Chapter 28 28

Chapter 28 28

BUSTED

It was a dark night; the street was cold, and the night was quiet. Roderigo and Ivan walked through the stores, trying to locate the particular address. They finally got to the first place and walked into a tattoo shop.

“Hello,” Roderigo said.
“Hi, do you wanna draw a tattoo?”
“Yes, but not today. I just want to show you what I want to draw. Is that fine by you?”
“Sure, that’s not a problem,” the artist said.
Roderigo collected the photo from Ivan and showed it to the artist.
“Have you done something like this before?”
The artist looked at the photograph, examined it, then shook his head.
“No, I haven’t, but it’s something I can do.”
“Do you know anyone who has done this before?” Roderigo asked.
The tattoo artist shook his head.
Roderigo bid farewell to the artist and left, walking towards the next address.


The sound of Katrina’s ringtone broke the silence in her room. She picked it up, it was Slavik.
“Hello,” she said.
“Katrina, I’m here.”
Slavik was here. She had told him to come after work.
Was she scared of what Ivan would probably do? Yes, she was. But it was a risk she had to take; carefully.
Earlier that evening, she had monitored Ivan’s movement. She saw when Roderigo arrived and the security check at the house. She also saw when he stepped out with Roderigo, which was when she called Slavik to drop by.

Slavik was going to give her some files that might aid her investigation, she hoped. Since she wasn’t permitted to leave the estate, she had to think of another way.
She hurriedly put on a red dress and grabbed a scarf, hoping it would hide her identity a little. She picked up her phone from the table and hurried into the hallway.

A guard stopped her.
“Ma’am, where are you off to?”
“I just want to get a bit of fresh air, sit outside for a while.”
“I’ll have to go with you.”
“Oh come on, I’ve been indoors all day, I barely step out except for meals. It’s not like I’m going to run away. There’s security everywhere.”

The guard let her go.
Katerina stepped out of the estate and saw Slavik walking towards her. She nodded as a signal and told him to maintain some distance. They got to a shed and met there.
“Hope it wasn’t difficult getting through the gate?” she asked.
“Ivan and I aren’t enemies. There was a time when I frequently visited him, so they just assumed I came for that.” Roderigo replied
“Okay.”
“So, we don’t have much time. Can you give me what you brought?” Katerina said.

“Relax,” Slavik said, resting his hand on her shoulder. Katrina immediately brushed it off, feeling uncomfortable.
“We really don’t have time. Ivan’s been out for a while, and I’m guessing he’ll be back soon. You know how he gets every time I meet with you.”
“I do know,” Slavik said.
“Okay, so you mentioned we traveled to other places?”
“Yes, one completely out of town, and another within the outskirts. I’ll fill you in on the details. I don’t think it’s that significant but…” He paused, bringing out a file from his black bag. “Here.”

“What’s this?” Katrina asked.
“You left this the last time you came around. I think it has some photos of things you were probably paying attention to. I don’t know if it’ll help, but if you look at it carefully, you might find something useful.”
“Okay, thank you very much. I really appreciate this.” Katerina said softly.
“So, you still don’t remember anything?” Roderigo asked.
Katrina shook her head in disappointment. She hated that she couldn’t remember a single thing.

She opened the file immediately and looked through it. She found a name, Viktor, a name she’d heard before. Then it clicked. Ivan had mentioned that name.
“Who is this?” she asked, pointing at the name on the paper.

“Oh, he worked for Ivan’s father, but he was fired over something, I don’t really know about.”
“Can you trace the timeline?” Katerina asked.
“You mean when he was fired?”
Katrina nodded.
“Uhm…” Slavik thought for a while. “Say… three to four months before the accident… your disappearance.”
“Okay, do you remember anything about him why he was fired?”
“Nothing. Don probably suspected him. Ivan should know more, he had access to such information, plus Don was his father. He’s your best bet.”
“Okay, I’ll ask him. Is there anything else?” Katerina said, burying her eyes in the file, still searching for something important, knowing Slavik might not get another chance to visit.
“You seem really affected by this,” Slavik said, noticing her expression.
“I mean… It’s my life and my reputation on the line and I’m helpless because I’ve got a fried brain,” Katrina said in frustration.
“Look, it’ll come back to you… your memory. It will. You just need more time. You’ll figure it out.” Roderigo assured her.
“I’m losing my mind, Slavik.”
“You better not. Remember, you still have a life outside proving to Ivan that you’re innocent.” He reminded.
“It doesn’t look like it anymore,” Katerina said.
Slavik zipped his bag and was ready to leave.
“I’ve got to go before Ivan comes.”
“Yeah, true.”
“See you some other time,” Slavik said, brushing his hand on her shoulder.
The feel of his touch triggered another memory.


The hotel room was quiet. Katrina and Slavik pulled their bags inside. Katrina hissed in frustration.
“What a way to welcome us to Mexico.”
“Things like this happen, not just in Mexico.”
“They should have done better. I made a reservation two weeks ago and it was clearly specified. Now we’re stuck with one room and one bed,” Katrina said, irritated.
“At least there’s a couch,” Slavik said, trying to lighten the mood.
“It’s not funny, Slavik.”
He came close to her, placing his hands on her shoulders.
“I know it isn’t, but this is what we have now. We’ll just have to make do, right?”
“Yeah, true.” She reluctantly agreed.
“So I’ll take the couch and you take the bed, hopefully that makes you happy.”
Katrina chuckled, relieved for a moment.
Slavik looked into her eyes. The tension between them grew. He brushed a strand of her hair aside and leaned in…


“Katrina!” Slavik’s voice pulled her back to reality.
“What happened? Are you okay? Do you feel sick? Should we go to the hospital?” Slavik said.
Realizing what had happened, Katrina adjusted herself, pulling away from his grip.
What sort of flashback was that?
She looked at Slavik suspiciously. Ivan had accused her of having an affair with him, and she’d denied it because she believed there was nothing between them. But that flashback… it made Ivan’s suspicion feel almost true.
She was scared. Not only was she accused of murder… was she also an unfaithful wife?
“You have to go now,” she said firmly.
“I mean, that’s what I was about to do till you acted strange.”
“I’m fine, thank you. Let’s go.”
She hurried him toward the front of the house. As they walked down, a car pulled in, it was Ivan.
He stopped right in front of them.
Katrina froze.
He stopped right in front of them.
Katrina froze, her breath caught in her throat, there was no escaping this moment.