Deadlock by Robert Liparulo Read Free Book Online Page A

journalist.”
    â€œHutchinson?” Page shook his head. “Dog with a bone.”
    â€œEventually the bone splinters.” Ian rocked back in his chair.
    Page said, “Guy’s only been a nuisance until now. But if he’s talking to Nichols . . .”
    â€œHe won’t be . . . not anymore.”
    â€œI mean, if he’s making this kind of contact, he’s wormed his way in. It’s only a matter of time before he’s calling his big-media friends and the feds to show them what he’s found.”
    Ian pressed his lips together, thinking. “Journalists don’t mean anything, Brendan. You know that. Witnesses are one thing. Employees with loose lips an even bigger thing. But the media sniffing around . . .” He pulled on his mustache. “Part of the territory.”
    â€œHutchinson is a witness,” Page reminded his friend.
    â€œOf Declan’s lunacy, not yours .” Ian smiled. “None of his suspicions was corroborated. That case is closed. He’s nothing.”
    Page smoothed his hair back, thinking.
    â€œIf anything,” Ian added, “slip him some cash.”
    â€œNot this guy. He thinks he’s on a crusade for justice.”
    â€œSo what are you thinking, take him out?”
    Page nodded slowly.
    â€œMight not be such a good idea,” Ian said. “Not on the heels of this whole Nichols thing. Besides, who doesn’t know he’s got you in his sights? You’re the first person they’ll suspect.”
    Page sighed. Ian was right. The way they’d handled Nichols was a bit of overkill. Reckless. He had simply been too eager to put his men through the paces, to give them the experience they needed and take care of a potentially devastating problem at the same time. He thought again of the methamphetamine cook sampling his own brew. It was never if he was going to OD, but when .
    â€œLook,” Ian said, “we counsel clients about this sort of thing every day. What’s the objective?”
    Page opened his hands. “Get him off my back. Shut him up.”
    â€œHe wants to put you away, and you don’t want to be put away.” Ian pushed himself up in his chair and crossed his legs. “You have a conflict. What are the tenets of conflict resolution?”
    Page smiled at his friend’s analytical approach. “Diplomacy. Threat.
    Use of force.”
    â€œWell,” Ian said, “it’s clear your asking him to go away won’t work. And you don’t think he can be bought off.”
    Page shook his head.
    Ian raised his bushy eyebrows. “Why jump right to use of force, especially when it could cause the equivalent of an international uproar, maybe retaliation?”
    â€œIn this case, from the media, the authorities,” Page agreed. “But, Ian—guy like Hutch, he doesn’t scare easily.”
    â€œNeither does Iran or North Korea,” Ian said. “You have to find out what he cares about more than he cares about putting you away. You’ve done your homework; I can’t imagine you don’t already know the answer. The next step is figuring out how to deliver the message. How loud do you have to yell? Sometimes all the U.S. has to do is send a secretary of state. . . .”
    â€œAnd sometimes they have to position a fleet of destroyers and aircraft carriers off the coast,” Page said.
    â€œLet ’im know you’re serious. And have the means and willingness to back up your threats.”
    â€œIan, I knew there was a reason I keep you around.” Page hefted himself off the couch. “Get a couple teams ready. Put . . . ah, what’s his name, Mitch? Daniel?”
    â€œMichael,” Ian said. “I don’t think . . .”
    â€œRight back on the horse, Ian,” Page said. “Don’t start talking like Nichols, now.”
    â€œYou know me better than that.”
    â€œOkay then.” Page walked to the door.