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b047f49
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The Men's Central Jail is an anonymous building behind Central Station, less than ten minutes from the Criminal Courts Building in downtown L.A. I parked in a neat, modern underground parking structure, then walked up steps to a very nice plaza. Nicely dressed people were sipping lattes and strolling about the plaza, and no one seemed to mind that the plaza adjoined a place housing felons and gangbangers and the wild men of an otherwise civ..
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Robert Crais |
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c0e8e0a
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LARKIN WATCHED Pike leaving, and in the moment he stepped outside, he was framed in the open door of their Echo Park house like a picture in a magazine, frozen in time and space. A big man, but not a giant. More average in size than not. With the sleeves covering his arms, and his face turned away, he seemed heartbreakingly normal, which made her love him even more. A superman risked nothing, but an average man risked everything.
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Robert Crais |
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0e04cac
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Kyle was my friend. You have to take care of your friends.
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Robert Crais |
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b0bb3fa
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There is a machine-like quality to Joe, as if he had tuned his body the way he might tune his Jeep, and, as the Jeep was perfectly tuned, so was his body. It was easy to imagine him doing a thousand pushups or running a hundred miles, as if his body were an instrument of his mind, as if his mind were a well of limitless resource and unimaginable strength. If the mind said start, the body would start. When the mind said stop, the body would ..
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Robert Crais |
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9372967
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The buzz cut and his friend came over. "You are coming with us." The buzz cut spoke the words with a careful, starched pronunciation that made me think of Arnold Schwarzenegger, only the accent was Russian. "Sez who?" I can slay 'em with these comebacks."
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Robert Crais |
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4af9c2e
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Pike closed his eyes, and filled his lungs, then pushed with his diaphragm. He breathed deep again. Pranayamic breathing from the hatha yoga. Pike lost himself in a cool forest glade, dappled by sunlight filtered through lime green leaves. When he breathed, he smelled moss and sumac. His pulse slowed. He grew calm. He centered. Pike
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Robert Crais |
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86be4a4
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She said, "Oh, Studly." I could see her smile. "The law is not about justice. You know that."
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Robert Crais |
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359dfd9
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Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.
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Robert Crais |
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26ac314
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Throughout the meal Lucy would grin with the knowledge of her secret, and I would ask, "What?" and she would say, "You'll see." Then everyone stopped looking at Johnny Depp and turned toward the door. Lucy grinned wider, and I looked, too. Joe came over, gliding across the floor as the room parted for him. Tall men in sleeveless sweatshirts and dark glasses and brilliant red tattoos tend to stand out in Spago. Even Johnny Depp was looking."
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Robert Crais |
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fd973c5
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The girl seemed even younger in sleep, and smaller, as if part of her had vanished into the couch. With her asleep, Pike believed he was seeing her Original Person. Pike believed each person created himself or herself; you built yourself from the inside out, with the tensions and will of the inside person holding the outside person together. The outside person was the face you showed the world; it was your mask, your camouflage, your messag..
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Robert Crais |
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23661c5
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to the bullet clips the same way every
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Robert Crais |
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edec82b
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fuckin
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Robert Crais |
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1c11019
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Sometimes. Sometimes you can change what's there, sometimes what's there changes you.
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Robert Crais |
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b0b261c
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Sergeant Dominick Leland was tall, thin as barbed wire, and peered at the world through a permanent scowl. A rim of steel-colored fuzz circled his mocha pate, and two fingers were missing from his left hand, lost to a monstrous Rottweiler-mastiff attack dog he fought to protect a K-9 partner. With thirty-two years on the job as a K-9 officer, Dominick Leland had served as the Platoon's Chief Trainer longer than anyone in the history of the ..
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Robert Crais |
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0c2f642
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Every second we have with these fine animals is a blessing. No creature, human or otherwise, will love you with such devotion, or trust you so fully. Remember this, Officer James. These dogs will lay their precious hearts bare to you, and hold back no part for themselves. Can anyone else in your pathetic excuse for a life say the same? Such trust is a gift from God Almighty above, so best you be worthy. Scott
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Robert Crais |
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cd0c72c
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Holman settled in, expecting her to be late. She would arrive late to establish her authority and to make sure he understood the power in this situation was hers. Holman didn't mind. He had trimmed his hair that morning, shaved twice to get a close shave, and polished his shoes. He had handwashed his clothes the night before and rented Perry's iron and ironing board for two dollars so he would appear as unthreatening as possible. Holman
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Robert Crais |
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92f66b0
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Chee was clearly mystified and impressed at the vagaries of the federal system.
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Robert Crais |
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a5233ac
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He said, "Have you heard of two bank hitters named Marchenko and Parsons?" Holman watched her stiffen and knew she was finally interested. Now she wasn't just being nice or killing time until she could jump up and run. She took off her sunglasses. He saw that the skin around her eyes had grown papery. She had changed a lot since he had last seen her, but something beyond her appearance was different that he couldn't quite place. She"
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Robert Crais |
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2a981fe
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He went out the front door. The sun was blinding after being in the dim house. He walked back to Perry's car, feeling like a boat without a rudder, trapped in a current. He had no place to go and no idea what to do.
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Robert Crais |
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1ccc352
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I know why you didn't get the money. I was wondering how much sixteen million dollars weighs." "I can tell you exactly. Bank gets hit, they tell us how many of each denomination was lost. Tally that up, you know how many bills; you have four hundred fifty-four bills in a pound, doesn't matter what denominations--just do the math. This particular sixteen million weighs eleven hundred forty-two pounds." Holman"
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Robert Crais |
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1b37ba5
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When long-term convicts were first released they often experienced a form of agoraphobia--a fear of open spaces. The prison counselors had a special name for this type of agoraphobia when they attributed it to convicts--the fear of life. Freedom gave a man choices and choices could be terrifying. Every choice was a potential failure.
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Robert Crais |
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ab9ecca
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The line went dead as I checked the mirror. The blue Dodge was back, but didn't stay long. It appeared twice more, never closer than three or four cars, and I never picked out the cars that replaced it. I wouldn't have known the Dodge was following me if they hadn't jumped the red. Jumping the red had cost them. I passed UCLA and the National Cemetery in Westwood, and reached Brentwood when Pike texted. HERE Pike, saying he was ready. 12OUT..
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Robert Crais |
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d10893a
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Pike was silent for a moment, then simply hung up. To expect more was to be disappointed. Everett's
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Robert Crais |
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f185ab7
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I opened the material I had about Amy Breslyn and studied her picture again. She didn't look like a person who would embezzle four hundred sixty thousand dollars, but people can fool you. She looked like a sad version of someone's marshmallow aunt: a kindly woman, slightly out-of-date, who wore sensible shoes and minded her own business. I
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Robert Crais |
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b727356
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the lobby pay phone, and called her. She answered on the second ring.
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Robert Crais |
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13ad5e4
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The Burbank Studios in beautiful downtown Burbank.
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Robert Crais |
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8b30262
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shoulder cast climbed
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Robert Crais |
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b62608f
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Levy introduced them to Mike Fowler's widow and four sons, Mellon's wife, and Ash's parents. All of them seemed drained, and Holman thought Fowler's wife was probably sedated. Everyone treated him politely and with respect, but Holman still felt conspicuous and out of place. He caught the others staring at him several times and--each time--he flushed, certain they were thinking, That's Holman's father, the criminal. He felt more embarrassed..
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Robert Crais |
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9150d09
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there was nothing." "Did you look for oil drips?" Cole said it just like that, without accusation, and Chen felt himself darken. "What do you mean?" "The Lake Hollywood report mentions oil drips that you found at the scene. You took samples up there and identified the oil." "Penzoil 10-40." "If the shooter's car was leaking up at the lake, it probably left drops here, too. If we found them, maybe you could prove they'd come from the same ve..
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Robert Crais |
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4865782
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Holman looked back at Chee. He said, "Remember when you offered to front me some cash? I hate to do it, man, you being so nice with the car and this phone, but I gotta go back on what I said. I need a pack." A pack was a thousand dollars. When banks wrapped used twenties, they bundled fifty bills to a pack. A thousand dollars. Chee"
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Robert Crais |
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012dc1f
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We have to look at the people who opened the case, and see how they're tied with the I-Man. Melon gave me a hint. He told me the I-Man never does anything alone, and only with people he trusts. He wasn't implying they're honest." "What"
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Robert Crais |
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e077172
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She spoke in a fast rush. "Can't talk. Meet me in forty minutes. Say where." Forty minutes. Not half an hour or an hour. Forty. Like we were Ukrainian spies. We"
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Robert Crais |
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45f814d
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Waiters and busboys flowed in and out of the kitchen, and walked on tightropes between the tables.
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Robert Crais |
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bfd17fe
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I told myself Tyson was going to pick up their laptops, but half a mile later they joined the drive-thru line at an In-N-Out Burger. Tyson. Eating was constant. Maybe he needed sustenance before they retrieved the laptops.
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Robert Crais |
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bf1c351
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Amber tried to pull away, but couldn't. "Let go! Lemme go! You can't--" I ignored her and focused on Tyson. "Is anyone here besides you and Amber?" Tyson stood mute, eyes unnaturally wide, too scared to answer. Amber thrashed pretty good."
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Robert Crais |
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a7c2cd9
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She glanced at Pike again. "He doesn't look like a detective." Pike's head moved, just enough to acknowledge he heard her. His shades were so dark, they looked like twin doors to nowhere. He considered her, but said nothing. He turned back to the peephole. Amber grinned."
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Robert Crais |
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91ecf57
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Amber was cooperative once she got on board, and Tyson was docile. We grabbed Tyson's backpack and toiletries, and Amber stuffed a few clothes and toiletries into a tote bag. I watched what they packed, and checked their bags. Amber moved quickly once she got going, and didn't whine or complain. Tyson said nothing, and avoided eye contact. I grabbed two towels from Amber's bathroom on the way out, and tossed a towel to Joe. He draped it ove..
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Robert Crais |
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35f04a6
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I watched the mirror for black sedans as we pulled away, and checked every side street as we drove to the freeway. I looked for their big black beast as we climbed the ramp, and kept looking, even after the freeway swallowed us, a buffalo joining a herd, one hiding among the many, and finally safe.
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Robert Crais |
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7c042f8
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The neighbor's dog burst into frenzied barking. Devon jumped so hard, she clutched the door. Toby was a big dog with a loud bark. He sounded right outside the window, crazy loud snarling barks like he wanted to tear something apart. The barking stopped. Devon heard a car, and a faraway truck, and birds. Then a creak from the front of the house. Her heart slammed. Devon couldn't tell if the sound came from inside the house, or out. It could ..
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Robert Crais |
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48795fb
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Tyson looked miserable as we drove to The Carl, and neither of us said much. We each had our reasons, but our reasons were different.
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Robert Crais |
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84543c5
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Deep purple moved through the blue as Pike left. Pike was creepy good at this stuff, but Pike had taken a serious risk by entering Jon's home. A cocked-and-locked Kimber .45 was only inches away, not that it had done Jon any good. Embarrassing. Jon
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Robert Crais |
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3a73759
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He took memory sticks and an external drive from his desk, and cables from the mess on the floor. Pike loaded his gear into the backpack, and we made our way toward the garage. Pike stopped when we reached the living room. "The fish." The aquarium stood on its stand, bubbling. I said, "What about them?" Tyson said, "We gotta feed them." We waited while Pike fed the fish, then followed him into the garage. The walls were lined with gray meta..
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Robert Crais |
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380a9b0
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The tears were his. Tyson had earned them.
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Robert Crais |
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32adfa9
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She asked me why I always had something flip to say. I said that I didn't know, but having been blessed with the gift, I felt obliged to use it.
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Robert Crais |