The Book of the Lion Read Online Free PDF Page B

Day.”
    Hallkyn realized that the entire lobby was, at this moment, occupied by Spanner’s operatives. The five all seemed very different at first. Hanlon was at least fifty, with gray hair and the build of an old football coach. Stokes and Garner were shorter, one light-skinned with reddish hair, and the other black. The two women were about thirty and both slim but unremarkable looking. Then the five began to seem alike to Hallkyn. They all had the eyes of police officers—patient and observant, but not optimistic, as though they expected everyone they met to do something disappointing very soon.
    Hallkyn made a point of going to each one and shaking hands, not only because he knew it would help him remember their faces, but also because of a sudden urge to prove to them that they were wrong about him. He saw that it didn’t change their opinion of him. The eyes were still on him, waiting for the inevitable disappointment, and it occurred to him that everybody probably tried to persuade them of his innocence.
    Spanner said, “Come out with us,” and headed for the door.
    Hallkyn hurried to catch up with him, and in a moment they were through the circular door out on Boylston Street. As they walked, Hallkyn looked over his shoulder, wondering if all of them would be walking along Boylston Street like a parade. He was instead mystified by the fact that the others had already faded into the landscape. The two women were walking along talking animatedly to each other, both now unaccountably equipped with shopping bags from nearby stores. They stopped to look in a shop window. Hanlon was lumbering along by himself twenty feet ahead of them. Garner and Stokes came last, and it was difficult to tell whether they were together, much less that they had anything to do with the others. Garner was talking on a cell phone, and Stokes seemed to be looking for a cab.
    Hallkyn asked Spanner, “Are they police?”
    â€œNot at the moment. They all have been, of one sort or another. Now they work for a security corporation. They’ve all handled kidnappings and ransom exchanges, mostly in other countries. That’s one of their specialties.”
    They walked two blocks before Spanner said, “Up here at number 800 is the Prudential Center parking garage. The Escalade is parked there.”
    They entered the lobby of the building and took an elevator down to the second level. When they got out, the Escalade was in front of them. “An ungainly, ugly car,” Spanner said. “But it’s all yours for a day.”
    As they walked closer, the others of their party arrived. Mr. Hanlon began the tour. He opened the back door. “Here are the boxes. The suspect probably won’t keep the Escalade because he’ll expect that it’s bugged, wired, and packed with transponders so he can be located. He’ll dump it. The only thing we can be sure he won’t dump is the money.”
    â€œWait,” said Hallkyn. “You’re planning to follow me?”
    Hanlon looked at Spanner.
    Spanner said, “Of course.”
    Hallkyn felt desperate. “But if he sees he’s being followed, he’ll destroy the manuscript.”
    Hanlon said, “We’re fairly certain that this man is not going to be there himself. He’ll have an accomplice drive the car. He’ll be someplace safe, far away. But you’re right. If his co-conspirator doesn’t perform some prearranged signal at a certain time, he may very well destroy the property. We’ll be sure to stay out of sight, and we have no plan to interfere with the co-conspirator’s actions.”
    â€œWhat is the plan, then?”
    â€œTo find out where the accomplice takes the money,” Hanlon said. “We expect that the money will be moved to a second vehicle, and probably this man is smart enough to leave the boxes in the Cadillac and take the money in some other method of containment. And that is