Dead Edge: the gripping political thriller for fans of Lee Child. Jack Ford

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СКАЧАТЬ Feet up and grinning. ‘Don’t look at me, Coop. Never liked the stuff myself. Too gassy.’

      ‘Is that a fact?’

      ‘Sure is.’

      ‘Straight up?’

      ‘Straight up, Coop.’

      Cooper grinned. ‘Let me tell you some…’

      ‘Well if it isn’t Thomas J Cooper, returning from the dead – though to look at you the jury’s still out on that one.’ With Levi’s conversation cut short, Cooper turned towards the sound of the thunderous voice. Not that he had to look. This was Austin Rosedale Young. ‘I heard you were back. But I say, for how long? How long till you run off this time, boy? Come on, Thomas, why don’t you save us all the trouble and turn your sorry ass round and go back to wherever and whatever you’ve been doing? What do ya say, sugar?’

      His strong Texan accent filled the small room but Cooper said nothing. Just stared. Stared at the figure dressed head to toe in denim, refusing to let Rosedale get to him like he’d let him get to him before.

      ‘You lost your tongue, boy? Come on, Thomas, I’ll pack your bags for you now.’

      Since his military days, Rosedale had always been Cooper’s nemesis, though in fairness to Rosedale when they’d been in the chaos of the DRC last year, in the depths of the rain-soaked forests amongst pain, murder and witchcraft, Rosedale had come through for him. Stopped him falling off that edge he was so often on. They’d found an understanding. A friendship? Perhaps… Maybe then. But now? Never.

      He’d seen Rosedale a few times since the DRC investigation. They’d been fishing. The three of them. Levi, Rosedale and Cooper, putting the world to rights amongst the lakes of Michigan. But he’d been struggling to hold it together. And Rosedale had struggled not to be his obnoxious self. But that had been then. And now? Welcome home.

      Standing his six-foot-five frame, with an additional two inches of cowboy boot, in the kitchen doorway and chewing on the oversized, unlit cigar in his mouth, with a delighted look in his eyes and a wind-tanned face and his previously dyed black hair now brown, Rosedale winked.

      ‘Get off my back. And if it’s alright with you, I’d like to pass…’ Cooper said.

      ‘Pass on what, sugar?’

      Cooper blew out his cheeks. Felt the packet of pills in his pocket. Felt his temper rise. Felt his fists tighten. Untighten. ‘Just get out of my way. What’s your problem?’

      Austin Rosedale Young, a one-time American sniper, a one-time fellow SEAL, a one-time CIA clandestine agent and now a fellow employee of Onyx, leant towards Cooper. ‘My problem, Thomas, is that despite your promises to stop doing crazy, you’re still doing the pills – and don’t try to deny it, you’re a campaign boy for opioids. A pharmaceutical company’s dream and, as such, you’re a liability to us and this job.’

      ‘I told you before. I’m clean.’

      ‘I know you did, and I told you before… bullshit. But I tell you what, why don’t we put this baby to rest once and for all? You turn out those pants pockets of yours and prove me wrong, ’cos we all know you’d like to do that… Well?’

      ‘Go to hell.’

      ‘What’s the problem, Thomas? You got something to hide?’

      ‘When I have to answer to you, let me know.’

      ‘Maybe not me, but what about to your daughter? Don’t you think you should be answering to Cora? Telling her why Daddy is never around?’

      Cooper stood back. Two steps. Made it three. Tilted his head. Straightened it up. Shook it a little. Shook it again. ‘What the hell has my daughter got to do with you?’

      ‘Well, someone has to look out for her.’

      Cooper opened his arms. Wide. Bemused. Hell, no, he was pissed. And big time. ‘Am I missing something here? Have I suddenly stepped into the wrong life? The life which has you in it. Which has Austin Rosedale Young telling me about my own kid. Now that is crazy. And if I didn’t know better I’d say you had a dog in the fight.’

      Rosedale flicked up his cowboy hat and leant to the side and crossed one foot over the other and smiled and winked and said, ‘No dog, Thomas. Just telling it how it is. Let’s call it concern.’

      ‘What’s going on?’

      Maddie stood behind Rosedale, who immediately stepped aside for her to pass. Her brown hair tumbled over her brown face which held her brown freckles and hid her brown eyes.

      ‘Well? Levi, you want to tell me what’s going on?’

      ‘Can a man not sit here and have a Mountain Dew without interruption?’

      In his ear, Cooper said, ‘I knew it.’

      Throwing her Tiger Anderson rifle on the table, Maddie turned to Cooper. ‘Is this funny to you, Tom? Because I don’t think there’s anything funny about you and Rosedale at each other’s throats. We’re supposed to be a team.’

      He sniffed. Irritated. Trying to hold onto the last drops of patience. ‘Rosedale thinks it’s okay for him to tell me about Cora.’

      Maddie gave a small smile to Rosedale. ‘Well, somebody needs to tell you. Our daughter needs better, and the thing is, you know it.’

      Cooper didn’t have to look in a mirror to know he’d turned red. Red like the desert paintbrush plants which grew high up in the Colorado Mountains by Little Bear Rock.

      ‘Maddie, I don’t think this is appropriate to do this here.’

      ‘Don’t you? And why would that be, Tom?’

      ‘I know you’re pissed with me and I’m sorry I’ve hurt you, but doing this is not okay. So I’m asking you to stop because everyone in this Goddamn place seems to have lost their minds – but especially you, Maddison.’

      ‘Don’t speak to her like that.’

      Cooper whipped round quick. ‘Rosedale, keep out of it.’

      ‘The hell I will, Thomas.’

      The touch on Rosedale’s arm from Maddie didn’t go unnoticed by Cooper.

      ‘It’s okay, Rosedale.’

      ‘You sure?’

      Cooper said, ‘Yeah, she’s sure. My wife is sure.’

      At which point, Dax Granger prowled past the open doorway like the solitary lynx, not bothering to turn to look, not bothering to stop, just growling his orders as he disappeared down the hallway. ‘All of you. In my office… Now. And that means you too, Levi.’

19

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      The four of them stood in Granger’s office, reminding Cooper of СКАЧАТЬ