Read Online Hunter by Chris Allen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Chris Allen
Tags: thriller
Ads: Link
have to know who he is, Mr Lazarevic," said Tappin.
The tone was set. Lazarevic had sat through many similar interviews before. He was prepared. Being an Interpol informant, and the man responsible for leading investigators to S erifovic and the others, he was routinely lifted and brought in for questioning. The Hague, Lyon, New York; he was used to it. It was expected. The way he figured it, there were a lot worse things than flying around the world under a new identity, protected by Interpol. It was also the best and possibly only chance he had of survival. Because he knew that if he ever put a foot wrong or if his past caught up with him, his death would be an extremely slow and painful one. Besides, his cut of the reward made it all worthwhile.
"Now, you gotta forgive me, Mr Lazarevic," Tappin began. "I'm kinda the new boy here, you know? I've come into the game a little late in the play?'
"I understand," Lazarevic replied. "How can I help?"
"Well, to start with, I'm very interested in how you came to be this special informant for Interpol. I hear you've helped our friends a whole bunch; I mean, a couple of your big kahunas from the old country are now cooling their heels in Scheveningen, thanks to you.
Lazarevic looked quizzically from Tappin to Ryerson, even across to Morgan. He said, "I'm not sure what you mean, Mr Tappin. What are you asking of me?"
"What I'm asking, Durad, is what brought you in from the cold all of a sudden? The war's been over for almost twenty years; not quite, but close enough. You've had plenty of opportunity to come forward with information before. Why now?"
"Five million euros is a great incentive in anyone's language," Lazarevic began. He was suddenly uncomfortable. "Where I come from, where I live now in Albania, we do not enjoy the freedom of choice that you all take for granted. These men are butchers, Mr Tappin. I've lived under their shadow before, during and since the war. I always wanted to speak up but I knew if I did, I would be cut down; if not immediately, then someday. I would be looking over my shoulder forever, knowing that any day, any moment could be my last. Even when the reward is made available to me, I will be a marked man for the rest of my days."
"Yes, that's right. I heard that the money hasn't been given to you yet," Tappin stated with a deliberately skeptical tone designed to unsettle Lazarevic. "Interesting."
"I am told it will be soon, now that Serifovic is in custody." Lazarevic looked up at Morgan, who he assumed was in charge, for reassurance. He didn't get it. "Is there now some problem?"
"Mr Lazarevic, we believe you can continue to be of assistance to us," said Ryerson. An old pro, his manner was deadpan, giving nothing away. "We have a number of scared judges, one of whom has been personally targeted. To protect them, we need to understand the mentality of the people we're up against and you're our best shot. I mean, who better than the guy who led us to the worst of them, right?"
Lazarevic was sweating. He shifted nervously in his chair, brown eyes bouncing from side to side in their dark craters. This interview was nothing like the others. He'd been treated like royalty when he first came forward with information back in Tirana. They'd lapped it up. But now he didn't know if he was a guest at the banquet or the fatted calf. He ran cigarette-stained fingers through his greasy hair.
"I've been nothing but cooperative. You ask the Interpol man in Tirana, Lorenc Gjoka. He's my case officer; he'll vouch for me."
"Hey, now, take it easy there, sport," Tappin said with a broad smile. "We know you've been hiding out in Albania since the Balkans War - can't say I blame you for that; and, we also know that you voluntarily met with the Interpol guys there. So, yeah, we'll check in with your case officer, this Mr Gjoka. Nobody's suggesting anything untoward. In fact, it's the exact opposite. Isn't that right, Pat?"
"Sure. We'd just like to impose on you
The tone was set. Lazarevic had sat through many similar interviews before. He was prepared. Being an Interpol informant, and the man responsible for leading investigators to S erifovic and the others, he was routinely lifted and brought in for questioning. The Hague, Lyon, New York; he was used to it. It was expected. The way he figured it, there were a lot worse things than flying around the world under a new identity, protected by Interpol. It was also the best and possibly only chance he had of survival. Because he knew that if he ever put a foot wrong or if his past caught up with him, his death would be an extremely slow and painful one. Besides, his cut of the reward made it all worthwhile.
"Now, you gotta forgive me, Mr Lazarevic," Tappin began. "I'm kinda the new boy here, you know? I've come into the game a little late in the play?'
"I understand," Lazarevic replied. "How can I help?"
"Well, to start with, I'm very interested in how you came to be this special informant for Interpol. I hear you've helped our friends a whole bunch; I mean, a couple of your big kahunas from the old country are now cooling their heels in Scheveningen, thanks to you.
Lazarevic looked quizzically from Tappin to Ryerson, even across to Morgan. He said, "I'm not sure what you mean, Mr Tappin. What are you asking of me?"
"What I'm asking, Durad, is what brought you in from the cold all of a sudden? The war's been over for almost twenty years; not quite, but close enough. You've had plenty of opportunity to come forward with information before. Why now?"
"Five million euros is a great incentive in anyone's language," Lazarevic began. He was suddenly uncomfortable. "Where I come from, where I live now in Albania, we do not enjoy the freedom of choice that you all take for granted. These men are butchers, Mr Tappin. I've lived under their shadow before, during and since the war. I always wanted to speak up but I knew if I did, I would be cut down; if not immediately, then someday. I would be looking over my shoulder forever, knowing that any day, any moment could be my last. Even when the reward is made available to me, I will be a marked man for the rest of my days."
"Yes, that's right. I heard that the money hasn't been given to you yet," Tappin stated with a deliberately skeptical tone designed to unsettle Lazarevic. "Interesting."
"I am told it will be soon, now that Serifovic is in custody." Lazarevic looked up at Morgan, who he assumed was in charge, for reassurance. He didn't get it. "Is there now some problem?"
"Mr Lazarevic, we believe you can continue to be of assistance to us," said Ryerson. An old pro, his manner was deadpan, giving nothing away. "We have a number of scared judges, one of whom has been personally targeted. To protect them, we need to understand the mentality of the people we're up against and you're our best shot. I mean, who better than the guy who led us to the worst of them, right?"
Lazarevic was sweating. He shifted nervously in his chair, brown eyes bouncing from side to side in their dark craters. This interview was nothing like the others. He'd been treated like royalty when he first came forward with information back in Tirana. They'd lapped it up. But now he didn't know if he was a guest at the banquet or the fatted calf. He ran cigarette-stained fingers through his greasy hair.
"I've been nothing but cooperative. You ask the Interpol man in Tirana, Lorenc Gjoka. He's my case officer; he'll vouch for me."
"Hey, now, take it easy there, sport," Tappin said with a broad smile. "We know you've been hiding out in Albania since the Balkans War - can't say I blame you for that; and, we also know that you voluntarily met with the Interpol guys there. So, yeah, we'll check in with your case officer, this Mr Gjoka. Nobody's suggesting anything untoward. In fact, it's the exact opposite. Isn't that right, Pat?"
"Sure. We'd just like to impose on you
Similar Books
