The Language of the Dead (40 page)

When Lamb reached Will Blackwell's cottage, he found Rivers leaning against his Wolseley, waiting for him.

“Harding wants us in Portsmouth,” Rivers said. “The head of a freight warehouse down there called this morning to report the theft of a hundred cases of overcoats meant for frontline troops. American-made. Someone stole them right off the bloody boat in the night.”

“How did you know I was here?” he asked Rivers.

“Guessed.”

Lamb smiled slightly. “Well, you were right then, weren't you?”

Rivers lifted his chin. “I suppose so,” he said.

I COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN THIS BOOK WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE
and guidance of many people, chief among them my beautiful and loving wife, Cindy, who has supported me without complaint or qualification in everything, and my generous best friend of many decades, Bryan Denson, the first person who ever told me that my wanting to be a writer wasn't a stupid idea. For their help along the way, I also owe a debt of gratitude to: Maria Archangelo, Avi Azrieli, Lloyd Batzler, Carrie Brown, John Gregory Brown, Elizabeth Eck, Mark Hertsgaard, the late David Kelly, Michael Kelly, Paul Milton, Jean Moon, Dave Stewart, Karen Webster, and Ken Weiss.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE DEAD

ISBN: 978-1-605-98696-8

ISBN: 978-1-605-98754-5 (e-book)

Pegasus Books LLC

80 Broad Street, 5th Floor

New York, NY 10004

Copyright © 2015 by Stephen Kelly

First Pegasus Books cloth edition April 2015

Interior design by Maria Fernandez

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher, except by reviewers who may quote brief excerpts in connection with a review in a newspaper, magazine, or electronic publication; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other, without written permission from the publisher.

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