Once a Crooked Man (44 page)

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Authors: David McCallum

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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 31

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

 

Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at
[email protected]
.

 

First Edition: January 2016

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