Viper

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by Unknown


  Finally, there was a message from Howie. He and Annie planned to swing by tomorrow afternoon with a present for Zack. Who the hell was Annie? Then Jack remembered. It was the woman his buddy had saved from muggers in an alleyway – and been stabbed in the ass for his troubles. He was glad to see the big guy’s heroics were being repaid in TLC.

  Jack stopped at a sports shop on one of the main shopping drags through the terminal and found the very specific present he wanted for Zack. He picked up perfume for Nancy – Dior’s Forever And Ever – followed by a magnum of champagne and a heavy slab of Belgian chocolate for her mother and father. Thank God for airport shopping.

  As he filed through Customs he remembered that this was the airport he’d so famously collapsed in, burned out from overwork and the stress of hunting the Black River Killer. That was all a thing of the past now. Another lifetime ago. He’d bounced back and built a new career for himself. Had a wonderful new home in a new country. And to top it all, it was Christmas.

  Zack flew at him as he came through the doors into Arrivals. ‘Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!’

  Within a second he was holding his son. Kissing the soft sweet skin of his face. ‘How you doing, buddy? I swear you’ve grown up even more while I’ve been away.’

  Zack clung to his neck, arms wrapped around his father like he was never going to let go.

  ‘Man, you’re getting heavy.’

  And then – there was Nancy.

  Even more beautiful than he’d remembered.

  ‘Hello, sweetheart. Boy, have I missed you.’

  ‘Me too, honey.’ She squeezed herself into the family embrace – what Zack called ‘a three hug’.

  She smelled amazing. Fresh. Special. Exciting. Smelled like the love of his life.

  For a minute they just stood there and held each other. A homecoming scene being repeated all around them. Finally they broke for air, laughed and walked to the car.

  ‘It’s nearly Christmas, Daddy. Santa’s on his way, Gramps said so. Do you think he’ll remember my glove and bat, Daddy? Do you?’

  Jack covertly passed the plastic sports bag to Nancy and lifted his son on to his shoulders. ‘Have you been good? If you’ve been good, then I think it’s a dead cert that he’ll have remembered.’

  Zack kissed the top of his father’s head and sat up tall on his shoulders.

  Innocent days.

  Precious days.

  Jack was determined to make the most of them.

  Permissions Credits

  Lyrics from That’s Amore by Warren and Brooks

  That’s Amore

  Written by Warren & Brooks

  Copyright © Four Jays Music Publishing Co., 1953

  Peermusic (UK) Ltd

  Used by permission

  That’s Amore

  Lyrics by Jack Brooks

  Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Four Jays Music, 1953

  All rights administered on behalf of Sony/ATV Music Publishing

  All rights reserved. Used by permission

  Lyrics from Per Amore by Mariella Nava

  Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologizes for any errors or omissions and would be grateful to be notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future editions of this book.

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  About the Author

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  La Baia di Napoli (Bay of Naples)

  Prologue

  La Baia di Napoli

  Viper

  ONE Five years later

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  TWO Three days later

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  29

  30

  31

  32

  33

  34

  35

  36

  37

  38

  THREE

  39

  40

  41

  42

  43

  44

  45

  46

  47

  48

  49

  50

  51

  52

  53

  FOUR

  54

  55

  56

  57

  58

  59

  60

  61

  62

  63

  64

  65

  66

  67

  68

  69

  70

  71

  72

  73

  74

  75

  76

  77

  78

  79

  80

  81

  82

  83

  84

  85

  FIVE

  86

  87

  88

  89

  90

  91

  92

  93

  94

  SIX December 22nd

  95

  96

  97

  98

  99

  100

  101

  102

  103

  104

  105

  106

  107

  108

  Epilogue

  December 23rd JFK airport, New York City

  Permissions Credits

 

 

 


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