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Back The Short Drop Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. CONTENTS
  5. START READING
  6. PART ONE
  7. CHAPTER ONE
  8. CHAPTER TWO
  9. CHAPTER THREE
  10. CHAPTER FOUR
  11. CHAPTER FIVE
  12. CHAPTER SIX
  13. CHAPTER SEVEN
  14. CHAPTER EIGHT
  15. CHAPTER NINE
  16. CHAPTER TEN
  17. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  18. CHAPTER TWELVE
  19. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  21. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  22. PART TWO
  23. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  24. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  25. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  26. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  35. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  36. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  45. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  46. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  47. CHAPTER FORTY
  48. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  49. PART THREE
  50. CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
  51. CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
  52. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
  53. CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
  54. CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
  55. CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
  56. CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
  57. CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
  58. CHAPTER FIFTY
  59. EPILOGUE
  60. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  61. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Then help me. I don’t know about you, but I need to know. I watched that girl grow up. I need to know what happened to her. I want to sit across from the man who lured that beautiful wisp of a girl from her home. I want to have a serious conversation with that man. The FBI can have whatever’s left.” Abe paused, tasting the violence implicit in his words. “And if I can begin to settle the books between you and me at the same time, then so much the better.”

“You blame yourself.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Is that why Lombard fired you? Because of Suzanne?”

“It is.”

“Was it your fault?”

Abe sighed and glanced out the window. Gibson thought the man shrank ever so slightly. When Abe spoke it was quietly, his voice sorrowful.

“A very good question. One that I’ve never answered to my satisfaction. Security is a results-oriented profession. My job was to protect Benjamin Lombard, but his family was part of that responsibility. In the simplest analysis, Suzanne vanished on my watch.”

If he didn’t know better, Gibson might start to like the guy.

“So why now? Why this sudden desire to dig it all up? Because of the anniversary?”

“Take a ride back to the office with me and see for yourself.”

“See what? What do you have?” Gibson tried to read it off of him, but the only clue was Abe’s confidence. Was it possible? Could Abe have something new on a case that had stymied law enforcement for a decade? What desperate long shot was Abe playing? Did it matter? If there were only a 1 percent chance of finding Suzanne, Gibson knew he was in. It wasn’t even a question.

Abe slid a thick envelope across the table. Gibson opened it and ran his thumb across the stack of money inside. He didn’t count it, but the bills were all hundreds.

“What’s this?”

“Either it’s an apology for interrupting your breakfast, or it’s a signing bonus. The choice is yours.”

“A signing bonus?”

“If you stay on and help, I’m offering twice your former salary plus another ten-thousand-dollar bonus if your work produces a substantial lead. Sound fair?”

“More than.”

“Good.” Abe slid out of the booth, gave the woman a nod, and left the Nighthawk Diner.

Gibson didn’t see that he had any choice but to follow.

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

The motorcade knifed its way through downtown Phoenix like a warship crossing a concrete-and-metal ocean. More than a half block long, its bow was formed by a wedge of motorcycle police, sirens wailing as they plowed a path through the congested Friday-afternoon traffic. In its wake waited cars pulled hurriedly to the curb and pedestrians who stopped to gawk at the spectacle.