Hands of the Traitor (38 page)

The third item merited a mere four lines
in the deaths column. Ms Karen McDowell, an eighty-three year old
New York woman, had passed away peacefully. She had just the one
son, Victor McDowell, aged 60, now living in Boston.

Simon Urquet phoned Matt to assure him
he would come to England to say thank you properly, just as soon as
he had sorted out a problem with some paperwork that Victor
McDowell had found among his mother's effects.

Chapter
31

TWO WEEKS
after Matt returned to England,
Zoé rang the doorbell.

"I am back," she announced.

He noticed the easy smile as she
leaned forward to give him a kiss. On the pavement he could see a
large suitcase, and in her hands Zoé held an enormous bunch of
flowers. Not pretty girly ones, but strong colors mixed with large
brown leaves and twigs. He'd never been given flowers before. He
hoped he didn't look too taken aback.

She put an arm round his neck and
pulled him close for a long hug. "You are pleased to see
me?"

"Pleased. And surprised." He looked
over her shoulder. "I've been thinking about you every day, but I
didn't know how to get in touch. The student hostel didn't have an
address. What happened?"

"I needed the time to think. When we
met in the bookshop, things started to go too fast for
me."

"Are you on your own?"

She laughed. "Florian has not
come, if that is what you are thinking. Do not worry,
mon
cher
, that
man is no longer part of my life." It was Zoé's turn to look beyond
him, into the hallway, which she did rather obviously. "You are
also alone?"

"Alone and wondering if I'd ever see
you again. This calls for a celebration. Fancy the pub?"

Zoé shook her head. "Not the pub, I
think. The White Lion, it is too ... too..."

"English?"

"Noisy."

"I thought you liked pubs."

"The White Lion?
Non.
If we are to go out
together I would like to choose where we go. Sometimes. You have
much to learn about French women, Matt."

"Teach me."

"For a start you are too tense. I have
brought my flute. Shall I play for you the Pavane of Maurice Ravel?
Or would you like me to massage your neck?"

She laughed as she made her way past
him.

Matt picked up the
suitcase.

THE END

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More thrillers by Christopher
Wright on the next pages, including three more books in the Matt
Rider series

Due January 2016

SHROUD OF THE
HEALER

A Matt Rider thriller
#2

New Edition

Archbishop Stephen Valdieri from New York is impatient to get
the Pope to the Clinic of the Little Sisters of Grace in Avignon,
France, for treatment. The surgeons at the American-owned clinic
are eager to treat the Pope, but the Archbishop suspects there's a
problem. Matt Rider, an English PI, is on holiday in Avignon with
his girlfriend Zoé. They get talking to a local nurse in Avignon.
She tells them that all is not well at the American clinic up on
the hill. Matt thinks the nurse is crazy -- until her husband calls
with devastating news. To investigate the clinic, Matt needs some
bugs and a phone tap. But he doesn't know that the national
security forces are involved, and he doesn't know that one of the
surgeons will soon want Zoé dead.
Shroud
of the Healer
is the second Matt Rider
detective thriller.

Due February 2016

ACADEMY OF THE
DEAD

A Matt Rider thriller
#3

New Edition

Matt Rider is made an offer that seems too good to miss. Go
to Prague, find some priceless music manuscripts -- and share in a
fortune. Unfortunately, even for a confident backstreet PI, the
clues are rather thin on the ground. All Matt knows is that a young
Jewish girl called Hana Eisler had the manuscripts in Prague in
1942. Using old records from the Helios Music Academy in England,
Matt tracks Hana's movements to a Nazi concentration camp in the
Czech Republic. And there the trail seems to end. The American
violin teacher at the Helios Academy claims to know something about
Hana's family. And so does the Academy dean. Matt decides to
contact Hana in a séance. Taking place in England and the Czech
Republic, Academy of the Dead is an exciting hunt for lost
treasure. There are big stakes to play for -- and maybe not
everyone can be trusted.
Academy of the
Dead
is the third Matt Rider detective
thriller.

Brand New
Publication

Expected release
March
2016

EYES OF THE
INNOCENT

A Matt Rider thriller
#4

Matt and Zoe's baby, Jack,
needs urgent treatment in a New York specialist hospital. Before
treatment can start, Baby Jack is snatched. Has Jack been taken for
ransom, for body parts, or by a powerful sect for indoctrination?
An ex-cop offers to help, as does Simon Urquet (from
Hands of the
Traitor
) and
Archbishop Stephen Valdieri, now ex-Archbishop Stephen Valdieri
(from
Shroud
of the Healer
). Finding the baby still alive means a race against
time.
Zoe
thinks that her mother's instinct will lead them to baby Jack, but
she has to admit that she and her PI husband Matt are, in her
words, chasing the wild goose. Matt believes he has the answer,
annoyed with himself for not putting the clues together sooner. But
even that lead seems to finish at a dead end. And all the time the
clock is ticking because Jack is not getting his urgent treatment
-- assuming he's still alive!
Eyes of the Innocent
is
the fourth Matt Rider detective thriller.

SHOUT IN THE DARK

New Edition

Available now

A thrilling chase through Europe as the Vatican and a
neo-Nazi faction hunt down an ancient relic with a value greater
than human life -- a relic that threatens the traditions of the
Christian Church. Sturmbannführer Kessel killed to get his hands on
the relic in wartime Rome. An elderly Jew risked his life to return
it to a religion that was not his own. And today, Kessel's son
wants it back -- to destroy the Christian Church and change the
face of Europe. Someone is needed to probe the darkened web of
evil. Into this explosive situation steps young priest Marco
Sartini, once married, and still suffering the trauma of
bereavement. The Vatican Security Services have found the perfect
bait...

EAGLE OF DARKNESS

New Edition

Available now

Martin Kramer's ambition is to become a deputy director of
the CIA. But he brings the threat of nuclear war when he launches
Operation Oracle, a personal campaign of hate against Israel. Sam
Bolt gets caught up in Kramer's plans when he meets the mysterious
Panya Pulaski from Unity Through Faith, a group trying to bring
peace between Christians, Jews and Muslims in order to get aid and
medicine to the Middle East. Sam is in trouble. With his children
in care, and his partner missing with the lottery winnings, he is
suspected of murder. And a relentless newspaper reporter refuses to
leave him alone. When Sam hears of a wartime Gestapo officer buried
in a Berlin cellar, he reluctantly flies to Germany to investigate.
The body holds the key to an ancient prophecy that could blow
Kramer's plans sky high. But all Sam wants is his children back.
Eagle of Darkness -- a chilling chain of events running through
America, England and Germany, coming to a gripping finale in the
Red Mountains of Egypt.