The burly guard led Inna further down the corridor. Not far away, as it turned out, was another cell. He ushered her inside and locked the door behind her. She glanced back, bewildered. Damn it! The harsh clank of those locks would echo in her ears for a long time, even if she somehow managed to get out of this place.
She looked around. This cell was more like a hospital room. It was brighter and incomparably better than the grimy, stinking nightmare she’d been held in before. It had been recently renovated. In the corner, there was a simple but neat bathroom; the walls were covered with clean wallpaper. There was even a small kitchenette of sorts with a kettle, a microwave, and some dishes. There were four beds, but not bunk beds—regular ones, with thicker mattresses and much better bedding. There were also some basic but modern furnishings: small tables, cabinets. There was even a curtain of some kind on the window. But still, there were bars!
“Oh, we’ve got a newbie?” a young woman spoke up, sitting up on the bed where she’d been lying.
“What, did you think only your man was that generous? See, there are others willing to pay for their sweetheart too,” the other woman replied.
Both women looked to be in their early thirties, a bit rough around the edges but still fairly attractive. Inna didn’t quite understand what they were talking about. She spoke up:
“Hi. I’m… Inna. They transferred me here. Uh… what were you saying? Do you have to pay to be here? Because… I was in a different cell before. It was awful…”
The women exchanged glances and let out skeptical chuckles.
“Oh, definitely your first time here, huh?” one of them asked.
“Yeah…” Inna replied awkwardly.
Though that wasn’t entirely true. Three years ago, Inna had also spent a night in a detention cell, but they didn’t need to know that. Thankfully, it had only been one night back then. Now… who knew how long this would last?
She stood near the door, unsure of what to do. The second woman spoke:
“Don’t just stand there, come on in. Pick a royal bed. See, there’s only three of us for now. You can take that one or that one,” she said, gesturing to two empty beds.
They looked clean and inviting. It had been a rough day, and Inna suddenly realized how utterly exhausted she was. Only now, in this nicer cell, did she start to come down from the shock. She sat on one of the beds and began looking around. In the nightstand nearby, she found clean towels and even a pair of thin slippers. She glanced toward the shower area.
“Better here, you say? Well, no kidding. This is a paid cell. Not like that pigsty they keep the others in. Didn’t you know?” one of the women spoke again. “By the way, I’m Anya. And this is Yulia,” she said, pointing to her companion.
Inna just nodded and gave a faint smile instead of the usual “Nice to meet you,” as she didn’t feel any particular pleasure in the introduction. These women clearly weren’t here by accident. But what she’d heard surprised her. A paid cell? Wow! She couldn’t help but ask:
“So… if I’m here… does that mean…” she started, tensing up, completely stunned. She couldn’t fathom who would have paid for her. It must be expensive, right?
“Yep, it means someone shelled out a pretty penny to make sure you’re more comfortable,” Yulia replied with a laugh. “Don’t tell me you have no idea who it is.”
“Honestly, I have a guess, but I’m not sure. I haven’t had a chance to meet with anyone close to me yet. I only managed to call a friend after they arrested me,” she explained truthfully.
“Well, maybe it’s her then. So… spill it. What are you in for?”
“Yeah, you don’t exactly look like someone who lives outside the law. Right, Anya?” Yulia asked. Anya nodded, pursing her lips, giving the newcomer another scrutinizing look.
“Definitely not. Tell us, what brought a doll like you here?” she said with a sarcastic wink.
“Ugh, it’s a long story. I’ve been framed. But… can we talk tomorrow, okay? Honestly, I’m dead on my feet. My eyes are practically shutting on their own. I just want to rinse off and crash,” Inna pleaded, rubbing her sore wrist, irritated by the handcuffs.
“Go for it…” Yulia waved a hand dismissively. “Rough day, huh?”
“Yeah.”
Her cellmates showed a bit of decency and didn’t press her with more questions. They gave her pointers on how to use the shower and shared some basics about life in this cell. Then Inna took a shower and went to bed. Thankfully, there was even a door to the bathroom here, unlike the previous cell where everything was out in the open. If only she had clean underwear, but that was too much to ask for. She washed her only pair of panties and hung them on the small radiator. It was warm here, too…
She thought she wouldn’t be able to close her eyes after everything she’d been through that day. But sleep overtook her quickly. She didn’t even notice how hungry she was. Normally, she couldn’t sleep on an empty stomach.
In the morning, she was jolted awake by the harsh sound of the prison alarm. A short while later, breakfast was brought in. The simple, sweet oatmeal seemed incredibly delicious to Inna. No wonder—she hadn’t eaten in almost a full day. And then, another surprise awaited her. A visitor. She was puzzled. Who could be coming to see her besides Lera? Unless her friend had asked the Myronyuks for help? Maybe Vlad had come? That thought brought a flicker of joy to her heart. But it didn’t last long, unfortunately.
When they brought her to the visitation room, Vlad wasn’t there. Instead, there was a stranger. Well, great… Her whole body tensed. Who was this, and what did he want? Another jerk trying to pressure her into confessing? Just perfect…
In the cozy, spacious office of his home, Dominik settled into a comfortable armchair by his desk. With his phone in hand, he prepared to listen to a very important conversation. The lawyer he’d hired for his new acquaintance called from the visitation room at the detention center and said:
“I’m here. She’s coming in.”
“Good, go ahead…”
Soon, Dominik heard the faint creak of a chair. Probably the girl sitting down at the table. Then came the lawyer’s upbeat voice:
“Good morning. My name is Mykola Vashovsky. I’m your lawyer. Shall we talk?”
“My lawyer? A public defender or something?” Inna’s surprised voice came through.
Dominik’s heart raced. His whole body froze. That voice… so soft yet strong, so piercing. How long had it haunted him? It even came to him in dreams. He’d tried to forget, to stop thinking about its owner, but now… now everything had changed.
“Public defender?” the lawyer replied, seemingly with a smile. “No, I’m private.”
“Really? Who hired you? Vlad?” the girl asked, her tone brightening with hope.
Dominik clenched his jaw and sat up straighter in his chair, tension gripping him. Who the hell was Vlad?! That’s all he needed—her having a boyfriend. Trouble…
“No, I don’t know which Vlad you’re referring to. I was hired by Dominik Kovach. Listen…”
“Who’s that?” she interrupted impatiently.
“I’ll explain everything.”
“Yeah, sure, you’ll explain…” she sighed, disappointment clear in her voice. “I should’ve known better than to get my hopes up. It was too good to be true,” her voice grew sadder with each word, almost breaking as she spoke with pain:
“I should’ve guessed nothing good was coming my way. Lera probably hasn’t even had the chance to tell our friends about my mess yet. And even if she does… I doubt they’ll help. Especially since they’re abroad right now. And you’ve been sent by some creep to pressure me into signing a confession for something I didn’t do, right?” She took a deep breath, sniffled, then said more resolutely:
“But you know what?! Don’t even bother! I didn’t kill anyone, and I’m not signing anything! Let those brilliant detectives get off their lazy butts and find the real killer! And if they’ve already found them but want to cover it up, then they can shove it!” she snapped louder.
Then Dominik heard the lawyer laugh. The man said:
“Ha-ha-ha, you’ve got a sense of humor. Keep that spirit. Staying feisty in a situation like this—that’s impressive. Though… you don’t need to flip me off,” he laughed again, unable to continue speaking.
Dominik’s mouth fell open in shock. Well, well… He couldn’t hold back a smile. This girl had some fire in her… Yes, he was convinced of it once again.
“Alright, let’s do this: I’ll explain everything, and then you can think about what to do. No rush.”
Inna sighed.
“Fine…”
“I can see you’re not expecting anything good from me. That’s a shame. Didn’t like the upgraded cell? Was the regular one better?”
“What? So you paid for that?” she asked, clearly stunned.
“I did. At my client’s request.”
“Good Lord, just tell me already—who is this guy, and why is he suddenly being so generous? I don’t know any… what did you call him?”
“Dominik Kovach. He… From what I understand, you don’t remember him. But he says you crossed paths once, and now he wants to help you.”
“When did we cross paths? I don’t recall anything like that.”
“Listen, Inna, Mr. Kovach will tell you about that himself someday. But right now, you’re facing a tough choice. The charges against you are very serious. Motive, opportunity, lack of an alibi, fingerprints. It won’t be easy to disprove. And believe me, with a free public defender, your chances… I’ll be honest, they’re slim.”
“I know that without you telling me. I’ve got a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she said, annoyed. “So, what are you proposing?”
“I’ll do my best to get you out of here. But first, you need to tell me the truth. I have to know what I’m dealing with to build your defense. Where were you at the time of the murder?”
“I’ve already told the detectives a hundred times. You won’t hear anything new because I’ve been telling the truth. I was at home. I didn’t particularly like Mrs. Tamara. She was a bit eccentric, to be honest. But it never would’ve crossed my mind to kill her. I had no idea she had a fortune, let alone that I was in her will. And anyway… what kind of criminal am I? I’d only swing a poker at someone’s head if they attacked me, not at a harmless old lady. And even then… who knows…”
Dominik heard the lawyer say with satisfaction:
“Well, it’s good that you’re innocent. Though, that doesn’t make my job much easier.”
“Yeah. You’d better tell me how I’m supposed to pay for this help later. I don’t have money… Well, I won’t show you the three-finger gesture again. You get it.”
The man chuckled.
“Right…” he said with a smack of his lips, pausing briefly. “That’s an interesting question.”
Dominik held his breath, listening as the lawyer explained the plan he’d hastily come up with. It might not be the most brilliant idea, but… it was what was needed. And she didn’t have many options.
“Inna, just hear me out to the end and promise to think about it. Okay?”
“Fine…” she sighed.
“My client wants you to become his wife. After all the charges are dropped, of course.”
“What?! Are you messing with me?!” Inna nearly shouted.
“No. You’ll understand once you learn more about him. The thing is, he needs a wife. He took a liking to you the first time he saw you. And now, he’s ready to help you, even though it’ll cost him a pretty penny. But don’t worry, no one will demand anything unusual from you. If you agree, freedom and a comfortable life with plenty to spare are guaranteed.”
A long pause hung in the air. Dominik couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this nervous. It felt like his heart might leap out of his chest. The girl was silent, and more than anything, he wanted to see her face right now, to look into those beautiful eyes.
“So… you’re really not joking?” she finally asked.
“No.”
“I don’t get it. Can’t he find a woman the normal way? Why me? Marrying someone you don’t even know? Why? Look… don’t take this the wrong way, but this sounds like nonsense. Is your client some kind of psycho looking for a fresh victim, or… I don’t know…”
“Listen, I understand your fear. But… it’s easy to explain. He lost his wife in a tragic accident many years ago. He’s tired of being alone, but he doesn’t have the time or desire to search for a woman or leave it to chance. He needs someone like you. Look at it from another angle. Marriage is a voluntary union. No one will force you. You can back out even at the last minute. Your freedom will be yours regardless. But… Mr. Kovach hopes you’ll agree. There’s a chance things could work out well, and you won’t regret it.”
“I don’t know… This all… feels weird. I don’t trust you. Men don’t take rejection well, especially rich men. I don’t want to end up in some kind of slavery. Who’s going to help me if I tie my life to some nutcase?”
“I assure you, Mr. Dominik is a completely sane person. I’m well acquainted with one of his friends. If you don’t believe me, you can meet Mr. Kovach in person and talk. For starters, I suggest taking a look at his photo.”
It went quiet again. She was probably looking at the pictures. Dominik had provided a few recent photos of himself, dressed in elegant trousers and a shirt, standing in a large, bright hangar against a backdrop of numerous cars. It was a vintage car exhibition in Bavaria. In one photo, he was standing; in others, he was sitting inside a car or leaning against a beautiful vehicle. Who knows what she thought, but then Dominik heard her say:
“Oh… I don’t even know. I haven’t recovered from one shock, and now here’s another…” she sighed.
“I understand. Do you have any other questions? Would you like to meet my client?”
Silence again. Inna took a deep breath.
“I don’t know…” she finally answered. “I’ll think about it, but… honestly, I may not have lived long, but I’ve already learned that no one gives anything good for free. Everything has a price. Maybe except when family or friends look out for each other, but… this clearly isn’t that kind of situation. Your fancy client isn’t going to hand me freedom just like that. Even if he helps me get out of here, then…” She trailed off, sighing heavily. “Sorry, but I don’t believe anything good can come of this for me.”
“I get it. You don’t know the person, so it’s hard to trust. That’s logical. I expected a reaction like this. Don’t rush your decision. I’ll come back in a few days. Or my client will, if you’d like.”
“Okay,” she replied, sounding downcast.
“See you soon. And… one more thing, I almost forgot. This is for you.”
“What is it? Oh… am I allowed to take this back to my cell?” she asked, a bit confused.
“Yes, don’t worry. The items have been checked.”
“Well… okay. I don’t even know if I should say thanks since I have no idea what’s in there. But…”
“It’s fine. You can thank me later,” the lawyer said cheerfully.
“Yeah…”
Then Inna asked if she could make another phone call and if she’d be allowed to see her friend. The man assured her she could. They said goodbye, and Dominik heard the girl leave, the door creaking behind her. Soon after, Vashovsky spoke to him:
“Hey again. Did you hear everything okay?”
“Yeah. All good. Thanks. What else do you have to say?” Dominik asked. He then heard footsteps and the creak of a door as his conversation partner left the room.
“I’ll say I understand why you’re interested. The girl is indeed intriguing. And very pretty,” he chuckled. “But… honestly, I think she’ll turn down your proposal. The poor thing still hopes she can get out with a public defender. Or with help from this Vlad guy, whoever he is.”
“And what do you think? Does she have a shot with a free lawyer?”
“Well, you know I’ve had little time to dig into this case. It’s still early to judge, but… I was up late last night. Some of the names involved in this story are very concerning. And honestly, they’re on both sides of the law. So… without significant help, your acquaintance has very slim chances. Close to zero. There’s too much evidence against her.”
“Got it. Alright, thanks. Keep at it. I’ll call you.”
Inna returned to her cell with a sizable package in her hands. But as it turned out, it wasn’t so easy to just sit down and see what the stranger had given her. Her cellmates whistled in surprise when they saw the bag.
“Well, well… Looks like someone got presents,” Yulia said with a satisfied wink to her friend. “Come on, show us, kid. What’ve you got there? We share everything around here,” she said, half-joking but with a firm tone, grabbing the nice paper bag and pulling it toward herself.