Read Online Hell's Corner by David Baldacci - Free Book Online

for her. What a coup for the library. A one of one,” he added. “We love those.”
    “Totally unique?”
    “Absolutely.”
    “How much did you pay for it?”
    Caleb looked taken aback. He blustered, “Well, I mean, that is not for public—”
    “Come on, just an estimate.”
    “It was well into the six figures, I’ll have to leave it at that,” he said, a bit pompously.
    Annabelle now looked interested. “My grandmother left me her personal copy of Wuthering Heights . I wonder how much it might be worth. It’s in excellent condition.”
    Caleb looked intrigued. “ Wuthering Heights ? First editions of those in pristine condition are rare. Where did she get it?”
    “At a bookstore eight years ago. It’s a paperback, is that a problem?”
    Caleb gazed stonily at her and said stiffly, “Funny.”
    Outside they met up with Reuben and Harry Finn. Finn was a decades-younger version of Stone, lean and lethal. Unless he needed to move fast, he never seemed to even flinch, as though storing his energy for when a crisis occurred. Reuben had changed from his loading-dock uniform into his usual garb of jeans and a sweatshirt with moccasins on his feet. They sat on the broad steps leading into the library.
    Annabelle said, “So what are we going to do?”
    “What can we do?” said Reuben.
    “Oliver may be in trouble,” she replied.
    “Oliver is often in trouble,” responded Caleb.
    “Those men who took him from the hospital,” began Annabelle.
    Finn cut in. “NIC. Riley Weaver’s boys. Heard it from a buddy of mine. It was a catch and release. I doubt Oliver gave them what they wanted.”
    “Then he is in trouble,” said Annabelle. “And we have to help him.”
    “Why don’t we wait for him to ask for that help?” said Caleb.
    “Why?” Annabelle shot back.
    “Because every time I help him I get in trouble here,” he said, looking back at the enormous library building. “I’m actually on probation, a positively horrendous situation for someone of my age and level of experience.”
    “No one’s asking you to risk your job, Caleb. But I did find something out. In fact, it’s why I wanted to meet with all of you today.”
    “What did you find out?” asked Reuben.
    “That Oliver was leaving to go somewhere.”
    “How do you know that?”
    “I found a packed bag in his cottage. Along with several books written in what I think is Russian.”
    “You mean you broke in his cottage and found it,” said Caleb heatedly. “You have absolutely no respect for property rights, Annabelle Conroy. None. It’s outrageous. It really is.”
    She slipped a book from her pocket and showed it to the librarian.
    “Yes, it is Russian,” said Caleb as he glanced at the title. He looked more closely at the title. “It’s a book on Russian politics,but it’s decades old. Why in the world would he be taking that with him?”
    “Maybe he was going to Russia and he needed to bone up on his language skills,” suggested Finn. “One way to do that is read the language.”
    “Why would Oliver be going to Russia?” asked Reuben. “Wait a minute, how would he even get there? He doesn’t have a passport. He doesn’t have any ID at all. Not to mention money for the trip.”
    “There could only be one way he could go,” said Annabelle.
    “You mean on behalf of the U.S. government?” replied Finn.
    “Yes.”
    “On behalf of the government!” exclaimed Caleb. “He doesn’t work for the government. At least not anymore.”
    “Maybe that status has changed,” said Annabelle. “I mean, they offered the man the Medal of Honor.”
    Reuben mused, “Oliver going back inside. After all these years, I can’t believe it.”
    “And after all they did to him,” added Finn quietly.
    “Why would he do that?” asked Caleb. “If there’s one thing we know about Oliver, it’s that he really doesn’t trust the government.”
    “Maybe he really didn’t have a choice,” said Finn.
    “But it’s not like he’s