Page 102 of Sexting the Pakhan

I continue, “If you give me the place, you stay alive long enough to explain who was buying. If you lie again, Dima takes over.”

Dima says, “Please lie.”

Kirill closes his eyes. For a moment, I think he will make the worse choice.

Then his shoulders drop. “It’s buried,” he says.

Pavel stops writing.

Stepan straightens slightly.

I keep my voice even. “Where?”

Kirill opens his eyes. “Kindergarten compound.”

Dima says, “You buried stolen cases in a kindergarten yard.”

“It was closed,” Kirill says quickly. “For repairs. No children there at night. No one saw us.”

Stepan walks closer. “Which kindergarten?”

Kirill hesitates.

Dima takes one step forward.

Kirill says the name immediately.

Pavel writes it down.

I ask, “Address?”

Kirill gives it.

“Exact place?” I ask.

Kirill breathes through his mouth, eyes fixed on me. “Back of the compound. There’s a small garden area behind the playhouse. Painted fence. Flowers on it. We dug under the new soil before they planted. The gardener was supposed to finish the next morning.”

“Who is we?” Stepan asks.

Kirill answers, “Me and Lenkov.”

“No one else?” Stepan asks.

“No,” Kirill says.

I look at him.

He shakes his head, panic rising again. “No one else. I swear. Lenkov had the key because his sister works there sometimes. Cleaning staff. He knew the repairs were happening. He said no one would search near kids.”

Pavel mutters, “Idiot.”

Kirill says, “It wasn’t my idea.”

I stand.

Kirill flinches.

“That’s your defense?” I ask. “You only helped bury my stolen shipment in a kindergarten?”