Harry picked up his glass. “That rather depends on the woman, doesn’t it?” He finished his whisky. “We have to face it. They fell for each other. Found a little happiness. Can’t grudge them that, can we?”
“We should be so lucky,” she replied, and turned away.
Harry watched her as she walked away and into the kitchen. Cora had an attractive body. Maybe he’d come back sometime and talk some more. Now it was time to move on. The bad guys had won. The villain had gotten the girl and ridden off into the sunset.
Harry’s phone rang. It took him a moment to find it. The call was from his agent.
“Hi there, Harry!” said Richie. “How are you doing? Look, I know you’re still taking it easy and I’m real sorry to bother you, but they just called to ask your availability next month to read the new Stan Benedict novel. They loved what you did with Passion and Power and really want you to do the sequel. It’s called Violent Vengeance. What do you say? Are you up to it? It’s two days’ recording and they’re offering you the same money. I tried to get more but they said no way. Budget’s pretty tight.”
Harry hesitated and that in itself was unique. For the first time in his career he was being offered work and he was wondering if he wanted to accept.
“Can I call you back on this one?” he said, needing a little time.
“Sure thing, sport. I’ll be here at the office until seven.”
Harry closed the phone and laid it on the table.
Why had he hesitated? Was it money in his pocket? Was it the countless bundles of bills back in the bathroom ceiling? Did so much money give him a sense of superiority? An excuse not to work? Suddenly he realized he was behaving like an idiot.
Nothing had actually changed in his life. He still craved the excitement of a new script, the challenge of creating a character, the intellectual exercise of rehearsals and the almost unbearable nervousness of opening night.
Lights! Camera! Action! Harry Patrick Murphy picked up his phone and dialed his agent.
It was time to earn an honest living.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
For the most part, the creation of this book was a long and solo effort as I tried to learn how to write a story, but many individuals contributed their time, wisdom and expertise. Special thanks must go to:
My English teachers at University College School, London, for setting me on the right track.
Katherine, my wife of almost fifty years, with her loving encouragement and eagle eye for details that everyone else misses.
Assistant US Attorney Bradley Tyler, who helped me find whomever and whatever I needed to begin and complete my research.
Special Agent Gerald McAleer (Retired). At the time I met him in New York he was the Special Agent in Charge at the US Drug Enforcement Agency. “Gerry,” as he is affectionately known, gave me a glimpse of the inner workings of the intricate and sometimes perilous ways of undercover assignments.
Special Agent Jim Christy (Retired), who took me into the world of cybercrime and showed me the way agents are trained to do battle against it. Jim is currently the President and Founder of the Digital Forensics Consortium.
Charlotte Herscher, who taught me the Basics of Novel Writing 101.
Scott Williams, Senior Executive Producer and a writer on NCIS, who gave me a reassuring smile as he welcomed me, as he put it, “to the world of self-doubt.”
My new friend Will Anderson, a kind and gentle editor at Thomas Dunne Books, who help me guide this effort to fruition.
• • •
The poem “There Was a Crooked Man” has its roots in British history and originates from the ill-feeling between the Stuarts and Charles 1.
The “crooked man” is reputed to be the Scottish General Sir Alexander Leslie who signed a Covenant securing religious and political freedom for Scotland.
The “crooked stile” refers to the border between England and Scotland.
“They all lived together in a little crooked house” refers to the fact that the English and Scots had finally come to an agreement.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DAVID McCALLUM is a Scottish-born actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as the Russian secret agent Illya Kuryakin in the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and his current role, as medical examiner Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, on NCIS. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Poem
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Acknowledgments
About the poem “There was a Crooked Man”
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A THOMAS DUNNE BOOK FOR MINOTAUR BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
ONCE A CROOKED MAN. Copyright © 2015 by David McCallum. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.thomasdunnebooks.com
www.minotaurbooks.com
Cover design by David Baldeosingh Rotstein
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-08045-5 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-9248-4 (e-book)
e-ISBN 978466892484
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First Edition: January 2016