The Death Relic (49 page)

‘Let me guess: that didn’t go down too well.’

‘Not well at all.’

‘And now?’

Jones shrugged. ‘Like I said, I have no idea what the woman is thinking. You know as well as anyone that negative emotions are hard to shake. If that initial encounter scared her, or she still harbours animosity towards you over her brother’s death, it would certainly explain her belligerence.’

‘She is feisty,’ Payne interjected.

‘I can’t help but think that her willingness to face you means she’s still interested in me. It’s taken years, but at least she’s willing to deal with you. Hell, it’s more than that. She trusted you enough to call you when she was in trouble.’ Jones ran his fingers across his scalp. ‘I don’t know, maybe enough time has passed to heal old wounds.’

‘Listen,’ Payne said, ‘if you care about Maria, you owe it to yourself to give it another chance. Don’t let me stand in the way. I want you two to break up over
your
issues – like your immaturity or bad breath – not because of me. I don’t need that on my conscience.’

Jones laughed. ‘Thanks for your confidence.’

Payne encouraged him. ‘Seriously. This is the perfect day to express your feelings. What have you got to lose?’ With that, Payne nodded towards the entrance of the restaurant. Jones turned and saw Maria talking to the hostess, who pointed to Payne and Jones’s table. Maria stared at Jones from across the room and smiled warmly.

‘Jon, what the hell did you—’

When Jones turned back towards Payne’s seat, it was empty. His friend had conveniently vanished, as if by magic. Folded neatly on the table was a note that read:

‘There’s still hope for the two of you. Dinner’s on me.’

As always, I’d like to start with my family. Without their love and support, I wouldn’t be the person or the writer that I am today. Thanks for putting up with me.

Next, I want to thank my friend and agent, Scott Miller. Before we teamed up, I was a self-published author. Now my books are available around the world. I also want to thank Claire Roberts – my foreign agent, who landed my British deal and many others. It’s quite comforting to have Scott, Claire and the rest of Trident Media in my corner.

Over the past five years, I’ve had a chance to work with Alex Clarke, my editor, on six Payne & Jones thrillers. During that time, I went from an unknown American to a
Sunday Times
bestselling author. I’d like to thank him for all that he’s done. While I’m at it, I also want to thank Nick Lowndes and everyone else at Penguin UK.

Next up is my good friend Ian Harper. I want to thank him for reading, rereading, and then re-rereading everything I write and for all the suggestions that he makes. His advice and expertise is invaluable. If anyone’s looking for a freelance editor, please let me know. I’d be happy to put you in touch with him.

Finally, I’d like to thank all the readers, librarians, booksellers and critics who have read my thrillers and have recommended them to others. At this stage of my career, I still need all the help I can get, so I would appreciate your continued support.

For more information about my writing, please visit:
chriskuzneski.com
.