The Devil's Moon (Finished)

Chapter 38

Brett

"What is it?" I asked Jim annoyed.

It had taken four years to get Luna to agree to go on any sort of date with me. I thought when I had to cancel that would be the end of it that she would never talk to me again. Why would a girl like that wait around for me? Then when she showed up here with dinner I thought wow, she came to me. Just when I thought I was getting somewhere with her Jim walks in and pulls me away.

"I think it would just be easier if I showed you." He said as he leads me towards the service room.

"What is this?" I asked as he motioned for me to take a seat.

"I really don't have time for this," I said to him as I just wanted to get back to Luna.

"Look, you know I have been working the human trafficking problem in Hell's Kitchen?" He asked me.

"Yeah, your constantly bragging about it." I reminded him.

"Well, we got someone on the inside. He's been getting us audio and visual of the men in charge." He told me.

"You managed to get someone inside the Russian Mob?" I asked him surprised that he was that capable.

"Yes, and there has been someone who had popped up in a couple of the videos. We have been trying to identify this person for days hoping they could give us some insight into what's going on." He continued to say.

"So your point?" I asked him.

"Well, we were having no luck, until today." He answered.

"Okay, I still don't see what this has to do with me," I told him.

"Why don't you just watch the tapes and tell me if you recognize anyone in them." He said as he reached over and pressed play on the tape.

It started and at first, I was not sure what I was looking at. The sound of people talking and laughing as they played some sort of card game was defining. Then my focus turned to the person sitting at the bar on the other side of the room. It was Vladimir Ranskahov, he was sitting there having a drink by himself. No one else was even next to him as if everyone was scared to approach him. About thirty seconds into the video a woman walked into view. At first, I was not sure who it was because her back was to me but as she got closer to Vladimir and she became more in focus it was clear who it was. It was Luna. She walked over with all the confidence in the world and sat next to Vladimir as if she was not scared of him in the slightest. She said something to him that seemed to make him angry because he smashed his glass on the bar top.

She did not even seem fazed by his outburst. She just leaned over the bar and grabbed a new drink and glass pouring two glasses as she handed him one. They talked for a little while before she reached over and placed her hand on his thigh. There was no denying what I was seeing she was flirting with him. By the stone cold expression on his face it was clear this was not the first time. They knew each other. After he pulled his leg away from her he got up and led her into a back room.

"How long do they stay back there?" I asked Jim.

"Not too long, a little over five minutes. Then she comes out alone and leaves." He told me.

"Roll the tape," I tell him wanting to see her leave.

He did as I said and just like he said five minutes later she walks out of that back office and she looks mad as hell. There was no denying it was her. She walked right past whoever had the camera. Her face was clear as day.

"Then there was this." He says as he takes out another tape and switches them.

It was a video outside a garage. Luna was there, waiting. She was leaning against the wall as if she did not have a worry in the world. She stood there for some time before Anatoly walked outside. He walked past her at first, he did not even see her. Not until she called out to him.

He seemed frozen in place as the realization hit him. What I was surprised to see was his smile and turn around walking over to her, then pulling her into a hug. They talked for a few more minutes before he pulled her into an alleyway. After some time Anatoly reappeared from the alleyway. Whoever was wearing the camera left before I could see Luna reappear.

Jim turned off the tv and stood there silently.

"Now why don't you tell me why the girl we have been looking for is in the break room bringing you dinner?" He asked me.

"I don't know, but I'll find out," I said as I got up from where I sat.

"Look you don't have to do this. If you want I can question your girlfriend about her connections with the Russian mob." He said and I could not tell it was trying to help or mock me.

"I will talk to her!" I snapped at him as I stormed out of the room.