The Nameless Ones by John Connolly
Chapter LII
That night, Luca Bilbija gambled as usual at the casino in Zbraslav. His Audi TT arrived as the middle vehicle in a convoy of three, with a black Land Cruiser leading the way and a police car bringing up the rear. The casino, housed in a small nineteenth-century villa, was surrounded by a low wall with two entrances: the main one, with a security barrier and a guardhouse, and a second access point at the rear, which was gated and used only by staff and delivery drivers.
Bilbija had not come alone. A younger man rode alongside him in the front of the car, and joined him at the blackjack table and the roulette wheel. According to Most’s source – a waitress and occasional escort who worked at the casino – the second man had arrived at the rented house sometime the previous evening, and he and Bilbija had later eaten at the casino’s restaurant. Bilbija had introduced his companion to acquaintances as his younger brother, Mirko. The two men subsequently spent four hours moving between blackjack and the wheel, losing about €4,000 in total, the euro being the casino’s currency of choice. Although women were available, the Bilbijas instead withdrew to one of the lounges, where they kept their own company. Most’s waitress said that Luca Bilbija, who had a naturally melancholic disposition, seemed even more subdued than usual. After a couple of brandies, the men were escorted back to the safe house.
The night of travel to and from the casino had been observed by Louis and Most with the aid of a heavily adapted DJI Phantom 3 Pro drone fitted with a lightweight thermal imaging camera. The Phantom wasn’t entirely silent – no commercial drone was – but the fact that its battery, motor, and wires were concealed in the body made it quieter than similar models, and the propellers were securely wound, reducing their noise level. The Phantom was software-limited to a height of five hundred meters, but Most had bypassed the restriction, meaning that there was little chance of the drone being heard from the ground. Also, the casino did not monitor its airspace, although Most had heard that the introduction of an advanced drone detection system was imminent. Privacy mattered to the Novákovi and their clients.
‘There they go,’ said Most, as his iPad screen showed the greenish image of the Audi disappearing behind the walls of the safe house. ‘You think Luca’s brother is in the same line of work?’
Most’s car was parked behind a ruined factory four kilometers from the casino, but still within the range of the drone. Louis had resigned himself to metric measurements for Most’s sake. Confusion over distance was, he thought, best avoided, given what they planned to do.
‘Luca Bilbija doesn’t have a brother,’ said Louis.
‘Huh,’ said Most. ‘Boyfriend, maybe? I know he sleeps with girls, but I am not one to judge.’
‘More likely someone he trusts from home,’ said Louis. ‘He’s cooped up in that house, killing time until the Vuksans give him the all clear. He’s bored, but he’s also scared. He wants companionship, and an extra gun for reassurance.’
Louis began guiding the drone back to the car. He and Most had spent the afternoon practicing with the equipment until Louis was happy that he could handle it without difficulty.
‘You think he cleared Mirko’s arrival with the Vuksans?’ said Most.
‘I doubt it. They probably don’t even know he’s frequenting the same casino every night, and renting accommodations on-site. If the Vuksans find out, they’ll make him stop. Sloppiness may cost them their lives.’
‘He believes himself to be safe,’ said Most. ‘The Novákovi have a reputation to protect, and it would be lamentable if a guest were to die violently on their most upscale property.’
‘Has that ever happened?’ said Louis.
‘Not to my knowledge.’
‘Well, there’s a first time for everything.’
Most grunted.
‘Are you worried?’ said Louis.
‘I’ll only start worrying if we get caught,’ said Most, ‘and I would strongly advise against that. The Novákovi use the woodland as their personal cemetery. If we’re lucky, we’ll be dead before they put us in the ground, but lucky men wouldn’t get caught to begin with.’
The drone came into sight, and Louis brought it down to earth. It landed heavily, and Most flinched.
‘Please tell me you’ll be gentler tomorrow,’ he said.
‘If it’s any consolation,’ said Louis, ‘neither of us will know a great deal about it if I’m not.’
‘That,’ said Most, ‘is no consolation at all.’