1.2 | The Prince of Thieves

Chapter 4

This chapter is dedicated to etern27 Thanks for the support!

New York. She had been in the city a week, running to and fro Carnegie Hall and her hotel room. To reward the orchestra for two whole nights of playing, the conductor had given them the afternoon off before their concert schedule resumed. Hana had wandered out on her own. Her friends in the orchestra had formed a group to tour the city, but there were some things that she could do only alone. She had planned to take a a coffee break in a neat, little shop and had ordered a croissant and a latte. But the glances from a man at the next table quickly chased her out. He had risen from his seat, his mouth opened to speak, when she hurriedly grabbed her things, croissant in one hand and coffee in the other and dashed out of the shop.

Creep. She slowed down when she had passed a few other shops. Or was I being too hasty? Yet she knew when she should fight and when she should run. Hana hadn't the energy to entertain that man, and she didn't want her afternoon spoiled by an unsavoury conversation. He can't be from one of the gangs, can he? No way! Her forehead was creased into a frown as she walked ruminatively.

She was halfway through her croissant – it was flaky and buttery, her favourite – when she caught her reflection in a shop window and realised that the man a few steps behind her had been the one at the cafe. Or I'm just overreacting. She had a blade tucked neatly up her sleeve that could make itself useful at a moment's notice. Then she glanced down at her unfinished croissant and her coffee. Damn it. This is annoying. Ahead of her was an intersection. The light had turned green and she stepped onto the road and into the crowd. On either side, the pavements were filled with passersby.

'Hana Yazumi?'

'What?' She froze in her step, her eyes widened at the mention of her name.

'I'm Anderson, with the NYPD.' He flashed a badge which she grabbed at and studied before letting it go. 'I have some questions for you regarding someone by the name of Leonidas Federov. Shall we go – '

'No.'

The abrupt refusal stopped him in his tracks as he had raised an arm, about to gesture to some place behind her. Anderson fixed a very astonished pair of eyes on her.

'It's just some routine questions. We can go to the Starbucks over there if you'd like. Then you can choose to answer the questions that I ask you or not.'

Hana gave the establishment a glance. Now what has he done? She let out a low sigh and pursed her lips, her annoyance clearly displayed on her features. Could she run? Yes, she could. But this policeman would probably chase after her. She was quite sure he was a real policeman anyway.

'Fine.'

Starbucks was half empty. They sat themselves at a circular table for four, across of each other. Anderson had ordered an Americano while she had gotten herself a matcha latte, which the policeman promptly paid for.

'Why did you run off at the cafe?' Anderson asked, sounding a little perplexed. There was only a couple near them, and they were more absorbed in each other's eyes than on the next table. At least no one would be listening in on their conversation.

I think it's just my natural instinct to run away from the police, she thought, but definitely didn't say. My parents taught me not to talk to strangers? I didn't like your haircut?

'I don't know,' she finally muttered lamely, her hands placed tamely in her lap. 'How do you know who I am?'

'You were noted several times in the presence of Leonidas Federov. You were involved in the gang war three years ago. Kidnapped. But we don't deem you as a threat, so you don't have to worry.' Here he added a grin that was probably meant to be reassuring. Hana didn't know to be relieved or offended. His lackadaisical nature unnerved her. Having never met an official personnel, he fell short of her expectations of tortured confessions and browbeating during cross-examinations. Certainly not that she wanted to be strapped to a chair, splashed with cold water, and beaten and starved just like in the movie she had watched a few days ago.