“Valerian,” says the lawyer. I think his name is Mikhail.
I don’t know. It’s not important.
Memorizing names isn’t how I’ll free my father.
“Your meeting with me isn’t for another?—”
“Four hours. Noted.” I pull up a chair, taking a seat opposite his desk. “My father is in custody and they’re pressing charges.”
“I know. And I really want to help you out here?—”
“Then do something. He hasn’t murdered anyone.”
“I know. And I believe you,” says Mikhail. He takes a seat at his desk. “But we don’t have any evidence.”
“I do. Just not in writing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Siguard Volkov.”
Mikhail bursts into laughter.
I pin him a glare across the desk. Nothing about this is funny.
“Siguard is one of Moscow’s most trusted politicians.”
“Well aware.”
“Why would he kill a young boy?”
“I don’t know. But he’s been messing with my father for years now. It all started when my father fucked his ex-wife.”
“Valerian—”
“They divorced. Two weeks later my father was caught with his pants down, fucking her in the back of a stolen car. I know how it all sounds. But I’m not making it up. Since then, Siguard has had a weird vendetta against my father.”
“Interesting,” says the lawyer, shuffling some documents around. He finds a pen. Starts jotting down notes. “But why did Singuard kill an innocent twelve-year-old?”
I shrug. “Power.”
Mikhail glances at me, reading every detail on my face like he’s actually curious to hear what I have to say. The rest of them call me crazy.
He’s the first person to actually listen.
Which is what I need.
I’m blowing all of my savings on this lawyer.
He’s one of the best in the city.
“Okay,” says Mikhail, clicking off his pen. “Here’s what we’ll do—I’ll arrange a meeting with the police and raise this to authorities.” The wooden chair creaks as he leans forward, catching my eye. “What you’re saying is very serious. You understand that, right, Valerian?”
“Right,” I answer. “But I’m spending a lot of fucking money to be here. I can’t afford to lie.”
“Let’s hope not,” says the lawyer, lifting from his seat. “And because you turned up four hours early, there will be an extra thirty-thousand rubles added onto your bill.” Mikhail sees me to the door. “I’ll speak to you later, Valerian.”
I clench my jaw. I could punch him straight in the face.