Smoking Gun (Adam Cartwright Trilogy Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

included details of my swim and the problems with intercepting the yacht and getting aboard. Finally I summarised my thoughts about what to do next and who might be responsible. When I finished I sat back and read what I had written. After making a few changes I saved the file and was about to put the laptop away when I added a final line of text.
    It summarised what I saw to be my possible strategies.
    Fight or flight? Attack or defend?
    ***
    Once I reached the shipping channel and began entering the port I switched the autohelm off and took the tiller. As I turned into the marina and approached my pen I studied the jetty and other boats to see if anyone was paying attention to me. Luckily it was as though I was invisible. No one appeared to do more than give a casual glance in my direction.
    As soon as ‘Irish Mist’ was tied up and secured, I checked my watch. It was two forty five. I had more than an hour to catch my flight to Sydney. Thinking that it might be better if I left my vehicle in the marina car park I rang a taxi to pick me up at the marina gates. Paranoia had taken over to the extent that I gave the name Smith when I ordered the cab.
    On the way to the airport I called in at a McDonald’s drive-through to pick up a couple of Big Macs. I was hungry and my plan was to sleep for most of the three hour flight to Sydney.
    ***
    It was with a strange mixture of feelings that I greeted Brian at Sydney Airport. I was pleased for him and did not want to dampen his high spirits with my problem. I now regretted telling him about the attempt on my life. I was now less confident that involving anyone else, even Brian, was a good idea. It was my problem to deal with. Involving Brian was not fair to him, particularly when he had such a positive event in his life to celebrate.
    On the other hand if Brian had found himself in the same predicament and did not turn to me for help I would have been deeply disappointed.
    For the first time in our lives there was a degree of awkwardness when we greeted each other. Momentary as it was, we were both aware of the uncertainty about what to say. I broke the ice as we shook hands. “Brian, it’s good to see you again. Congratulations. Tell me all about Kate. We can talk about my stuff later.”
    He grinned. “You know, it’s been almost three months since we last spent time together. I reckon that it’s the longest period that we have not seen each other since we were five years old.”
    I laughed. “And look where you have ended up. Engaged to be married. About to settle down. You obviously needed my guidance and lost your way.”
    We were both laughing as we walked out to his car. During the thirty minute drive Brian talked non-stop about Kate. About how they had met and how his sense of purpose in life had changed overnight. For someone who, like me, had never consciously contemplated marriage, he now embraced his changed perspective of life with enthusiasm.
    It was a little after eight thirty when we arrived at Brian’s apartment. He went next door immediately leaving me to have a shower and change my clothes. Fifteen minutes later I was refreshed and knocking on the door to the next-door apartment. It opened almost immediately. A tall, elegant dark haired young woman in a long red dress, stood there smiling, her hand extended. “Adam Cartwright, I presume. Welcome to your place.”
    I grinned in response. “Kate Moore, I presume. I’m here to do an inspection as provided for in your tenancy agreement.”
    Taking her extended hand in both of mine I leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “It is truly a pleasure to meet you.” I looked at her left hand. A largish diamond ring adorned her ring finger. “Congratulations to you both. I see that your shopping trip today was successful.”
    “Yes.” She smiled and held out her left hand for me to inspect the engagement ring. “Very.”
    Brian was standing in the background, an unopened bottle of champagne in