Novel.10.Edge.2010 by Deaver Jeffery

Author:Deaver, Jeffery [Deaver, Jeffery]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Google: tksNxBkNGPAC
Amazon: B003UYUO54
Barnesnoble: B003UYUO54
Publisher: Pocket Books
Published: 0100-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 30

“WHAT’S GOING ON? Where have you been?”

My boss’s voice clattered urgently through my earbud. Irritation and anger—any emotion—always seemed muted when filtered through Chinese plastic and metal but there was no mistaking his mood.

“Loving got a lead to the Kesslers’ daughter. She’s safe. Loving’s wounded.”

Ellis asked, “How bad?”

“We don’t know. Didn’t lose a lot of blood . . . Aaron, he had a helicopter extraction.”

“He what?”

“Claire’s tracking it down, if she can. You ever hear of a lifter having a chopper on call?”

A thoughtful moment. “No, I never have.”

“Means his primary’s rich or got professional access to choppers you don’t need paperwork on.”

“What’s your next step?”

“I just stashed the daughter in a slammer. It’s safe. She’s under a Jane Doe, a material witness to a drug hit. If Loving’s got anybody inside, I doubt he’ll pay attention and I’ve had the warden cut all outgoing communication for the day. We’re still looking into Kessler’s two main cases to find the primary. Claire’s tracking down doctors off the grid Loving might use to get stitched up.”

Ellis said, “Listen, Corte, I’m doing the best I can—”

“About Westerfield.”

Hence, my boss’s mood, of course.

“About Westerfield. Why didn’t you just ignore him? Why’d you lie about the slammer in D.C.?”

“To buy time. If I’d ignored him, Aaron, he might’ve tried to find me. I was in the field. I can’t afford to be detained when I’ve got principals. Not in a case involving Henry Loving.”

Ellis said, “He could still get you fired.”

“I thought we’d have an answer by now. The primary.”

Or Loving in a body bag. Had he stood up when I’d hoped at the lake house in Loudoun County, the case might well be over.

“But we don’t.”

“No. Please, just keep him off my back for the night, Aaron. Tell him we’ve got a delicate operation going.”

“To find Loving?”

“No. That’s gas on the bonfire. Tell him I’ve got some leads to the primary. Tell him the terrorist connection is panning out.”

“For real?”

A legitimate question, considering how deceptively I’d been running the job so far.

“Yes. There’s money going into the Middle East. Some of it’s ending up in Saudi Arabia, a dozen shell companies.”

“Now that’s interesting.”

“Westerfield’ll love it. A good federal case for his cap.”

“Cap?”

“Feather in his cap. Claire’s checking out some reconnaissance I did at Graham’s place—the Department of Defense guy with the forged check. We’re moving ahead. But I’m keeping the Kesslers. Make me out the heavy. I’m fine with that. But I can’t let them go.”

A sigh. “I’ll do what I can.”

We disconnected and I made the turn to head back to the Great Falls safe house. I’d called Ahmad, briefed him and learned everything was quiet there, though apparently Joanne and her husband had been squabbling. It was over something petty. The fights among principals invariably were, I’d noticed. I spoke to Ryan, who sounded sober, and told him that there’d been an incident at Bill Carter’s but everybody was all right. Amanda and he were in federal protection. I ended the call before an alarmed Joanne could get on the line.

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