CHAPTER
38
“SHE’S STOPPING,” said Sean, as he stared down at the miniature screen. “Slow down a bit when you come around the next turn.”
Michelle decelerated as they hit the curve. About five hundred yards up ahead they could see the taillights of Dukes’s car wink out.
“Lonely place,” said Michelle.
“What else would it be for a meeting like this?”
“We need to get closer.”
“On foot. Come on.”
A low stone wall provided cover and also allowed them to draw near enough to see who Carla Dukes was meeting in a small clearing that had an old picnic table and rusty charcoal grill.
He was shorter than she was, young and thin.
She walked up and down in front of the man, talking animatedly while he stood still, watching her and nodding from time to time. They could see all this, but they couldn’t hear what was being said.
Sean pulled out his camera, which he’d taken from the truck, and snapped some pictures of the pair. He studied the screen and then showed Michelle. “Recognize him?” he said quietly.
She studied the face. “No. Young and geeky. Not my idea of some super-duper spy.”
“They come in all shapes and sizes these days. In fact the ones that don’t actually look like spies are the most valuable.”
“Then this guy is golden.”
When Dukes drove off, they didn’t pick up the tail again. They followed the man instead. He was the next link in the puzzle chain. And he might just lead them where they needed to go. Since they didn’t have a tracking device on his car they had to stay closer than Michelle would have liked, but the man made no sign that he knew he was being followed.
Several hours later it was apparent where the man was going.
“Bangor,” said Sean, and Michelle nodded.
“Do you think he lives there?” she said.
Sean looked up ahead. “No. His car looks like every other airport rental.”
“Then he’s going to fly out of Bangor.”
“I think so, yeah.”
A bit later they were proved right as the car they were following pulled into the airport on the outskirts of Bangor.
On the way Sean and Michelle had already made their plans. She parked and Sean climbed out of the truck.
He said, “Get back to Martha’s Inn and keep a lookout over Megan. I don’t want her ending up like Bergin or Hilary.”
“Call me when you know where you’re going.”
“Will do.” He pulled his pistol out of his holster and handed it to her. “Take this.”
“You might need it.”
“I don’t have a case for it to take on the plane. And me getting stopped by the cops and losing this guy won’t help us.”
He turned and started off.