The Delphi Chronicle, Books 2 & 3 by Russell Blake

Author:Russell Blake
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller, adventure, action, conspiracy, international, intrigue
Publisher: Russell Blake

Chapter 25

Michael absorbed the revelations in silence, displaying no surprise or emotion. Finished with his salad, he carefully placed his fork on the side of the plate, and regarded Irving.

“Your daughter?”

“I know. An old goat like me with a young daughter like Sylvia is hard to imagine, especially when you see me like this. Don’t worry – there’s no point in pretending it’s not a shock. She’s thirty, and I’m seventy-three, with a hell of a lot of mileage on me over mostly rough terrain. But it is what it is, and after all, she’s a pearl,” Irving stated.

“It’s just that…well…I mean, I’m sure there’s quite a story to that.”

“Indeed there is. That’s why you’re here, Miguel. To hear the story of all stories, told for the first and last time.” Irving dabbed at the corners of his mouth with his cloth napkin, then turned his full gaze to Michael. The body may have been fading, but the intellect behind the still clear, piercing blue eyes radiated palpably. “You’re here, and still alive, because I need your help. I need you to do something for me, and it’s too dangerous for Sylvia. Providence brought you to me, and fate landed my little book in your hands. So I’ll tell you everything there is to know, and then you can return the favor by doing as I ask.”

Michael took another sip of his rum, and Sylvia returned to the table, now composed and as serene as ever. Maria trailed in after her, rolling in another cart with their entrées on it. She hastily removed the salad plates and presented them with the main course – red snapper topped with the island fruit salsa, paired with organic greens, and spicy rice and red beans.

Michael watched Sylvia carefully divide her fish into segments and then small, precise bites. He waited for someone to speak, figuring he’d allow the two of them to set the agenda – at this point, he felt like he was just along for an incredible ride.

He noticed that Irving ate very little, just as he’d hardly touched his salad. That had to be a function of whatever disorder was worrying away at him. A part of Michael felt a wave of pity for the man, even though he had only just met him. He was obviously intelligent, and gracious, and he had a beautiful daughter, and yet he was watching himself deteriorate on a backward island bereft of many of the creature comforts Americans took for granted.

Once dinner was finished, Irving demanded another portion of rum, and then the table was cleared and the discussion began in earnest.

“Miguel, I’m going to start with how I came to be here, and how I know the things I recorded for posterity in my little book. If you don’t mind, I’ll just tell the story, and you can ask questions at the end – that way I won’t lose my train of thought in the middle due to interruptions. I trust that

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