A Gambling Man by David Baldacci (ebook audio reader .txt) 📕

him an anxious look. “Does it ever go away?”

“Not completely, no. But you see the faces less and less as time goes on and not nearly as clearly.”

“That’s good to know.”

“But if you ever see them so much that you can’t handle it, give me a call. I’ll be right over.”

“You’re a good man, Aloysius Archer.”

“Surprised you remembered my given name.”

“I plan to keep on surprising you. They say it’s good for a relationship.”

He grinned, and took another swallow of his drink. “Oh, so we have a relationship now?”

“I think so.”

“I actually know so. And I’m lucky for it.”

“Hell, we’re just gushing over each other. I’m starting to feel giddy.”

“I’m feeling something too, only it’s not that.”

This was the first and only time he had ever seen Liberty Callahan blush. It was a lovely look on the woman.

“You want to take me to lunch?” she said, a bit breathlessly.

“No, but I will take you to dinner.”

“So what do we do in the meantime?”

Archer put his glass down, took off his jacket, undid his tie completely, and started unbuttoning his shirt.

“If you have to ask, lady, then I’m really doing something wrong.”

She stood and slid her soft hand along his hard jaw.

“Oh, you’re not wrong, Archer. You just need to work on your timing, is all. But I got at least a year to help you with that.”

She took him by the hand, led him into her bedroom, and closed the door.

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Acknowledgments

To Michelle, back to the forties with Archer. Right now, it beats the present day. And I wouldn’t want to spend it with anyone else.

To Michael Pietsch, Ben Sevier, Elizabeth Kulhanek, Jonathan Valuckas, Matthew Ballast, Beth de Guzman, Anthony Goff, Rena Kornbluh, Karen Kosztolnyik, Brian McLendon, Albert Tang, Andy Dodds, Ivy Cheng, Joseph Benincase, Andrew Duncan, Morgan Swift, Bob Castillo, Kristen Lemire, Briana Loewen, Mark Steven Long, Thomas Louie, Rachael Kelly, Kirsiah McNamara, Nita Basu, Lisa Cahn, Megan Fitzpatrick, Michele McGonigle, John Colucci, Alison Lazarus, Barry Broadhead, Martha Bucci, Rick Cobban, Ali Cutrone, Raylan Davis, Tracy Dowd, Melanie Freedman, Jean Griffin, Elizabeth Blue Guess, Linda Jamison, John Leary, John Lefler, Rachel Hairston, Suzanne Marx, Derek Meehan, Christopher Murphy, Donna Nopper, Rob Philpott, Barbara Slavin, Karen Torres, Rich Tullis, Mary Urban, Tracy Williams, Julie Hernandez, Laura Shepherd, Jeff Shay, Carla Stockalper, Ky’ron Fitzgerald, and everyone at Grand Central Publishing, for running on all cylinders for me.

To Aaron and Arleen Priest, Lucy Childs, Lisa Erbach Vance, Frances Jalet-Miller, and Kristen Pini, for making my life much easier.

To Mitch Hoffman, for doing what you do so well.

To Anthony Forbes Watson, Jeremy Trevathan, Alex Saunders, Sara Lloyd, Claire Evans, Sarah Arratoon, Laura Sherlock, Stuart Dwyer, Jonathan Atkins, Christine Jones, Leanne Williams, Stacey Hamilton, Charlotte Williams, Rebecca Kellaway, and Neil Lang at Pan Macmillan, for continuing to knock it out of the park.

To Praveen Naidoo and the stellar team at Pan Macmillan in Australia, for doing such an amazing job for me.

To Caspian Dennis and Sandy Violette, for being such great advocates for me.

And to Kristen White and Michelle Butler, for being the absolute best.

About the Author

David Baldacci is a global #1 bestselling author, and one of the world’s favorite storytellers. His books are published in over forty-five languages and in more than eighty countries, with 150 million copies sold worldwide. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. Still a resident of his native Virginia, he invites you to visit him at DavidBaldacci.com and his foundation at WishYouWellFoundation.org.

ACCLAIM FOR

DAVID BALDACCI’S THRILLERS

ONE GOOD DEED

“One of [Baldacci’s] finest books. Great character, great story, great portrait of an era.”

—Bill Clinton

“Insightful and entertaining, Baldacci has captured the time and events perfectly with authenticity, beauty, and flawless prose…Archer is a terrific anti-hero with plenty of longevity and originality, [and] the supporting cast is just as memorable. Gripping from beginning to end.”

—New York Journal of Books

“David Baldacci is a master storyteller, and he invokes the classic feel of the postwar 1940s evident in the timeless literature and film of that time…doesn’t disappoint.”

—Associated Press

“David Baldacci switches gears with magnificent results…simmering suspense and splendid prose…Terrific reading entertainment.”

—Providence Journal WALK THE WIRE

“Walk the Wire solidifies Baldacci’s status as this generation’s premier storyteller…The perfect thriller.”

—Providence Journal

“Walk the Wire may be the finest entry in David Baldacci’s Memory Man series. The quality of his writing is at an all-time peak and, fortunately for his countless fans, he is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.”

—BookReporter.com

“Intrepid…Although it’s the sixth in a series, the book stands perfectly well on its own, providing many hours of enjoyable reading.”

—Mystery Scene magazine A MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT

“Secrets and twists pop up seemingly on every page…an angst-riddled tale with a Southern Gothic tone. This is brilliant storytelling that will leave you reading long after the clock strikes 12.”

—Providence Journal

“A murder mystery that spooks and horrifies.”

—Associated Press

“Baldacci has produced another remarkable novel with plot twists galore that let the pages practically turn themselves. His writing style allows readers to immediately enter the action and then forces them to strap in for another wild ride. He saves the biggest surprise for last in a moment that will provide an unexpected cliffhanger, which will have his audience eagerly awaiting the next entry.”

—BookReporter.com

“Baldacci does a fantastic job plotting things out and revealing just enough…to keep readers engaged and on the edge of their seats…A final surprise [will] leave fans begging for more…Few writers can hook readers faster and harder than David Baldacci.”

—Real Book Spy

ALSO BY DAVID BALDACCI

ALOYSIUS ARCHER SERIES

One Good Deed

A Gambling Man

ATLEE PINE SERIES

Long Road to Mercy

A Minute to Midnight

Daylight

WILL ROBIE SERIES

The Innocent

The Hit

The Target

The Guilty

End Game

JOHN PULLER SERIES

Zero Day

The Forgotten

The Escape

No Man’s Land

KING & MAXWELL SERIES

Split Second

Hour Game

Simple Genius

First Family

The Sixth Man

King and Maxwell

MEMORY