Cemetery Dance by Douglas Preston; Lincoln Child

Author:Douglas Preston; Lincoln Child
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Mystery, Crime & Thriller, American
ISBN: 9780752884189
Publisher: Orion Books Limited
Published: 2010-03-31T23:00:00+00:00

"Ladies and gentlemen of the board, I am delighted to present to you three very distinguished guests. Miles Mondello, president of The Green Brigade; Lucinda Long-Pierson, chairwoman of Vegan Army; and Morris Wyland, director of Animal Amnesty."

The three stood there, looking to Esteban as if they were straight out of central casting. Rabid idealists, desperate for a cause, completely clueless.

"These three organizations are co-sponsoring tonight's demonstration, along with HOA. Let us welcome them to our meeting."

Applause.

"Please, everyone sit down. This special session of the HOA board is hereby convened."

A shuffling of papers, many sips of coffee, pencils and legal pads and laptops brought out. There was a call for a quorum. Esteban waited through it all.

"There is one and only one item on the agenda: the protest march this evening. In addition to the founding organizations, we have twenty-one other groups on board. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, you heard me: twenty-one more! "

Plock beamed and looked around. "The reaction's been unbelievable. We're expecting maybe three thousand people -- but I'm continuing to interface with other interested organizations and there may be more. Many more." He shuffled a stack of papers out of a folder and began passing them around.

"Here are the details. The small diversionary group will convene at the baseball diamonds. Other groups -- all listed on the sheet -- will gather at the soccer field, the park alongside West Two Hundred Eighteenth Street, along the promenade by the mudflats, and several other nearby locations. As you know, I've secured a permit. We wouldn't be let near the Ville otherwise."

A murmur, nods.

"But of course the city authorities have no idea -- no idea -- just how big a group is going to be assembling uptown. I've made sure of that."

Some knowing chuckles.

"Because, ladies and gentlemen, this is an emergency! These sick, depraved people, squatters in our city, aren't just killing animals, but they're obviously behind the brutal murder of Martin Wartek. They're responsible for the murder of two reporters, Smithback and Kidd, and the kidnapping of Smithback's wife. What's the city doing? Nothing. Absolutely nothing! It's up to us to act. So we're going in tonight at six pm. We're going to end this thing. Now!"

Plock was sweating, his voice was high and his physical presence unimpressive, and yet he possessed the charisma of true belief, of passion and genuine courage. Esteban was impressed.

"The detailed plan of the demonstration is on your sheets. Guard them carefully -- it would be disastrous if one fell into the hands of the police. Go home, start calling, start e-mailing, start organizing! This is a tight schedule. We gather at six. We move at six thirty." He looked around. "Any questions?"

No one had questions. Esteban cleared his throat, raised his finger.

"Yes, Alexander?"

"I'm a little confused. You're planning to actually march on the Ville?"

"That's right. We're stopping this: here and now."

Esteban nodded thoughtfully. "It doesn't say what you plan to do when you get there."

"We're going to break into that compound and we're going to liberate those animals.

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