until 14 B.C., when all mention of it ended. Over the years there have been repeated sightings of the treasure but they’ve all been debunked, until now.
“Early this month we were approached by an Indonesian businessman who has fallen on hard times . . .”
Dana started to laugh. Chan looked puzzled.
“Don’t tell me you want me to fly to Indonesia to see if the treasure is real.”
“Why, yes.”
Dana smiled and shook her head. “Who put you up to this, Mr. Chan—if that is your name?”
“Well, I . . .”
“Its okay, Larry.”
Dana turned around and saw Jake Teeny walking toward her. A big smile was pasted on his face.
“Ten minutes. Not bad. I thought he’d keep you going for a little more. Dana, meet Larry Winston, a reporter for the Washington Post. Larry, this is the very clever Dana Cutler.”
Winston broke into a grin. “My pleasure.”
“You are such an ass,” Dana told Jake.
“Now, hold on. I’m not the only one you should be cursing. Horace Blair is paying for our meal, and Bobby Schatz got us the reservation. I’m just responsible for the entertainment.”
“You’re still a jackass,” Dana said, but she was smiling.
Winston stood up. “Jake is a jackass, but I agreed to help him for the chance to meet the woman who earned that rag Exposed two Pulitzers. I’ll leave you lovebirds. It’s been a pleasure, Dana.”
Jake took the seat Winston had vacated.
“Were you really in New York today?” she asked.
“That was another subterfuge. But the meal you are about to eat is the real deal, and it has been specially prepared at Bobby’s direction by the chef. So enjoy. You deserve it.”
Acknowledgments
I always need the advice of experts to make my books seem real. Once again, Medical Examiner Karen Gunson and forensic expert Brian Ostrom rode to the rescue by advising me on how to kill people and commit crimes. I also want to thank Dr. Mary Meyer, Commonwealth Attorney Brandon Shapiro, fellow writer Bob Dugoni, Peter Jarvis, Ami and Andy Rome, Jay Margulies, Robin Haggard, and Carolyn Lindsey for their help in researching and writing Sleight of Hand.
Readers see a polished final draft. My editors help whip my raw and inadequate first drafts into shape. If you like this book, a lot of the credit has to go to my intrepid editors, Claire Wachtel and Caroline Upcher, and copy editor Ed Cohen. Thanks also to Elizabeth Perrella, my super publicist, Heather Drucker, Jonathan Burnham, Michael Morrison, and the art department and sales force at HarperCollins.
Thanks also to Jean Naggar, Jennifer Weltz, and everyone else at the Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency. You are the best.
This book is dedicated to the people who have made Chess for Success one of the most effective educational programs in the country. If you want to learn more about Chess for Success, go to www.chessforsuccess.org.
And last, but never least, thank you, Doreen. You continue to inspire me to do my best.
About the Author
Phillip Margolin has written sixteen New York Times bestsellers, including his latest novels Capitol Murder and Supreme Justice. Each displays a unique, compelling insider’s view of criminal behavior, which comes from his long career as a criminal defense attorney who has handled thirty murder cases. Winner of the Distinguished Northwest Writer Award, Margolin lives in Portland, Oregon.
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.
Also by Phillip Margolin
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Sleeping Beauty
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The Undertaker’s Widow
The Burning Man
After Dark
Gone, but Not Forgotten
The Last Innocent Man
Heartstone
WASHINGTON TRILOGY
Executive Privilege
Supreme Justice
Capitol Murder
AMANDA JAFFE NOVELS
Wild Justice
Ties That Bind
Proof Positive
Fugitive
Credits
Cover design by Jarrod Taylor
Copyright
SLEIGHT OF HAND. Copyright © 2013 by Phillip Margolin. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.
ISBN: 978-0-06-206991-7 (Hardcover)
EPUB Edition April 2013 ISBN 9780062069924
13 14 15 16 17 OV/RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Table of Contents
Dedication
Part I: The Ottoman Scepter
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Part II: The Key
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Part III: The Revenge of the Ottoman Scepter
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Phillip Margolin
Credits
Copyright
About the Publisher
Table of Contents
Dedication
Part I: The Ottoman Scepter
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Part II: The Key
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Part III: The Revenge of the Ottoman Scepter
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Phillip Margolin
Credits
Copyright
About the Publisher