He took another swallow of his martini. A longer, deeper one this time.
The harbor was now completely blanketed in fog. The bridge had totally disappeared, and the foghorn was shrieking its warning at more frequent intervals.
Charlie fished the olive from his drink. It was large, dark green, with a small pimento. Very good. He had always heard that Turkish olives were some of the best. He would have to see if any of the stores at home carried them.
He took another sip, and thought about how his life had been affected by Emmett and his nameless, faceless friends. Spooks they were called, and spooks they were. Sometimes he had been touched in a good way. Other times—not often he had to admit-- but sometimes he was affected very badly.
On the other hand, the acquaintanceship had always provided an element of intrigue, and yes a distinct challenge into what might otherwise be a pedantic life as a retired corporate guy. It kept him out of the garden, spending his life aimlessly pruning roses.
He considered signaling the waiter for another drink, but decided against it.
He knew his association with the Agency had occasionally led him into circumstances where he had little control. Not something he was used to, and certainly not something he cared for. This had resulted on one or two occasions where his life was placed in danger.
Like at Tekeli. If he had lost the toss of the dice-- and that was certainly possible--what would happen to Beth? Could she adjust to being alone, with no one to talk to? Probably, he decided, she was resilient and resourceful, but was his exhilaration worth the price of her bereavement. Not even close, he decided. Not at all an even trade.
What would she think if she knew he had killed a man? A second one in fact. Well she would never know. One thing that could be said for the Agency, they knew how to keep a secret.
Charlie reached over to the empty table beside him, and grabbed the package of hotel matches stuck in the ashtray. He fumbled for the discarded toothpick he had put aside when he ate the olive. He skewered Emmett’s note with the toothpick before setting it on fire. A slight smile creased his face as he watched it flame, then smolder, and eventually die-out. Charlie shook the ashes into his empty glass, before signing the check. He rose from the table, looked around the empty lounge, smiled, and returned to his room.
Ω
Author’s Note
Death on the Silk Road is a work of fiction. Its purpose is purely to entertain. The names, characters, and incidents included in this story are made up by the author. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, or events is entirely unintended and completely coincidental. For example, there is no actual organization known as the Global Bank Corp, but there are many similar organizations whose charter is to advance developing countries and their economies through the provision of financial support and advice.
On the other hand, the relocation of a group of Uighurs from Guantanamo to Bermuda is real, although it might seem unreal to those who may be unfamiliar with the surrounding circumstances.
The locations described in the narrative are also real. In writing about these locations, and the historical events associated with them, they are described as accurately as the author is capable of doing. In some cases, various authorities in various countries may dispute certain aspects of the historical events, but an attempt has been made to portray them in terms that are most generally accepted.
In this context, the author has, on the following pages, included photos of some of the locales visited in gathering background information. They are included to provide the reader with an accurate sense of place, and an added insight to an area of the world that is rarely visited and unfamiliar to many readers.
About the Author
Russ Miller traveled to over 100 countries as a former international marketing executive. Since retiring, as senior vice president, he has served as an advisor on NGO projects for the UNDP, the Vienna based UNIDO, the World Bank, and the IESC, primarily in the post Soviet countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. His previous novel, The Spy with a Clean Face, also published by BeachHouse Books, won the Silver Quill Award from the American Authors Association. Miller and his wife live in the Chicago suburb of La Grange, Illinois.
Other Books by Russ Miller
The Spy with a Clean Face
Russell Miller has adeptly applied fictional flesh to a factual skeleton in a far-ranging tale of deceit and betrayal. The narrative twists and turns through Latin American and Asian locales as the search for a rogue agent ultimately leads to the Chernobyl dead zone; while the newly independent Ukrainian Government teeters precariously between East and West
Charlie Connelly is an average corporate executive, with three children and a home in the suburbs—as well as almost forgotten ties to the Central Intelligence Agency.
He is unexpectedly reminded of this past association when approached by his former recruiter, accompanied by a stunning female agent. Their seemingly innocent request for assistance eventually leads Connelly, Ludlum-like, through the brightly lighted board-rooms and dimly lit backstreets of Maracaibo, Medellin, Tianjin, and Kiev as he becomes inexorably enmeshed in a murky realm of foreign intrigue.
Eventually betrayed by the political maneuverings of a besieged intelligence agency, and abandoned by his own company, Charlie finds himself working on a NGO project in recently independent Ukraine during the Orange Revolution. Once there, he is again contacted by the Agency, and tasked to locate and eliminate a defecting American spy before he can conclude the sale to Iran of Ukrainian owned missiles.
Journey to a Closed City with the Inter-national Executive Service Corps
describes the adventures of a retired executive volunteering with the senior citizens' equivalent of the Peace Corp as he applies his professional skills in a former Iron Curtain city emerging into the dawn of a new economy.
Before this adventure, Russ Miller spent 20 years traveling to over 100 countries as Sr. Vice President of International Development.
Since retiring, he has served as an advisor with the World Bank, United Nations Development Program, and the Vienna-based United Nations Industrial Development Organization, as well as the International Executive Service Corps.
This book is essential reading for anyone approaching retirement who is interested in opportunities to exercise skills to “do good” during expense-paid travel to intriguing locations.
Journey to A Closed City should also appeal to armchair travelers eager to explore far-off corners of the world in our rapidly-evolving global community.
Science & Humanities Press
Publishes fine books under the imprints:
• Science & Humanities Press
• BeachHouse Books
• MacroPrint Books
• Heuristic Books
• Early Editions Books
Educators Discount Policy
To encourage use of our books for education, educators can purchase three or more books (mixed titles) on our standard discount schedule for resellers. See sciencehumanitiespress.com/educator/educator.html for more detail or call
Science & Humanities Press,
Our books are guaranteed:
If a book has a defect, or doesn't hold up under normal use , we are interested to know about it and will replace it and credit reasonable return shipping costs. Products with publisher defects (i.e., books with missing pages, etc.) may be returned at any time without authorization. However, we request that you describe the problem, to help us to continuously improve.
PO Box 7151, Chesterfield MO 63006-7151
636-394-4950
-ms-filter: grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share
Death on the Silk Road Page 28