The Spy Devils by Joe Goldberg (top rated books of all time .TXT) 📕

entered onto the 10th floor. He saw Danforth Chapel shaking hands with two Asian men. As usual, Benton sat in a chair in the waiting area outside the office. Peter stopped several feet away and waited. They locked eyes.

“Hey Benton, sorry. I don’t have any donuts on me,” Peter said, making sure his mockery was unmistakable.

“Thank you, gentlemen. We will be in contact with Mourning Dove shortly.” Jessup escorted them to the elevator.

Benton opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off.

“Come in, Peter.” MacBride motioned him inside Jessup’s office. Peter grinned and gave Benton an exaggerated wink as he walked. Peter heard a growl as the door closed behind him.

The men were already on the couch in Jessup’s sitting area.

“Peter, sit, please.” Jessup pointed to a chair across from the couch. “We are all eager to know about your progress.”

Peter cleared his throat.

“Well, we have made progress.” Peter felt their reactions. Mostly doubt. “The money was siphoned through a bank in Cyprus. We are working on getting the data.”

The men all looked at each other.

“That is amazing, Peter, just amazing,” MacBride said with an expression that Peter could not decide was good or bad.

“Well done, Peter, but I am a little skeptical.” Chapel’s voice was friendly with a hint of condescending.

Peter pulled a sheet of paper out of his pocket—a printout of the screenshot Bridger sent the night before.

“Here is a partial screenshot of a spreadsheet.” He handed it to Jessup, who looked at it, then passed to MacBride, then Chapel, who studied it carefully.

“This is fabulous, Peter.” Chapel folded the paper and gently placed it in his suit pocket.

“What about the case? The case was a priority, too.” Jessup sounded like the case was an afterthought, not the main target of the operation. Peter was beginning to know better.

Peter flicked his eyebrows up in excitement. He knew he had to keep the Spy Devils out of the conversation. He leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees, and flicked his eyebrows again.

“You mean Hillcrest?”

Peter’s senses flared red from MacBride and Jessup’s direction. MacBride swiveled to face Peter just a little too quickly. Then he looked at Jessup, who was absentmindedly picking at an invisible speck on the sleeve of his pristine white shirt. His eyes glanced up at Chapel.

“It is still in Kyiv as far as we can tell,” Peter answered.

“Can you provide some insight?” Jessup asked with his best reassuring lawyer voice.

“I’d rather not. I have some sources working now.”

Peter looked at Chapel, who looked both amused and stoic.

“Gentlemen, Peter here is doing the right thing by protecting his sources and methods, as it is called. I can tell you they are highly trained in these types of situations. I trust them.” Chapel smiled at Peter.

Peter was shocked by Chapel’s comment. How did he know about the Spy Devils? Bridger did say they knew each other. Are they working together?

Jessup was in full lawyer mode as he stood like Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. He looked at his Kirkwood colleagues. Then he turned to Peter.

“You have done an outstanding, miraculous job finding the funds and what appears to be the location of the case.” Then his supportive tone went dead serious. “However, I think we should bring your efforts to an end.”

Peter was stunned. He sat forward on the edge of his chair as if getting inches closer to the source would help him understand if he heard Jessup clearly.

“Why? Don’t you want…the case…the money?” He had trouble putting his thoughts together. His hands were moving in circles in front of him.

“You are disappointed,” continued Jessup, ignoring Peter’s direct questions. “I can see the look of a hunter in your eyes, the taste of blood is in your mouth. You are close to the goal, but we just can’t allow you to continue. Thank you again for all your hard work.”

“I don’t understand this. Can you explain why?” Peter said. He looked at MacBride, who quickly looked away toward Jessup.

“There is not much to explain. There are larger considerations that are best handled by Danny going forward. You can resume your normal duties,” Jessup said.

“Larger considerations? What—”

“I think we might be too hasty here.” All eyes turned to Chapel when he cut Peter off. “Perhaps we should allow Peter and…his sources…to continue.”

“I don’t think that is wise,” Jessup said.

“We don’t want him—it is too risky—like Walter said.” MacBride was rotating a few inches left and right in his chair. His fingers tapped on the arms of the chair.

“I understand. To allay your fears, I volunteer to be on the ground in Kyiv and act as a sort of mentor, if needed. I would make sure nothing happens that could hurt Kirkwood. If they can retrieve the case, I could act as an intermediary and return it. You did ask for Peter’s help in this for a reason.”

Peter was waiting for someone to ask for his input, but they talked about what he could or could not do, like he was invisible. He was getting upset, and when his foot started to wiggle, he crossed one leg over the other and held it.

“True. But, are you sure, Danny?” Jessup looked at MacBride. “Can this be done without unintended consequences to the company?”

“No harm, right, Peter?” Chapel ran his hand down his tie.

“Of course not. That is the last thing I want to happen,” Peter said, but he knew his face betrayed his confusion. Finding the case was all-important a few seconds ago, now he was being taken off the task.

“Okay, Danny. Peter, you may continue,” Jessup announced.

They stood in unison. Dismayed, Peter shook their hands and left.

Peter was waiting outside for Chapel. “Thank you, Mr. Chapel. But I have to ask—”

“Call me Danny, remember?” he cut in. “Glad to help. This is important.”

“What is their problem? The comment about harming the compa—”

“Forget them.” He waved his hand like swatting away a fly. “What do you need?’

“I need to get to Kyiv.”

“Then you can join me