Vendetta by Fern Michaels Read Free Book Online Page B

careful, Jack. This whole place spooks me big time.”
    “Keep me in your sights, Garrity. I’m almost to the barn. Call me every ten minutes until your replacement shows up. If you see anyone hovering around, beat feet. Don’t join me. You got that?”
    “Yeah, Jack. I got it.”
    Jack stared at the new doors on the barn. Everything around here was new. His mind told him it was probably a set-up, but he was going through with his plan anyway. Maybe a bunch of guys with the special shields were waiting for him in the barn. Maybe this time they’d kill him. Maybe a lot of things.
    Jack slipped his arms out of the backpack and rooted around until he found a black box that was guaranteed to give him the right numerical code to any lock. He spent five full minutes reading the instructions before he pressed a series of numbers. He watched the keypad blink as numbers danced across the green bar at the top of the keypad. He heard a click and then the keypad went dark.
    “Open Sesame!” Jack chortled. He picked up his backpack and opened the door. All he could see was blackness.
    He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
    “Quick Draw McGraw, you ain’t, Jack. I could have plugged you and you never would have known what hit you,” Garrity said.
    It was true and Jack knew it. “Close the damn door and get in here. We have work to do.”
    “You have work to do, Jack. I’m outta here. Your guy is up in the tree and has a bead on what’s going on. He’s got you covered. Call me, but not for twenty-four hours. Good luck, Jack.”
    Jack nodded. His gut told him he was going to need more than a little good luck. He waited for Garrity to leave before he turned on his high-beam flashlight. He looked around, daunted at what he was seeing. Every inch of floor space was covered with
something.
It would take him days to move things, even if there was room to move the things to.
    “Shit!” he muttered.

Five

    Li explained that the evening’s festivities were being held at a center named Half Moon, Hong Kong’s knock-off version of the Taihedian, otherwise known as the Hall of Supreme Harmony, in Beijing. Any event of any importance was held at Half Moon.
    “I am very familiar with the entire building, having been there many times. I am also aware of the security measures that go into effect for each and every event, depending of course on the importance of the event and the people involved.”
    The picture Charles held up was of John Chai at his Harvard graduation. The picture was on the grainy side, and Chai looked extremely young. Li had supplied an updated picture taken a year ago on May Day. Chai was not a tall man and Li commented that he suffered from a Napoleon complex. Rumors abounded that Chai liked long-legged, blond American women. It was also rumored that he was not a kind, gentle lover.
    “He has a mean streak in him and no one ever says no to John Chai. Especially women. As you all know, women are second-class citizens in China.”
    “Does he work?” Alexis asked.
    Li cleared his throat. “I believe he makes an appearance from time to time at his family’s export business. He is what you Americans call a playboy. It is said he is heavy-handed with everyone he comes in contact with, especially women. He works very hard at perfecting his image. He wants to be a tough guy like the American gangsters in your films.”
    “He likes to play, does he? So do we. How exciting,” Nikki said flatly.
    Li raised his white head to look into Nikki’s eyes. He turned away quickly to stare at his old friend Charles. Charles gave an elaborate shrug as if to say
What did you expect?
    Charles looked down at the Rolex on his wrist. “We should be going, Li. I don’t think it wise to arrive fashionably late so as to draw attention to ourselves.” He looked around at the three women and nodded. “You look stunning, all three of you. One last word of caution: sip your drinks. You’re going to need