The Red Herring

Chapter 23

"What did you just say?" Beth asked.

"I know he's your friend but he doesn't know who he is! I don't think he's involved. But I'm not sure about Dmitry."

"Dmitry is not involved. He's been helping too much..." She trailed off because now she wasn't so sure.

"How has he helped?" Ivan asked.

Beth paused in thought. "Well, he gave me intel on where your cell would be. He brought us all his mother's papers and such to help us."

"Did you know he knew his mother was alive?" Ivan asked.

"Yes. He said she came to him about three years ago because she needed help."

Ivan stared at Beth. "And what kind of help did she need?"

"Protection from Vladimir."

Ivan led out a laugh. "Other way around. Vladimir is the one who needed protection."

"Dmitry is not involved. Excuse me," she said and walked back to John. "A word?"

John followed her away from Alex. "What's wrong?"

"Ivan just told me that Mike is Katerina Kovalev's son. And that Felix Lyons was her son as well."

"What a tangled web... Mike never mentioned he and Dmitry were brothers," John said.

"He doesn't know. I'm calling Tommy to come get me. Mike needs to know."

Ivan called for Alex. John led him over to the storage building. Beth made her phone call and went to meet them.

"You need to disable the bomb," Ivan told Alex.

Alex looked into the hole. "Haven't seen one of these in awhile."

He knelt down and removed a piece of paneling. Beth noticed that when he pulled a pocket knife out of his pocket, John placed a hand over his own weapon. They watched as Alex disabled the bomb and Ivan nodded at them. Then Beth heard a vehicle pull into the driveway.

Beth climbed into Tommy's vehicle. "Everything ok?" he asked.

"I have no idea," she confessed.

The rest of the drive was silent and Beth went to Mike's office upon arrival. She stood in the doorway and watched him. Mike looked up and said, "What's wrong?"

"Why do you always assume something's wrong?"

"Because I know you. Also, something is usually wrong," he told her with a smile.

She crossed the room. "Can we talk?"

"Of course," he said. "What's wrong?"

Beth sighed and sat down. "Did you know your mom is not your mom?"

"Yeah, of course. Dad told me she died. Why?"

"What if I told you that she's not dead?" Beth asked.

"Seriously? That's amazing!"

"And that you have a brother," she added.

"No way! So you know who my mom is? Who is she?"

Beth took a deep breath. "Katerina Kovalev."

"What? So Dmitry..."

"Dmitry what?" asked Dmitry from the doorway.

"Did you know we're brothers?" Mike asked.

"No kidding? Same mother or father?" Dmitry asked.