NABOKOV

Lenny parked a block away and walked to the designated second floor window.  He saw the lamp with the sheet over  it right away.  He saw that the window was open so he cleared his throat hoping Serena would hear.  She looked out the window.  “So nice to see you right on time.  I’m going to get down this tree.  You just catch me when I get to the lowest limb.  Don’t worry I’ve practiced this already.”

The tree was close to the building. She stepped onto a limb and climbed down like a cat.  She reached the lowest limb and jumped into Lenny’s arms. He couldn’t withstand the impact so he fell on his back.  Luckily Serena was on top of him. She pulled him to his feet.  They started walking toward the back of building when a dog started barking ferociously.

“Oh, don’t worry about him.  That’s Bozic, the mutt.  I brought a goat hock.”  She called him over.  He started wagging his tail and came obediently.  She gave him the goat hock and he gratefully brought it to his spot in the yard.

Lenny led her to the car.  The Croatian embassy was only several miles away located in the meatpacking section of Headsmouth,  the seedy side of town. Serena didn’t have any bags with her, just a purse.  When they arrived at the embassy he parked a block away in front of a fried chicken joint that had bars on its windows.

“I’ll be right back, Lenny.  Don’t go anywhere.” Serena said.

“I won’t.” he  replied

She started walking up the street and disappeared around the corner.  Lenny got in the car and called Alice.

“Hey, how’s everything going? Are you okay?” Alice asked.

“So far so good.  I’m in the meatpacking district.  Can you believe the Croatian embassy is in this part of town?”

“I can’t believe that.  How is Serena? Are you really aiding and abetting the kidnapping of a Prime Minister’s son? Because that’s what they’re going to say about you when it gets out that you drove them to the docks. Radic might even say you kidnapped his niece. Oh, Lenny, what have you gotten yourself into?”

“I never thought of it that way.”

“I know, you are just giving her a ride. But think about it Lenny.  The Serb is going to make a big fuss about it just to have something to hold against the Croatian.  I think you should get the hell out of there now.” Alice said.

“I can’t leave now.  They expect me to be here.  I gave her my word, Alice.”

“Well then you better come up with an escape route for after you’re caught.”

“Okay. I will.”

The car door opened and someone sat in the passenger seat.  It was Babic. He put his dog in the back seat. Serena was nowhere in sight.

“Babic. What are you doing here? Where is Serena?”

“She is at the embassy with Kovic. They tried to kidnap Nabokov.”

“Who is Nabokov?” Lenny asked.

“This is Nabokov,” he said pointing to the dog in the back seat.

“What is happening?”

“We must get out of here.  We must bring Nabokov to safety.”

“But what about your son and  Serena?”

“Forget about them. They were going to kidnap my dog.  Just drive.”

“Where are we going?”

“Take us to Radic’s”

“You want me to take you to the Serbian embassy?”

“Yes.  When I tell Radic what is happening he will give Nabokov protection.”

“Why are they trying to kidnap your dog” Lenny asked.

“They want to sell him the Yugoslavian minister, Dragoslav.”

“What does he want with Nabokov?”

“He wants him because Nabokov is a well-renowned show dog and a rare breed.  It is every man’s dream to have a dog that is Best In Show. Nabokov has won four years straight.  The minister has a teacup beagle, Drago, which represents the country. Drago lost to a  hairless chihuahua last year from Bulgaria.  He can’t live down the defeat.”

“Will Radic let you come in after you called his dog a mongrel wombat?”

“When he finds out what is happening he will put all that aside.  Our dogs are more valuable to us than our first born sons because they are faithful.  Sons will sell you to Bosnia for a Corolla.  He will protect Nabokov because if Kovic and Serena kidnap him there will be no repercussions because they have diplomatic immunity.”