Liar's Market

Liar's Market
Taylor Smith

In Hong Kong a beautiful woman is pushed off a balcony to her death. In London a young American is gunned down outside the U.S. embassy. In Washington a senior CIA official vanishes into thin air. Random, unrelated events? Or pieces of the same puzzle?These events are no accidents, it seems, when it is discovered that the woman in Hong Kong had a CIA lover. That the London murder was a case of mistaken identity, and that the intended target was the wife of CIA senior deputy Drum MacNeil, who has since gone missing.To find MacNeil, investigators are taking a close look at his past actions, public and private. And at his restless wife, Carrie, who is doing her best to play the part of the innocent victim, even though it's increasingly clear that Drum's life has been a carefully constructed lie.Carrie MacNeil is about to learn firsthand about the evil of treachery. And in this business there are no fair-trade rules. It's always a liar's market.

Praise for the novels of TAYLOR SMITH

“A former international diplomat and intelligence analyst, Smith uses her experience to good effect in her latest thriller.”

—Library Journal on Deadly Grace

“…a rare thriller that keeps its secrets until the end…while combining suspense and style.”

—Orlando Sentinel on Deadly Grace

“Fifteen rounds of sturdy international espionage-cum-detection…”

—Kirkus Reviews on The Innocents Club

“Smith’s gloriously intricate plot is top-notch, and her writing…is that of a gifted storyteller.” —Publishers Weekly on The Innocents Club “Taylor Smith…John Grisham. It’s a perfectly plausible comparison—though Smith’s a better prose stylist.”

—Publishers Weekly on Random Acts

“The mix of suspense, forensic science, romance and mystery makes this a real page-turner.”

—Orange Coast on Random Acts

“Sharp characterization and a tightly focused time frame…give this intrigue a spellbinding tone of immediacy.”

—Publishers Weekly on The Best of Enemies

“The pace is swift and the action is concentrated…making it a perfect summer read.”

—Orange Coast on The Best of Enemies

Also by TAYLOR SMITH

DEADLY GRACE

THE INNOCENTS CLUB

RANDOM ACTS

THE BEST OF ENEMIES

COMMON PASSIONS

GUILT BY SILENCE

Liar’s Market

Taylor Smith

www.mirabooks.co.uk (http://www.mirabooks.co.uk)

Three may keep a secret—if two of them be dead.

—Benjamin Franklin

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My deep thanks for assistance and ongoing support to Lieutenant Brian Bray and Officer Harry M. Saval (Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police), Nick Banks, Lee Roberts, D. P. Lyle, the Fictionaires, Philip Spitzer and last but never least, Amy Moore-Benson.

And as always, Richard, Kate and Anna:

I couldn’t do it without you.

This book is dedicated to the memory of Robert Kost (1936–2003) artist, musician and son of the prairie.

This is a work of fiction. Although certain events mentioned in this novel are actual historical events, the characters I placed there are entirely figments of my imagination, as are their personal experiences. Any resemblance to real individuals is strictly coincidental.

CONTENTS

PROLOGUE (#ud679e106-57a3-5a2f-bf78-b20eed3a5a9b)

CHAPTER ONE (#u17fd0771-b84a-5765-8eb1-534505a10517)

CHAPTER TWO (#ucb4ef02e-91b2-5578-abd1-0d5bfef1d498)

CHAPTER THREE (#u0d2300c2-2a58-55a7-9df7-e4854096430b)

CHAPTER FOUR (#u9375f95d-265f-5fe4-926e-0d897a29dcbd)

CHAPTER FIVE (#udefb3cc7-4164-5feb-b5de-0bf0f3dd505d)

CHAPTER SIX (#ua2da89f7-26d1-50be-ae3f-1531f8c01509)

CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ELEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER TWELVE (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN (#litres_trial_promo)