Madison's Avenue
 
   
 
 
 
Dead Air
 
   
 
 
 
Business to Kill For
 
   

Synopsis

     Business is war. And Luke Tanner is about to be its latest casualty. He's overheard men conspiring to gain control of a $1 billion piece of business by using a unique strategy - the murder of the two CEO's who control it.

     The conspirators discover that Luke has overheard them and try to kill him. But he gets away. To silence him, they kidnap his girlfriend, pediatrician Dr. Jenna Johannson.

     When the kidnappers try to kill them, Luke and Jenna manage to escape, only to discover that the $1 billion business - a massive worldwide automotive advertising account - is his. Luke also discovers that it's too late to save the lives of his CEO and client - because at that very moment, the two men are in the Yucatan Peninsula, unreachable by phone and about to walk into the assassins' trap.

     Spanish voice cleared his throat. "You never tol' us how come you wan' these two men, these Twins, killed so bad."
     "Business decision," the American said.
     "What kind of business?"
     "When they die, their advertising business will switch from their present agency to another one."
     "This business--it's worth a lot?"
     "Yes."
     "Many millions?"
     "Many millions."
     "Maybe we should get bigger fee, eh?"
     Another man grunted, "Sí
     "Look--Goddammit!" the American said. "It's four hundred thousand! For you two and your colleague. That's it!"
     "Easy, amigo, just kidding," Spanish accent said. "But when do we get our fee?"
     "Half was deposited in the Banque Bruxelles Lambert account in Brussels this morning. The rest, as agreed, will be deposited when you handle the Twins."
     Tanner broke out in a cold sweat. Jesus--this is real. These men were finalizing plans for a hit, talking about a fee sent to the Banque Bruxelles Lambert and cuatro narices, things his agency pals wouldn't know about.

     Luke saw Herb, the ancient waiter, working tables nearby, start to walk toward him, coming to warm up his coffee. Luke tried to wave him off, but as usual the old man's eyes were drilled to the floor. Herb's fog-horn voice would boom over the alcove wall and let the men know Luke had overheard them.
     Luke looked down, pretending to concentrate on the script, praying Herb would go away. But Herb's feet clomped closer and stopped.
     "Care for something?"
     Luke looked up, then realized Herb was on the other side of the abutment.
     "No," the American said. "My friends and I are leaving."
     Luke exhaled like a slow leak. He heard chairs scraping, the men walking away. If they turned right, they'd see him, know he knew. He pretended to write, white-knuckling his pen. The footsteps faded left, the way they'd come, along the balcony. Luke had to see them. He stood, peered around the abutment and saw two short, dark-skinned men wearing blue-black windbreakers and walking with a tall, blond, bearded man in a grey suit. They vanished into an elevator heading up.
     Luke sat back down and stared at the floor. Incredible. He'd just overheard men plan the murder of two businessmen connected to an advertising account, two men called the Siamese Twins. He couldn't recall anyone in the business referred to as Siamese Twins. Which meant he had to phone his pal, Hank Redstone, a lieutenant with the Detroit Police. Hank's people would somehow have to identify the two men in an industry which employed hundreds of thousands--and warn them before Sunday.


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