04 The Edge of Darkness by Tim Lahaye Read Free Book Online Page B

number.”
    “What did you do?”
    “I just watched and thought they were all crazy. I thought it was some type of trick. Now that I’m older and have a lot more experience with ancient gods and pagan worship, I think that some of the things are fake and some of them may be real.”
    “Well, I can’t ignore it, Michael. My people are beginning to ask questions and more and more of them are starting to go to the meetings. I would like to nip this in the bud if possible. Faith healing, table tipping … it’s all very disturbing.”
    Roseanne came by with coffee and overheard. “Did you say table tipping? At this table, you should tip twenty percent. At least.”
    Even Bob had to smile a little. Nope, there was nobody quite like Roseanne.

ELEVEN
    EUGENE SIMPSON PACKED the last piece of luggage into the trunk. He closed the lid of the ebony Mercedes and used his coat sleeve to polish off his fingerprints. He wanted everything to look perfect. His boss was a real stickler for details and hated to ride in a car that was the least bit dirty.
    Simpson had a primo job as driver for Shane Barrington, one of the richest and most powerful men in the world. It paid extremely well and he did not want to lose it. He snapped to attention and opened the door when Barrington came down from his penthouse.
    The huge athletic frame of his boss was imposing, to say the least. That, along with his high cheekbones, thin lips, and flint-gray eyessent chills down Simpson’s spine. He knew that his employer did not appreciate small talk and had zero tolerance for weakness of any kind.
    “Where would you like to go, Mr. Barrington?”
    “To the airport, Eugene.”
    A half hour later, Simpson parked the Mercedes next to a Gulfstream IV jet owned by Barrington Communications. He unloaded the luggage and put it on board.
    “Eugene, I’ll be back on Thursday. I don’t know what time. Call the airport for our time of arrival.”
    “Yes, sir. I’ll be here.”
    Simpson let out a long sigh as he watched the Gulfstream taxi down the runway and take off.
    The flight to Zurich gave Barrington time to think. Maybe too much time. His mind began to drift back to Stephanie. He hadn’t thought that he would miss her as much as he did. He laid his head back on the leather seat, closed his eyes, and tried to sleep. But sleep would not come.
    Instead, he kept reliving that day. His assistant Melissa had come running into his office.
    “Mr. Barrington, Mr. Barrington, did you see the latest news flash?”
    “What are you talking about, Melissa?”
    “Look, I’ll turn on the news.
”
    “This is Mark Hadley reporting for BNN. I am standing outside of the apartment building of Stephanie Kovacs, a former investigative reporter for Barrington Communications and Network News. Our information is sketchy at this time, but initial reports indicate that her throat was slit early this morning by an unknown assailant.”
    Barrington gritted his teeth. He knew it was Talon that had killed her, and that the order came from the Seven. His stomach tightened with raw hatred and a longing for revenge. But just how would he be able to do it?
    He was jarred back to reality when the plane hit some turbulence.
    The Seven were so powerful that Barrington wasn’t sure if he could ever avenge Stephanie’s death. But he desperately longed to see all seven of them with their throats slit, to watch them die in the same way they had murdered Stephanie.
    The twisting mountain road into the Alps was wet with a fresh ram. The gray and overcast sky mirrored Barrington’s mood.
    Why do they always have to send that creepy, sallow-skinned chauffeur without a tongue to pick me up? Oh well, at least I don’t have to listen to some idle chatter
.
    The closer he got to the castle, the more apprehensive he felt.
    Come on, Barrington. Get it together. Never let your opponent know that you are afraid. Remember what General Patton said:
Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.
    As the