Page 81 - Demo

8 0 JAGGEDEDGE
“What guarantees do I have that this is not a trick?”
“Trust. About the same guarantee as I do when we meet. Trust. Until 9 a.m. and get a blood-red tie.”
Click!
The sound of the church bell’s 9 p.m. gong seemed to initiate the phone call in Corin’s office the next day.
“Hello?” said Corin.
“Still interested?” the caller asked.
“Yes.”
“Then leave your office building now and walk east with your
red tie until you see a man with a red umbrella. Have yours in a briefcase. Follow him wherever he goes. When he stops to sit down, sit with him. He will direct you from there. Go now!”
Click!
Corin had come to be a pretty good judge of people over the years, and something told him the man just wanted to get paid for the information. He would leave the dogs at home and take a chance. He felt refreshed as he left the building and started to walk alone for the first time in a long time. Two miles down the street he spotted the man with the red umbrella go into a restau- rant. He didn’t even look around. He simply went in. Slowly he looked around until he spotted his contact and sat with him. The man looked up as Corin slid slowly into his seat across from him. Corin noticed the booth was isolated from the others and de- cided to wait for instructions.
“You have nothing to fear from me,” said the contact, “al- though I know what’s on your mind.”
“What?” said Corin.
“How do I know of you, and why should I help you?” “That’s two for two. Go on.”
“My name is Dan, and I am with the FBI. I used to be an
operative until a certain party took my future.” “Go on.”
If the people out to get you fail, the man who took my future fails.”