Shadow Zone by Iris Johansen, Roy Johansen

down the stairs.
    She left the building, walked down to the coffeehouse, and was deciding whether to order something when she saw a limo pull up in front of Eugenia’s office. The three men she’d seen earlier hurried down the steps and climbed into the car, which then sped down the street.
    By the time Hannah made it back to the brownstone, Eugenia was waiting on her front stoop. “ Magnifique! A wonderful performance, Hannah!”
    “I’m happy you’re so pleased. What did I just do?”
    “You just helped me close a two-billion-dollar deal, that’s what. A Russian automotive company is looking for a transportation partner, and those gentlemen were trying their best to give them the short end of the stick.” Eugenia shrugged. “I may have hinted that there was another suitor, and I suppose they jumped to the conclusion that you were negotiating on their competitor’s behalf. In any case, they were in a much greater hurry to close the deal after your appearance.”
    “That’s how billion-dollar business deals are done?”
    “ Two billion. The numbers may get bigger, but that doesn’t mean the players are any smarter.” Eugenia waved her inside. “Come in. You made me a lot of money today. That’s worth at least a cup of tea and some pastry.”
    Hannah followed Eugenia up two flights of stairs to what the woman called her “real” office, which was the polar opposite of the second-floor office’s dark woods, granite countertops, and heavy furniture. Although she used that imposing room for meeting clients, her upstairs “real” office, with its shag carpeting, beanbag furniture, hammock, punk-rock posters, and ever-blaring stereo, was where Eugenia actually did most of her work.
    Eugenia turned down the stereo and slid out of her tailored jacket. Her white blouse, which had appeared as buttoned-down conservative as her pin-striped suit, was now revealed to have sleeves covered with psychedelic designs. Noticing Hannah’s surprise, Eugenia held up her sleeves. “Like this? An artist in Greenwich Village did it for me. He’s quite talented, yes?”
    Hannah nodded. “Yes. And quite possibly under the influence of some strong hallucinogenics.”
    “Ha! You might be right. Or not. Artists can also live in their own world which has nothing to do with drugs. At any rate, he was very charming.” Eugenia poured two cups of tea and nodded to a pair of canvas folding chairs in the corner. “Have a seat and tell me what brings you here.”
    Hannah took the cup and sat down. She sipped the tea and took a deep breath. Time to lay it all out. “Kirov.”
    Eugenia’s face tensed. “Is he all right?”
    All the humor was gone from her expression. Eugenia and Kirov had been friends for years, and it was a friendship based on hardship and danger. Hannah knew that Kirov had saved Eugenia’s life at one time, and it was probable that she had returned the favor. At first, Hannah had thought they were lovers but, as Eugenia said, sex would have gotten in the way. In their world, friendship could be much more precious. “What’s happened to him?”
    “I don’t know,” Hannah said. “I haven’t seen or heard from him in over two months. But he killed two men in Venice last week, so he can’t be doing too badly.”
    “Oh, that’s a relief,” Eugenia said dryly. “But I thought those days were behind him.”
    “Old habits die hard, I guess.” Hannah held her cup with both hands and took another sip. “I’d like to say it has nothing to do with me, but it does.”
    “Ah, but Kirov has everything to do with you.” Eugenia smiled. “I was very interested in watching the interaction between you. You were fighting it all the way, but you found Kirov very sexy. Yes?”
    She should have known that Eugenia would jump straight to the personal aspect. Hell, yes, she found Kirov sexy, but she wasn’t about to discuss it. “That’s not what I meant. What disturbs me is that I know it had something to do with my