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CHAPTER NINETEEN

Avery’s Illness

On Monday morning Mitch’s secretary told him that Lambert wanted to see him. ‘But don’t forget that you’re due at Mulhol-land’s office in the Cotton Shipping Building soon,’ she added.

Up in Lambert’s office they talked for a while about Avery’s illness. Lambert sounded worried about him.

‘I visited him in hospital yesterday,’ Mitch said. ‘He seemed OK. It’s his heart, the doctors said.’

‘Anyway,’ Lambert said, ‘he’s going to be away for two months.

While he’s away, I want you to work with Victor Milligan. But before you start, Avery’s got some unfinished business in the Caymans. I want you to go down there tomorrow on the private jet. Tomorrow morning I’ll give you a file about the clients to read on the jet. OK?’

‘Of course. No problem.’ But he was thinking: something is wrong here.

He met Tammy in her office in the Cotton Shipping Building.

‘I want you to call Tarrance,’ he said. ‘Ask him to investigate Avery Tolleson’s illness. I’m not sure it’s real.’

‘OK.’

‘Did you talk to Abanks?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did he get the money?’

‘Yes. It was wired on Friday.’

‘Is he ready?’

‘He said he was.’

‘Good. What about the man who’s making us new documents?’

‘They call him the Doctor. I’m meeting him this afternoon. He’s an old friend of Eddie’s. Eddie said he was the best in the country.’

‘I hope so. We need new names. Are you OK for money?’

‘I’ve nearly finished the fifty thousand you gave me.’

‘How about another fifty thousand?’Fine.’

They smiled at each other as he left.

Late that night Ray McDeere walked out of prison. It was as easy as that. A guard came to fetch him. ‘I don’t know who your friends are,’ he said, ‘but they must be important.

’ He took him out to the prison walls. ‘The lights are going to go off for a while,’ he said. ‘You’ll find a rope ladder on the wall. All you have to do is climb over the wall.

Someone will meet you on the other side. I don’t believe this. Your face will be all over the papers tomorrow,

but tonight you can do what you want.’ Twelve hours later Ray was in Mobile, Alabama.