Chapter 5 - The Mafia King's Grandmother Finally Confessed
Galina Volkov requested to see me the following afternoon. We met in Price's office, with my mother present and a recorder running. The old woman arrived in a charcoal coat, carrying a small wooden jewelry box.
"I warned you about the upstairs room because I was ashamed," she said. "Not because I wanted you ignorant."
She opened the box. Inside lay a wedding photograph of Michael and Nadia, a silver key, and a child's drawing of a house beneath a yellow sun. My drawing. I recognized the crooked chimney.
"Michael gave me these when he realized his life was in danger," Galina said. "He asked me to protect you. I told him I would. Then my son threatened to kill Adrian if I went to the authorities. I chose my grandson."
"And my father died," I said.
"Yes."
There was no comfort in her confession, but at least she did not pretend it was anything else.
Galina explained that Adrian's father had controlled a secret fund built from stolen contracts and extortion. After his death, Viktor had quietly taken over the operation, using Raymond to manage paperwork and Vera to locate Michael's evidence. Adrian had inherited legitimate companies mixed with compromised ones and had spent years separating them, but he had underestimated his uncle.
"Why is Vera helping Viktor if Michael was her brother?" I asked.
My mother looked away. Galina's expression softened. "Because she believes Michael chose his new family over her. And because Viktor promised her the money she thinks she deserves."
Price arranged a meeting with federal prosecutors. We surrendered the cylinder and agreed to cooperate. My mother's testimony could help establish the forged hospital orders. Galina offered records of old payments. Adrian agreed to an independent audit of his companies and to preserve all documents, even those that could incriminate his own family.
That night he called me, not to ask me home, but to ask whether I had eaten. I laughed despite myself.
"Is this your new strategy?"
"No strategy. I remember you forget dinner when you're frightened."
"I ate."
"Good."
We stayed on the phone longer than either of us intended. He told me about the fire Michael had pulled him from when he was nineteen. I told him how my father used to make terrible pancakes shaped like animals that looked like maps.
"I remember him," Adrian said quietly. "I wish I'd told you sooner."
"So do I."
After the call, Price brought me new evidence. A bank transfer had been initiated from the medical trust set up for my mother, but the request had been rejected because my authorization was missing. Someone had tried to impersonate me again.
The request originated from a computer inside Adrian's estate.
"Viktor?" I asked.
May you like
"Maybe," Price said. "Or someone closer."
The next morning, Galina disappeared from her guarded guest suite. On the pillow lay the silver key she had shown us and a note: THE GRANDMOTHER FOR THE GRANDDAUGHTER.
