Read MadetoBeBroken for Free Online

all about the situation over there. If I can
talk to him, give him my sister’s name. He must know who all the rebel bad guys
are.”
    Had she overplayed her hand? The man sat as still as a
snake, his black eyes on her.
    “We are not all equally adept at our affairs, miss. I am the
embassy’s most knowledgeable resource as concerns the Chechen rebels.”
    Hope rose in her belly. “It was you he was on his way to
meet?” she asked, hoping she sounded like an adoring groupie. At that moment,
if this was her guy, then “adoring groupie” wasn’t so far off the mark.
    “No one in this embassy had an appointment with
Commissionaire Kaminsky. I’m sorry for your trouble, miss. My secretary will
see you out.”
    * * * * *
    By early afternoon, the blazing-blue skies above London made
the pale buildings blinding-white and the city sparkled. Coco’s crepe-soled
shoes made no sound on the pavement as she admired the rows upon rows of white
houses, all attached cheek-by-jowl and fronted by low wrought iron fences with
horsehead posts. Even with the breeze, it was almost uncomfortably warm, and
her hair was sticky on her neck—what happened to those sudden turns in the
weather British people joked about while visitors shivered?
    The pockmarked embassy official had been lying, but about
what, she could not tell. Either he was to meet with Kaminsky or he was not the
top man in regards to Chechen affairs. She had blown her only chance to find
the right man and probably set the KGB on her tail. The Russian secret service
was as careful as her own, and even her personal directives were useless in
that grim office. It was her second-most important rule and she had been forced
to set it aside. All for nothing.
    This whole weird case was messing with her head, had her breaking
her own rules.

Chapter Five
     
    Maksimov was standing on the steps of her hotel, shaking out
a match. His dark-brown mane ruffled by the wind and a squint of amusement in
his eyes, he looked like a man waiting for his date. He wore jeans again,
black, and a tight black T-shirt.
    He pulled on the cigarette as she approached. “What legend
are you using, krahsniy ?”
    She stopped short. “I don’t have one. I’m here alone.” The
truth, yes, but also a way of protecting OSO. After all, even Americans didn’t
know the agency existed. He wouldn’t believe her anyway.
    “You are lying to me.” He stepped down, towering over her at
close range. Coco didn’t flinch. “That will be last time.”
    “It’s true. I made up my own story. Art student.”
    “Very good. Come with me.”
    He turned and took off down the street, his long legs
chewing up the pavement. She raced after him.
    Her brain whirled. She had been prepared for anything, but
not for this. How much did he know and why was the fearsome Alexi Maksimov
acting like a semi-normal human being? Perhaps he was leading her into a trap.
Coco glanced around for telltale signs of confederates—solitary men whose faces
were shadowed by newspapers, the sudden screech of car tires as they turned
into the street. But the day was fine and placid, the sidewalk deserted except
for one large hulking man striding in front of a hurrying redhead.
    “Where are you taking me? You must think I’m awfully
stupid.”
    He did not turn around to answer. “ Nyet . Better for
me if you were. We are here.”
    She looked up at the imposing marble building. “The National
Gallery of Art, are you kidding me? This is a museum.”
    A wide smile transformed his face. “You see? Not stupid.”
    “The hell—?” Coco muttered as she mounted the steps. She was
thankful at least for the comfortable shoes. Footwear was always to the male’s
advantage in espionage. Well, almost always, depending on what else the woman
had on.
    “I don’t like London,” Alexi was saying, mounting the steps.
“So I come here to escape it. In museum, whole world is open.”
    His smile was like the sun coming out. Damn him for acting
so at