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Chapter 86
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Just for two weeks Chapter 87
The night manager of the Depository Bank of Zurich felt relieved to hear the bank president's voice on the phone. "Where did you go sir? The police are here, everyone is waiting for you!" "I had a little problem," the bank president said, sounding distressed. "I need your help right away."The police had entirely surrounded the bank and were threatening to have the judicial police captain show up with the warrant the bank had demanded. "How can I help you, sir?"Truck number three. I need to find it."Puzzled, the manager checked his delivery schedule. "It's here. Downstairs at the holding dock.""Actually, no. The truck was stolen by two individuals the police are tracking.""What? How did they drive out?""I can't go into details on the phone, but we have a situation here that could potentially be extremely unfortunate for the bank.""What do you need me to do, sir?""I'd like you to activate the truck's tracker." The night manager's eyes moved to the control box across the r
Just for two weeks Chapter 88
Standing at the roadblock outside the Depository Bank. Lieutenant Suslowicz wondered what was taking Romano so long to come up with the search warrant. The bankers were obviously hiding something. They claimed Davis and McEwan had arrived earlier and were turned away from the bank because they did not have proper Account identification. So why won't they let us inside for a look?Finally, Suslowicz's cellular phone rang. It was the command post at the Louvre. "Do we have a search warrant yet?" Suslowicz demanded."Forget about the bank, Lieutenant," the agent told him. "We just got a tip. We have the exact location where Davis and McEwan are hiding."Suslowicz sat down hard on the hood of his car. "You're kidding.""I have an address in the suburbs. Somewhere near Sunnyvales.""Does captain Romano know?""Not yet. He's busy on an important call.""I'm on my way. Have him call as soon as possible." Suslowicz took down the address and jumped in his car. As he peeled off from the bank, S
Just for two weeks Chapter 89
The clicking of Rodriguez's crutches approached in the hallway, his Pace unusually brisk. When their host entered the room, his expression was stern."You'd better explain yourself, Davis," he said coldly. "You have not been honest with me." " I'm telling you the truth, Rodriguez," Jimmy said, trying to stay calm. You know me. I would never take a life.Rodriguez's tone did not soften. "Jim, you're on television, for Christ's sake. Did you know you were wanted by the authorities?""Yes.""Then you abused my trust. I'm astonished you would put me at risk by coming here and asking me to ramble about the Archstone so you would hide out in my home." "I didn't take any life.""Marquis Esquibel is dead, and the police say you did it." Rodriguez looked saddened. "Such a contributor to the arts…""Sir?" The manservant had appeared now, standing behind Rodriguez in the door, his arms crossed. "Shall I show them out?""Allow me." Rodriguez hobbled across the room, unlocked a set of wi
Just for two weeks Chapter 90
Rodriguez took the key and studied it. "My goodness. The Seal. Where did you locate this?""My grandfather gave it to me before he died tonight."Rodriguez ran his fingers across the key. "A church key?"She drew a deep breath. "It provided us access to the Archstone."Rodriguez's head snapped up, his face filled with disbelief. "Impossible! What church did I not search? Every church in France I've searched for!""It's not in a church," Sophie said. "It's in a Swiss depository bank."Rodriguez's look of excitement waned. "The Archstone is in a bank?""A bank vault," Jimmy offered.Rodriguez shook his head violently. "That's not possible. The Archstone is supposed to be hidden beneath the sign of the Rose of a church.""It is," Jimmy said. "It was stored in a rosewood box inlaid with a five-petal rose."Rodriguez looked shocked. "You've seen the Archstone?"McEwan nodded. "We visited the bank."Rodriguez came over to them, his eyes wild fear. "My good friends, we have work to do. The A
Just for two weeks Chapter 91
Rodriguez sat on the couch, cradling the wooden box on his lap and admiring the lid's craftsmanship and intricate inlaid Rose, thinking that tonight has become the strangest and most magnificent night of his life."Lift the lid," McEwan whispered, standing over him, beside Jimmy.Rodriguez smiled. Do not rush me. Having spent over a decade searching for the Archstone, he wanted to savor every millisecond of this moment. He ran a palm across the wooden lid, feeling the texture of the inlaid flower."The Rose," he whispered. Rodriguez felt foolish. For years he had traveled to Cathedrals and churches all over France, paying for special access, examining hundreds of archways beneath rose windows, searching for an encrypted Archstone.Rodriguez slowly unlatched the lid and raised it.As his eyes finally gazed upon the contents, he knew in an instant it could only be the Archstone. He was staring at a stone cylinder, crafted of interconnecting lettered dials. The device looked surprisingly
Just for two weeks Chapter 92
Suslowicz and his agents burst through the front door of Sir Albert Rodriguez's estate with their firearms drawn. Spreading out, they began to search the rooms on the first floor level. They found a bullet hole in the drawing room floor, signs of a struggle, a small amount of blood, a strange, barbed leather belt, and a partially used roll of duct tape. The first floor seemed deserted.The moment Suslowicz was about to divide his men to search the basement and grounds behind the house, he heard voices on the top level."They're on the upper floor!"Rushing up the wide staircase, Suslowicz and his men moved room by room through the huge home, securing darkened bedrooms and hallways as they closed in on the sounds of voices. The sound seemed to be coming from the last bedroom on an exceptionally long hallway. The agents inched down the corridor, sealing off alternate exits.As they neared the final bedroom, Suslowicz could see the door was wide open. The voices had stopped suddenly, and
Just for two weeks Chapter 93
Jimmy suddenly didn't want anything to do with the embassy. All he could think of was the Archstone, the inscription, and the information it holds. He wondered if Rodriguez was right about Britain. "Sir?" Scott said. "Are you truly thinking of returning to England for good?""Scott, you don't have to worry," Rodriguez assured. "Just because I'm returning to the Queen's realm does not mean I intend to subject my palate to bangers and mash for the rest of my life. I expect you will join me there permanently. And adventure, Scott. I say, an adventure!"Jimmy had to smile. As Rodriguez railed on about his plans for a triumphant return to Britain, Jimmy felt himself caught up in the man's infectious enthusiasm.Gazing absently out the window, Jimmy watched the woods passing by, ghostly pale in the yellow blush of the fog lights. The side mirror was tipped inward, brushed askew by branches, and Jimmy saw the reflection of McEwan sitting quietly in the back seat. He watched her for a long t
Just for two weeks Chapter 94
Gizmogo TFC-621 engines thundered, powering up the plane skyward with gut-wrenching force. Outside the Window, Le Bourget Airfield dropped away with startling speed.The thought of fleeing the country made McEwan force her body back into the leather seat. Until this moment, she had believed her game of rate race with Romano would be somehow justifiable to the Ministry of Defense. I was attempting to protect a forcefully accused individual. I was trying to fulfill my grandfather's dying will. That window of opportunity, McEwan knew, had just closed. She was leaving the country without documentation, accompanying a wanted man, and transporting a bound hostage. If a "line of intuition" had ever existed, she had just crossed it. McEwan was seated with Jimmy and Rodriguez near the front of the cabin - the jet Executive Elite, Design, according to the gold medallion on the door. Their plush swivel chairs were bolted. A mini-boardroom. The dignified surroundings, however, did little to camo
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