Full Black (52 page)

It hadn’t been that long ago, but it seemed like a lifetime. So much had happened since. So much had changed.

Couples passed by on the sidewalk. They seemed oblivious to his presence, too wrapped up in each other to even notice him. Harvath shook his head and moved on.

He wondered where he was going and why the Old Man had transmitted the address through the Israeli.

Entering the Sixth Arrondissement, he conducted another round of SDRs. Finally, he arrived at the address.

He stood outside looking up at the limestone façade of the building with its black, wrought-iron balconettes. The ground floor consisted of a patisserie and a wine shop separated by a security door that likely provided entrance to the dwellings above.

Harvath studied the note again. There wasn’t any name, just the address.

As he removed his cell phone to call the Old Man, it vibrated with a text message. Harvath clicked on it. It was from Carlton. All it said was Ring #7.

Harvath approached the buzzers. Number 7 was listed under the name Bonduelle. He pressed the button.

Moments later the door clicked open.

Harvath stepped into the eighteenth-century lobby. A gilded, cage-style elevator was surrounded by a stained marble staircase.

Not a fan of tiny elevators, Harvath opted for the stairs and began climbing.

Stepping onto the landing, he found the light switch timer and depressed it to give him enough light to navigate the hallway.

As he walked past the old, scarred doors, he wondered what his next assignment would be.

The sounds of French programming could be heard from each apartment he passed until he reached number 7. From behind the large, wooden door, he could hear music playing. It sounded like Pavarotti.

Reaching out, he twisted the brass handle, which rang the bell inside, and then he waited.

The music turned down. There was the sound of footfalls approaching the door and then a pause as someone gazed out the peephole.

The metal clacking of an old lock sounded and the old door creaked as it was slowly pulled open.

Inside stood a woman in jeans and a white button-down shirt. Her reddish-brown hair fell past her shoulders. Even in the half-light of the hall, her blue eyes shone. Harvath was taken completely by surprise.

Her lips spread into a smile. “Hello, Scot,” she said softly.

He was about to lean forward and kiss her, when he noticed movement at the stairs.

“Gun!” he yelled, and knocked Riley Turner back into the apartment just as a hail of bullets splintered the door frame.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

W
riting the acknowledgments is always enjoyable, as it means the book is finished and I get to thank all the people who made it possible. For me, the most important people to thank are you, the readers. Whether you have been with me from The Lions of Lucerne, are brand-new to my novels, or fall somewhere in between, I thank you for your support.

If you haven’t been to the reader forum at BradThor.com, I strongly encourage you to come by and visit. We have a lot of fun, and to that end, I want to thank all of the forum members, as well as the best forum moderators the Internet has ever known.

My thanks also go out to all of the fantastic booksellers around the world who continue to turn so many people on to my work.

The idea for this novel was a continuation of an idea developed during time spent with my good friend Barrett Moore. Semper paratus, and thank you for all the continued help.

James Ryan, Ronald Moore, Sean Fischer, and Rodney Cox—all great friends—were once again indispensable to my writing. Been-there-done-that-and-have-got-the-empty-shell-casings-to-prove-it doesn’t even begin to sum up the knowledge I am able to tap with these gentlemen. Thank you.

I also want to thank my good friends Scott F. Hill, PhD, and Steve Tuttle for all of their help with the novel as well.

There were several additional people who also contributed, but asked that their names not be used. Each of you knows how much I appreciate not only what you have done for me, but what you continue to do for our country. Thank you.

A novel’s success is directly proportional to the quality of the people on its team, and I am lucky enough to be working with some of the absolute best. My thanks to everyone at Atria and Pocket Books, including: my exceptional editor, Emily Bestler; my wonderful publishers, Carolyn Reidy, Judith Curr, and Louise Burke; my fantastic publicist, David Brown; the terrific Atria/Pocket sales staff, art, and production departments, and audio division, as well as the incomparable Michael Selleck, Kate Cetrulo, Sarah Branham, Irene Lipsky, Ariele Fredman, and Lisa Keim.

I also wish to thank my remarkable literary agent, Heide Lange, of Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, Inc., as well as the unparalleled Jennifer Linnan and Rachael Dillon Fried for all that they do for me.

In Hollywood, my outstanding entertainment attorney, Scott Schwimer, continues not only to be my guide, but also my very good friend. Thanks, Scottie.

I always save the best thank-you for last. The most critical members of my team are my wonderful family. Without them, there would be no book. They are my inspiration. I love you all and am particularly indebted to my beautiful wife, Trish, who keeps the world at bay so I can write. Thank you, honey. I love you.