Chapters (78)
- Cover Page
- TITLE PAGE
- DEDICATION
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- Mary
- CHAPTER ONE
- CHAPTER TWO
- CHAPTER THREE
- CHAPTER FOUR
- CHAPTER FIVE
- Joyce
- CHAPTER SIX
- CHAPTER SEVEN
- CHAPTER EIGHT
- CHAPTER NINE
- CHAPTER TEN
- CHAPTER ELEVEN
- CHAPTER TWELVE
- CHAPTER THIRTEEN
- Russ
- CHAPTER FOURTEEN
- CHAPTER FIFTEEN
- CHAPTER SIXTEEN
- CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
- Jaxson
- CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
- CHAPTER NINETEEN
- CHAPTER TWENTY
- HSK
- CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
- CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
- CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
- CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
- CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
- CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
- HSK
- CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
- CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
- CHAPTER THIRTY
- Lyndsay
- CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
- CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
- CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
- Grace
- CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
- CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
- HSK
- CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
- CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
- CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
- Wilkes
- CHAPTER FORTY
- CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
- CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
- CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
- CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
- CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
- CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
- CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
- CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
- Dubois
- CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
- CHAPTER FIFTY
- Dubois
- Wilkes
- CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
- CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- ALSO BY DEAN KOONTZ
- PREVIEWS
- DIME STORE MAGIC
- INDUSTRIAL MAGIC
- HAUNTED
- BROKEN
- NO HUMANS INVOLVED
- COPYRIGHT
Felix pitched his trash into the distant can with perfect aim. “I know you’re hoping to be the one to snap on the cuffs, Quinn, but remember, there’s a good chance it won’t be us.”
“That’s fine. Sure, I’d love to take him down myself, but if it’s the Feds or the locals, good enough.”
“He’ll be caught,” I said. “And that’s all that matters.”
As he nodded, our eyes met.
“Great idea,” Jack said. “But a plan would help.”
“Already got one.” Quinn pulled two pieces of cardboard from his pocket, then fanned them, and leaned closer to me. “If you don’t have any plans for this evening, I thought maybe we could take in an opera. I hear it’s going to be a good show. Chock-full of danger, adventure, mystery…and, if you want, maybe we could even see the opera afterward.”
I smiled and plucked the tickets from his hand. “So what are these? Forgeries?”
“Uh-uh. With tonight’s security, it’s the real deal or none at all. The theater’s only about two-thirds full, so I nabbed these easily enough.” He glanced around me. “We can get more for you guys if you want.”
“Really?” Felix said. “You see, Jack, we aren’t invisible over here after all.”
“Hey, I included you two. You can come in if you want, but I figured two in and two out would be better. It makes sense for Dee to be one of the two going in and, well, if she’s going to have a date, I’m the natural choice.”
Felix arched a brow. “You are?”
“You know, the age thing,” Quinn said.
“Jack and I will pretend we didn’t hear that.”
“You’re forgetting something,” Jack said. “Partners. Dee—”
“—is your partner,” Quinn said. “But—”
“She’s worked with me. Not does work. Has worked.”
I folded my napkin and tucked it into my empty hotdog box. “Jack’s right. I know his style and with something this big, I need a familiar partner. I do agree two of us should go in, so if Jack would rather not, then I guess you and Felix—”
“Nah,” Jack said. “Two guys? People still notice.”
“A man and a woman would be less conspicuous, particularly if we pick up fake wedding rings. As for the age difference, at these events, it’s pretty much a given. Older guys, second wives—” I caught Jack’s look. “Not that you’re older. Well, older than me, but—” I checked my watch. “We’d better move if we’re going to do this. I’ll need a dress.”
“Nice save,” Felix said. “And, yes, you will need a gown. This opera house evidently has a black-tie dress code for these opening weeks. Jack will require a tuxedo.”