A Blind Eye: Book 1 in the Adam Kaminski Mystery Series (18 page)

S
ylvia’s hand
had barely moved away from the door when it swung open and Tomek Malak stood facing them. He was dressed in a suit, as he had been when Adam met him at the
Sejm
. But it was creased, as if he had been wearing it since the day before. Malak wore no tie. His hair was disheveled, his eyes red.

“Sylvia,” he said with a start, “oh… yes?”

“Sir,” she responded with a smile, “I am sorry to bother you at home like this. We need help, and I am hoping you can offer it.”

Malak looked at the two men standing behind her before nodding and stepping back from the doorway. “Of course, of course, come in, please.”

Sylvia stepped through the door into the well-lit house, Adam and Łukasz following close behind her. Once they were in, Malak peered briefly out into the dark street, then shut the door behind them. “Please, come through to the living room. We were just finishing our dinner.”

A tall blond woman rose from a blue satin couch when the group entered. “
Dobry wieczor
,” she said, smiling, with a questioning look at her husband. “Tomek?”

A young woman moved through the room, gathering cut crystal wine glasses that rested on various surfaces in the room. Adam counted five glasses and couldn’t help but wonder who else had been here. Or was still here.

“Maria,” Malak answered her in English, “you remember Sylvia, of course.” The two woman smiled and shook hands. “And may I introduce Adam Kaminski.” Adam offered his hand as his name was mentioned. “
Pan
Kaminski is visiting us from Philadelphia, in the United States, as part of a sister cities program.”

Malak turned to Łukasz. “And Łukasz Kaminski, one of our city’s finest journalists. I admit I am curious as to your role here, sir.”

Adam offered the explanation. “
Pan
Kaminski is my cousin,
Pan
Malak.”

“So this is a chance to visit with family.” Malak smiled and shook Łukasz’s hand. “How nice.”

“Yes. Something like that,” Adam left it at that, not knowing how Sylvia thought Malak could help them.

“Please, please, have a seat.” Maria Malak indicated the carved wood, satin-lined chairs that dotted the room. A wooden chest stood against one wall, its inlay created from multihued varieties of wood plus what looked like ebony and ivory. Two Chippendale chairs sat together around a Queen Anne table.

It looked beautiful, but Adam would be afraid to live in a house like this, in constant fear of breaking things. “Our daughter is just clearing up after our post-dinner drinks, she would be happy to bring you something. Sonja!” This last she called out to the young woman, who could be heard moving about in another room.

“
Słucham
?” Sonja called back, walking into the living room where the group still stood.

“No, no, thank you,” Sylvia answered for all of them. “Tomek, we have something we must discuss with you. Work related,” she added, glancing at Maria.

“Ah, I see.” Malak leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek. “It appears that I must leave you briefly, my dear. This won’t take too long, I hope?” He looked at Sylvia.

“No, no,” she assured him, “just a few moments of your time.”

Malak guided the group up the grand staircase that dominated the entranceway then down a short corridor. The air was heavy with a musky scent, and Adam couldn’t shake the feeling they were going deep underground, even though they were on the second level.

At the end of the hall a door stood closed. Malak opened it and ushered them in. The room was clearly used as his study. Brown wood paneling lined the walls. The thick carpet was Persian, in deep hues of red and blue. A marble statue of the Virgin Mary held pride of place against one wall, smiling benignly down at the room from its perch on a seventeenth-century Dutch
kussenkast
display cabinet. Brown leather chairs that looked significantly more comfortable than the ornate furnishings in the room below created a cozy place to have a private conversation.

Malak closed the door firmly and gestured to the chairs. While the others sat, Malak moved over to a wooden cabinet, its doors inset with tortoiseshell, pulling out a bottle of vodka and a few small crystal glasses.

“Drink?” he asked, raising the bottle.

“No —” Adam started to answer, but Łukasz cut him off.

“Thank you, yes,” Łukasz answered for all of them. Adam shot him a look, but didn’t say anything more.

As Malak poured the drinks, Adam looked at him closely. He looked exhausted. Perhaps this was the end of a long day for him. The change was enough to get Adam’s attention. Just a day ago in his office, he was calm, in control. Now his hands shook slightly as he poured the drinks, his smile was weak, unsure.

“Gentlemen.” He put the bottle down on a side table. “What can I do for you?
Na zdrowie
.” The last words he said as he raised his glass in a toast. The others followed suit and downed the vodka he had provided. They each lowered an empty glass.

“This is not an easy subject to discuss,
Pan
Malak,” Łukasz started. “I am writing a story for my newspaper. It is a story about corruption in our government. And it is a story about murder.”

As Łukasz paused to pull together his thoughts, Adam watched Malak’s face. He couldn’t be sure, but it almost seemed as if Malak’s expression softened. As if he had been expecting something different. Something worse.

Malak leaned forward and refilled their glasses, then placed the bottle down gently. “An admirable story,
Pan
Kaminski. It is good to root out evildoers in our government. I am the liaison between the city and the national legislature. If you believe there is corruption in the legislature, I am glad that you have brought these concerns to me.”

Łukasz smiled briefly, then looked down at his glass. “I believe you might be able to help us.”

He tilted his head back as he downed the clear liquid in a smooth motion, replacing his glass on the small table.

“I believe the criminal has already attempted to cover up his crimes with murder. He killed a young woman who found him out, and now he is trying to kill Adam and myself.”

Malak shook his head in surprise. “No. That is not possible. If there had been a murder in the
Sejm
, I would have heard about it.”

“Basia Kaminski.”

“Ah…” Malak nodded and looked at the ground. “I understand now.” He paused. “But that was ruled a suicide, was it not?”

“It was murder. I’m sure of it.” Łukasz spoke quickly.

Malak shrugged and his face showed his indecision.

“Don’t you want to know if it is true, Tomek?” Sylvia said, leaning forward.

Malak stood, replacing the bottle on its shelf and carefully closing the door of the armoire. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Of course I want to know. I simply do not believe it is possible.”

She smiled up at him and nodded. “I know how closely you work with everyone in the
Sejm
. I know how important this is to you.”

Adam frowned and jumped into the conversation. “Yes, but what if there’s more? Digging into Basia’s death has led Łukasz to believe there is corruption within the legislature. A minister, or ministers, are using their positions for personal gain.”

Malak smiled at Sylvia one more time, then regained his seat. “Perhaps” — he shrugged — “it is possible. This is politics.” He raised a hand before anyone could utter a protest. “I agree, if there is someone stealing from the people of Warsaw, from the people of Poland, this would indeed be a horrible crime.”

“That’s not all. Whoever it is, he or she has tried to stop me several times. My life has been threatened. And now another life has been taken.”

“What… what are you saying?” Malak asked, his concern clear on his face. “Has someone else been killed?”

“Jared White, whom you met the other day,” Sylvia answered softly. “He has been killed. In a vicious attack.”

“My God!” Malak stood again and paced around the room, once again coming to rest near Sylvia, his hand on her shoulder. “This is terrible. And he was here as an ambassador, seeking a closer relationship with the United States. This cannot be.”

“It is, Tomek. He is dead. He died this morning.”

“How could I not have heard of this?” Malak wondered aloud.

Adam was wondering the same thing, but kept his answer brief. “It was in all the papers, sir, and on the TV news. I am surprised you had not heard.”

“You must have been locked in committee meetings all day, Tomek; you mustn’t feel bad about this,” Sylvia tried to comfort him.

“Not meetings, a hearing.” Malak seemed distracted as he answered her. “We are moving forward with action on a lustration case. Very rare. It has taken all of my focus.”

“What case is this?” Adam asked. “I hadn’t heard about it.”

“Oh no, you would not have. It’s too sensitive, we are keeping quiet about it. Once the legislative committee makes a decision, it will be passed on to the courts. It only becomes public information at that point.”

He looked around the room. “I should not have shared as much as I just did, it was very unprofessional, I apologize. It’s only this news that you bring me — of criminal activity, murder even — has upset me very much. I love this country and I love this city. I have given so much to it, I cannot stand the thought of it slowly crumbling apart under the weight of corruption and crime. This has happened to too many countries. Not Poland. No!”

Sylvia looked as if she had been brought to tears by Malak’s speech. “It is a horrible thing, but we think you may be able to help. You can help us find out who is behind this and bring that person to justice.”

Malak nodded absentmindedly as the others stood and prepared to leave. “Two murders, then. Two.”

“You must look into this yourself, Malak,” Łukasz explained, “you must find out who has committed a crime so heinous that he is willing to kill to cover it up. We need your help.”

“Of course,” Malak responded, “I will help you in any way I can. But I cannot let it take time away from this other proceeding, you understand. We must not look indifferent in our response to this accusation of collaboration.”

“There is a criminal working in this government, sir. Isn’t a criminal investigation more urgent? This is about the present, not the past.”

“Yes, perhaps.” Malak said. “Some people believe that we must resolve problems from the past in order to move forward, that lustration is really about the future, not the past. It is important for the lustration process to proceed. The citizens must be fully informed. They must trust the system.”

With that, Malak guided them back down the elegant staircase to the heavy front door. “I will help you, do not worry,” he said as he stepped onto the path that led down to the sidewalk.

Adam and Łukasz shook his hand. Sylvia gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. The three of them turned to head back to the bus stop.

Adam paused at the sidewalk and looked back at Malak. He had turned his face to the black sky, where only a handful of stars were visible through the light streaming upward from the city’s many buildings. He heard Malak say something under his breath and he grabbed Sylvia.

“What did he just say?” he asked.

Sylvia stopped and watched Malak. “He is expressing his hope that he can regain control, that he can take action and not simply be a victim.” She looked at Adam. “This is something that he believes in, I know. Too many Poles are willing to let others handle their problems. They become victims to other people’s desires instead of being in control of their own.”

Adam pulled Sylvia toward him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he turned back to the street. “We will stop these guys, Sylvia. Whoever they are. We will take control.”

A
dam slept
with one eye open that night
,
listening for anything out of the ordinary. On the few occasions when he left Sylvia’s bedroom to look out the window and check the hallway, he saw Łukasz lying awake on the sofa. They were both too worried to sleep.

Sylvia nevertheless insisted on going in to work that morning. As a result of the time she’d spent shepherding the group from Philadelphia, she was sorely behind in her regular work, she explained. Not to mention her coursework. One way or another, she needed to get things done, either at her office or at the university.

“No. No way,” Adam said, his voice quiet but firm. “I’m not letting you out of my sight. Not until we’ve figured out what’s going on and who’s behind it all.” His tone softened when he saw the anger building in her eyes. “I’m just worried about you, that’s all. Surely you can understand that?”

“I think you should be more worried about yourself.” She smiled, but her eyes were sharp. “I was not in any danger before you brought it into my life, you know.”

Flinching as if slapped, Adam took a step back. “You know what, you’re right about that. I guess it is my fault that you’re involved in all this. Which is exactly why I feel responsible for protecting you. And I can’t do that if I can’t see you, if I’m not there with you.”

Sylvia flung her arms up in despair.

“Friends… friends.” Łukasz walked between them. “We cannot turn on each other. We need each other right now. Cousin.” Łukasz turned to Adam. “Think about it. Isn’t her office the safest place for
Pani
Stanko right now? A secure building… with guards protecting her?”

Adam couldn’t argue with the logic. “I suppose that’s true.”

“Thank you,
Pan
Kaminski.” Sylvia started gathering her coat and bag. “As if I need permission from either of you to go to work.”

“Good, that’s settled,” Łukasz said. “I have a few more places to look at the newspaper archives, so I will continue my work there. Shall we meet for lunch?”

Sylvia frowned. “If I can make it, I will. We shall see.”

Adam followed her out of the apartment, calling to her as she walked away. “Be safe. Please.” She simply waved in response, without turning around.

The day was cold, but clear and bright. Even the wind had lessened, as if willing to give the residents of Warsaw a short reprieve before launching them into the depths of winter. Adam’s breath hung in the air around him as he walked quickly to the Hotel Newport from Sylvia’s apartment.

Adam’s thoughts were on his friends when he entered the hotel lobby. It was a rookie mistake. He let his guard down.

When she jumped at him from the side, he was caught by surprise.

“You! So you are still alive. I was hoping you weren’t.”

“Angela.” Adam took a step backward, but Angela matched his stride.

“Jared’s dead. We’re stuck in this country until the police tell us it’s okay to leave.” She brushed a hand roughly over her cheeks, wiping away a tear as if embarrassed by it. “And where have you been? Do you even know what’s going on?”

“Calm down.” Adam put a firm hand on her arm and guided her over to a discreet seating area against the wall. “You’re angry, I know. Don’t make a scene here.”

Anger flashed in her eyes and she twisted her arm out of his grip. “Why the hell not? Why shouldn’t I make a scene?”

“I’m so sorry, Angela.” Adam shook his head and lowered his face so he could look her in the eye. “This is my fault. It’s my fault Jared is dead. And I am so sorry. I wish I could take it back. I wish I could change things.” He closed his eyes and ran his hand over his face.

His obvious concern seemed to mollify her slightly, but she was still breathing quickly when she asked him, “What do you mean? What did you do?”

Adam nodded as he gathered his thoughts, trying to keep his emotions in control. “I’ve gotten involved in an investigation, Angela. With my cousin.”

“That’s what you told me before. That he was researching a story and you were helping him. What kind of story is it that it got Jared killed?” Even as she spoke, the tears came once again to her eyes. This time she didn’t brush them away. “Adam, I’m scared.”

He took both her hands in his and held them close to his chest. “I know. I can understand that. I’m scared, too. I really believe you’ll be safe, as long as you stay away from me.”

“Oh, fine!” Angela stood up, jerking her hands away from him. “Stay away from you. You’re the only person who seems to know what’s going on. It seems like you’re the only person who can protect me, and you’re telling me to stay away from you.”

Adam stood as well. “I will protect you Angela, as best I can. I promise you.” He glanced around the lobby. “You just need to stay out of sight for a while. And not be seen with me. What did the police tell you to do?”

“The police told us we needed to stay in Warsaw for another day or two, to answer questions. They’re coming back to the hotel later today and they want to meet with each of us.” She lifted her chin toward Adam. “They’ll want to meet with you, too, you know.”

“I have no doubt of that. Look, you need to take care of yourself. Go back to your room. Go to the gym. Just stay in the hotel today. You’ll be safe here. No one is after you. It’s me they want. And I’m not going to hang around here.”

“No, of course you’re not. You’re going to leave us alone again. Leave me alone again.” Her eyes flashed as her tears caught the light from the window. “You just leave, then. See if I care.”

With those words, Angela ran toward the stairs that led back to her room. Adam lifted his hand as if to reach out to her, but he didn’t call out.