The Plague of Thieves Affair (26 page)
Read The Plague of Thieves Affair Online
Authors: Marcia Muller
“By Jove, you sound as though you're going to miss him.”
“In a curious way, I think I shall.”
Quincannon stared at her as if she'd temporarily taken leave of her senses. She caught the look, smiled, and reached across the table to lay her hand on his. “Don't be jealous, John. Of course you're the better detective, by far.”
At some other time he might have responded to her praise, but with her hand resting warmly on his in this intimate atmosphere he barely even heard the words. Her touch, the twining of her fingers around his, thrilled him. Impulsively he placed his other hand on top of hers, and when she made no move to end the joining, he applied a gentle squeeze which she then returned. This thrilled him even more, and not, by Godfrey, in a sexual way. All he felt in that moment was an acute and gentle tenderness, which, if her expression was a proper indicator, she was feeling as well.
At last, he thought.
Ah, at last!
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NOVELS
Double
Beyond the Grave
The Lighthouse
SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS
Duo
Crucifixion River
NONFICTION
1001 Midnights
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MARCIA MULLER
is the
New York Times
bestselling creator of private investigator Sharon McCone. The author of more than thirty-five novels, Muller received the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award in 2005. You can sign up for email updates
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BILL PRONZINI
, creator of the Nameless Detective, is a highly praised novelist, short-story writer, and anthologist. He received the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America in 2008, making Muller and Pronzini the only living couple to share the award. You can sign up for email updates
here
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Contents
By Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini
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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously.
THE PLAGUE OF THIEVES AFFAIR
Copyright © 2016 by the Pronzini-Muller Family Trust
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Gordon Crabb
A Forge Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
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New York, NY 10010
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is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-0-7653-8104-0 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-7678-1 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781466876781
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First Edition: January 2016