Read Online Shadow Knight's Mate by Jay Brandon - Free Book Online Page A

or not, they had not long to live.”
    So the killer of killers was more ruthless than those he, or they, employed.
    The Chair dismissed that subject. “But you’re available for questioning, Jack. And I have some for you. What were you doing in Prague?”
    â€œPrague? When?”
    â€œThree days before you arrived in Paris.”
    Jack was shaking his head. “I haven’t been in Prague in four years.”
    â€œYou were seen there, Jack. By one of ours.”
    Gladys Leaphorn’s voice was accusing. But Jack only listened thoughtfully, as if being handed a small puzzle. “DNA? Retinal scan? Are you saying it was just someone who looked like me?”
    â€œYou know you wouldn’t have left identifying marks. What about London? Why were you there?”
    â€œThis was supposedly—?”
    â€œThe same time frame. You were spotted entering an apartment in Chelsea.”
    This time Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Where exactly?”
    Gladys gave him an address. It was impossible to tell from Jack’s lack of reaction whether the address meant anything to him. Arden still stood in the same pose, her eyes going back and forth between the other two, but primarily staying on Jack. He was thinking, obviously, but didn’t seem to be trying to come up with an excuse.
    â€œThe only thing I did in London on this trip was change planes. I never left Heathrow. I was there for maybe two hours.”
    The Chair’s voice remained level but relentless. “Then you would have arrived in France three days earlier than you did.”
    â€œNo one knows when I arrived in France. I travelled overland, I didn’t leave a paper trail.”
    â€œDid you see anyone on your journey?”
    â€œAli Khatam. I wanted to get a feel for what the Kurds may be—”
    â€œAli Khatam’s son would be dead if not for you. He would say whatever you ask.”
    Jack stared into her eyes and spoke flatly. “Why don’t you shoot him with truth serum and then ask him, Granny?” He let her look into his eyes for a long few seconds, then added, “Of what exactly am I being accused?”
    Gladys sighed. “Of nothing, Jack. Honestly. But you’ve beengoing off on your own, acting unilaterally, and now someone is trying to kill you. What kind of mission—?”
    â€œI did what I set out to do,” Jack interrupted. “And you and everyone else knows what it was. I’m done with that now.”
    The sun would be setting soon, out in that western distance that appeared strangely intimate here. A breeze had sprung up, caressing their faces, its sandy touch tangible. Arden’s hair lifted and settled again. The Cadillac already had sand six inches up its tires. It would not take long here for man and any of his creations to disappear.
    Gladys Leaphorn was no longer interrogating him. She had known Jack for half his life, though she had never remotely been a surrogate grandparent for him. They had their roles, and had respected each other since Jack was fourteen. Gladys stared off across the desert. It was possible that her old eyes saw something coming that neither of the young people could know.
    â€œYou know the other possibility,” Gladys said quietly.
    Jack nodded. “Someone wanted you to believe I was in these places. They wanted to cast suspicion on me. Rather clumsily, may I say. If I wanted to go unnoticed in Prague I could. And that Chelsea address is one I know well, as you know. I wouldn’t go near it, not any more.”
    Gladys’s long eyelashes softened her eyes as she blinked slowly. “That seemed like a strong possibility. Someone wanted you portrayed. Which means that maybe your attackers—”
    â€œâ€”were trying to steal my identity rather than kill me. Or kill me and have someone take my place. But I have no idea why.”
    Abruptly the interview was over. Gladys stepped away, moving stiffly with her