Read Danger Woman for Free Online Page A

home. Is now only Greshenko owning it and he is working for us or he is also dead. Either way, we have casino and foot in door. Then, one by one, we take the others.”
    â€œWe will own them?”
    Irena shook her head in frustration. “No, owning is too much. No, it will be like everywhere else. Our people will be in their lobby and we take a percentage for ‘protection.’ Don’t you see? Is the same as in St. Petersburg. Only we have no competition because we are here first.”
    â€œAnd the airline is flying in the high rollers.”
    â€œExactly.”
    â€œWe will have to kill the American and Greshenko.”
    â€œProbably. Is surest way.”
    â€œAnd some others.”
    â€œPerhaps others, yes. Is the cost of doing business.”
    â€œWe cannot buy their police. We have tried. Others, too. There’re not enough bananas in the world to buy those monkeys.”
    â€œSo, we save the money. Have you seen the local police superintendent? He looks like one of those hippos in the river. And he is very slow and stupid like them, too. We will not have to buy him, just flatter him and keep him in meat pies and cheap vodka.”
    â€˜You’re sure of this? He may look funny, but he could be trouble.”
    â€œHe will be a troublesome policeman when hippos dance, yes?”
    â€œWhen hippos dance? Oh, you mean like a joke. Very funny. When the hippo dances. Okay, I get it. I still have one worry. Greshenko may not be as easy to run as you think. He was Moscow before he went to the States. They are not an easy group, Moscow. Remember, he helped us one time because he had to. We threatened to turn him over to the local police. I don’t think he is stupid and we will need to watch him.”
    â€œSo, we watch. He will know that and will behave.”
    â€œI hope you are right. But think a minute, what if he was not telling the truth about coming here because he is looking to start a new life. Suppose he is here doing the same thing we are? Maybe he is scouting, too.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter. Did you see anyone else with him? There is the man, Painter, and no one who looks even a little bit like Bratva . We are here, he is alone. One false move and one of those tiresome Boers will be sent to shoot him.”
    â€œMaybe.”
    â€œMaybe? Why maybe?”
    â€œHe is tough and smart. He has to be to have made it this far. I don’t think one of those Dutchmen will be able to get the drop on him. If it comes to that, I will send Grelnikov. One tough guy to kill another tough guy. All I am saying, let’s hope he isn’t the point man for another organization, Bout for instance.”
    â€œBout is history. Forget Bout.”
    â€œIt is not wise to forget Bout. He is in prison, yes, but he is still connected. He is only a little less dangerous in there than out. But if he wants to, he can still hurt us. I’m just saying we need to be careful, that’s all.”
    Irena puffed her cheeks. Her one-button man still needed some propping up. For now, she would do the propping. Soon, maybe not so soon she would drop this propping. She gave him “the look” and slipped a button. Anticipation has a greater effect on men than the act itself.
    â€œWhatever. Is that a giraffe?”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œLook over there behind those trees. There he is. No, look. There are three of them, a family. See. There is a really tall one, and a not-so-tall one, and the baby. Don’t you just love having animals right out where you can see them? Not like a zoo. And these people eat them, right? The…what do you call them…the ones who eat grass? They were on the menu last night. Something beginning with a K. Anyway, when we get settled, Oleg, I want a lion skin rug in the main room.”
    â€œHerbivores. You call them herbivores and you can’t shoot lions or any game in the park, especially the big cats.”
    â€œSo, where