Shock Wave by Clive Cussler

Author:Clive Cussler [Cussler, Clive]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: General, Fiction, Action & Adventure, Thrillers, Fiction - Espionage, Thriller, Adventure stories, Espionage, Technological, Clive - Prose & Criticism, Dirk (Fictitious character), Pitt, Cussler, Pitt; Dirk (Fictitious character), Diamond industry and trade
ISBN: 9781416587101
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2008-05-20T07:03:27.641000+00:00

Dirk Pitt 13 - Shock Wave

DIAMONDS. . . THE GRAND ILLUSION

January 30, 2000

Gladiator Island, Tasman Sea

The Dorsett manor house sat in the saddle of the island, between the two dormant volcanoes. The front overlooked the lagoon, which had become a bustling port for the diamond mining activities. Two mines in both volcanic chutes had been in continuous operation almost from the day Charles and Mary Dorsett returned from England after their marriage. There were those who claimed the family empire began then, but those who knew better held that the empire was truly launched by Betsy Fletcher when she found the unusual stones and gave them to her children to play with.

The original dwelling, mostly built from logs, with a palm frond or palapa roof, was torn down by Anson Dorsett. It was he who designed and built the large mansion that still stood after being remodeled by later generations until eventually taken over by Arthur Dorsett. The style was based on the classical layout-a central courtyard surrounded by verandas from which doors opened onto thirty rooms, all furnished in English colonial antiques. The only visible modern convenience was a large satellite dish, rising from a luxuriant garden, and a modern swimming pool in the center courtyard.

Arthur Dorsett hung up the phone, stepped out of his office-study and walked over to the pool where Deirdre was languidly stretched on a lounge chair, in a string bikini, carefully absorbing the tropical sun into her smooth skin.

“You'd better not let my superintendents see you like that,” he said gruffly.

She slowly raised her head and looked down over a sea of skin. “I see no problem. I have my bra on.”

“And women wonder why they're raped.”

“Surely you don't want me to go around wearing a sack,” she said mockingly.

“I have just gotten off the phone with Washington,” he said heavily. “It seems your sister has vanished.”

Deirdre sat up, startled, and lifted a hand to shade her eyes from the sun. “Are your sources reliable? I personally hired the best investigators, former Secret Service agents, to keep her under surveillance.”

“It's confirmed. They bungled their assignment and lost her after a wild ride through the countryside.”

“Maeve isn't smart enough to lose professional investigators.”

“From what I've been told, she had help.” Her lips twisted into a scowl. “Let me guess Dirk Pitt.”

Dorsett nodded. “The man is everywhere. Boudicca had him in her grasp at our Kunghit Island mine, but he slipped through her fingers.”

“I sensed he was dangerous when he saved Maeve. I should have known how dangerous when he interrupted my plans to be airlifted off the Polar Queen by our helicopter after I set the ship on a collision course toward the rocks. I thought we were rid of him after that. I never imagined he would pop up without warning at our Canadian operation.”

Dorsett motioned to a pretty little Chinese girl who was standing by a column supporting the roof over the veranda. She was dressed in a silk dress with long slits up the sides.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.