Ed shrugged. Youre a little rusty. No shame in admitting that. And you might be smart. And you might be small. But youre also muscle, just like me.

Luke barked laughter. Okay. Im rusty. But who you calling small? He laughed, looking up at Eds enormous frame.

Ed laughed back. He searched the pockets of the man on the floor. In a few seconds, he found what he was looking for. It was a key card to the digital lock mounted on the wall next to the double doors.

Shall we go inside?

After you, Ed said.

Chapter 12

You cant be in here! the man shouted. Out! Get out of my home!

They were standing in a wide open living area. There was a white baby grand piano in the far corner, near floor to ceiling windows with more spectacular views. Morning light streamed in. Nearby was a modern white sofa and table set, with accent chairs, clustered around a giant flat-panel TV mounted on the wall. On the opposite wall was a massive canvas, ten feet high, with crazy splotches and drips of bright color. Luke knew something about art. He guessed it was a Jackson Pollock.

Yeah, weve been all through that with the guys out in the hall, Luke said. We cant be here, and yet… here we are.

The man was not tall. He was thick and stubby, and wearing a white plush robe. He was holding a large rifle and sighting down the barrel at them. It looked to Luke like an old Browning safari gun, probably loading .270 Winchester rounds. That thing would take down a moose at four hundred yards.

Luke moved to the right side of the room, Ed to the left. The man swung the rifle back and forth, unsure who to target.

Ali Nassar?

Who is asking?

Im Luke Stone. Thats Ed Newsam. Were federal agents.

Luke and Ed circled the man, moving in closer.

I am a diplomat attached to the United Nations. You have no jurisdiction here.

We just want to ask you a couple of questions.

Ive called the police. They will arrive in a few moments.

In that case, why dont you put the gun down? Listen, its an old gun. Youve got a bolt action on that thing. If you fire it once, youll never have time to chamber the next round.

Then I will kill you and let the other one live.

He spun toward Luke. Luke kept moving along the wall. He put his hands up to show he was no threat. Hed had so many guns pointed at him in his life that he had long ago lost track of them all. Still, he didnt feel good about this one. Ali Nassar didnt look like much of a marksman, but if he did manage to get a shot off, it was going to put a big hole in something.