The Imperial Revenge

Chapter 22

September 1928

After returning to Moscow, I got straight to work on my next plot. A little letter from a certain someone to each one of the men. Something that would make each of their hearts race. I did it so carefully in fancy handwriting that they'd never know it was me. They all got the same letter.

"I know what you did. Long live the Tsar."
-Count Romanov

I was just hoping that they'd find comfort in their new friend. Since I was a publisher and knew handwriting so well. I prayed that they would show up. The three of them did show up early in the morning a couple days later. Fear bright in their eyes.
"What can I do for each one of you?" I asked them. They exchanged looks and handed me all three of their letters.
"Someone sent us these. We need your help to identify the handwriting." Yurovsky nodded. I examined just one of the letters and did a sigh. It was very difficult to not smile at this.
"Based on the angle the pen was in, I'd say the letters were written by a woman. But who on Earth would do such a thing and why?"
Yurovsky and his two men exhaled. Nikulin leaned forward.
"The three of us killed the Tsar and his family. We're afraid one of them survived that night."
I gasped and rest my head in my hand. "Lord, you all are in deep trouble. It's a clearly a woman wrote them. So it could be the Tsarina, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, or Anastasia."
Medvedev shook his head and crossed his arms. "It's not the Tsarina. She was shot right in the head. She's dead." Oh Medvedev, I already knew that. My parents' blood splattered all over me that night. I was screaming so loud that my throat hurt.
"Alright then that leaves the Grand Duchesses. Say, why don't you go back to Leningrad and go to the Romanov museum and analyze the handwriting. It'd be for the best." I shrugged. They looked at each other again and nodded. They looked at me and started to shake my hand.
"Thank you so much, Citizen Savenkov. We'll never forget your companionship and your kindness."
I grinned and rolled my eyes. "Ah, what are friends for? Besides, you three would do it for me. True comrades." I kept my grin as they walked out. It wasn't until they closed my office door that I started to chuckle and lit my cigarette.

My family's killers weren't the only people that came to visit that day. Ileana also came to visit my office with a big smile on her face.
"Hello Alexei. I have received about five-hundred rubles in the mail. Is that a lot of money?" She asked and sat down.
"Yea, it is a lot of money. Probably not enough for the proper inheritance but definitely a lot of money. Congratulations Ileana."
"Well, I couldn't have done it without you. Even though you are an arrogant prick."
"I can disagree with you there. Well, I have whiskey in my desk. Would you like some?"
Ileana smiled at me. "Yes, I'd love whiskey. Thank you." I took out my bottles of whiskey and two glasses I had. I poured some into each glass and handed one to her. We clicked our glasses together and then took some sips.
"Now that our business is out of the way, I can be less proper. I'd like to pick you up at 18:00."
Ileana scoffed. "Why would I go out with you? You've been nothing but rude to me."
"I've actually been nothing but kind to you. I scratched your back and now you get to scratch mine."
"If I let you take me out, remember that it's not a date. What would you take me out to do?"
I shrugged and gave a wan smile. "Well, they're showing one of Charlie Chaplin's older movies tonight 'A Night In The Show'. And then I was hoping to take you out for dancing and dinner. Do you like Chaplin and do you like dancing and dinner?"
Ileana tried to hide the fact she was blushing a little bit. "Yes, I like Chaplin, dancing, and dinner. But do not try and take advantage of me, Alexei. I'm not that kind of girl."
"I'm not that kind of man. So I'll pick you up at 18:00. Wear a nicer dress but not too dressy. If you wear jewelry, only a necklace. Oh Ileana, you're going to have such fun."