Free The Lincoln Myth by Steve Berry Page B

to be there.” He pointed at Kirk. “You told them. What’s this dog-and-pony show for?”
    “We thought we’d learn more by infiltrating the enemy camp. Your agent has been sneaking around for months, asking questions. We’ve watched with patience, but thought a turncoat might speed the process.”
    “So you sacrificed two of your men?”
    Kirk’s face clouded with anger. “That wasn’t part of it. They were supposed to make it look good, press you along, reinforce the threat. Unfortunately, you decided to kill them.”
    “Salazar must have a lot to hide.”
    “My employer simply wants to be left alone. He does not appreciate your government’s interference in his life.”
    “Is our man dead?” Luke asked.
    “If not, he will be. The idea was to draw you to the same place where he’s being held and deal with you all at once. But that little ploy back in the square, turning the police on my men, ruined that.”
    “Sorry to be such a bother,” Malone said.
    “Better we deal with you here. This empty store seems perfect, as do those rooms beneath. So we’re going to wait until my men get here.”
    “You’re tagged?” he asked.
    Kirk shrugged. “Cell phones are good for that.”
    Which meant Malone had to act. “You a Danite?”
    “Ordained and sworn. Now I need you to drop your gun to the floor.”
    Amateur. Only an idiot asked his adversary to toss a weapon away. Smart people just took it.
    He reached beneath his jacket and found the Beretta.
    But instead of dropping it to the floor he aimed the stubby muzzle at Kirk, who shrank back but kept the gun to Luke’s head.
    “Don’t be stupid,” Kirk said. “I’ll kill him.”
    He shrugged. “Go ahead. I don’t give a shit. He’s a smart-mouthed pain in the ass.”
    His right eye sighted down the Beretta’s short barrel. It hadbeen four years since he’d last been to the range. His skills were a little rusty, but he’d just proven out on the water that he could still shoot. True, it was dark in here, but he pushed all doubt from his mind and took aim.
    “Put the gun down,” Kirk said, his voice rising.
    Luke’s gaze was locked on the Beretta, but the younger man’s nerve seemed to hold. Malone could sympathize. Caught between two guns was not a good place to be.
    “I’m going to count to three,” he said. “You better have that gun lowered by the time I finish.”
    “Don’t be an idiot, Malone. My men will be here any second.”
    “One.”
    He saw Kirk’s trigger finger tighten. The dilemma was clear. He had to either shoot Luke in the head, which meant Malone would shoot him, or swing the gun around and fire across the store. But he’d never make that shot before a bullet from the Beretta left the barrel. The smart play was to lower the gun. Amateurs, however, rarely made the right move.
    “Two.”
    He fired.
    The shot rattled the room.
    The bullet slammed into Kirk’s face and the body spun backward. Hands clawed the air, then Kirk crumbled sideways, finally thudding to the floor.
    “Three.”
    “Are you out of your friggin’ mind,” Luke screamed. “I felt that bullet whiz by my ear.”
    “Get his gun.”
    Luke was already lunging for the weapon. “Malone, you’re certifiable. You play awful fast and loose with other people’s brains. I could have taken him. We could have used him alive.”
    “That wasn’t an option. He’s right. We’re going to have company shortly.”
    He opened the exterior door and searched the cobbled street for any sign of trouble, wondering if the shot had been noticed. Thirtyfeet to his left a procession of people paraded back and forth on another street, Højbro Plads left of there and back fifty feet. Above him the green dome of the Nikolaj church glowed into the night.
    “Get his phone,” he told Luke.
    “Already got it. I do know a little somethin’ about this business.”
    “Then slide the body over there behind those counters and let’s go.”
    Luke did, then came to the