Ratio: A Leopold Blake Thriller (A Private Investigator Series of Crime and Suspense Thrillers) Read Online Free Page B

through.”
    “See you then.” The Korean hung up.
    The kid sucked down the last of his cigarette and chuckled. “Man, you can spin a lie pretty good,” he said, switching to their native language.
    The older man tossed the phone onto the table. “That’s why I’m in charge.” He picked up another sheaf of paper, a printed map of downtown Seattle. “You ready for this?”
    “Yeah,” the kid said, looking over. “Like the boss said. Piece of cake.” He looked over at the wooden crate. “Nothin’ to it.” 
    “Don’t get cocky. This is some serious hardware we’re playing with. One mistake, we’re dead, along with everybody else. This isn’t a suicide mission.”
    “Relax. Nothin’ bad’s gonna happen. No mistakes.”
    The older man frowned. “Check the devices again.”
    The kid crushed out his cigarette. “Whatever.” He stalked off toward the crate. “Sooner this is over, sooner we go home. Hero’s welcome. Time we got what’s coming to us.” 
    “Be careful what you wish for, Jun-yeong. You might just get it.”
    “You worry too much, Seong-min.”
    The older man sighed and turned back to his paperwork. “And you don’t worry enough.”

Chapter 4

     
     
    AFTER A HEAVY lunch of patatas bravas , fufú de plátano , and more cold beer, Leopold headed back to his apartment on foot, hoping to work off some of the calories. The dense early afternoon traffic helped, forcing him to weave in and out of the packed crowds as he fought his way toward East 71 st , a quiet residential area tucked away behind 5 th Avenue. He increased his pace, feeling sweat prickling his forehead, and headed for his apartment building at the end of the block. 
    Franco, one of the complex’s doormen, nodded as Leopold approached. He held the door open, tipping his cap. 
    “Afternoon, Franco,” Leopold said, stepping through. The cool air from the lobby’s air conditioning was a welcome reprieve. He headed for the elevators, smiling at the receptionist as he passed, and punched in the code that granted access to his apartment. 
    A short ride later, the doors slid open with a quiet rumble. Leopold’s entrance hall opened up ahead, with a clear view through to the double-height living room and kitchen at the far end of the penthouse, complete with panoramic view over east Manhattan and central park. Leopold shrugged off his suit jacket, tossing it over a coat stand as he passed through the hallway, heading for the kitchen. 
    “You’re late.” A deep voice announced as Leopold entered the room. A tall, powerfully built man stood behind the countertop, dressed in an immaculately tailored Armani suit, the black fabric almost as dark as his skin. A crisp white shirt and red tie completed the look. “And you missed your training session.” 
    “Finance meetings always make me hungry,” Leopold said, taking a seat at the breakfast bar. “I grabbed some lunch.” 
    “I don’t think you quite get how this works. If you break your itinerary, you tell me.” 
    “Relax, Jerome. You’re my bodyguard, not my nanny.” 
    “Maybe we should re-evaluate my job title.” Jerome frowned. “If you’re going to insist on going out alone, maybe stay away from crowded restaurants with known organized crime affiliations.”
    “I should have known you’d have me followed.” 
    “And take it easy on the beer.”
    Leopold sighed. “Anything else you’re not telling me? You got my phone bugged too?”
    “Say ‘hi’ to Mary for me next time.”
    “There is such a thing as personal privacy.”
    “Not in this line of work.” Jerome turned and snatched a stack of papers from the countertop. “Speaking of which, you got a message.” He handed them over. “Came through on the fax machine while you were out.”
    “Fax machine? Who the hell uses fax machines any more? This isn’t the Dark Ages.” He took the papers and studied the text. The words “United States Government” were printed in large type along the