He intended to give her the final location when he got the information from Bardaric.

Then he’d make sure everyone involved with this operation knew she was the only person privy to the bomb location other than Vestavia.

Linette stood as poised as a mannequin, awaiting his instructions. No nervous twitch or babbling.

His desk phone lit with an incoming call on his secure line. “That’ll be all, Linette.”

She nodded and walked gracefully to the door, shutting it quietly behind her.

He pressed a button that activated the caller ID display programmed to show only a numeric code. He lifted the receiver. “Do we have a location?”

“Not yet,” Ostrovsky answered. “I wish to know your plan for detonating the bomb.”

“Hadn’t given it that much thought since I don’t have the location. Why?” He’d spent hours trying to come up with a viable delay plan but wasn’t sharing a thing with anyone yet.

“I am of the mind that Bardaric is becoming major problem. One the Council will have to face soon.”

Vestavia wanted to reach through the phone and choke the Russian. “Then why in hell didn’t you bring that up during our meeting?”

“Because the others will be more receptive to discussing Bardaric once you carry out this mission and dismiss any suspicions they may have.”

Vestavia knew where this was leading but had to play along. Ostrovsky was too diplomatic to be in charge of a continent that included Russia and China, but a powerful organization run by alpha males needed someone with a cool head on occasion. “What suspicions?”

“That you might have personal ambitions in conflict with the Council’s.”

That just pissed him off. His voice dropped low and tight with anger. “Think I would have killed Josie if I wasn’t a hundred percent committed to our plans for the Renaissance?”

“I have no question about where your allegiance lies,” Ostrovsky assured him quickly, always the diplomat. “But Bardaric works hard to prove otherwise. I think he spins his deceit to draw attention away from his own ambitions, as in a sleight-of-hand trick.”

“Why’d you support Bardaric when we voted? You know better than anyone what he’s capable of.” Accusing an Angeli of working outside the trust of the Council was dangerous, but since Ostrovsky was speaking openly so would Vestavia. “You have to know Bardaric financed the 9/11 attack that backfired. He thought the U.S. would shake in their boots. Look at the mess he’s made of the Middle East. That was not part of the long-term plan.”

“I am not without eyes and ears in these situations, which is why I called you. I believe Bardaric has another plan under way. The timing to initiate this mission is suspect.”

Vestavia hit his desktop with his fist but stopped short of belaboring how Ostrovsky could also have delayed the urgent timing of the attack. He needed to know what was behind this phone call. “What’re you getting at?”

“If Bardaric is behind the three killings on your continent in the past seven months-”

“If? How can anyone on the council believe that I sanctioned those?”

“I don’t think they do, but your silence on them means you have failed to produce evidence of Bardaric’s involvement.”

“Not from lack of effort,” Vestavia grumbled.

“Then beat him at his own game and acquire your evidence. He has contacted me several times, trying to convince me to push the council to allow him to coordinate the detonation. I believe Bardaric wishes to add one more component to this bombing.”

“Such as?”

“Killing a political leader at the same time as the bombing would only multiply your problems.”

Vestavia could see the direction of Ostrovsky’s thinking, but weakening the U.S. would work in the Russian’s favor as much as that of the other Angeli. “Why would you not support a plan to further undermine this country?”

“You may not have succeeded in placing a Fratelli in the White House last year, but unlike Bardaric I see how the missions you execute manage to move us toward our goal efficiently while keeping a lower profile.” Ostrovsky paused.

“You think Bardaric’ll take out the head of our country?”

“Why should he kill your president when that will only unite the Americans?”

Vestavia shifted, leaning his elbow on the chair to support his chin. “You think he’ll go after the prime minister?”

“Why not? Then he would point the finger at you, claiming you sanctioned the hit to retaliate.”

Ostrovsky was right. “Hadn’t considered that. What do you suggest?”

“That if Bardaric is behind the killings he is not using a Fratelli sniper, which means his person is contract. Someone loyal only to money. Are you not capable of outbidding him?”

Vestavia had thought the sniper was a Fratelli asset. That would have allowed Bardaric to claim someone else in the UK Fratelli had been behind any unsanctioned acts if the Angeli found evidence confirming the hits were tied to the Fratelli. The Angeli wouldn’t expect Bardaric to challenge any of the Fratelli unless the killings created a major problem for them. But using a mercenary made more sense.

That would eliminate the worry of a Fratelli sniper being pulled in and questioned. Paying for services motivated the contractor to keep his client’s name protected.

But Vestavia still questioned Ostrovsky’s taking a side when the mediator had managed to stay out of conflict with everyone on the council for so many years. “Why now, Ostrovsky?”

“Because I’m holding a folder with photos of four kills that have an unusual stamp on them. A skull with dark eyeglasses and a lizard. One photo is of a young woman who worked for me inside the British embassy. The images are… brutal. She was my niece.”

Finally, something Vestavia could accept. “I need help getting word out quickly without Bardaric knowing it’s me shopping for his sniper.”

“My network is at your service.”

“I’ll also have to relinquish control over the timing of the detonation to Bardaric in a way that won’t make him or the Council suspicious.”

“I will contact Bardaric to let him know I’ve requested a Council meeting in two hours. They will not question this if he drives the vote and you argue at first, then reluctantly agree.”

“I can do that, but when this is over I want the Council to sanction him.” The kind of sanction Vestavia had in mind involved blood. “I want your support when they do.”

“Get your evidence and I will back you.”

He considered the gamble he was making by handing over the control to Bardaric, but he’d amend the terms before they voted. Bardaric would have to commit to a date and time for the bombing right away, plus inform Vestavia of the bomb location no later than two hours in advance, with a guarantee of taking full responsibility for any premature detonation.

Bardaric would balk at that, but the council would not.

Just in case he couldn’t locate Bardaric’s killer in time, Vestavia had a backup plan. He’d activate the new guy on his team. The one with the scar on his face who came so highly recommended by six Fratelli from the U.S. and Peter Wentworth.

Vestavia pressed a button on his phone. When Linette answered, he told her, “Find Cayle Seabrooke.”