title: Deadly Associates: A Story of Murder and Survival
author:  Matthias McCarn 
description: Matthias McCarn is a professional writer and consultant. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in English from DePaul University and is certified by the University of Chicago as an editor.
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![title page](../Images/titlepage.png)
  
  
  
  
  
  ![CoverImage](../Images/9780316097550w.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Begin Reading](../Text/part_001.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  [A Preview of _Kill Alex Cross_](../Text/teaser_001.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Table of Contents](../Text/toc.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Copyright Page](../Text/copyright.html)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  In memory of my good friend and  
  
  
  partner in crime, Joe Drabyak  
  
  
  –M.K.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # [Prologue](../Text/toc.html#toc-part_001)  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  [The Ghost](../Text/toc.html#toc-part_001)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## [One](../Text/toc.html#toc-chapter_001)  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  _Some people are harder to kill than others._ The Ghost was thinking about
  this as he huddled in the deep, dark shadows of Grand Central Terminal. A man
  named Walter Zelvas would have to die tonight. But it wouldn’t be easy. Nobody
  hired the Ghost for the easy jobs.
  
  
  
  
  
  It was almost 11 p.m, and even though the evening rush was long over, there
  was still a steady stream of weary travelers.
  
  
  
  
  
  The Ghost was wearing an efficient killing