“Montana,” Storm said.
“No matter. Are you going to go back off the grid or are you going to do what you do best?”
Storm rose from his chair. “Right now, I’m going to take some time off.”
“Take as long as you want,” Jones said, opening his desk and removing an envelope. “This will help.” He slid over the package and Storm picked it up, knowing that it contained hundred-dollar bills.
Storm removed the wristwatch that Jones had given him and put it on his desk. “I won’t be needing this.”
Jones said, “I’ll keep it for next time. There’s a rental car parked outside.” He handed Storm a set of keys.
“Is it bugged?” Storm asked.
“You figure it out.” He stood and extended his hand.
As the two men shook, Jones said, “Agent Showers will be flying in tomorrow. I understand she will be placed on a mandatory one-month medical leave of absence. She’ll have time on her hands, just like you.”
Storm found the rental parked outside. Jones had splurged. It was a cherry red Corvette ZR1, a $110,000-plus convertible with a 638 horsepower, supercharged V-8, the fastest production car ever made by General Motors. It was not the type of car that passed unnoticed — the suburban-friendly vehicles that Jones insisted that his operatives drive.
Storm fired up its engine and enjoyed the loud muffler growl as he exited the CIA en route to the George Washington Parkway. His private cell phone rang.
“Hello?”
It was Showers calling from Germany.
“I need a lift from the airport tomorrow?” she asked.
“I’ll check my schedule,” he said.
“I’m expecting more than a ride?”
“Like what?”
“Dinner.”
“No cookies in Germany?”
“Just be on time.” She hung up.
He turned into one of the scenic overlooks on the parkway and look down at the Potomac River. He searched his cell phone until he found what he wanted. When he had been in London in the parking garage, he’d sent Jedidiah Jones the coordinates for the gold. He’d also sent a backup copy to his own private phone.
Jedidiah Jones was not the only one who knew where the sixty billion in bullion was stashed.
His phone rang again.
“Listen,” Showers said in a serious voice, “I really do want you to show up tomorrow at the airport. I’ll pay for dinner if you want. Just don’t go AWOL on me.”
“The last time we met, you stuck me with the bill,” he said.
“Trust me, it will be worth your while. See you tomorrow, and don’t worry, you’re not my boyfriend.”
“And you’re not my girlfriend,” he said. “But I have a question. You got some time off coming, right?”
“They’re forcing me to take a month off.”
“I’m thinking about going on a trip.”
“Where in the world are you going now?”
“Mountain climbing.”
The End
About the Author
Richard Castle is the author of numerous bestsellers, including Heat Wave, Naked Heat, Heat Rises, and the critically acclaimed Derrick Storm series. Castle currently lives in Manhattan with his daughter and mother, both of whom infuse his life with humor and inspiration.