Free Killing Chase by Ben Muse Page A

would shed some light on the FBI’s thinking when we met.
    “Is there room for two in there?” I heard from behind. The jets from the tub made it hard to hear, and I hoped it was a certain Russian female, but instead it was Viktoria Durov. She had on the same terry cloth robe, except hers was pink. She was standing by the vacant bar. In her right hand, she held a long-stemmed glass.
    “Good evening, Mrs. Durov. I believe we can make room for you,” I said. This had trouble written all over it in big Cyrillic letters.
    “Thank you, Chase. If I am intruding, I can leave.” She walked over to the tub.
    “No, not at all. I was just relaxing after my workout.”
    “Ah, a workout. Perhaps I will visit the gym tomorrow.”
    She sat her glass down on the edge of the hot tub next to me and, as I watched, slowly disrobed, making it a point to shake her breasts as she pulled the final sleeve free of her arm. Her dark-colored bikini left nothing to the imagination. Say what you will about her icy personality—she was a beautiful woman and had been blessed with nice assets. Shy and bashful were two words absent from her dictionary, as evidence by the show I was witnessing.
    “Will Mr. Durov be joining us?” Please.
    I tried not to stare as she climbed the stairs to the top of the tub. She held out her hand for me to help her in, and I obliged. As I took it, she slipped something that felt like paper into my hand and winked as I guided her in.
    “Sergei is already asleep. The flights across the Atlantic take so much out of him. Alas, it will just be me. I hope this does not make you uncomfortable.” She put her finger to her lips and then pointed to my hand as she said this, as if to say read it and do not speak. I unfolded the small piece paper, curious as to what could be so secretive. It read:
     
    Saturday 11:00 AM
    Rm. 627 Coral Towers, Atlantis
    Per Schmidt.
    Fold and hand back to me with my drink
    Ears everywhere
     
    “Would you mind handing me my drink, Chase?”
    “Of course,” I said as normally as possible, while inside I quietly freaked out. Per Schmidt. I refolded the note, put it between my fingers and her glass, and handed it to her. She deftly took it and caressed my fingers as she kept her gaze centered on me. I was seeing Viktoria Durov in a new light. She was sitting perpendicular to me and slowly turned in my direction, all the while running her foot up my leg and resting it on the seat directly in front of my crotch. She had big, blue eyes and full lips. A bead of sweat broke on her forehead, and the swell of her breasts was just visible above the surface of the roiling water.
    “Chase, whatever shall we do up here? Two young, healthy people in the prime of their lives. I saw how you were looking at me at dinner.” She slid next to me and put her lips to my ear. In her deep accent, she whispered, “Perhaps under different circumstances, we could play, but for now I need you to tell me this is not appropriate; offend me if you must. See you Saturday. Don’t be late. And tell your father and Anna that I came on to you. It will get back to Sergei. Be careful what you say; there are listening devices on the ship.” She kissed my cheek, and I pushed her away. Okay.
    “Mrs. Durov-,” I said, raising my voice.
    “Please, call me Viktoria,” she purred.
    “Mrs. Durov, I think you’re beautiful, but you’re also married. As much as I’d like to, I think we need to stop.”
    “Come on Chase; it’s just sex. I’m not asking for a commitment. You won’t regret it.”
    “I’m sorry, but I can’t be doing this,” I said indignantly.
    “Fine, I doubt you could satisfy me anyway. You’ve been away so long, you probably don’t even remember how to use it.” Sticks and stones . . .
    She exited the hot tub in a huff and quickly put on her robe before storming off. So much for a leisurely, welcome-back-to-civilization kind of weekend.

Chapter 11
     
    Muted booms woke me from an otherwise shallow,