The Fifth Avenue Series Boxed Set Read Online Free
Author: Christopher Smith
recognized him. Earlier that morning, in the park, he had been sitting on the bench next to hers. She thought then that he had been watching her. Now, she knew that he had.
“Tonight,” the man said, “after these pictures are printed, I’m going to pin them to the wall beside my bed—with the others I have of you.” His smile broadened, revealing even white teeth. “And soon—before you know it, really, Leana—I plan on taking you home with me and showing them to you, myself.”
She turned away from him with such speed, the magazine toppled out of her handbag and fell to the pavement. The pages fanned open. Ahead of her, a taxi was dropping off a fare.
Leana rushed to it. The man followed.
“Wait!” she shouted, but the cab already had pulled away. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed the man was still there. The shiny butt of his revolver glinted in a band of sunlight. Leana was about to shout for help when another cab pulled to the curb. Frantic, she ran toward it, her heart pounding, and stepped inside just as an elderly couple stepped out.
She slammed the door shut and locked it just as the man tried opening the door. His face was only inches from the glass and he looked furious, as if he had been cheated out of a prize. He slapped his hand against the glass and Leana recoiled.
The cab wasn’t moving. Leana looked at the driver and saw that he was waiting for a break in traffic. “He’s got a gun!” she shouted. “Get me out of here!”
The cabbie looked at the man, saw the rage on his face and punched the accelerator, nearly causing an accident as he cut into traffic and raced toward Washington Square.
Leana looked out the back window. The man was on the sidewalk, his camera hanging around his neck, his arms at his side.
“I didn’t know you were in trouble,” the cabbie said. “Are you okay? Do you want me to take you to the police?”
She considered it, but thought better of it. “By the time we turn the corner, he’ll be gone.” She leaned against the cab’s torn vinyl seat. “Just drop me off at the new Redman International Building on Fifth and 49th. My car’s there.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Doesn’t anyone pay attention to the news anymore?” He spoke slowly. “This morning, three bombs exploded on top of the building.”
Leana’s face paled. Her father and sister were there today, preparing for tonight’s party. “Was anyone hurt?”
“A few people. One guy would have died if it wasn’t for Celina Redman. She saved his life.”
Leana’s jaw tightened. “How?”
“Through quick thinking, the guy on the radio said. She’s a hero.”
“What she is is a fucking bitch.”
The cabbie stopped for a red light and glanced at her in the rearview mirror, not quite sure he heard her right. “You know the Redmans, or something?”
Leana wondered again why she had been so concerned for her family’s safety. After all the times her parents ignored her, after all the times they chose Celina over herself, how could she possibly have any feelings for them besides contempt?
“No,” she said. “I don’t know them at all.”
CHAPTER THREE
High above Fifth Avenue, Louis Ryan sat in his corner office, his back to a wall of windows and the new Redman International Building that towered in the near distance.
He was at his desk and gazed at the frosted letters carved into the glass that covered it: Manhattan Enterprises. The company he founded thirty-one years ago now was one of the world’s leading conglomerates.
Only Redman International surpassed it.
Earlier that day, Louis’ private war against George Redman had begun—Leana Redman was harassed, the spotlights exploded as planned. And
“Tonight,” the man said, “after these pictures are printed, I’m going to pin them to the wall beside my bed—with the others I have of you.” His smile broadened, revealing even white teeth. “And soon—before you know it, really, Leana—I plan on taking you home with me and showing them to you, myself.”
She turned away from him with such speed, the magazine toppled out of her handbag and fell to the pavement. The pages fanned open. Ahead of her, a taxi was dropping off a fare.
Leana rushed to it. The man followed.
“Wait!” she shouted, but the cab already had pulled away. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed the man was still there. The shiny butt of his revolver glinted in a band of sunlight. Leana was about to shout for help when another cab pulled to the curb. Frantic, she ran toward it, her heart pounding, and stepped inside just as an elderly couple stepped out.
She slammed the door shut and locked it just as the man tried opening the door. His face was only inches from the glass and he looked furious, as if he had been cheated out of a prize. He slapped his hand against the glass and Leana recoiled.
The cab wasn’t moving. Leana looked at the driver and saw that he was waiting for a break in traffic. “He’s got a gun!” she shouted. “Get me out of here!”
The cabbie looked at the man, saw the rage on his face and punched the accelerator, nearly causing an accident as he cut into traffic and raced toward Washington Square.
Leana looked out the back window. The man was on the sidewalk, his camera hanging around his neck, his arms at his side.
“I didn’t know you were in trouble,” the cabbie said. “Are you okay? Do you want me to take you to the police?”
She considered it, but thought better of it. “By the time we turn the corner, he’ll be gone.” She leaned against the cab’s torn vinyl seat. “Just drop me off at the new Redman International Building on Fifth and 49th. My car’s there.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Doesn’t anyone pay attention to the news anymore?” He spoke slowly. “This morning, three bombs exploded on top of the building.”
Leana’s face paled. Her father and sister were there today, preparing for tonight’s party. “Was anyone hurt?”
“A few people. One guy would have died if it wasn’t for Celina Redman. She saved his life.”
Leana’s jaw tightened. “How?”
“Through quick thinking, the guy on the radio said. She’s a hero.”
“What she is is a fucking bitch.”
The cabbie stopped for a red light and glanced at her in the rearview mirror, not quite sure he heard her right. “You know the Redmans, or something?”
Leana wondered again why she had been so concerned for her family’s safety. After all the times her parents ignored her, after all the times they chose Celina over herself, how could she possibly have any feelings for them besides contempt?
“No,” she said. “I don’t know them at all.”
CHAPTER THREE
High above Fifth Avenue, Louis Ryan sat in his corner office, his back to a wall of windows and the new Redman International Building that towered in the near distance.
He was at his desk and gazed at the frosted letters carved into the glass that covered it: Manhattan Enterprises. The company he founded thirty-one years ago now was one of the world’s leading conglomerates.
Only Redman International surpassed it.
Earlier that day, Louis’ private war against George Redman had begun—Leana Redman was harassed, the spotlights exploded as planned. And
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