“After everything that’s happened between us in the last few weeks,” Dominic said, “I really thought our marriage was over before it had begun.” He looked back at the still, calm form of Jonathan lying in the bed. “Now, I can’t imagine a life without him.”
Alfonso squeezed Dominic’s shoulder tighter.
The door behind them opened. Dominic turned to see Steve enter the room.
“Hi, Steve,” said Dominic. He released himself gently from Alfonso’s arm and stood. “This is Alfonso, from Barcelona. You’ll have seen him on the video call we had a few weeks back.”
Steve nodded. “Hi, Alfonso.” Steve looked past the two men at Jonathan. “Any change?”
Dominic shook his head. “When are you going back to England, Steve?” he asked.
Steve shrugged. “I’ll be around for a while. I’ve had some good news, I guess.”
He pulled out the crumpled sheet of paper Dominic had handed him ten days before.
“I was right,” Steve began. “This Peter Brown that bastard Jeff so casually experimented on is my father. Not only that, it was Sinon who did the work at WRI, rewriting the employees’ records. Charter Ninety-Nine got Sinon to change the records of six people.” He crumpled up the piece of paper and shoved it back into his pocket. “He nearly destroyed my father’s life.”
Dominic stood and walked across to Steve. “And the good news is, you’ve found him, I hope?”
Steve nodded. “Yeah. I spoke to him an hour ago.”
“And how is he?” asked Dominic.
“Oh, you know,” said Steve. “Same old dad. Grumpy as shit. I’m driving up to Seattle tomorrow. I’ll help him get everything straight again.”
Dominic laid a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “I’m glad it’s worked out,” he said. “Any sign of Jeff or Nick?”
Steve pulled away from Dominic and walked to the window. “I’ve not been back to Grain Street,” he replied. “If I did, I’m pretty sure I’d end up trying to kill them.”
He looked back at Dominic.
“I know you did it for Jonathan,” he said. “I can understand that. But I wish you hadn’t given those bastards the Dormant Gateway chip.” He looked out the window. “You know the world’s fucked now?”
Dominic smiled. “Well, the chip wasn’t going to be much use to them.”
Steve turned. “What do you mean?”
Dominic resumed his seat next to Alfonso at the bedside. “The chip was wrapped in some protective packaging in my pocket. When I reached in to hand it to Jeff, it didn’t take much strength to snap it in half before I gave it to him.”
Steve punched his fist in the air. “Fucking legend,” he crowed. “And Jeff didn’t bother to unwrap it in the heat of the moment.” He leaned his back against the window. “You took a helluva fucking risk. What if Jeff had decided to check it out before leaving us there?”
“Jeff didn’t think I was a risk-taker. I had a hunch he trusted me,” said Dominic. “He’s the kind of person to see me as a simple, run-of-the-mill lawyer.” He reached forward, took Jonathan’s hand, and slowly massaged his fingers.
“I suppose I was a run-of-the-mill lawyer once,” Dominic continued. “Before I met this man.”
“Well, I think you’re a fucking legend,” said Steve. “And you worked out Bernhardt’s message had GPS codes in it. As soon as we had that, we were rocking.”
“What I don’t understand,” said Dominic, “is how Sinon got mixed up with the Downpatrick woman.”
“Money,” said Steve. “He told me he had a client paying him a shitload of cash. That must have been her. He won’t be working for a few years, once they put him away in jail.”
Dominic nodded. “And Downpatrick wanted to stop the History Writer project, which is why she got Sinon to intercept the DG chip. She must have some very influential friends in high places, the one percent, who don’t want the world order changed.”
He sighed and continued. “I suppose I gave them a helping hand. By destroying the chip, I’ve let the one percent continue to get richer. But I couldn’t let thousands of people have their lives ruined, like your dad. Even if it could be for some greater good.”
“There’s something I must tell you,” Alfonso spoke up. “You remember that police report of the body in the water at Port Sitges? I was reading it the night you and Jonathan stayed.”
Dominic nodded.
“I’m afraid they identified it as the body of Karl Michael Meyer. He was the man you met on Balmins beach, wasn’t he?”
Dominic stopped massaging Jonathan’s hand. He sighed and leaned back in his chair.
“Yes,” he said. “And he was Bernhardt’s partner. And he designed the DG chip.” He glanced at Steve. “I think Charter Ninety-Nine’s History Writer project is going to be out of action for a long time.”
“There’s more,” said Alfonso. “The police investigation shows he was onboard a yacht moored in the port shortly before he died. Our investigators also discovered that Janet Downpatrick and Viktor Krasov had been on the same yacht.”
“So they’re wanted for murder?”
Alfonso nodded. “For the moment, they’ve disappeared. But don’t worry. There’s a coordinated hunt for them across Europe. We’ll catch them this time.”
Dominic’s phone began to ring. He took it out of his pocket and answered the call. After a brief conversation, he turned to Steve and Alfonso.
“I’m sorry,” said Dominic. “I’m just going outside to take this call. It’s….” He hesitated for a moment. “It’s rather private.”
Steve went to the door. “Don’t worry about me, mate,” he said. “I need to go pack. I’ve got to get ready for the drive to Seattle. I’ll leave you in peace.”
He embraced Dominic and whispered in his ear, “He’s fucking tough, is Jonathan. He’ll pull through.”
Steve shook hands with Alfonso, blew a kiss to Jonathan, and was gone.
Alfonso began to head for the door. “Why don’t I leave you to take your call, Dominic?” he said. “I can come back later with Gabriel.”
“No,” said Dominic. “Actually, I think I’d like you to stay. It’s my lawyer from Germany on the phone.”
Alfonso walked across to the window and looked down at the traffic below.
Dominic sat next to the bed. He held the phone to his ear with one hand. With the other, he reached out and gently stroked Jonathan’s arm.
The call lasted no more than three or four minutes. When it ended, Dominic put the phone back in his pocket and leaned forward to rest his head on Jonathan’s shoulder. The recording of Madame Butterfly had ended. The only sound in the room was the rhythmic noise of Jonathan’s respirator.
Alfonso crossed the room and placed his hand on Dominic’s shoulder. “Is everything all right, my friend?”
Dominic sat back in his chair and turned to Alfonso. “I’m not sure how I feel,” he began, “because really, it’s marvelous news.” He looked back at Jonathan and sighed.
“My lawyer’s been talking to my son in Germany,” he continued. “He’s told him all about Jonathan, and everything that’s happened to us.”
Dominic stood up and turned to Alfonso. “My son finally wants to meet me, Alfonso,” he said. “And he wants to meet Jonathan.” He looked back at Jonathan, lying in the bed.
“So Jonathan has to get better. Because we both have to go back home. Together.”
More from David C. Dawson
The Delingpole Mysteries: Book One
A young journalism student lies unconscious in a hospital bed in Brighton, England. His life hangs in the balance after a drug overdose. But was it attempted suicide or attempted murder? The student’s mother persuades British lawyer Dominic Delingpole to investigate, and Dominic enlists the aid of his outspoken opera singer partner, Jonathan McFadden.
The student’s boyfriend discovers compromising photographs hidden in his lover’s room. The photographs not only feature senior politicians and business chiefs, b
ut the young journalist himself. Is he being blackmailed, or is he the blackmailer?
As Dominic and Jonathan investigate further, their lives are threatened and three people are murdered. They uncover a conspiracy that reaches into the highest levels of government and powerful corporations. The people behind it are ruthless, and no one can be trusted. The bond between Dominic and Jonathan deepens as they struggle not only for answers, but for their very survival.
Readers love The Necessary Deaths by David C. Dawson
Award winner in the 2017 FAPA President’s Awards
for Adult Suspense and Thrillers
“A very successful blend of human interest and captivating, modern-day action adventure with political and international business conspiracies to keep me glued to the pages… I am already looking forward to more stories about Dominic and Jonathan!”
—Rainbow Book Reviews
“A fun and quick read, especially if you like figuring out a whodunit.”
—Alpha Book Club
“Along the way you’ll be thrilled and entertained and you’ll most definitely laugh. There’s some excellent dry humour in this book, and the main characters spark nicely against each other throughout. More, please, Mr. Dawson. More!”
—International Thriller Writers
“David C. Dawson did an amazing job on this book and I look forward to the next book in this series.”
—Gay Book Reviews
DAVID C. DAWSON is an author, award-winning journalist, and documentary maker living near Oxford in the UK. He has traveled extensively, filming in nearly every continent of the world. He has lived in London, Geneva, and San Francisco, but now prefers the tranquility of the Oxfordshire countryside.
David is a Mathematics graduate from Southampton University in England. After graduating, he joined the BBC in London as a trainee journalist. He worked in radio newsrooms for several years before moving to television as a documentary director. During the growing AIDS crisis in the late ’80s, he is proud to say that he directed the first demonstration of putting on a condom on British television. After more than twenty years with the BBC, he left to go freelance. He has produced videos for several charities, including Ethiopiaid, which works to end poverty in Ethiopia, and Hestia, a London-based mental health charity.
David has one son, who is also a successful filmmaker.
In his spare time, David tours Europe on his aging Triumph motorbike and sings with the London Gay Men’s Chorus. He has sung with the Chorus at St Paul’s Cathedral, The Roundhouse, and the Royal Festival Hall, but David is most proud of the time they sang at the House of Lords, campaigning for equal marriage to be legalized in the UK.
David is an Award winner in the 2017 FAPA President’s Awards for Adult Suspense and Thrillers
Website: www.davidcdawson.co.uk
Blog: blog.davidcdawson.co.uk/#home
Twitter: @david_c_dawson
Facebook: www.facebook.com/david.c.dawson.5
LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/davidcdawson
Email: [email protected]
By David C. Dawson
THE DELINGPOLE MYSTERIES
The Necessary Deaths
The Deadly Lies
Published by DSP PUBLICATIONS
www.dsppublications.com
Published by
DSP PUBLICATIONS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dsppublications.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
The Deadly Lies
© 2017 David C. Dawson.
Cover Art
© 2017 L.C. Chase.
http://www.lcchase.com
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact DSP Publications, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dsppublications.com.
ISBN: 978-1-63533-891-1
Digital ISBN: 978-1-63533-892-8
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017911710
Published December 2017
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America
The Deadly Lies Page 22