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Back Vortex Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. Epilogue
  57. Epilogue
  58. Acknowledgments
  59. About the Author
  60. Also by Catherine Coulter
  61. About the Publisher

“See what Agent Cox says and I’ll speak to Gay. It isn’t the Ritz; it’s like the first one, a clean, nondescript house in a nondescript neighborhood, ancient plumbing, mother’s old attic furniture. At least there’s a big-ass TV and a comfy easy chair for Gay. Let me know what Cox says, Andi, I’d love to have you here with me.” Olivia yawned. “I’m sorry, but it’s been quite a day. My body is telling me to shut down. At least the pizza was good, heated up nice and crisp.”

Andi laughed. “You always find the rainbow, Olivia, always. Let’s see if we would be allowed to hook up, stay together. I’m so relieved to talk to you, to find out Mike’s all right. I’m proud of you.”

“Come on, Andi, you’re Wonder Woman. You’d have done the same, and you know it.” She heard Andi laugh again, and it felt really good. They both rang off.

Olivia set her cell back in its charger, pulled the covers over both her and Helmut, whose head was on the pillow next to her, and lay back. He didn’t stir. She heard Gay’s basketball game playing on the TV in the living room. Mr. Grace had reamed him for letting her out of the safe house by herself, but Gay hadn’t been angry with her, more philosophical, said next time he’d follow her even to the bathroom, and happily ate his warmed-up pepperoni and artichoke pizza. At least Lodner had let Gay stay with her.

She ran her hand lightly over Helmut’s head, rubbed his ears. “Do you think Mike can decrypt that flash drive? I wonder if Dillon could.”

Helmut raised his head to lick her hand. “Andi’s right, I did good shooting that Frenchman, but that shoulder wound might not be much at all.”

He licked her cheek and she hugged him. “I know, you think I can do no wrong. But I can.” She settled back and reviewed every word the Frenchman had said, everything she’d done, until she fell asleep.

Olivia’s cell pounded the drums from Koothra’s “Night in the Jungle.” Helmut had moved down to the foot of the bed, taking part of the blanket with him. He raised his head. “It’s okay, boy.” She answered. “Olivia.”

“It’s me, Mike.”

33

Olivia

Her breath whooshed out, her heart pounded as loud as the jungle drums. “Mike, I’ve been so worried, so scared for you. I didn’t even know you were alive until today. You swear you’re all right? Can I come get you?”