The Stolen Chalice by Kitty Pilgrim

Author:Kitty Pilgrim
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Published: 2012-06-26T06:00:00+00:00

Cordelia walked stiffly through the museum courtyard, the gunman following closely behind. From time to time, she could feel the steel weapon poking her back. Charlie Hannifin was directly beside her, moving toward the street. Cordelia’s eyes scanned the area, looking for escape.

The flagstone plaza was more crowded now. The rain had stopped and the sun was starting to break through the clouds. A few people were gathered in groups at the entrance to the museum: a couple of students, a trio of elderly ladies. There was no one she could signal to for help. They were all absorbed in their own activities.

Cordelia’s mouth was dry, her pulse racing. Her best chance for escape was now, in the open. That much she knew.

As she walked across the plaza, she surveyed the possibilities. There weren’t many. An ornate wrought-iron fence surrounded the enclosed courtyard. There was no way to get out except for a single, narrow gateway that led to the sidewalk.

She scanned the bystanders again. No police officers. No young men who could give this man a good fight. Only school kids, moms, elderly couples.

Suddenly, she noticed a group of Japanese tourists gathering near the gate. About thirty people were huddled close together to hear their guide. If she could get into the middle of the crowd, she might have some protection. The gunman would never risk firing into a cluster of innocent tourists. With any luck he’d just take Hannifin and leave her behind.

She walked slowly by the group, then pivoted and darted into the middle. It was more difficult than she thought. They were packed closely together, listening intently. Cordelia shoved frantically, pushing against their wet raincoats to work her way into the center of the group.

A young Japanese woman cried out, shocked at Cordelia’s behavior. But then, with a short bow, she stepped aside to let Cordelia through. Almost on cue, the entire group parted, waiting for her to pass by.

Cordelia looked about in dismay. They had made a clear path right through the center. The gunman was on the other side, waiting for her. The outline of the muzzle protruded through the fabric of his pocket.

“Don’t get funny now, or people will get hurt.”

He laughed and shrugged at the tourists, as if it were a joke. They smiled back, unaware.

A wave of disappointment and frustration washed over Cordelia. There was really no choice but to fall back in step beside Charlie Hannifin. Together they resumed their forced march to the gate.

She looked over at Hannifin. He was sweating, breathing through his open mouth, staring straight ahead. He gave no indication he had even noticed what had just happened. His eyes were fixated on something across the street. She followed his gaze.

That’s when she noticed the van. Motor running, lone driver. As they approached, an automatic panel door slid open.

Her opportunities for escape were dwindling. Now they were outside the courtyard, on the sidewalk. Pedestrians were walking by, businessmen on their way to appointments. Surely someone could help her! Should she risk calling out?

As if he had read her thoughts, the gunman prodded her back.

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.