Dead Wrong (A Cal Murphy Thriller Book 7) Jack Patterson (good beach reads .txt) 📖

points would be a more accurate description.”

“Oh?”

“You’re too humble, sir. You practically gave me this deal on a silver platter—especially after you clued me in about catching the operative who was working for the Orlando Magic a few days ago. That was all the leverage I needed to make the deal happen.”

“I can’t wait until we announce it. Everyone is going to be as happy as a fiancé!”

“A fiancé?”

“Just an expression from the Motherland.”

“Well, we’re hoping everyone is happy.”

“Good. And my plane?”

“It’ll be ready to pick you up at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow in time for you to make tipoff tomorrow night. Hutton will be joining you if all goes well.”

“Excellent. I can’t wait to share my expectations with him.”

Hough laughed. “Go easy on him, okay? He’s not invincible.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be charming as usual.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Gavin laughed. “Just make it happen.” He paused. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go. Someone keeps trying to beep in on my line.”

He switched lines.

“What is it?” Gavin growled.

“Things didn’t turn out as planned,” the man said.

“Sounds like you have some unfinished business to attend to,” Gavin snapped. Then he paused. “Don’t make me finish it for you.”

CHAPTER 28

CAL AND KELLY AWOKE in Los Angeles on Friday morning to the buzz of a cell phone. Instead of enjoying some of the California sun and city life, they decided to sleep in. But Cal’s editor wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Cal Murphy,” Cal said as he answered his phone.

“I heard you had some trouble with the plane last night,” Hale said. “Did you make it to L.A. okay?”

“Yeah, we made it. But we would’ve preferred to sleep in past six-thirty here.”

“We can’t always get what we want.”

“Is there something you want?” Cal grumbled.

“I want to know if you’ve got a story for me about what happened last night. We need something like that up on the blog.”

Cal sighed. “Look. It’s not what you think. Last night was difficult for us.”

“Oh? How so?”

“We were abducted and threatened at gun point.”

“Cal, do you just sit around all day thinking of random stories to impress me with? Or is this some kind of game to see how gullible I am?”

“I swear it’s true. Some guy led us into the desert and pitched my phone into the dark while we were stranded in godforsaken Ajo. And when I went after it, two gunmen confronted us. And if it hadn’t been for someone who stopped them, you wouldn’t be talking to me right now.”

“You really expect me to believe that?” Hale huffed. “You’ve got a fanciful imagination.”

“I’m not making this up. It’s the truth.”

Hale laughed. “If only you could tell real stories as well as the ones you invent.”

Cal hung up, unwilling to listen to any Hale’s ramblings. He rolled over and looked at Kelly.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Hale—he’s being unreasonable.”

Cal’s phone buzzed again. It was Hale.

“What do you want now?” Cal said as he answered.

“I wanna know the truth. What really happened?” Hale snapped.

“I told you what happened. But if you don’t believe me, talk to Kelly.”

He handed the phone to Kelly, who proceeded to recount the previous evenings details.

Hale took a deep breath. “Hand the phone back to Cal.” She complied.

“Now do you believe me?” Cal asked.

“Maybe I’m convinced. What else did you learn?”

“Not much. I’m going to talk with one of my contacts at the FBI and see what I can find about these guys from a description I give him.”

“Keep me posted,” Hale said. “And Cal?”

“Yeah?”

“Try to stay outta trouble, okay?”

Cal growled and hung up the phone. “If only I could.”

He began dialing Tom Corliss, his contact at the F.B.I.

“What are you doing?” Kelly asked.

“Maybe Corliss can tell us what we need to know.”

After a few rings, Corliss answered. “Cal Murphy—to what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Pleasure isn’t exactly the word I would use.”

Corliss laughed. “So, I guess the better question is: What have you got yourself into this time?”

“Let’s just say I got into an altercation with a few guys last night that I believe to be members of the Russian mafia.”

“Bratva?”

“I think that’s what I was told.”

“What in the world, Cal? What are doing with those guys?”

“Well, I’m not sure, but I was hoping you could verify that’s who they are for me.”

“And how am I going to do that?”

“I took pictures of their tattoos and I got their fingerprints on an app for my phone.”

“You got their fingerprints?”

“Yep.”

“I don’t even wanna know how.”

“You sure don’t.” Cal paused. “Just check them out for me, okay? I’m sending them to you now along with pictures of their tats.”

***

TWENTY MINUTES LATER, Cal’s phone buzzed with a call from Corliss.

“Got your results,” Corliss said.

“And?”

“You were right. Russian Mafia—the Bratva, to be exact.”

“Great.”

“What do you need from me right now?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Cal, these people are dangerous.”

“I know. But I’m trying to figure out a way to pin down who put them up to this—and any F.B.I. involvement could impede that.”

“Not having my help could also cost you your life.”

“We’ll be fine, okay? We’re smart. We know how to navigate something like this.”

“Oh, so Kelly is with you, too?”

“Yeah.”

“What about your daughter? Who’s watching over her?”

“Kelly’s mother. We’re good. Trust me.”

Corliss sighed. “I’m not happy about this, Cal. These guys are dangerous. They’ve got limitless resources and can surprise you. I can’t tell you how many agents we’ve lost at the hands of the Bratva.”

“Well, let’s make sure you don’t lose any more, okay?”

Cal hung up and turned toward Kelly.

“How bad is it?” she asked.

“It’s not good.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

Cal shook his head. “We’re going to have plenty of challenges.”

“Did you turn down his offer to help?”

“We’ve got this, Kelly. Trust me.”

“The last time I trusted you, I almost ended up dead in my own home.”

“This is different. We’re together now.”

“You’re too naïve, Cal.”

“No, we’re going to be just fine. I’ve got a plan.”

“You’ve always got a plan.”

“But not like this. This plan is going to help us not only