Page 53 of Exit Strategy
‘I guess.’
Gilmour said, ‘How? I can’t remember it. And neither of you saw it on Dr Martin’s computer.’
Patten managed a tiny smile. ‘No problem. It’s still in my Maps from when we nearly went to her house.’ She opened her phone, transferred the details to her laptop, and checked the employee database again. This time she nodded. ‘Well, look at that. We have a Kathryn Kennedy on the books at the same address. Kennedy/Kasselwood. Same person, do you think? How do we find out for sure?’
Reacher said, ‘When did she get hired?’
‘She started with us a month before Gilmour.’
‘Would her job give her access to shipment information?’
‘Most definitely.’
‘Is there a photograph of her in your records?’
Patten nodded. ‘Same one that’ll be on her ID card.’
‘Can you make prints of it?’
‘Maybe. Why?’
‘We need to show it to her neighbors before they leave for work. See what name they knew her as.’
‘I can copy it onto my phone. That’ll be just as good.’ Patten clicked and scrolled, then held up her phone for the others to see. The picture reminded Reacher of a mugshot. It showed a woman looking forward, neutral expression, dark hair tied back, minimal makeup. She looked to be in her late forties, though her face showed signs of a hard life. There was a deep lattice of creases around her eyes. Her hair was shot through with streaks of gray. And there was an angry red scar, two inches long, on her left cheek.
Gilmour’s mouth sagged open, then he said, ‘Holy hell. There’s no need to ask her neighbors. I know who that is.’
THIRTY
Sabrina Patten carried her laptop to the kitchen more out of habit than need. She placed it on the countertop and got busy measuring water and shoveling grounds into the coffee machine. Reacher went with her and watched her work. Gilmour followed a couple of minutes later. He slumped down in the spot at the breakfast bar he’d used the night before, then took a remote from a wicker basket and turned on the TV. It was set to a news channel. The show was basically a rehash of the material Reacher had read in the papers at the coffee shop. It was all about the looming crisis in Armenia. The talk was still centered on the potential invasion. But now it was being presented as a question ofwhen, notif. The only remaining issue seemed to be whether the operation would be handled exclusively by private contractors, or if there would still be a role for the army. Reacher shookhis head and looked away. The segment closed with a clip of the woman who had defected from the Nagorno-Karabakh separatists. She went into all kinds of detail about the help her group was giving Iran with their uranium processing. She looked like she was in her thirties. She was clearly well-educated and familiar with the kind of technologies that are involved with nuclear weapons. A made-for-TV eyewitness, Reacher thought. A far cry from many of the scumbags he’d had to interrogate back in the day.
Patten waited for the coffee to finish, then took three mugs from the dishwasher and poured. She looked at Gilmour and said, ‘Cream?’
Gilmour managed a croaky ‘Please.’
Patten opened the fridge, then closed it again right away. She said, ‘How does black sound?’
Gilmour just grunted this time.
Patten handed a mug to Reacher and set the last one down at her place at the breakfast bar. She switched off the TV, smoothed her robe across her stomach, slid onto her stool, and said, ‘Another war. Depressing.’
Reacher said, ‘True. But that’s not our immediate problem. We need a plan. The shipment’s due at the dock at ten. That doesn’t give us much time. We need to make every second count. Here’s what I suggest: Sabrina, you take Kathryn Kasselwood’s neighbors. Show them her picture. Get a positive ID if you can.’
Patten said, ‘Will do.’
Gilmour said, ‘There’s no need. I told you, it’s Kasselwood. I saw her up close and personal. She’s the woman who was looking for my coworker the first time Isnooped on the shipment details. Look.’ Gilmour took out his phone and selected an image. He held it up. ‘It’s the same woman. Check the scar on her cheek. It’s identical.’
Patten said, ‘Nathan, is there anyone on the planet you haven’t illicitly photographed?’
Gilmour looked away.
She said, ‘I know Dr Martin’s dead, but there are other shrinks …’
Reacher said, ‘And I still want that positive ID.’
Patten said, ‘No problem. I’ll ask around her neighborhood.’
‘Good. But be careful who you talk to. We don’t know where Kasselwood is. She could be home. You don’t want to run into her.’
