Contents ( 84)
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- EIGHTY
- EIGHTY-ONE
- EIGHTY-TWO
- EIGHTY-THREE
- Acknowledgements
‘I can’t . . . I can’t lose anyone else.’ Tears were beginning to form in Michael’s eyes. ‘I can’t . . . I can’t let this . . . this job . . . I can’t let anyone else get hurt for me.’
‘Michael, no one is going to—’
‘I can’t let you get hurt. Not for me. Not because . . . because of a case.’
‘Michael, no one is going to hurt me.’ Sarah’s concern was growing.
‘I won’t let them, Sarah.’ Michael began to mumble as the blinking of his eyes became more pronounced. ‘The Secret Service, I won’t let them. Joe won’t let them . . .’
He trailed off as he went back to sleep. Within seconds he was snoring, as unconscious as he had been before she’d woken him.
Sarah tried to work out what he’d meant. Joe . . . Dempsey? The Secret Service? Was it all gibberish? But he’d seemed so clear on the stuff about Mansour. So determined.
Not only that. He’d seemed scared. Frightened for himself. And for Sarah.
It was that which concerned her. That one thing. In the years she had known Michael – through all the hell they had endured together – she had never seen him afraid.
Not until tonight.
THIRTY-SEVEN
Special Agent Braddock sat in the driver’s seat of a black 2018 Lincoln Continental. In the seat to his right was Special Agent Cobb. Behind them was Special Agent Grace.
They were parked on the corner of East 44th Street and United Nations Plaza, facing the massive United Nations building. Perfectly placed to follow anyone leaving it and heading towards Yorkville.
Exactly as they expected Joe Dempsey to do. They just didn’t know when that would be.
Braddock had made his thoughts clear on the subject of Grace’s involvement. But like Assistant Director Meyer, he had been overruled. An executive order trumped everything, and Knowles had been unmistakably firm.
Braddock, though, had no intention of accepting Knowles’ instincts regarding her loyalty or reliability. Not at the risk of his own life and future. And so he was determined to keep a close eye on her.
Braddock tilted the rear-view mirror, to give him a clearer view of Grace.
He had known her for three years. Since her first posting as a newcomer to the president’s protection detail within the White House. In that time, he had paid her little attention. They rarely shared a shift. Even if they did, why would she attract his eye? Braddock liked tall blondes in short skirts. Grace met those ‘qualifications’ in exactly zero ways. Although even with her short, dark hair, right now Grace seemed more attractive than he usually found her.
Probably the pants suits she’s always wearing, he thought to himself, looking more closely. Makes her look like a guy.
His eyes wandered lower.
Which she sure as hell ain’t.
‘You want a damn picture?’
The question came from the back seat.
‘Why, you got one?’ he asked, meeting sass with sass.