© I Talk You Talk Press
On the Run sample
NOT FOR SALE
ON THE RUN
Level 4 - B1/B2 Intermediate (2) Graded Reader from I Talk You Talk Press
Old Secrets - Modern Mysteries Series Book 3
Copyright
On the Run
Copyright © 2013 by I Talk You Talk Press
ISBN: 978-4-907056-28-5
Publisher: I Talk You Talk Press
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be resold, reproduced, stored inretrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without the prior written permissionfrom the publisher. You must not circulate this publication in any format, online orotherwise.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, products,places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or areused in a fictitious manner. We have no affiliation with any existing companies
mentioned in this story. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, existing
stories or actual events is purely coincidental.
Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the contentsof this book were correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume andhereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused byerrors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident,
or any other cause.
For more information, see the Copyright Notice on our website.
Cover illustration image copyright: © sanderstock- Fotolia.com #56000111
I Talk You Talk Press contact: info@italkyoutalk.com
Website: http://www.italkyoutalk.com© I Talk You Talk Press
On the Run sample
NOT FOR SALE© I Talk You Talk Press
On the Run sample
NOT FOR SALE
On the Run Character List
James Winchester has just retired, after being a diplomat for twenty years. Before that,
he worked for the British Secret Service. He hopes to marry Sarah. However, his plans
are upset by unexpected events.
Sarah Dumbarton is a retired schoolteacher. She lives in an old house in western
Scotland. When she was young, she studied at university in Paris. She fell in love withanother student, James Winchester, but he suddenly disappeared from her life, andSarah returned to Scotland. Forty years later, she met James Winchester again.
You can read about James’ and Sarah’s recent lives in books one and two of the Old
Secrets - Modern Mysteries series: The Blue Lace Curtain and End House.
Archie Ross is the top policeman in Scotland. He grew up near the village where
Sarah lives. He knows her well. When he was a young man, he worked for MI5. He got
to know James well at that time.
Simon Birley met James when Simon was a code cracker in the British Secret Service.
When he left the Service, he went to work at the British Council in Rome.
Other characters
Alberto has a business in Rome. He supplies fake identification to anyone who hasenough money to pay for it.
Lorenzo Morelli is a bank clerk. He looks a little like James. This gives him the chance
to make some money.
David Carver is the head of MI6. When he first joined MI6, James was his boss.
1. On the run
A tall, grey haired man crouched behind a row of garbage containers in an alleyway inthe centre of Rome. On the ground next to him was a brick, and a gift bag from
Babington’s, the famous tea house near the Spanish Steps. He was looking at a groupof workmen through a gap between the containers. They had finished work for the day,and were talking about going to a bar for a drink. The grey haired man waited andwatched.
© I Talk You Talk Press
On the Run sample
NOT FOR SALE

© I Talk You Talk Press
On the Run sample
NOT FOR SALE

The workmen put their tools and overalls into their bags, and threw the bags into thevan. The driver locked the van, and the workmen walked away. The man waited until
they were out of sight. Then he ran to the van and hid behind it. He broke the backwindow of the van with the brick. He reached inside and took one of the workmen’s bags.
He ran back, picked up his carrier bag, and disappeared into a narrow gap between twobuildings.
Ten minutes later, a man dressed in dirty overalls and wearing a cap and heavy
workman’s boots appeared in the alleyway. He was carrying the heavy canvas bag.
Inside the bag was a linen jacket, a pair of very expensive hand-made shoes, and theBabington’s gift bag. He walked quickly towards the busy street and caught a bus. Afterabout five minutes, he got off the bus and walked towards the river. He was in a working
class neighbourhood. He turned into a narrow street that had several restaurants. Heknew he had to get off the street. He went into a small family style trattoria. He needed
time to think. It was dark inside. A few workmen were drinking near the bar, but thetables towards the back of the restaurant were empty. He ordered pasta in tomato
sauce and a glass of wine.
When his order arrived, he drank the wine very quickly.
I am too old for this, he thought. I’m retired. It’s been almost twenty years since the lasttime people were chasing me. Who is chasing me? And why?
He ate the pasta and ordered another glass of wine. He looked down at his hands.
I’m wearing workman’s clothes, but my hands are not those of a workman. Workmen’shands are rough, but mine are smooth. They are the hands of an office worker. I’ll haveto find some other clothes and a room for tonight. The room will have to be somewhere aworkman would stay.
James went to the counter and paid for the pasta and wine.
“I’m from out of town,” he told the restaurant owner. “I’ve come to Rome to find work. Ineed a cheap place to stay. Can you suggest anywhere?”“There are not many hotels in this area, but there’s a small bed and breakfast in thenext street. You could try there.”James thanked him, and left the restaurant. The rooms at the bed and breakfast werevery small, but it was clean. He paid in cash for a room for one night. When he got to hisroom, he lay down on the bed and thought about what had happened. It had been avery strange day, and he was tired. Still, he couldn’t go to sleep until he made someplans. He had to understand what was happening.
© I Talk You Talk Press
On the Run sample
NOT FOR SALE

© I Talk You Talk Press
On the Run sample
NOT FOR SALE
There must be a reason why someone is hunting me, he thought. What was it? I musthave missed something.
-----END OF SAMPLE-----© I Talk You Talk Press
On the Run sample
NOT FOR SALE