ALSO BY CATHERINE COULTER
THE FBI THRILLERS
Nemesis (2015)
Power Play (2014)
Bombshell (2013)
Backfire (2012)
Split Second (2011)
Twice Dead: Riptide and Hemlock Bay (2011)
Whiplash (2010)
KnockOut (2009)
TailSpin (2008)
Double Jeopardy (2008): The Target and The Edge
Double Take (2007)
The Beginning (2005): The Cove and The Maze
Point Blank (2005)
Blowout (2004)
Blindside (2003)
Eleventh Hour (2002)
Hemlock Bay (2001)
Riptide (2000)
The Edge (1999)
The Target (1998)
The Maze (1997)
The Cove (1996)
A BRIT IN THE FBI THRILLERS (WITH J. T. ELLISON)
The Lost Key (2014)
The Final Cut (2013)
G. P. PUTNAM’S SONS
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Copyright © 2015 by Catherine Coulter
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Coulter, Catherine.
The end game / Catherine Coulter and J. T. Ellison.
p. cm. — (A Brit in the FBI ; 3)
ISBN 978-0-698-18931-7
1. United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation—Fiction. 2. Terrorism—Prevention—Fiction.
3. Intelligence officers—Fiction. I. Ellison, J. T., author. II. Title.
PS3553.O843E54 2015 2015024632
813'.54—dc23
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Version_1
Contents
Also by Catherine Coulter
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Prologue
1: Knight to F3
Monday: 11 p.m.–4 a.m.
2: Knight to F6
3: Pawn to C4
4: Pawn to G6
5: Knight to C3
6: Bishop to G7
7: Pawn to D4
8: Castles
9: Bishop to F4
10: Pawn to D5
11: Queen to B3
12: Pawn takes C4
13: Queen takes C4
14: Pawn to C6
15: Pawn to E4
16: Knight on B to D7
17: Rook to D1
18: Knight to B6
19: Queen to C5
20: Bishop to G4
21: Bishop to G5
22: Knight to A4
23: Queen to A3
Tuesday: 7 a.m.–2 p.m.
24: Knight takes C3
25: Pawn takes C3
26: Knight takes E4
27: Bishop takes E7
28: Queen to B6
29: Bishop to C4
30: Knight takes C3
31: Bishop to C5
32: Rook on F to E8 CHECK
33: King to F1
34: Bishop to E6
35: Bishop takes B6
36: Bishop takes C4 CHECK
37: King to G1
38: Knight to E2 CHECK
39: King to F1
40: Knight takes D4 CHECK
41: King to G1
42: Knight to E2 CHECK
43: King to F1
44: Knight to C3 CHECK
45: King to G1
46: Pawn takes B6
47: Queen to B4
48: Rook to A4
Tuesday: 2 p.m.–6 p.m.
49: Queen takes B6
50: Knight takes D1
51: Pawn to H3
52: Rook takes A2
53: King to H2
54: Knight takes F2
55: Rook to E1
56: Rook takes E1
Tuesday: 6 p.m.–Midnight
57: Queen to D8 CHECK
58: Bishop to F8
59: Knight takes E1
60: Bishop to D5
61: Knight to F3
62: Knight to E4
63: Queen to B8
64: Pawn to B5
Wednesday: 6 a.m.–Noon
65: Pawn to H4
66: Pawn to H5
67: Knight to E5
68: King to G7
69: King to G1
Wednesday: Noon–4 p.m.
70: Bishop to C5 CHECK
71: King to F1
72: Knight to G3 CHECK
73: King to E1
74: Bishop to B4 CHECK
Wednesday: 4 p.m.–Midnight
75: King to D1
76: Bishop to B3 CHECK
77: King to C1
78: Knight to E2 CHECK
79: King to B1
80: Knight to C3 CHECK
81: King to C1
Friday: 8 a.m.
82: Rook to C2 CHECKMATE
Epilogue
Author’s Note
J.T.—
May our upcoming adventures in Italy prove as spectacular as the wild roller coaster in The End Game.
It’s wonderful to know that our two writer brains will always find a way.
—Catherine
For Laura Benedict and Ariel Lawhon. You know why.
And for my Randy. You know why, too.
—J.T.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As always, to Karen Evans, my partner in synergy, always there at my side, at my back, always supportive, helpful, always positive. Thank you.
To my sweetheart of a husband, always ready to brainstorm, to throw around ideas, to be the rock.
And to my wonderful household: Lesley DeLone, Catherine Lyons Labate, and Yngrid Bejarano. Thank you for all you do—your energy, your positiveness, your laughter, your steady hands on the rudder.
Thank you all,
Catherine Coulter
What a fun, glorious ride this collaboration has turned out to be. I have to thank Catherine first and foremost, for bringing me on board, for constant laughter and fun, and always challenging me to be the very best writer I can be. We make one helluva team, lady, and I can’t wait to see what we cook up next!
And to the usual suspects: I couldn’t do it without you. This means you Scott Miller, Chris Pepe, Laura Benedict, Ariel Lawhon, Sherrie Saint, Karen Evans, Amy Kerr, Jeff Abbott, and darling husband. And for my parents, for listening, and listening, and listening.
—J. T. Ellison
PROLOGUE
United States–Mexico Border
Three Months Ago
Zahir Damari watched the coyote turn to face the ragged band of Hondurans on the sloping Texas side of the Rio Grande. As the last Honduran climbed up the bank, pulled up by his father, Zahir saw hope now dawning on the dirty faces, saw the relief in their tired eyes at surviving the nightmare trip. They’d made it; they were in America.