The October List

just before the gun fired. People behaved in all sorts of mad ways. Heroic, pathetic, even blasé. He could write a book.
    Joseph set the gun on the table and fished out the Gemtech silencer, checked to see that it was clear and then screwed it into the muzzle. Slipped the weapon into his waistband.
    He glanced at his watch. The deadline was two minutes away. He wondered if—
    A firm knocking resonated from the medieval door.
    A glance through the peephole he’d installed yesterday. Daniel Reardon and a distinguished-looking businessman. Joseph tapped the grip of the pistol, to remind himself exactly where it hugged his body. Then undid the latch.

CHAPTER
34
     

4:00 p.m., Sunday
1 hour, 50 minutes earlier
     

 

 
     
    In the living room of the apartment Daniel Reardon made introductions. ‘This is Gabriela McKenzie.’
    ‘Andrew Faraday,’ said the older of the two who’d just entered. The other man offered, ‘Sam Easton.’
    Hands were shaken. Sam was tanned, balding and had a craggy face, quick eyes. Andrew, pocketing the keys to the apartment, was in his mid-sixties. He had thick white hair, streaked with black strands, swept back and razor-parted on the side. Businessman’s hair. Politician’s hair. Andrew was leaner than Sam and Daniel and not particularly muscular. No more than five-nine. But Gabriela’s impression, an immediate one, was that he was more imposing than the others. And not because of the age.
    A natural-born boss …
    Daniel said, ‘These are the people I was telling you about. I’m a client of theirs. Have been for years.’
    Gabriela and Daniel sat down on the decades-old couch, which released a more intense version of the musty odor she’d tried to eradicate from the apartment with the kitchen trick not long before.
    Funerals, she thought. Funerals …
    Daniel poured some more of the red wine. He lifted the bottle to her again. She declined. Andrew and Sam both took glasses. They sipped.
    ‘Daniel was telling us about the situation,’ Andrew said. His voice was comforting, baritone.
    She said with a frantic slope to her voice, ‘I don’t know what to do! It’s a nightmare. The deadline’s in two hours! Joseph said I have until six and no extensions this time. After that …’ She inhaled, exhaled hard.
    The men seemed troubled by these stirrings of hysteria, as if not sure how to reassure her. Finally Andrew Faraday said, ‘Well, we have some thoughts.’
    Sam deferred with his eyes to Andrew. He was secondary or tertiary in hierarchy, she saw at once. She assessed he was dependable and loyal.
    Daniel eased against Gabriela on the couch and she felt the warmth of his thigh against hers. He gripped her arm briefly with his long fingers. And she felt the strength she’d noted earlier.
    ‘May I call you Gabriela?’ The question was from Andrew. He seemed the sort who would ask permission. Proper, old-school.
    ‘Sure, yes.’ She smoothed frazzled hair. Then stopped her busy hands.
    Andrew continued, ‘First, so I can understand, Gabriella: Just to get the facts. This man who’s kidnapped your daughter – Joseph, you were saying. That’s his name, right?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘He wants the document Daniel was telling me about. The October List?’
    She nodded.
    Andrew took in her hollow eyes. ‘And Daniel said you don’t know what it means.’
    She shrugged. ‘Names and addresses. Maybe criminals. All we really know is that people are willing to kill for it.’
    Andrew said, ‘And no idea what the word refers to, “October”?’
    Gabriela glanced to Daniel, who offered, ‘It could be something that happened in October, in the past: a meeting, an event. Or,’ he added darkly, ‘it’s something that’s going to happen – next month. Given what we’ve heard, it might be something pretty bad. But, on the other hand, it could be nothing more than a name. A company, even a person. Or maybe a code. Number ten – the tenth month.’
    ‘Or,’ Gabriela said, ‘Daniel was considering anagrams.’
    ‘You can find some interesting words in “October.” “Reboot,” “boot,” “core,” “rob.” But out of context, we just don’t know.’
    ‘And there’s this man named Gunther, who may want the list too. But we don’t have a clue how he figures in.’
    Andrew nodded, considering this. He leaned back and ran a single index finger through his hair. Gabriela now examined the newcomers’ clothing: The men were in suits – coiffed Andrew’s was dark