The Medici Dagger by Cameron West

Author:Cameron West
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: , Italy, Fiction, Romance, Americans, Crime & Thriller, Espionage, Arms transfers, Adventure, Stunt performers - Fiction., Thriller, Medici, Contributions in military science, Fiction - Espionage, Daggers, Historical, Thrillers, Stunt performers, Leonardo, da Vinci, Art patronage, Arms transfers - Fiction., Action & Adventure, House of, Americans - Italy - Fiction., General, Suspense, 1452-1519, Contributions in military scie
ISBN: 9780743420358
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2001-08-27T16:00:00+00:00

Thirteen years. Three presidents. How many unanswered cards? What would Mona say? What would she think? What would she sound like?

She answered on the fifth ring, out of breath.

“Whew! I hope it’s a client because if this is a sales call I’m going to be very petulant. I was outside at the car just about to leave.”

I took a deep breath to calm myself.“Don’t be mad, Mona. It’s a client.” Silence.

Then, “This voice sounds familiar. Where do I know this voice from? The past, that’s where. Oh my . . .”

I told her it was me.

Silence came from her end. All the anxiety was mine.

“Martha’s Reb . . .” she said softly.

I didn’t reply. My throat felt tight. I massaged it with one hand, aware of the pressure of the receiver against my ear.

“I can feel your hesitation,” Mona said. “There is nothing casual about this call. Something’s brought you to me. Something powerful.”

“I . . . need your help.”

“Help,” she repeated. “You’re saying I’ll get to see you?”

“Right away, if possible.”

“What about?”

I hesitated to answer.

“It’s all right. It can wait till you’re here. Are you coming alone?”

I told her no.

She asked if I was coming with family. That threw me. I had no family. I closed my eyes, sensed the moat I’d built around my life.“No,” I confessed.

“Well,” Mona said. “I’m a ride up from anywhere. If you plan on staying over, you should go to the Hollister House Inn in Little River, just outside of Mendocino. I’d offer you my couch, but the last person who slept on it woke up needing a chiropractor.”

The Hollister House sounded faintly familiar, but I didn’t know why. “What’s a good time?”

“Tomorrow. Eleven. Ask directions from the man who owns the inn. His name’s Pop. He’ll send you my way.”

I wanted to say something, but didn’t know what. “Mona . . .” I began. “I’m sorry for—”

She interrupted. “Whatever it is that brought you to me, it’s something to be thankful for. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She rang off.

I kept the phone to my ear for a moment, surprised by the calming effect her voice had had on me. I rubbed my eyes too hard so when I opened them everything was slightly out of focus. Now I was off-center again. That was better.

I reentered the room where Archie and Ginny were waiting expectantly.

“I want guns, Archie,”I announced.“Same stuff you got me in Venice.”

Ginny slapped the table. “Just a minute!”

“What?” I asked, surprised.

“I’ll bet that’s pretty much the same way you asked Archie last time.”

She was right. His silence confirmed it.

“Take two, Reb,” Ginny said. “This time with a little respect. Maybe even open with telling us if you reached Mona.”

“I reached Mona,” I answered.

“Would you like to embellish that?”

“What I’d like is guns and to get going. We’ve got some driving to do.”

I turned to Archie. “I apologize for being abrupt. I’d very much appreciate if you’d please loan me some handguns. Preferably of the same variety as the ones you planted in Venice.

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.