The Maze by Nelson DeMille

Author:Nelson DeMille
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scribner
Published: 2022-10-11T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 26

Beth was still getting ready when the doorbell rang at 6:40. Hit men don’t usually ring the bell, so I assumed it was Max, but I looked through the peephole to be sure.

I opened the door, and Max extended his right hand for a shake, but I was more interested in the bottle of Dewar’s in his left hand. We shook, and he entered, handing me the bottle. “I didn’t forget what I owed you.”

“Neither did I.” I closed and bolted the door.

Max, wearing a nice sport jacket, followed me to the sitting area and plopped his ass on the couch, like he’d been here before. I asked, “What can I get you, Chief?”

He surveyed the cocktail table. “I’m ready for a TGIF drink. Vodka on the rocks.”

I scooped some ice from the bucket, filled a glass with Grey Goose, and handed it to him, then made myself a Dewar’s and soda. We clinked glasses and he said, “Cheers.”

I sat in the armchair and we sipped in silence. I wanted to take this opportunity to talk to Max about a few things, but real men don’t talk until they drink.

Well, I either trusted Max or I didn’t. I mean, it was almost incomprehensible that Police Chief Sylvester Maxwell was in cahoots with Landowski—or with Police Chief Edward Conners. But once the seeds of distrust are sown…

Max asked, “Where’s Beth?”

“Getting dressed.”

“She brief you?”

“She did.”

“This is some unbelievable shit.”

“Shit for sure.”

“You in?”

I was sure Beth texted him that I was in, and that’s why he was here, but I confirmed, “I am.”

“Good. I knew you would be.” He added, “Sorry we had to con you.”

Apparently, Beth had not told him how brilliant I was, so I did. “Max, the day you can con me is the day I take a security job at Home Depot.”

He seemed skeptical, and I let it slide because he’d ask Beth.

He asked me, “Where’s your Jeep?”

“My uncle’s driveway.” I explained, “I didn’t want my Jeep in front of Beth’s house while I’m in Bermuda.”

“Right. I was going to tell you that.”

“Beat you to it. I need you to talk to the renters when they arrive July first and tell them that the Jeep stays there. Comes with the rental or something.”

“Okay. Good thinking.”

I fished the keys out of my pocket and flipped them to him. I asked, “Do you think Landowski can make any connection between me and Beth?”

He replied as though he’d thought about it, “The only connection would be the Plum Island case. But you kept a low profile—especially after I fired you—and not many people know that you and Beth had become… intimate afterwards.”

“As for getting fired, that’s what motivates me.” As it had motivated Sharon Hite at Security Solutions and Beth Penrose when Chief Conners took her off the Fire Island case. I asked, “But what if Beth was bragging around HQ that she was intimate with a famous NYPD Homicide detective, and Landowski, who worked there then, heard the gossip?”

“As long as she didn’t use your name.

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.