I couldn’t deal with blood and guts every day either.”
    “It wasn’t that,” Niki said brusquely. She remained taciturn most of the way back to the city, then said quietly, “My first patient died.”
    “You can’t save everyone.”
    “This was different.” Niki drew a deep breath and closed her eyes. “After I got out of the hospital, I burned my birth certificate. I know it