Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben Read Free Book Online

CoreyTheWhistle.
    And, of course, the civilian deaths due to an overzealous female Army helicopter pilot?
    Yep, you guessed it.
    All those “scoops” were courtesy of Corey’s confidential whistle-blowers.
    “Maya?”
    “He can’t hurt me anymore.”
    Shane tilted his head.
    “What?”
    “Nothing.”
    “He can’t hurt me,” she said. “He already released that tape.”
    “Not all of it.”
    She took a slug of beer. “I don’t care, Shane.”
    He leaned back. “Okay.” Then: “Why do you think he didn’t?”
    “Didn’t what?”
    “Release the audio.”
    It was a question that haunted her more than Shane would ever know.
    “He’s a whistle-blower,” Shane said. “So why didn’t he air it?”
    “Don’t know.”
    Shane looked out. Maya knew that look.
    “I assume you have a theory?” she said.
    “I do.”
    “Let’s hear it.”
    “Corey has been saving it for the right time,” Shane said.
    Maya frowned.
    “First he gets the big press hit off the initial release. Then, when he needs fresh publicity, he releases the rest of it.”
    She shook her head.
    “He’s a shark,” Shane said. “You have to constantly feed a shark.”
    “Meaning?”
    “For his operation to be a success, Corey Rudzinski needs to not only take down those he believes are corrupt, but he has to do it in a way that will maximize publicity.”
    “Shane?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I don’t really care. I’m out of the military. I’m even—gasp—a widow. Let him do his worst.”
    She wondered whether Shane would buy the bravado, but then again, he didn’t know the full truth, did he?
    “Okeydokey.” Shane finished the beer. “So are you going to tell me what’s really going on?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I ran that test for you, no questions asked.”
    She nodded. “Thank you.”
    “I’m not here for gratitude, you know that.”
    She did.
    “Running that test was a violation of my oath. It was, not to put too fine a point on it, against the law. You know that, right?”
    “Let it go, Shane.”
    “Did you know Joe was in danger?”
    “Shane—”
    “Or were you the real target?”
    Maya closed her eyes for a moment. The sounds were raging toward her.
    “Maya?”
    She opened her eyes and turned toward him slowly. “Do you trust me?”
    “Don’t insult me like that. You saved my life. You’re the best and bravest soldier I’ve ever known.”
    She shook her head. “The best and bravest came home in a box.”
    “No, Maya, they didn’t. They paid the biggest price, yes.Mostly, they were the unluckiest. We both know that. They were just standing in the wrong spot at the wrong time.”
    It was true. It isn’t as though the more competent warriors had a better chance of surviving. It was a crapshoot. War is never a meritocracy for the casualties.
    Shane’s voice was soft in the darkness. “You’re going to try to do this on your own, aren’t you?”
    She didn’t reply.
    “You’re going to take down Joe’s killers by yourself.”
    It wasn’t a question. The silence hung there for a while, just like the humidity.
    “I’m here if you need help. You know that, right?”
    “I do.” Then: “Do you trust me, Shane?”
    “With my life.”
    “Then leave it alone.”
    *   *   *
    Shane finished his beer and headed for the door.
    “I need one more thing,” Maya said.
    She handed him a piece of paper.
    “What’s this?”
    “A license plate for a red Buick Verano. I need to know who the car belongs to.”
    Shane made a face. “I won’t insult either of us by asking why you want this,” he said. “But this is the last freebie.”
    He kissed her on the top of the head, fatherlike, and left.
    Maya looked in on her sleeping daughter. Then she padded down the corridor to the high-tech workout room Joe had built when they first moved in. She did some light weights—squats,bench, curls—and then hit the treadmill. The house had always felt too big for her, too fancy. Her family hadn’t been poor