Jericho's Fall, page 32
Many Princeton University students do indeed celebrate the Newman’s Day tradition of downing twenty-four beers in twenty-four hours on the twenty-fourth of April, although the University itself has condemned it, on health grounds, and the late Paul Newman, for whom the tradition is named, did his best to discourage it. As of this writing, there is no Red Roof Inn in Colorado, but I suspect the chain will have no objection to my pretense. Readers of my novel The Emperor of Ocean Park might have formed the impression that Professor Tish Kirschbaum is older than she appears in the instant tale. I once thought so, too, but I was mistaken.
The CIA’s Directorate of Operations, so beloved of thriller writers, no longer exists. In a post 9/11 reform, the mission of the Directorate was sightly restructured, and the institution was renamed the National Clandestine Service, which sounds like something out of a bad movie. But the name has changed before. For twenty-odd years it was known as the Directorate of Plans. Before that—best euphemism of all!—covert action was undertaken by the Office of Policy Coordination.
The Episcopal Church, although the fact is not widely known, does indeed have nuns. To my knowledge, none formerly conducted interrogations of terror suspects. I should add that Audrey Ainsley’s theory about the best way to perform interrogations is widely shared among professionals, provided always that one possesses sufficient time. When the press of events creates the perception of emergency, everyone—my characters included—has trouble making right choices. This is evidence not of wickedness but of humanity.
Jericho’s use of the word chamade is slightly over-precise. His story about paroled prisoners in the War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War is true.
I have benefited, as always, from the thoughtful advice of my editor, Phyllis Grann; my literary agent, Lynn Nesbit; and the small circle of intimates who read my work in its early stages. And, as always, I have learned much from the loving support, and generous readings, of my children, Leah and Andrew, and my wondrous and brilliant wife, Enola Aird. For their presence in my life I continue to thank God.
Cheshire, Connecticut
March 2009
A NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephen L. Carter is the William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law at Yale University. His debut novel, The Emperor of Ocean Park, spent eleven weeks on the New York Times best-seller list, and was followed by the nationwide best sellers New England White and Palace Council. Jericho’s Fallis his fourth novel. His acclaimed nonfiction books include God’s Name in Vain: The Wrongs and Rights of Religion and Politics and Civility: Manners, Morals, and the Etiquette of Democracy. He lives with his family in Connecticut.
THIS IS A BORZOI BOOK
PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF
Copyright © 2009 by Stephen L. Carter
All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
www.aaknopf.com
Knopf, Borzoi Books, and the colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Carter, Stephen L., [date]
Jericho’s fall / by Stephen L. Carter.—1st ed.
p. cm.
eISBN: 978-0-307-27299-7
I. Title.
ps3603.a78j47 2009
813′.6—dc22 2009003814
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents
either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used
fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
v3.0
Table of Contents
Cover
Other Books By This Author
Title Page
Dedication
Prologue: The Return
Sunday Night
Chapter 1 - The Mountain
Chapter 2 - The Redoubt
Chapter 3 - The Sickroom
Monday
Chapter 4 - The Protest
Chapter 5 - The Aide-de-Camp
Chapter 6 - The Interrogation
Monday Night
Chapter 7 - The Summons
Chapter 8 - The Deputy
Chapter 9 - The Message
Chapter 10 - The Nun
Tuesday
Chapter 11 - The Deputation
Chapter 12 - The Basement
Chapter 13 - The Request
Chapter 14 - The Library
Chapter 15 - The Classmate
Tuesday Night
Chapter 16 - The Photographs
Chapter 17 - The Folder
Chapter 18 - The Accident
Wednesday
Chapter 19 - The Lawyer
Chapter 20 - The Break
Chapter 21 - The Flight
Wednesday Night
Chapter 22 - The Flag Code
Thursday
Chapter 23 - The Réseau
Chapter 24 - The Pin Lights
Thursday Night
Chapter 25 - The Romantic
Chapter 26 - The Hireling
Chapter 27 - The BreakIn
Chapter 28 - The Hero
Chapter 29 - The Sister
Thursday–Friday: The Wee Hours
Chapter 30 - The Manager
Chapter 31 - The Crisis
Chapter 32 - The Prison
Chapter 33 - The Window
Chapter 34 - The Sniper
Chapter 35 - The Kitchen
Chapter 36 - The Decision
Chapter 37 - The Escape
Chapter 38 - The Pouch
Friday: First Light
Chapter 39 - The Wisp
Author’s Note
A Note About The Author
Copyright
Stephen L. Carter, Jericho's Fall
