Berry, Steve - Cotton Malone 04 - The Charlemagne Pursuit by Berry Steve

Author:Berry, Steve [Berry, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Adventure
ISBN: 0345485807
Amazon: B0018QSODK
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 2008-12-02T06:00:00+00:00

FIFTY-ONE

CHARLOTTE, 3:15 AM

Stephanie stood outside Herbert Rowland’s hospital room, Edwin Davis beside her. Rowland had been rushed to the emergency room barely clinging to life, but the doctors had managed to stabilize his condition. She was still furious with Davis.

“I’m calling my people,” she told him.

“I’ve already contacted the White House.”

He’d disappeared half an hour ago, and she’d wondered what he’d been doing.

“And what does the president say?”

“He’s asleep. But the Secret Service is on the way.”

“About time you start thinking.”

“I wanted that son of a bitch.”

“You’re lucky he didn’t kill you.”

“We’re going to get him.”

“How? Thanks to you he’s long gone. We could have panicked him, trapped him in the house at least until the cops arrived. But no. You had to throw a chair through the window.”

“Stephanie, I did what I had to do.”

“You’re out of control, Edwin. You wanted my help and I gave it to you. If you want to end up dead, fine, do it, but I’m not going to be there to watch.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you actually care.”

Charm wasn’t going to work. “Edwin, you were right, there’s somebody out there killing people. But this ain’t the way, my friend. Not at all. Not even close.”

Davis’ cell phone chimed. He checked the display. “The president.” He clicked on the unit. “Yes, sir.”

She watched as Davis listened, then he handed the phone to her and said, “He wants to talk to you.”

She grabbed the phone and said, “Your aide is nuts.”

“Tell me what happened.”

She gave him a quick recount.

After she finished Daniels said, “You’re right—I need you to take control there. Edwin’s too emotional. I know about Millicent. It’s one reason I agreed to this whole thing. Ramsey did kill her, no doubt in my mind. I also believe he killed Admiral Sylvian and Commander Alexander. Proving that, of course, is an entirely different matter.”

“We may be at a dead end,” she said.

“We’ve been there before. Let’s find a way to keep going.”

“Why do I always seem to get in the middle of these things?”

Daniels chuckled. “It’s a talent of yours. So that you’ll know, I’ve been informed that two corpses were found in the cathedral at Aachen a few hours ago. The interior had been marred by gunfire. One of the men was shot, the other fell to his death. Both were contract help routinely used by our intelligence agencies. The Germans lodged an official inquiry with us for more information. The tidbit was included in my morning briefing packet. Might there be a connection here?”

She decided not to lie. “Malone is in Aachen.”

“Why did I know you were going to say that.”

“Something’s happening there, and Cotton thinks it relates to what’s happening here.”

“He’s probably right. I need you to stay on this, Stephanie.”

She stared at Edwin Davis, who stood a few feet away, propped up by the papered wall.

The door to Herbert Rowland’s room opened and a man clad in olive scrubs said, “He’s awake and wants to speak with you.

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