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Back Angels of Vengeance
Chapters (68)
  1. Blurb
  2. CONTENTS
  3. Dedication
  4. CHARACTER LIST
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. TWO MONTHS LATER
  60. ONE YEAR LATER
  61. TWO YEARS LATER
  62. FOUR YEARS LATER
  63. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  64. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  65. Also by John Birmingham
  66. ALSO BY JOHN BIRMINGHAM
  67. Copyright
  68. Cover

‘I’m going to pay him the courtesy of taking his paranoia seriously,’ said Kipper. ‘Because, at least in this instance, it’s paid off for us. But no, I don’t see that we need to be pulling very limited resources out of the Pacific or the Atlantic, or even out of the heartland, for that matter. I agree with Tusk and this air force colonel – what’s her name, the one he’s got down there with him. We let Roberto know that we’re awake to him, and that if we catch them doing it again, we’ll send a cruise missile through his bedroom window one night. A gangster like him, he’ll understand that. Respect it too.’

Jed Culver appeared to be discomfited by the conversation, which Kip thought unusual. After all, he was actually agreeing with his Chief of Staff. Most days of the week, Jed had to be restrained from throwing cruise missiles through people’s bedroom windows. Maybe it was the drink. He hadn’t volunteered the name of Musso’s USAF analyst when Kipper couldn’t recall it, and it was staying across those little details that the former attorney prided himself on. The man was a supercomputer in a three-piece suit. It was how he’d caught the link between Blackstone and the Turkish businessman, Ozal, and from there to Baumer.

‘Better knock off the drinks, buddy. It’s slowing you down,’ said Kip, trying for a light tone.

‘Yeah, you’re right . . . I’m sorry, Kip. I don’t like to admit it, but sometimes it just all piles up on top of me.’

It was Barbara who stood up and fetched him his bourbon from the mantelpiece.

‘Oh Jed,’ she said. ‘Finish your drink, get yourself home to Marilyn and have a proper rest. You can start all over again tomorrow. Even Machiavelli took a break every now and then. I think Kip forgets sometimes how much you do for him.’ She levelled a severely disapproving look at her husband. ‘I think he forgets just how much work you put into protecting him from Jack Blackstone, for one.’

Kipper was about to protest, but Culver beat him to it.

‘Don’t be too hard on him, Barb,’ he replied. ‘He’s got me to protect him from Blackstone, but nobody to protect him from me.’

And with that, he threw down his drink, mumbled goodnight, and took himself off to find a car and driver.

‘Jed really needs a day off,’ said Kip once they were alone. ‘D’you think he’d like to come and do a bit of trail walking with me?’

Barbara Kipper didn’t need to answer. The look on her face told him exactly how stupid a question that had been.

49

DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY