Chapter 5

“What’s going on here?” he asked with a frown, as if he had nothing whatsoever to do with it. “What’s all this noise in the middle of the night?”

No, the man’s gall was cosmic! Not even a twitch in his eye, as if he were seeing me for the first time. First he kicked a decent girl out of the apartment, and now he was wondering who was keeping him awake?! I’d warned him!

This time I wasn’t going to give the rude man an inch. This time the law and a cop were on my side! And if I screamed loudly enough, maybe a second one would come running.

I got to my feet and dusted off my short fur coat. With my chin held high, I gave the jerk a murderous look and turned to my protector. He’d already gotten up and was pulling his cap over his shaggy head.

“Sergeant, this thug-looking guy”—I had no qualms about pointing at him—“attacked me, insulted me, and threatened me with serious bodily harm. He also kicked me out of an apartment I have every right to be in! Arrest him, please, and take him to the lockup!”

“Just a second, Ms. Feyakina. We’ll sort this out!”

“What’s there to sort out?” I was dying to get some satisfaction. “I told you everything on the phone!”

The cop straightened and strode confidently toward the door. He pulled his official ID from his pocket and waved it under Hulk’s nose—whoosh! Hulk merely blinked, and the cop demanded:

“Sergeant Leshenko! Thirteenth Police Precinct! Your identification, please!”

Now that was more like it. That’s how you deal with him!

I nodded approvingly and slipped behind his not-so-broad shoulder. I watched, impressed, as Leshenko held out his hand with great authority and waved Hulk forward impatiently—move it, he seemed to say! Don’t keep me waiting!

“Not so fast, Sergeant,” Hulk replied calmly, without the slightest sign of fear. He took off his sweater and managed to change into a T-shirt, which made him look even more imposing. “I have no idea what rights your citizen is referring to. First explain the grounds for a search. I’m spending a quiet evening in my own apartment, so what exactly have I done?”

What? And there wasn’t a hint of shame in his eyes!

“Are you kidding me?” I couldn’t take it anymore and stepped out from behind my protector’s shoulder, all my haughty airs gone. “I’ve been stuck out here for a whole hour because of you—in the cold and starving. And he asks what he did wrong! My fragile emotional equilibrium, for starters! Isn’t that enough for you?”

“Now, wait, Natalya!” The lawman pulled me away from the goblin, or I would have sunk my claws into him right then and there. “I’m telling you, we’ll sort this out!”

“I’m waiting,” Hulk replied coldly again, without taking his stern gaze off me.

“The police duty desk has received a complaint from Natalya Sergeyevna Feyakina, temporarily residing at this address. According to the complaint, at approximately 11 p.m. today, when the citizen attempted to move into the rental apartment, an unknown individual forcibly ejected her from the rented premises. Your ID, sir! Don’t make me ask three times! Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to detain you and take you to the precinct until your identity can be established!”

The door slammed shut, and Hulk disappeared. A minute later he was back, handing his documents to the cop. He looked as unruffled as ever, and I wanted so badly to see him even a little frightened!

“This girl can’t live here, Sergeant,” he said calmly. “A reputable real estate agency found this apartment for me—here’s the lease dated yesterday. I’m the one temporarily residing at this address, not Citizen Fedyukova. Check for yourself.”

“I’m Feyakina, you jerk!”

“You could call yourself Horse-Pedal for all I care—it’s all the same to me!” Hulk finally lost his temper and flared his nostrils.

Good. I shot him a glare of my own. It couldn’t be Christmas every day for the cat on the white rug. And I’d remember every bit of this. And remind him of it!

“So, Egor Alexeyevich Berkutov,” the cop said, narrowing his brown eyes as he flipped through the passport. He looked the young man up and down. “Twenty-eight years old… An athlete, apparently. Rented the apartment for three months and paid up front.”

“That’s me,” he replied reluctantly. “That’s right.”

“Purpose of your trip to the capital?”

“I was invited to work at Viking Sports Club. I’m a boxing coach. This is temporary housing, Sergeant. I’m planning to move into my own place soon, so I’ll be in the city for quite a while.”

“Judging by this place, you must be a pretty good coach?”

The cop was clearly hinting at the prestigious neighborhood and the rent, but not a muscle in Hulk’s body moved. It was almost a shame he turned out to be so difficult to get through to.

“Probably. Not for me to judge. So, chief? Everything in order?” he asked irritably, clearly beginning to tire of our company.

“At first glance, yes.”

“What do you mean, ‘at first’? You’re dropping some strange hints. I don’t live outside the law, and I don’t recommend anyone else do so either.”

At that, I snorted loudly and opened my mouth to object… but I kept quiet under Leshenko’s stern look. I merely puffed my cheeks in outrage. Pff! What a liar!

“I said ‘at first’ because it turns out Ms. Feyakina has a lease for this apartment, too. And it’s identical to yours. Even the dates match.”

“Meaning?” Hulk frowned, drawing his dark eyebrows together. “How is that possible?”

“It means exactly that! A three-month lease signed with Ded Moroz Agency. I checked it. Everything matches, Natalya?”

“Exactly!”

“Show me!” Hulk growled at me. Had it finally dawned on him that I wasn’t playing games with him?

But he roared it with a little too much confidence. I gave him the finger without hesitation and held it up higher. Here, take a look. The cop can't see it anyway.

“In your dreams, Petukhov! Save that for the witnesses!”

“I’m Berkutov!”

“You?!” I sized up the cheeky bastard with contempt, as if he were a gnat. “Don’t flatter yourself! Vorobyov at best, or maybe even Zyablikov!”

“Natalya, show Egor your lease,” Leshenko said, holding out his hand and waiting. “Don’t worry,” he reassured me. “I have the situation completely under control. Right now, it’s important for everyone to establish whether these claims are true.”

Oh, I really didn’t want to give in, but I had to do what the cop said. Still, I stayed on guard, ready to thwart even the slightest attempt at sabotage at any moment!

Hulk took the lease, read it carefully, and let out a disgruntled sigh before handing it back to the cop.

“This can’t be,” he said skeptically. “I was assured I was dealing with one of the most reliable agencies in the city. With an impeccable reputation. I’m sure we’ll call them now and get everything sorted out!”

“Sure, sure,” I muttered when the boxer—or whatever he was—disappeared into the apartment.

“Well, Petukhov, couldn’t get through?” I asked when he came back out onto the landing a couple of minutes later, grim and furious. “Funny, isn’t it? Why would they stop answering at midnight?”

“I told you, I’m Berkutov!”

“Call yourself Indykov for all I care! I have every right to be in this apartment, and now you know it!”

“Mase, what happened? I’ve been waiting and waiting, and you’re still not back.”