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.“Jean’s a piece of shit,” he said flatly.Nicky massaged his temples.“He’s DGSE and he’s greedy.What do you expect?” As Nicky settled back into the bed, his voice was a croak.“Get him here, today.”“But Nicky, he’s not exactly in a position to do—”Nicky raised his right hand, pointing his pudgy finger at Marcel.“Get Jean in here.” He pulled the covers back over his head and didn’t utter another sound.Marcel glanced around the room again, suppressing his hatred for his superior.He lit another cigarette as he exited the room, walking back down to the parlor and using a brand new prepaid cell phone.With Napoleon curled up on the couch next to him, a paw resting on his thigh, Marcel called the second number Jean had given him, this time simply hanging up.It usually took the DGSE agent thirty minutes to return a call, so Marcel eased himself back into the comfortable sofa, smoking and waiting.He petted the snoozing dog, listening to the ticking of the clock.Marcel was at peace, if only for a moment, staring out the picture window at the sun rising, melting the frost and defeating the shadows on the winter lawn.Marcel Cherbourg hated Nicky Arnaud.He hated Luc and Bruno.He hated his profession.His eyes wandered the sprawling home; it was suitable for an architectural magazine, save for the gaudy accoutrements.How many people had spilled blood to provide Nicky Arnaud another gold vase?As he meditated, Marcel wished he had given Nicky three Vicodin rather than two.Better yet, the whole bottle, he pleasantly thought, drifting off to join Napoleon in a nap.***Nancy, FranceThursday was alcohol-free for Damien Ellis—not normally a big drinker, he wanted a clear head before he was due to tour a highly-recommended Charmes winery on Friday.Now in the panoramic city of Nancy, he’d spent the day exploring a thousand-year old monastery and getting deep into the Stephen King novel in a charming café, sipping the best coffee he had ever tasted.After two hours engrossed in the story, he laid the nearly finished book on the table and checked his Timex; there was just enough time to catch Sorgi before the sergeant bolted home to his pretty wife and two little girls.Leaving ten euro on the table, Ellis stepped outside, letting the wind hit his face full-on.The cool, fresh air felt good after the warm café and hot coffee.The sunshine was dim, filtered by hazy clouds to the west as the sun’s abbreviated, late-year appearance neared its daily end, already diving toward the horizon.He walked in the direction of his hotel as he dialed the office, asking for Sergeant Sorgi.“Sorgi, here.”“How’s it going, young man?”“Why the heck are you calling me, sir? You’re supposed to be on vacation.”“Am on vacation.Maybe I’m just calling you to brag about it,” countered Ellis, his grin showing through the tone of his voice.“So brag then.”“Seriously, Jim.What’s going on? Anything fun?”“Just paperwork, sir.Nothing else.”“What paperwork?”“Searching out files on some rogue veteran.”Ellis could hear the noise of the radios in the background.Though he wouldn’t admit it to a soul, he was beginning to tire of France.The sounds of the office made him pine for his daily routine.“A veteran, huh? What did he do, steal a bottle of liquor?”Sorgi laughed.“Well, the polizei made a request for the guy’s DD-214 along with the rest of his file.Says he may be mixed up in that double murder that took place last night.”“Double murder? In Germany? Involving a vet?” Ellis asked, incredulous.Murders were rare in Germany; multiple murders almost unheard of.“Not only Germany, here in Frankfurt.”“In Frankfurt? And an American vet is the suspect?” The news made Ellis stop in his tracks.“Yeah, at one of those sleazy hotels over by the bahnhof.Thought you would’ve heard about it.It’s big news, all over the television and the newspaper.”“I don’t speak or read French, Sorgi.I haven’t heard anything, and watching CNN International in my hotel room isn’t my idea of fun.” Ellis resumed his walking.“What happened?”“They don’t know yet.A hotel clerk and a girl, a really pretty girl, were killed.She was sexually assaulted too, it sounds like.Their only suspect is this guy, the veteran, and the Krauts came in hot and heavy wanting that file and every shred of intel we had on him.Said they had the government’s backing so the commandant hustled what we had right over.They’re still pulling records over the computer from Indianapolis.” Sorgi paused.“It appears something is amiss with the guy they’re seeking.”Ellis stepped into the sunshine at an intersection and turned his eyes to the sky.Things like this were just his cup of tea.Interesting.A mystery.The kind of thing that makes life worth living.“Did they ask for our help?”“Not yet, although Barron volunteered, of course [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]