Read Online Stone Cold by David Baldacci - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: David Baldacci
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are only so many Annabelles and Leos in the con world who operate at that level.”
“If you know where Freddy is you might want to warn him.”
“I’ll do my best. Look, you want me to hook up with you? Try to get us out of this mess?”
“And make it easier for Jerry to bag two for the price of one? Just stay where you are, Leo, and dig as deep as you can.” She clicked off the phone and sat back on her bed. Maybe she should put her millions to work for her right now. Just use it to run like hell. Private plane, private island, plenty of guards. It sounded tempting, but her gut told her this would be like waving a flag in front of a bull. She was still pondering what to do when her phone rang. It was Oliver Stone.
“I hope I didn’t wake you,” he said.
“I’m an early riser,” she lied.
“I have news. We can meet at my cottage later,” he said.
“Why don’t you come my way, Oliver,” she said. “We can have some breakfast. There’s a place around the corner from where I’m staying.” She gave him the address. Thirty minutes later they took a corner table in the back away from the other customers. After they ordered, he told Annabelle what he’d found out.
“I’m not sure how that helps,” she said, spooning sugar into her coffee.
“The best defense is a good offense. The government would love to nail him to a wall. If we can help them do that, I doubt he’d have time for you. Actually, if we can simply distract Bagger with a government investigation, that may be enough to keep you safe.”
Annabelle looked uncertain. “You don’t know Jerry. He has forty million reasons to devote every second of the remainder of his life to killing me.”
Stone nodded knowingly. “I do know Jerry, at least men like him. It’s not just about the money, of course. It’s about loss of face, of respect. He has to seem invincible to everyone. Otherwise he’s not Jerry Bagger.”
“You sized him up right away.”
“As I said, I’ve known many men like Bagger, even worked for some.”
She said cautiously, “So if we
were
going to go after Jerry how would we do it?”
“We have to find where he’s vulnerable. There’s the point of least resistance, of course. He killed three people in Portugal and put a fourth in a coma. If we can pin that on him he goes away forever.”
“I know he did it, but I have no proof. And if I go to the cops, I’ll have to explain everything, and then I don’t think they’ll be waiting to hand me a medal.”
“Or you could give your share of the money back to Bagger and hope that’s enough.”
“I earned that money, every last cent of it. And like you said, it’s not about the money. He’d still want to kill me.”
“But if we can tie Bagger to these crimes without you having to give testimony or being involved at all?”
“Well, that would just solve all my problems, wouldn’t it? Only I don’t quite see how that can work.”
“That’s for us to figure out.” Stone was about to say something else when his cell phone rang. It was Alex Ford and his voice was strained.
“Oliver, did you see Carter Gray last night?”
“Yes, I did.”
“What time did you get there and what time did you leave?”
Stone told him. “I’m sure the driver can verify that. What’s this all about?”
“I can’t believe you haven’t heard.”
“Heard what?”
“Somebody blew up Carter Gray’s house last night, with him in it. I know this is going to be awkward, but I think the FBI will want to talk to you about your meeting with Gray.”
Stone clicked off.
The FBI will want to talk to me. About Gray.
Annabelle said sharply, “Trouble?”
“A little,” he said slowly as his thoughts raced ahead. “Maybe more than a little, actually.”
She tapped her coffee cup against his. “Welcome to the club.”
CHAPTER 16
O LIVER S TONE STARED at the wall opposite him while the two thirty-something men in shirtsleeves with their guns and badges hanging on
“If you know where Freddy is you might want to warn him.”
“I’ll do my best. Look, you want me to hook up with you? Try to get us out of this mess?”
“And make it easier for Jerry to bag two for the price of one? Just stay where you are, Leo, and dig as deep as you can.” She clicked off the phone and sat back on her bed. Maybe she should put her millions to work for her right now. Just use it to run like hell. Private plane, private island, plenty of guards. It sounded tempting, but her gut told her this would be like waving a flag in front of a bull. She was still pondering what to do when her phone rang. It was Oliver Stone.
“I hope I didn’t wake you,” he said.
“I’m an early riser,” she lied.
“I have news. We can meet at my cottage later,” he said.
“Why don’t you come my way, Oliver,” she said. “We can have some breakfast. There’s a place around the corner from where I’m staying.” She gave him the address. Thirty minutes later they took a corner table in the back away from the other customers. After they ordered, he told Annabelle what he’d found out.
“I’m not sure how that helps,” she said, spooning sugar into her coffee.
“The best defense is a good offense. The government would love to nail him to a wall. If we can help them do that, I doubt he’d have time for you. Actually, if we can simply distract Bagger with a government investigation, that may be enough to keep you safe.”
Annabelle looked uncertain. “You don’t know Jerry. He has forty million reasons to devote every second of the remainder of his life to killing me.”
Stone nodded knowingly. “I do know Jerry, at least men like him. It’s not just about the money, of course. It’s about loss of face, of respect. He has to seem invincible to everyone. Otherwise he’s not Jerry Bagger.”
“You sized him up right away.”
“As I said, I’ve known many men like Bagger, even worked for some.”
She said cautiously, “So if we
were
going to go after Jerry how would we do it?”
“We have to find where he’s vulnerable. There’s the point of least resistance, of course. He killed three people in Portugal and put a fourth in a coma. If we can pin that on him he goes away forever.”
“I know he did it, but I have no proof. And if I go to the cops, I’ll have to explain everything, and then I don’t think they’ll be waiting to hand me a medal.”
“Or you could give your share of the money back to Bagger and hope that’s enough.”
“I earned that money, every last cent of it. And like you said, it’s not about the money. He’d still want to kill me.”
“But if we can tie Bagger to these crimes without you having to give testimony or being involved at all?”
“Well, that would just solve all my problems, wouldn’t it? Only I don’t quite see how that can work.”
“That’s for us to figure out.” Stone was about to say something else when his cell phone rang. It was Alex Ford and his voice was strained.
“Oliver, did you see Carter Gray last night?”
“Yes, I did.”
“What time did you get there and what time did you leave?”
Stone told him. “I’m sure the driver can verify that. What’s this all about?”
“I can’t believe you haven’t heard.”
“Heard what?”
“Somebody blew up Carter Gray’s house last night, with him in it. I know this is going to be awkward, but I think the FBI will want to talk to you about your meeting with Gray.”
Stone clicked off.
The FBI will want to talk to me. About Gray.
Annabelle said sharply, “Trouble?”
“A little,” he said slowly as his thoughts raced ahead. “Maybe more than a little, actually.”
She tapped her coffee cup against his. “Welcome to the club.”
CHAPTER 16
O LIVER S TONE STARED at the wall opposite him while the two thirty-something men in shirtsleeves with their guns and badges hanging on
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