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Back Deep Sleep Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. PART I
  7. CHAPTER 1
  8. CHAPTER 2
  9. CHAPTER 3
  10. CHAPTER 4
  11. CHAPTER 5
  12. CHAPTER 6
  13. CHAPTER 7
  14. PART II
  15. CHAPTER 8
  16. CHAPTER 9
  17. CHAPTER 10
  18. CHAPTER 11
  19. CHAPTER 12
  20. CHAPTER 13
  21. CHAPTER 14
  22. CHAPTER 15
  23. CHAPTER 16
  24. CHAPTER 17
  25. CHAPTER 18
  26. PART III
  27. CHAPTER 19
  28. CHAPTER 20
  29. CHAPTER 21
  30. CHAPTER 22
  31. CHAPTER 23
  32. CHAPTER 24
  33. CHAPTER 25
  34. CHAPTER 26
  35. CHAPTER 27
  36. CHAPTER 28
  37. CHAPTER 29
  38. CHAPTER 30
  39. CHAPTER 31
  40. PART IV
  41. CHAPTER 32
  42. CHAPTER 33
  43. CHAPTER 34
  44. CHAPTER 35
  45. CHAPTER 36
  46. CHAPTER 37
  47. CHAPTER 38
  48. CHAPTER 39
  49. CHAPTER 40
  50. CHAPTER 41
  51. PART V
  52. CHAPTER 42
  53. CHAPTER 43
  54. CHAPTER 44
  55. CHAPTER 45
  56. CHAPTER 46
  57. CHAPTER 47
  58. CHAPTER 48
  59. CHAPTER 49
  60. CHAPTER 50
  61. CHAPTER 51
  62. CHAPTER 52
  63. CHAPTER 53
  64. CHAPTER 54
  65. CHAPTER 55
  66. CHAPTER 56
  67. PART VI
  68. CHAPTER 57
  69. CHAPTER 58
  70. CHAPTER 59
  71. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  72. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rudd stayed just below the speed limit as he left the neighborhood, giving nobody a reason to look twice in his direction. When he reached Broad Street, he took a right and made his way toward the rental car office. Before they dispersed to stake out the coffee shops, he’d send his wife through with the rental car to make her own assessment.

She was at least twice as observant and would undoubtedly notice something important that he had missed. Like a sticker on the other side of the Jeep’s bumper that read, PROUD PARENTS OF A UNITED STATES MARINE. Wouldn’t that be embarrassing? Awkwardly, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d glossed over something that had completely changed the game. He just hoped it was the last, and that CONTROL sent them home to Tennessee after this job to pack up for another part of the country or Moscow. He’d be fine either way—as long as he was still with Jolene. Or would she want to be called Ludmilla again? He was getting ahead of himself.

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 17

Devin left Berg alone for a few hours while he headed out to grab some essentials at a nearby Walmart and dinner from a Thai restaurant about a mile north on Greenmount Avenue. Paper goods, a case of bottled water, two full-size air mattresses, two cheap sleeping bags, and an assortment of toiletries—mostly for himself. Berg had brought an overnight bag, an idea that hadn’t crossed Devin’s mind when he’d set off on Helen’s treasure hunt yesterday morning.

Berg had already started arranging the take-out containers when he dropped the last of the Walmart bags inside the apartment. Devin shut and locked the door, breathing heavily from the back-to-back stair climbs. He wiped the thin film of sweat off his face on his shirtsleeve, suddenly remembering that he’d forgotten to buy a few changes of clothes. Tomorrow. He wouldn’t have any trouble sleeping at this point, no matter how grimy he felt.

“Looks like enough food to last us several days,” said Berg.

“I figured we’d be locked in here for a while,” said Devin, heading for the refrigerator. “Drink?”

“A beer and a couple of those waters if you don’t mind,” said Berg. “I wasn’t sure about drinking from the tap.”

“I was more concerned about the grimy glasses in the cabinet,” said Devin. “I bought some paper cups.”

Berg laughed and shook his head. “Your mom has a hundred thousand dollars sitting in a five-thousand-dollar safe, and we’re afraid to drink the water from her apartment. The world is a strange place, my friend.”