BooksBarbecue
Back Point of Contact
Chapters (83)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY TOM CLANCY
  3. PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. What’s next onyour reading list?

“Where are you?” Lian asked.

“On my way home. Have you dropped them off?”

“Just a few minutes ago. What do you want?”

“I saw the way you were looking at them, especially Ryan. I’m concerned.”

“You needn’t be.”

“They’re not our friends. These men have been sent to find something wrong with our company. Rhodes sent them to find a way to drive the purchase price of our stock down.”

“Are you certain?”

“Don’t be naive.”

Lian frowned. “They won’t find anything, will they?”

“Of course not. How can you even ask me that? But that doesn’t mean they won’t lie or make something up.”

“Jack and Paul didn’t strike me as liars,” Lian said. “They’re just doing their jobs.”

“Their job is to screw Father out of his money, or worse. Rhodes isn’t stupid. He sends the President’s son to make a big impression. But it’s obvious what he’s up to.”

“I’m not so sure.”

“You don’t have to be. Just keep a close eye on them, especially Ryan. I’ll have someone keeping close tabs on Brown. Let them do their audit, but let’s not give them the chance to cause any trouble for Father. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“Besides, we already talked about this. If something were to happen to the President’s son while he was here, there would be hell to pay. And Father would be humiliated.”

“Nothing will happen to Ryan. I’ll keep close to him. You have my word.”

“Thank you, Sister. That’s all I ask.”

—

The bedrooms were upstairs. Paul took the one at the far end of the hall, overlooking the street, Jack the one closest to the stairwell. Paul wouldn’t let Jack help him with his heavy suitcase or duffel as he limped his way up the stairs. Paul was obviously out of shape, but the way he slung the luggage around told Jack that there was still some power left in those flabby arms.

Jack unpacked his suitcase and put his things away, then decided to grab a shower before bed. He felt grimy after traveling in the same clothes for nearly twenty-four hours in closed spaces and breathing recirculated air.

Before stripping down, he decided to do a quick check of the room. He was being paranoid, he knew. But there was something about the way Lian studied him. At first he thought it was because he was the son of the American President. As hard as he tried to hide that fact, it invariably got out. It wasn’t surprising that the head of corporate security would’ve discovered that, but even more likely, Rhodes had told her. He probably thought it was a real coup that Jack Ryan’s son was doing his audit.