“Won’t we have to move too fast on this for book signings and fooling around,” Gus asked.
“No such thing as fooling around in the publishing business. We already missed an opportunity in Cincinnati because of The Unholy Trio appearance. In Boston, we have a problem to solve outside the realm of The Unholy Trio. Once we’re settled in at the hotel, we’ll try and brush elbows with the two terrorist couples. Then, we go get their fifth wheel warehouse guy with our Queen Mary news to compare notes. I’m hoping to solve any mysteries about their operation real fast so we can get to work on exterminating it.”
“It is bad the death cult has now become so user friendly with women dupes,” John said. “This new guise of using women as a couple’s ploy is very frightening.”
“It was bound to happen sooner or later,” Nick replied. “We couldn’t expect them to remain as stupid as they have been in the past with using only men. It’s only surprising how long it took to advance their women from subservient human shields to window dressing on a kill op.”
“What did Cassie say when you called her for an emergency book signing?”
Nick chuckled. “I think you can guess at the answer to that question, Payaso. Cassie nearly exploded right through the phone connection. She’s calling our editor in chief contact, Linda Mushet, about furnishing a delivery of my novels in hardbound for the bookstore with an extra bunch of the new one ‘Assassin’s Folly’ on consignment. I told her I’d even do a talk about the one I’m working on now. She loves the theme and title of ‘Dark Interlude’. We’ll bring John with us so he can see what a fool you make of yourself at the book signing as the real life model for my character Jed. The readers love him, John.”
“I cannot wait to see this,” John replied, warming to the suspicious look Gus was giving Nick. “Do they make a fuss over him and ask for his autograph?”
“Absolutely,” Nick replied. “Ever since it came out in the trade magazines when I revealed Gus was the real life inspiration for the character Jed, the readers can’t get enough of him. He had a great part in ‘Assassin’s Folly’ so the readers will love talking to him about it.”
“I admit it’s a thrill doing the signings. The most fun is when Nick has to handle a grammar Nazi or book killer,” Gus said. “That’s when it gets interesting. We had a woman attend who lectured Nick on clauses. She had Muerto shaking in his boots.”
“This, I must see. So, at book signings readers take El Muerto to task for his writing? If only they knew the real story,” John said with wistful look upwards that amused Gus. “What restraint the great Muerto shows in not retaliating. I have heard these Book Killers spoken of before. They do hit pieces on successful books, but many times do not read them. Book killers assailing Muerto in a public gathering – unthinkable.”
“A couple of them paid with their lives,” Gus said. “It turned out that the BK’s have an alternate passion in addition to crushing the sales of authors they pick at random. They also act as minions of other authors in the same genre. Those dead BK’s did a bit more atonement than they were expecting. They added terrorism and pedophilia to their list of wrong doings in addition to bashing Muerto’s novels.”
“Muerto! I have read some of these unfair hit pieces on your glorious works of literature. We need to silence these dastardly critics. They must receive final punishment for their sins.”
“Suck-up,” Gus muttered.
Nick enjoyed the light hearted call for death to all BK’s but held up a hand in humble thanks while shaking his head. “Enough. We have a great start thanks to John’s catch. Go get some sleep. I’ll call our CIA Director and hustle us a ride to Boston. It’s been a while since the Dekester has been in the big city. I’m hoping he hasn’t forgotten his big city manners.”
In response Deke lifted his head briefly and snorted at the sound of his name.
“He seems totally at ease with the decision,” Gus observed.
“The Dekester believes in our cause. When it comes to terrorists, child predators, and BK’s he lives by the warrior code as put forth in the movie ‘Conan’ – ‘Crush your enemies. See them driven before you. Hear the lamentations of their women’.
On cue, Deke sat straight and issued forth a short bark.
“Deke says that is good,” Nick translated for Deke.