Who Killed Rita Colleridge by Donald A. Gazzaniga

Author:Donald A. Gazzaniga
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Action thriller
Publisher: Arrowhead Classics Publishing Company
Published: 2013-02-08T00:00:00+00:00

27

“Not without me, you won’t.” Linda pressed the receiver closer to her ear in an effort to shield it from outside snoopers. Holding her cell to her ear while driving was illegal in California and she hadn’t had that blue thing installed in her Audi yet.

Richard folded another pair of jeans into his black cloth covered case, the one with the wheels. He preferred his older gray carrier, but his foot would be happier with this one. “He’s got me on a flight first thing in the morning. London, Rome, then in a puddle jumper to Florence. What do you expect me to do? Jump ship?”

“Damn it, Richard, you knew I took the time off to go with you this weekend.”

Richard threw a spare tube of toothpaste into his case. “Keep the reservation. My flight is full. I just checked for you.”

Linda pursed her lips and asked, “Where are you staying?”

“A place called the Hotel Pendini. It’s a three star according to my Internet inquiry. Not exactly the St. Francis. It’s within walking distance to Batini’s place. Steiner’s gal made the arrangements. Low budget op. I don’t think it’s what you have in mind.”

She glanced into her rearview mirror, saw one car behind her. She waited for it to pass and then spun around in a U-turn. She headed back to her place. “You’re not getting out of town alone,” she said.

“Remember the Pendini. See you when you get there.” He clicked off, threw the cell onto the bed and returned to his closet. He would need at least two weeks worth of clothing. “Two pairs of pants ought to do it,” he quipped.

When Horace Cronin returned to the Institute he was immediately set upon by Steiner who seemed to hover over him like a vulture. Cronin sat uncomfortably in an unfamiliar hardwood chair opposite Steiner’s desk. Steiner’s guttural voice sounded sepulchral. “Did you think for one moment that your capricious actions at defense would not be reported to me? I have connections into every department of our government, Horace. Before you and Millie left the Pentagon I was made aware of your self-serving presentation. Now, explain to me how you are going to pay me back for the trip and for your time at this Institute. And please, tell me what in the hell you were after back there. And why Horace, why were you at Quantico?”

Cronin spoke softly. “I have my own work. I took it to DOD for backing. That’s all.”

“You assigned this Institute all rights to any creative work you did here.”

Cronin came to his feet. “I didn’t do the research here.”

“But you did it on our time.”

“No. I have a cabin in the mountains. Outside Sierra City.”‘

“Near the university’s campgrounds?”

“That’s the area but not the property. I have my own piece up there. I worked on your projects here and mine up there. You don’t have a right to what I do off this campus.”

Steiner thumbed through a stack of papers on his desk. “Ja! So you say.

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