The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer

Author:Brad Meltzer
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Washington (D.C.), Political fiction, Political, Fiction, Code and cipher stories, Palm Beach (Fla.), Freemasonry, Suspense, Thrillers, FIC031000
ISBN: 9780446530996
Publisher: Hachette Digital, Inc.
Published: 2006-09-08T08:37:18.945161+00:00

59

You sure he didn’t call?” Dreidel asked from the passenger seat as the car idled in the stranglehold of traffic that regularly gripped Miami’s US-1. “Do me a favor and just check your phone.”

Tapping his thumbs against the steering wheel, Rogo didn’t bother checking his phone. “He didn’t call.”

“But if something happened . . . if he didn’t get to Key West—”

“Wes is smart—he knows they’ll trace it if we call. If there was a problem, we’d know.”

“Unless there was a problem and we didn’t know,” Dreidel insisted. “Dammit, why didn’t we get his info: the name of the helicopter guy . . . where they’re flying from . . . we don’t even have the address he’s at in Key—” Before Dreidel could finish, his own phone vibrated in his pocket. Ripping it out, he anxiously flipped the phone open, checking caller ID. Rogo glanced across the seat just in time to see the 202 prefix. Washington, D.C.

“Hello?” Dreidel answered. His jaw quickly slid off-center. “Listen, I’m in the middle of something. Can we talk about it later? . . . Yeah, I will . . . I will . . . Bye.” Turning to Rogo as he closed the phone, Dreidel added, “My wife.”

“With a Washington phone number?” Rogo asked, his thumbs no longer tapping. “I thought you lived in Chicago.”

“My old cell. We kept the number from D.C.,” Dreidel explained.

Speeding up, then slowing back to a full halt, the car stood motionless in traffic. Rogo didn’t say a word.

“What, you think I’m lying?” Dreidel blurted.

“I didn’t say anything. Enough with the witch trials.”

Shifting in his seat, Dreidel looked over his own shoulder and checked the lane next to them. “You’re clear on the right.”

Clenching the steering wheel, Rogo didn’t make a move.

“Rogo, you hear what I—?”

“Traffic’s bad enough. Don’t tell me how to drive.”

In the middle lane, the car inched past the cause of the slowdown: a tow truck with yellow sirens loading up a tan Cadillac on the left side of the road.

“I’m not an imbecile, Rogo. I know what you think of me.”

“Dreidel . . .”

“I see it in your face . . . and how, when we split up, how quick you were to keep me from going with Wes. Don’t tell me I’m wrong. Instead, let me paint this picture as best I can: I’d never do anything to hurt him. Never.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t,” Rogo said.

“I’m not saying I’m the best husband, okay? But I’m still a damn good friend. Don’t forget, I’m the one who got Wes the job in the first place.”

“That fact hasn’t been lost on me.”

“Oh, so now that’s my fault too?” Dreidel asked. “This was my master plot to somehow put him in my old job so a once-in-a-lifetime ricochet could hit him in the face?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Then be clear for once instead of your lovable facade that treats Wes like some fragile, overprotected china doll. I know why you do it, Rogo—I know plenty of underachievers who love to be needed.

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.