Straight

Table of Contents

 

—
Larry King,
USA Today

 

—
The Washington Post

Steeplechase jockey Derek Franklin has had more broken bones than he cares to count, but it seems his latest injury could very well bring his days on the racecourse to a screeching halt. But that’s the least of his concerns when his brother turns up dead, leaving Derek as the sole inheritor of his brother’s business, his horses, his mistress—and his life-threatening enemies.

 

It doesn’t take long for Derek to learn that his brother—a magistrate who imported and sold semiprecious stones—was keeping more than his share of secrets. Now Derek must recover $1.5 million worth of missing diamonds—and find out who wanted his brother dead—or else his career won’t be the only thing in danger of being cut short ...

 

 

 

“Terrific ... From the wonderful opening paragraph to the end, Francis propels you forward at a nearly breathless pace.”

—
Detroit Free Press

 

“Absolutely one of his best.”

—The Associated Press

 

“THE BEST BOOK IN A DECADE.”

—
The Denver Post

 

“FRANCIS HAS DONE IT AGAIN.”

—
New York Newsday

 

“SUPERB ... FRANCIS IS IN HIS BEST FORM HERE.”

—
The Cleveland Plain Dealer

 

“Dick Francis always finds another way to do it, which is why his whodunits continue to captivate ... Francis keeps you guessing, not only about each individual plot, but about how he’s going to tie them together.”

—
The Boston Globe

 

“Straight
is Mr. Francis at the top of his form ... Anyone who likes a fast-paced adventure will savor this one.”

—
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

“The pleasure lies in watching Francis weave and then unravel his beautifully concocted web of murder and intrigue ... Francis keeps us turning the pages to find out what happens—and to watch a gifted mystery writer at work.”

—
San Francisco Chronicle

 

“Francis is back on his turf. The plot is inventive and beautifully constructed ... The characters are real and individual ... Francis paces the narrative to a smashing finish.”

—
The Washington
Post

 

“Dick Francis mysteries should never be picked up by anyone who wants to read a few pages before bedtime—talk about addictive! ...
Straight
is another winner for Francis, who shows no sign of slowing down.”

—
The Sacramento Bee

 

“Francis is a most adroit storyteller, able to create unusual worlds filled with convincing characters. He’s on his feed here; this is one of his best outings.”

—
The San Diego Union-Tribune

 

“With
Straight
, Dick Francis proves once again that his skills as a novelist include—but are not limited to—smash—ups and clever endings.”

—
The Baltimore Sun

 

“Appealing ... The combination of treasure hunt and chase is irresistible.”

—
The New York Times

 

“Tightly plotted ... Motives, plots, and conspiracies rise and fall with regularity, and it delivers just the kind of reading satisfaction that fans have come to expect from Francis.”

—
Richmond Times-Dispatch

 

“Straight
lives up to its predecessors in style, characters, and pace. It is unlikely that Dick Francis will ever disappoint.”

—
The Houston Post

 

“Clearly his best ... What a delight! ... Mysteries, horses, and gemstones aside,
Straigh
t is the story of brothers. Francis has become a tender admirer of the human heart. He reaffirms hope, determination, and nobility.”

—
Mostly Murder

 

“A good adventure with a bit of horseflesh and a spot of danger.”

—
The New York Times Book Review

 

“The savvy trimmings—painful derring-do, tenderly amusing supporting players, stable shenanigans, and lots of treasure-hunting-help to make this nice lope around the track from an old pro.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

 

“The authentic feeling of English racetrack life is what gives the best Francis works their special charm and that is here in this book in splendid supply, making it one of the writer’s better efforts.”

—
The Sunday Newark Star-Ledger

SHATTERED
SECOND WIND
FIELD OF THIRTEEN
10 LB. PENALTY
TO THE HILT
COME TO GRIEF
WILD HORSES
DECIDER
DRIVING FORCE
COMEBACK
LONGSHOT
STRAIGHT
THE EDGE
HOT MONEY
BOLT
BREAK IN
PROOF
THE DANGER
BANKER
TWICE SHY
REFLEX
WHIP HAND
TRIAL RUN
RISK
IN THE FRAME
HIGH STAKES
KNOCKDOWN
SLAY RIDE
SMOKESCREEN
BONECRACK
RAT RACE
ENQUIRY
FORFEIT
BLOOD SPORT
FLYING FINISH
ODDS AGAINST
FOR KICKS
NERVE
DEAD CERT

 

 

 

A JOCKEY’S LIFE
THE SPORT OF QUEENS

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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South Africa

 

Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England

 

This is a work of flction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

 

STRAIGHT

 

A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with G. P. Putnam’s Sons

 

Copyright © 1989 by Dick Francis.

 

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

 

eISBN : 978-1-101-46473-1

 

BERKLEY
^®
Berkley Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
BERKLEY is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
The “B” design is a trademark belonging to Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I
inherited my brother’s life. Inherited his desk, his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress. I inherited my brother’s life, and it nearly killed me.

I was thirty-four at the time and walking about on elbow crutches owing to a serious disagreement with the last fence in a steeplechase at Cheltenham. If you’ve never felt your ankle explode, don’t try it. As usual, it hadn’t been the high-speed tumble that had done the damage but the half-ton of one of the other runners coming over the fence after me, his forefoot landing squarely on my boot on the baked earth of an Indian summer. The hoof mark was imprinted on the leather. The doctor who cut the boot off handed it to me as a souvenir. Medical minds have a macabre sense of humor.

Two days after this occurrence, while I was reluctantly coming to terms with the fact that I was going to miss at least six weeks of the steeplechasing season and with them possibly my last chance of making it to champion again (the middle thirties being the beginning of the end for jump jockeys), I answered the telephone for about the tenth time that morning and found it was not another friend ringing to commiserate.

“Could I speak,” a female voice asked, “to Derek Franklin?”

“I’m Derek Franklin,” I said.

“Right.” She was both brisk and hesitant, and one could understand why. “We have you listed,” she said, “as your brother Greville’s next-of-kin.”

Those three words, I thought with an accelerating heart, must be among the most ominous in the language.

I said slowly, not wanting to know, “What’s happened?”

“I’m speaking from St. Catherine’s Hospital, Ipswich. Your brother is here, in the intensive care unit ...”

At least he was alive, I thought numbly.

“... and the doctors think you should be told.”

“How is he?”

“I’m sorry. I haven’t seen him. This is the social worker. But I understand that his condition is very serious.”

“What’s the matter with him?”

“He was involved in an accident,” she said. “He has multiple injuries and is on life support.”

“I’ll come,” I said.

“Yes. It might be best.”

I thanked her, not knowing exactly what for, and put down the receiver, taking the shock physically in lightheadedness and a constricted throat.

He would be all right, I told myself. Intensive care meant simply that he was being carefully looked after. He would recover, of course.