The Einstein Pursuit by Chris Kuzneski

Author:Chris Kuzneski [Kuzneski, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2013-08-19T22:00:00+00:00

35

Payne woke to the sound of unfamiliar voices in his penthouse. The thick curtains of the master bedroom were designed to block out light, so he couldn’t tell how long he had slept. All he knew for sure was that someone outside his door was shouting in a foreign tongue.

Even in the darkened room he had no trouble locating the SIG Sauer pistol that he kept in the nightstand beside his bed. He didn’t need to check the chamber or the clip; he knew the gun was loaded and ready to fire.

He crept silently toward his bedroom door and twisted the knob. Peering outside, he glanced down the hallway to the living room beyond. Instead of intruders, he caught a glimpse of Sahlberg seated in front of his computer. The unfamiliar foreign voices were part of the news footage he was watching on the screen – with the volume turned up way too loud.

Payne smiled. His grandfather used to do the same thing.

There was soft. There was loud. And there was senior citizen.

Relieved, he returned the pistol to its drawer before brushing his teeth, changing his clothes, and heading toward the living room.

‘Good morning,’ he announced as he entered the room behind Sahlberg. He wanted to make his presence known to avoid startling the old man.

‘Good morning to you too.’

‘Find anything interesting?’ Payne asked.

‘I’m afraid not. Basically just more of the same. A fire of unknown origin, suspicion that it was not a random act of violence. Curiosity over what was happening in this building. That sort of thing. The story is interesting because events of this nature rarely occur in Stockholm, but until the police release more information, the media has nothing new to report. They don’t even know the official body count.’

‘I have that information, and a list of names that I want you to look at. But first I need to get something to eat.’

‘Where’d you get the list?’

‘A cop buddy of mine. Where’s DJ?’

‘Don’t mind Jon,’ Jones explained to Sahlberg from the open kitchen, ‘he’s a little fussy until he gets going. Nothing is more important than getting him fed. I once saw him kill a man for a muffin.’ He lifted a plate for Payne to see. ‘Food’s ready.’

Payne and Sahlberg made their way into the kitchen and found a dozen delivery containers. There were bagels, lox and cream cheese, oatmeal, fresh fruit, pancakes, eggs, and a full pound each of bacon, sausage and ham.

‘I had Butch send one of the guys over to pick up some breakfast. I didn’t know what anyone would want, so I had him get a smorgasbord for our Swedish friend.’

Butch Reed was the head of security at Payne Industries. Like Payne and Jones, he was former military, having spent several years serving his country in the Marine Corps before losing a leg in battle. He was one of the few people in their everyday lives that they trusted unconditionally. It didn’t matter if it was keeping the building secure or sending someone for food – they knew they could rely on Reed.

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