Sinossi
P.I. Bill Smith is sent on a high stakes chase when an electronically modified voice on his cell phone informs him that Lydia Chin, his occasional partner, has been kidnapped. Now if Bill wants to keep Lydia alive, he’ll have to play an elaborate game of the kidnapper’s devising. The first move sends him to an abandoned building where Bill finds the corpse of a small Chinese woman dressed like Lydia and the building being rapidly surrounded by police. Now Bill is on the run from the cops and in the worst trouble of his very troubled life. With the help of Lydia’s hacker cousin Linus, and Linus’s cohort Trella, Bill has to not only stay one step ahead of the cops, he has to uncover the secret behind the kidnapper’s identity and the reason he’s come after Bill, if he’s to reach Lydia before it’s too late.
Le informazioni nella sezione "Riassunto" possono far riferimento a edizioni diverse di questo titolo.
Informazioni sull'autore
S.J. ROZAN is the author of many critically acclaimed novels, most recently The Shanghai Moon, and has won most of crime fiction’s greatest honors, including the Edgar, Shamus, Anthony, Macavity, and Nero Awards. She lives in New York.
Estratto. © Ristampato con autorizzazione. Tutti i diritti riservati.
On the Line
A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin NovelBy S. J. RozanMinotaur Books
Copyright © 2010 S. J. RozanAll right reserved.
ISBN: 9780312544492
1
Crashing dark chords smothered the cell phone’s impertinent chirp, but the ringtone was “Ride of the Valkyries,” so it penetrated, and I stopped. I was learning a Brahms sonata. After weeks it had started to come together into something I could feel good about. So good that I was up working on it at what is, for me, early morning: half-past eight, with a mug of powerful black coffee, and a big, bright, late fall morning beyond the windows.
I hate interruptions when I’m at the piano; hate them so much, I used to turn the phone off. Now, though, I just ignore it if it rings. Except for this one number, the reason I leave it on. I leaned from the piano bench, grinning, and reached for the phone, which was still squeaking out those opening Valkyrie notes. In my world, Wagner only trumps Brahms when Wagner means Lydia Chin.
“Hey,” I said. “What’s up?”
Silence, unlike Lydia; and an odd tone to it. Then she said, “Nothing good.”
Those two words contained darkness: anger, fear, and something else. Warning? My skin went cold. “What does that mean?”
The answer didn’t come from Lydia. It came from a different voice, relaxed and mocking in rhythm, but inhuman in tone: thin, robotic. Deliberately, electronically altered. “It means, asshole, your girlfriend got jacked.”
I was on my feet, heart pounding. “What the—Who are you?”
“Come on, you don’t know me?”
“What’s going on?”
“Jesus Christ! You fucked up so many guys you can’t keep track!”
“Who are you? What do you want?”
“No.” In a flash, joviality gone, the metallic voice dropped. “It’s what you want. You want your girlfriend to live. Or am I wrong?”
“You’re right, and—”
“Then find her. It’s a game, get it? You find her, she lives. You don’t, she dies. You following that?”
“Whoever the hell you are, leave her alone. You have business with me, bring it on.”
“It’s on, buddy boy. And if I were you I’d get down to it.”
“Get down to what?”
“What did I just say?”
“How am I supposed to find her?”
“Well, lucky for you, I’m going to help. Clues, evidence, all that shit. I know you like that shit. So we’ll have fun. Now get going.”
“No. This is bullshit.”
“Then your girlfriend dies.”
“How do I know she’s not dead already?”
“You just talked to her!”
“I heard two words from a woman, and you have Lydia’s phone. That’s all I know.”
“Jesus, look! The son of a bitch is in the game already! Instant offense, whoa, I like that. Okay, good, I’ll go along. Here, sweetie. Talk to him.”
“Bill?” It was Lydia, which I’d known, rock solid, from those first two words.
“Are you okay?”
“So far. I don’t know what’s going on, though.”
“Stay cool. I’ll find you.”
“I know you will. But Bill? I don’t want my mother to worry. Looks like Tony, his birthday party, looks like I’ll miss it.” She stumbled over her words. “If I don’t show up he’ll call the apartment. Could you make some excuse? He already thinks I’m a ditz. Tell him he’ll have to get a little older without me.”
“Aw.” The robot voice sliced back in, dripping acid. “How sweet is that? Doesn’t want her mama to worry. Well, her mama’s gonna have lots to worry about, you don’t get your ass in gear.”
I spun, stared wildly around the room, as though he might materialize and I could lunge for him. Forcing myself still, I said, “I want to talk to her.”
“Sorry, you just did. One to a customer.”
“As this bullshit unfolds, what ever it is.”
“And by ‘bullshit,’ you mean … ?”
“This insanity! Your so-called game!”
“ ‘Insanity’? ‘So-called’? Oh, man, where’s your sportsmanship? Respect for the opponent, all that. You know, maybe I don’t want to play with you after all. Nah, on second thought, forget it. Of course, that means I pop your girlfriend. But I guess you don’t care. So long, sucker.”
The line went dead.
My heart had been speeding. Now it stopped. My breathing, my power to move, it all stopped. What the hell had I done? Played chicken with a madman, and lost. Lost Lydia. I stood rooted, for a second, an hour, a lifetime.
No! The words I couldn’t get out crashed around inside my skull. Not like this! This can’t be how it ends. Do something. There’s got to be—
The phone, Lydia’s music, rang again.
“Lydia? Are you—”
The robot voice: “Not her. Me. You in or out?”
“Goddamn you—”
“Smith?”
“Screw you, you bastard, I’m in.” I realized I was soaked in sweat. “You think this is a goddamn game, I’ll play.” I took a breath, and did it again: “But only if I can talk to Lydia. So I know she’s all right. You touch her, you motherfucker, I’ll kill you.”
“Oh, oh, listen to him! Big man! Know what, I really should forget the game and kill her right now. What could you do about it? What, asshole? But I’ll give you a chance. I’ll play fair.”
“I talk to her. And you don’t touch her.” I dug in, praying my instincts were right. “Or I don’t play.”
“Are you listening? Who’s in charge here? You don’t find her, she dies. And you know what? You don’t play, I hurt her a lot and then she dies.”
“That’s your rules. My rules, as long as I’m playing, you don’t touch her, and I talk to her.”
A hell of a gamble, going head-to-head with him like this. I didn’t know who he was or what was going on. But if what he wanted was to kill Lydia he could have done that already, and he hadn’t. This “game” mattered to him.
“Hmm,” he finally said. “Okay, why not? But my rules: not whenever you want. You don’t get what you want in life, do you? Fuck knows I didn’t. Which would be your fault, motherfucker, if you remember.”
“I don’t remember. Tell me.”
“No way! This is awesome! Oh, hey, did I mention you have twelve hours? A game’s no fun without a clock. But we don’t need no stinkin’ refs. Cops come, cops even think about coming, she’s toast. I mean it, motherfucker. First badge I see, pow pow pow! You got the rules?”
“And I talk to her.”
“When you do something right. Like a reward. Oh, I love that! Yeah, good. I’ll call you. But if you’re thinking she can coach, fuggedabahdit. She has no idea where she is. And her phone, now that we got your attention, it’s trashed. I mean, you don’t think I’m that stupid?”
“I don’t know who you are, so maybe you are that stupid.”
The slashing laugh again. “Taunting! You could get called for that!” Then the instant hard freeze. “Okay, that’s it. This is crap. Let’s get down to it.”
“What am I supposed do?”
“You’re so smart. Figure it out.”
And he was gone.
I hit call back, but got Lydia’s voicemail. I cut off and waited. He’d have heard it ring; he’d know I wanted to talk. But my phone stayed silent.
Excerpted from On the Line by S. J. Rozan.
Copyright © 2010 by S. J. Rozan.
Published in October 2010 by Minotaur Books.
All rights reserved. This work is protected under copyright laws and reproduction is strictly prohibited. Permission to reproduce the material in any manner or medium must be secured from the Publisher.
Crashing dark chords smothered the cell phone’s impertinent chirp, but the ringtone was “Ride of the Valkyries,” so it penetrated, and I stopped. I was learning a Brahms sonata. After weeks it had started to come together into something I could feel good about. So good that I was up working on it at what is, for me, early morning: half-past eight, with a mug of powerful black coffee, and a big, bright, late fall morning beyond the windows.
I hate interruptions when I’m at the piano; hate them so much, I used to turn the phone off. Now, though, I just ignore it if it rings. Except for this one number, the reason I leave it on. I leaned from the piano bench, grinning, and reached for the phone, which was still squeaking out those opening Valkyrie notes. In my world, Wagner only trumps Brahms when Wagner means Lydia Chin.
“Hey,” I said. “What’s up?”
Silence, unlike Lydia; and an odd tone to it. Then she said, “Nothing good.”
Those two words contained darkness: anger, fear, and something else. Warning? My skin went cold. “What does that mean?”
The answer didn’t come from Lydia. It came from a different voice, relaxed and mocking in rhythm, but inhuman in tone: thin, robotic. Deliberately, electronically altered. “It means, asshole, your girlfriend got jacked.”
I was on my feet, heart pounding. “What the—Who are you?”
“Come on, you don’t know me?”
“What’s going on?”
“Jesus Christ! You fucked up so many guys you can’t keep track!”
“Who are you? What do you want?”
“No.” In a flash, joviality gone, the metallic voice dropped. “It’s what you want. You want your girlfriend to live. Or am I wrong?”
“You’re right, and—”
“Then find her. It’s a game, get it? You find her, she lives. You don’t, she dies. You following that?”
“Whoever the hell you are, leave her alone. You have business with me, bring it on.”
“It’s on, buddy boy. And if I were you I’d get down to it.”
“Get down to what?”
“What did I just say?”
“How am I supposed to find her?”
“Well, lucky for you, I’m going to help. Clues, evidence, all that shit. I know you like that shit. So we’ll have fun. Now get going.”
“No. This is bullshit.”
“Then your girlfriend dies.”
“How do I know she’s not dead already?”
“You just talked to her!”
“I heard two words from a woman, and you have Lydia’s phone. That’s all I know.”
“Jesus, look! The son of a bitch is in the game already! Instant offense, whoa, I like that. Okay, good, I’ll go along. Here, sweetie. Talk to him.”
“Bill?” It was Lydia, which I’d known, rock solid, from those first two words.
“Are you okay?”
“So far. I don’t know what’s going on, though.”
“Stay cool. I’ll find you.”
“I know you will. But Bill? I don’t want my mother to worry. Looks like Tony, his birthday party, looks like I’ll miss it.” She stumbled over her words. “If I don’t show up he’ll call the apartment. Could you make some excuse? He already thinks I’m a ditz. Tell him he’ll have to get a little older without me.”
“Aw.” The robot voice sliced back in, dripping acid. “How sweet is that? Doesn’t want her mama to worry. Well, her mama’s gonna have lots to worry about, you don’t get your ass in gear.”
I spun, stared wildly around the room, as though he might materialize and I could lunge for him. Forcing myself still, I said, “I want to talk to her.”
“Sorry, you just did. One to a customer.”
“As this bullshit unfolds, what ever it is.”
“And by ‘bullshit,’ you mean … ?”
“This insanity! Your so-called game!”
“ ‘Insanity’? ‘So-called’? Oh, man, where’s your sportsmanship? Respect for the opponent, all that. You know, maybe I don’t want to play with you after all. Nah, on second thought, forget it. Of course, that means I pop your girlfriend. But I guess you don’t care. So long, sucker.”
The line went dead.
My heart had been speeding. Now it stopped. My breathing, my power to move, it all stopped. What the hell had I done? Played chicken with a madman, and lost. Lost Lydia. I stood rooted, for a second, an hour, a lifetime.
No! The words I couldn’t get out crashed around inside my skull. Not like this! This can’t be how it ends. Do something. There’s got to be—
The phone, Lydia’s music, rang again.
“Lydia? Are you—”
The robot voice: “Not her. Me. You in or out?”
“Goddamn you—”
“Smith?”
“Screw you, you bastard, I’m in.” I realized I was soaked in sweat. “You think this is a goddamn game, I’ll play.” I took a breath, and did it again: “But only if I can talk to Lydia. So I know she’s all right. You touch her, you motherfucker, I’ll kill you.”
“Oh, oh, listen to him! Big man! Know what, I really should forget the game and kill her right now. What could you do about it? What, asshole? But I’ll give you a chance. I’ll play fair.”
“I talk to her. And you don’t touch her.” I dug in, praying my instincts were right. “Or I don’t play.”
“Are you listening? Who’s in charge here? You don’t find her, she dies. And you know what? You don’t play, I hurt her a lot and then she dies.”
“That’s your rules. My rules, as long as I’m playing, you don’t touch her, and I talk to her.”
A hell of a gamble, going head-to-head with him like this. I didn’t know who he was or what was going on. But if what he wanted was to kill Lydia he could have done that already, and he hadn’t. This “game” mattered to him.
“Hmm,” he finally said. “Okay, why not? But my rules: not whenever you want. You don’t get what you want in life, do you? Fuck knows I didn’t. Which would be your fault, motherfucker, if you remember.”
“I don’t remember. Tell me.”
“No way! This is awesome! Oh, hey, did I mention you have twelve hours? A game’s no fun without a clock. But we don’t need no stinkin’ refs. Cops come, cops even think about coming, she’s toast. I mean it, motherfucker. First badge I see, pow pow pow! You got the rules?”
“And I talk to her.”
“When you do something right. Like a reward. Oh, I love that! Yeah, good. I’ll call you. But if you’re thinking she can coach, fuggedabahdit. She has no idea where she is. And her phone, now that we got your attention, it’s trashed. I mean, you don’t think I’m that stupid?”
“I don’t know who you are, so maybe you are that stupid.”
The slashing laugh again. “Taunting! You could get called for that!” Then the instant hard freeze. “Okay, that’s it. This is crap. Let’s get down to it.”
“What am I supposed do?”
“You’re so smart. Figure it out.”
And he was gone.
I hit call back, but got Lydia’s voicemail. I cut off and waited. He’d have heard it ring; he’d know I wanted to talk. But my phone stayed silent.
Excerpted from On the Line by S. J. Rozan.
Copyright © 2010 by S. J. Rozan.
Published in October 2010 by Minotaur Books.
All rights reserved. This work is protected under copyright laws and reproduction is strictly prohibited. Permission to reproduce the material in any manner or medium must be secured from the Publisher.
Continues...
Excerpted from On the Line by S. J. Rozan Copyright © 2010 by S. J. Rozan. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Le informazioni nella sezione "Su questo libro" possono far riferimento a edizioni diverse di questo titolo.
Altre edizioni note dello stesso titolo
Risultati della ricerca per On The Line
Foto dell'editore
On the Line: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel (Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novels)
Da: Orion Tech, Kingwood, TX, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
hardcover. Condizione: Good. Codice articolo 0312544499-3-27023407
Compra usato
EUR 4,56
Spedizione gratuita
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 1 disponibili
Foto dell'editore
On the Line: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel
Da: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
Condizione: Very Good. Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Codice articolo 00105450884
Compra usato
EUR 4,57
Spedizione gratuita
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 1 disponibili
Foto dell'editore
On the Line: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel
Da: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
Condizione: Good. Good condition ex-library book with usual library markings and stickers. Codice articolo 00094232188
Compra usato
EUR 4,57
Spedizione gratuita
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 1 disponibili
Immagini fornite dal venditore
On the Line: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel
Da: Bay State Book Company, North Smithfield, RI, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
Condizione: good. The book is in good condition with all pages and cover intact, including the dust jacket if originally issued. The spine may show light wear. Pages may contain some notes or highlighting, and there might be a "From the library of" label. Boxed set packaging, shrink wrap, or included media like CDs may be missing. Codice articolo BSM.16R1F
Compra usato
EUR 4,85
Spedizione gratuita
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 1 disponibili
Foto dell'editore
On the Line: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel
Da: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
Condizione: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Codice articolo 00101177804
Compra usato
EUR 5,22
Spedizione gratuita
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 1 disponibili
Immagini fornite dal venditore
On the Line: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel
Da: MERS Goodwill-Kansas City, Blue Springs, MO, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
Condizione: good. The book has been read but is in good condition. It has very minimal damage to the cover, including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. The dust jacket for hard covers may not be included. The binding has minimal wear. The majority of pages are undamaged with minimal creasing or tearing, minimal pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text, and no writing in the margins. There are no missing pages. See the seller's listing for full details and a description of any imperfections. Codice articolo WMEKV.0312544499.G
Compra usato
EUR 1,76
Spedizione EUR 3,50
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 1 disponibili
Foto dell'editore
On the Line
Editore:
St. Martin's Press, 2010
ISBN 10: 0312544499
ISBN 13: 9780312544492
Antico o usato
Rilegato
Prima edizione
Da: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
Condizione: Very Good. First Edition. Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Codice articolo GRP73091529
Compra usato
EUR 6,26
Spedizione gratuita
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 1 disponibili
Foto dell'editore
On the Line
Editore:
St. Martin's Press, 2010
ISBN 10: 0312544499
ISBN 13: 9780312544492
Antico o usato
Rilegato
Prima edizione
Da: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
Condizione: Good. First Edition. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Codice articolo 5904091-6
Compra usato
EUR 6,26
Spedizione gratuita
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 2 disponibili
Foto dell'editore
On the Line
Editore:
St. Martin's Press, 2010
ISBN 10: 0312544499
ISBN 13: 9780312544492
Antico o usato
Rilegato
Prima edizione
Da: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
Condizione: Good. First Edition. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Codice articolo 4612709-6
Compra usato
EUR 6,26
Spedizione gratuita
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 1 disponibili
Foto dell'editore
On the Line: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel
Da: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Valutazione del venditore 5 su 5 stelle
Hardcover. Condizione: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Codice articolo G0312544499I3N00
Compra usato
EUR 6,45
Spedizione gratuita
Spedito in U.S.A.
Spedito in U.S.A.
Quantità: 1 disponibili