Read Online The Rapture: In The Twinkling Of An Eye by Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins - Free Book Online Page A

and waved at with flowers by schoolchildren in yet another parade in his honor. That made it all the more surreal when Leon’s cell phone chirped and the president himself was on the other end.
    Leon had to admit it was disconcerting that the angrier Vasile grew, the more calmly and directly he spoke. “I am not a happy man, Mr. Fortunato. You must understand that, despite your efforts and the wishes of Nicolae Carpathia, I remain president of this republic and have access to more power than you can imagine.”
    If he only knew the power to which Carpathia and I have access! “And you are threatening me why?” Leon said.
    “Because someone came nosing around my grandchildren, and I will not have that.”
    “Nosing around?”
    “Do not play ignorant with me, sir. You predicted the same if I did not comply with your boss’s ridiculous deadline.”
    “Which fast approaches.”
    “And if I tell you what you can do with your implications and threats?”
    “I believe you know the answer to that, Gheorghe. You may find in office your number-two man—perhaps you prefer over Dr. Carpathia—but you will be vilified and ruined in the process. Your scandalous dealings will be made known all over the world. Whatever legacy you think you have nurtured will be seen for the sham that it is, much like the fiction I am watching on TV even as we speak. And for the record, I know nothing of any ‘nosing around’ your grandchildren, as you put it.”
    “Is that so?”
    “What reason would I have for lying about that? If it was true, it seems I would be eager to take credit for it, would I not?”
    “You’re telling me you know nothing about someone contacting my grandchildren’s driver and bodyguard and offering him four thousand U.S. dollars for information regarding their itinerary?”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “You heard me. The equivalent of fifty thousand of our old lei.”
    Four thousand U.S. dollars? Is Vasile testing me, or did Stefan try to pull something after all? Maybe Teodor pocketed half of it and gave the other half to his superior to prove his innocence?
    “1 repeat, Mr. President: I know absolutely nothing of that. But let me tell you this: If I do not have your decision—the only one we will accept—by midnight tonight, I merely inform my superior and a series of events is set in motion that will make you wish you had committed suicide.”
    And as Gheorghe Vasile sputtered and protested and tried to bluster, Leon slapped his cell phone shut, reopened it, and dialed.
    “Matei?” he said. “A job for you.” He gave the man descriptions and addresses for Stefan Marin’s mother and girlfriend. “The old woman must disappear, never to be seen again. And the young woman must be incapacitated to the point that Stefan has to take care of her for several months.”
    “Got it.”
    “And one more thing: if you do not hear from me by midnight, here is the location of a structure that must be torched, the livestock not allowed to escape, and security immobilized. Understood?” “Understood.”
    During a tense meal, with Rayford clearly trying to keep the subject off what Raymie and Irene wanted to talk about, Irene urged her son to accede to his dad’s wishes and spend even more time with him watching sports on TV.
    “But no more church talk tonight,” Rayford said. “Fair enough?”
    “Rayford!” Irene said.
    “Well, I got both barrels today, and I don’t think it’s right that you’re filling his head with all this at his age.”
    “Okay! All right! Stop. Raymie, let me talk with your father about this. You stick to talking sports for a while.”
    Raymie shrugged, and Irene glared at Rayford until he looked away.
    Once Rayford and Raymie were camped out in front of the television, Irene suddenly felt alone. And lonely. She missed her daughter. They had not spoken much since Chloe went off to Stanford. Irene was determined not to let the barrier between them rise any higher. She called Chloe’s