Page 121 - LEIBY

Chapter 15 121

“The boy will be just fine. And if you don’t wish to end your
days rotting in jail, don’t make problems. We have no patience
for heartless, witless creatures like you!”

Leiby bounded down the stairs and ran towards the chaotic
street. At the corner of the road, he met Alexander and waved
to show him that everything was okay, that he had found the
boy. Alexander smiled and entered a nearby building. He found
himself a good lookout point at one of the windows and waited
to see developments.

Leiby pushed his way through the throngs to the first row of
gangsters. There stood Fania Yanina, wringing her hands with
crocodile tears running down her face. “Yashko, my Yashko…”
Polish youths stood all around her like a pack of vipers, grinning
maliciously.

“Madam, Yashko is here, and your mother and husband have
been arrested.”Leiby looked around, feeling that he had stepped
right into the lions’ den. His heart skipped a beat.

The woman looked at her sleeping son in bewilderment.
“Where’s my brother Valadik? Where’s Adam Lushinsky? They
promised me that everything would be fine and they would
take care of any problems.”

“Valadik is a sneaking double agent, and Adam Lushinsky
has been caught and is squealing everything he knows,” Leiby
sighed. “The Bolsheviks have discovered us.”

The young Poles, the core of the troublemakers, surrounded
Leiby in a hostile, suspicious ring. With an effort, he remained
calm.

“Valadik arrested Adam, and now Adam is cooperating with
the Bolsheviks. He admitted everything under investigation.
I’ve received an order to retreat and destroy proofs.”

Suspicious looks followed him.

“Password!”

Leiby almost choked. The notebook with all the passwords in it