The Devil Is a Gentleman Read Online Free PDF

I shall be taking his place until we can clear up this matter.”
    “Why’s he want to take Bradley’s place?” said Gage. “Goddamn Brit. I miss the old days when you had to be an American.”
    “Do you know him?” I said.
    “I know of him,” said Gage. “That’s Hal Dorrance, the bank guy. Richer than God, or so they say. Can’t imagine God’s as interested in money as this guy, though.”
    Dorrance was stepping down from the podium, his mouth shaped into a smile as he waved to the crowd. I remembered the phone in my hand. “Ron, you still there?”
    “I’m here,” he said. He was back in the noise again. “You watch it?”
    “Yeah,” I said, “but I don’t understand.”
    “The guy you shot, Frank Bradley? He’s wanted for murder. If he’s not dead already.”
    “For the mistress, Gina?” I said.
    “Yeah, but that’s the thing,” he said. I heard a click and the background was silent again. “By the time we got there, there was nothing there. Not a trace of the girl, it was like she hadn’t even lived there. Just the smell of bleach. All her things were gone, everything. But then we get this bulletin saying Frank Bradley killed her. I don’t know, Nik. I think it’s time I gave this job up.”
    “You can’t do that,” I said. “You’re the only good one left.”
    “Any word from Eli?” he said.
    “No.”
    “Shame. I could use him on my side.”
    “So, what about the English guy?” I said, trying to change the subject.
    “What about him?”
    “Well, he’s supposed to be some sort of big-time bank CEO, right?” Gage nodded at me.
    “Right,” said Ron.
    “Well, what’s he want with Bradley’s job?”
    Ron laughed drily. “What do any of those guys want?” he said. “Everybody wants to run the world. Look, I don’t want you in this, okay? I know you’re going to want to follow up, but please don’t. I’m already catching enough shit, and we’ve got this new commissioner.”
    “Ron, I promise to stay out of trouble,” I said. “But I’m gonna need that address. I have to talk to Bradley’s wife. I think she might be in trouble.”
    “Let us handle Olivia Bradley,” said Ron.
    “You can’t protect her,” I said. “But we can. You know we can get her out. If Bradley’s still alive, he’s going to come back for her. And like I told you before, there’s things about that guy that didn’t make it into the report.”
    I heard Ron breathing for a few moments. Finally he sighed. “You didn’t get this from me, okay?”
    “Fine.”
    “Promise me one thing?”
    “Anything,” I said.
    “Stay alive, okay? Something funny about all this.”

Chapter 4

    It was dusk when we left my apartment. Gage had parked right in front of the building, and I was able to dash into the passenger seat before any of the ghosts noticed me. It seemed like there were even more of them. Gage started the car.
    “You weren’t kidding about these ghosts,” he said. “Even I can feel them.”
    “There’s more of them every day,” I said, looking out my window at them.
    “Why do you suppose they’re here?” he said. “I mean all of them, not just on your street. Why aren’t they passing on?”
    “I don’t know,” I said. “Sam keeps talking about a war. I wonder if that has something to do with it. I’ve barely left my apartment the past few weeks.”
    Bradley lived in the old part of the city, near Lancaster Avenue. “You know your way around?” I said. “You got lost going to Nora Delaney’s house that last time, remember?” I flinched slightly. The thought of the mayor with her heart ripped out still plagued my dreams.
    “Been practicing,” said Gage. “Know this city like the back of my hand now.”
    We pulled up to an obscenely large house, even by the neighborhood standards. It was bright white and clean. Even the grass seemed cleaner and shorter than the neighbors’. It was as well-cared for as a golf course. Even in the waning light it was apparent