The Escape (John Puller 3)

Rinehart said, “I’ll be frank with you. Despite what I’ve been told you did to avoid disaster at the Pentagon, there is no solid evidence to overturn your conviction.”

“I understand that too, sir.”

“And yet you turned yourself in?”

“My brother suggested it, and I agreed. It was never my intent to escape and disappear. I had never planned on escaping, but the opportunity presented itself. Once on the outside my goal was to both prove my innocence and then try to undo the damage that the real traitors had wrought.”

“Meaning Reynolds.”

“Well, she’s the only one still left alive. Daughtrey and Robinson are dead. And they were coerced into betraying their country. She did it voluntarily. Then there’s Anton Bok, but he’s a Russian operative who turned Reynolds.”

“It’s still hard to believe.”

“I take it she didn’t show up for work at DTRA?”

Rinehart shook his head. “No, she didn’t. Her house is empty. It seems that she’s made a run for it.”

Puller said, “After we stopped their plot at the Pentagon, that would make sense.”

“But that still doesn’t prove your innocence.”

“No, it doesn’t. Not directly. But I hope that there’s enough doubt there now to allow for at least a new trial.”

“Again, that’s not up to me, but I will exercise whatever influence I have to see that that happens.”

“I appreciate that, sir,” said Puller.

“It’s stunning that we would have a spy so highly placed. And that she managed to kill Daughtrey, Schindler, and Carter.”

Robert nodded. “She’s certainly capable. And she’s not acting alone. Bok is also very capable. He was able to secure a position in the foreign military program at Leavenworth. He was able to get an assassin onto the base. I believe that he was instrumental in the plot involving the Pentagon.”

“So it’s Russia behind this?” said Rinehart.

“It may be that Bok is acting for a third party, but from things that Reynolds told us, I think that he might be working for Mother Russia, yes.”

“That would fit in with what they have been doing lately,” said Rinehart.

“Exerting a thirst for regional dominance. And if Bok is working for the Russians, that means that Reynolds is too. She’s not the grand planner type. But she’s good at executing others’ plans. I found that out when I worked with her at STRATCOM.”

Knox said, “I believe that a military tribunal would acquit you now.”

Robert looked up at her. “My escape won’t earn me any points but once I explain why, I would like to think they would understand.”

Puller added, “I think a more serious concern right now is making sure you stay alive.”

Rinehart looked a little skeptical. “Do you really think they’ll try something? I would have to believe they’re more likely to try to get to Moscow.”

“Having seen Reynolds up close, I would say that the woman hates to lose. And when she does, she will exact retribution. And the simple fact is she hates my brother. You don’t want her for an enemy. Just ask her dead husband.”

“You really think she had a hand in that?” said Rinehart a little skeptically.

“I think she had both hands and both feet in it,” replied Puller firmly.

Rinehart rose. “Well, I will put things in motion. There will be a lot of hoops to jump through, and there are no guarantees.”

“I never expected that there would be,” said Robert.

After Rinehart left, Puller sat down next to his brother. “It’ll work out, Bobby.”

“Don’t sugarcoat, Junior. We both know how bad it is. It’s all well and good to sit here and talk to Rinehart about things. But judges and lawyers want facts. They want irrefutable evidence to overturn a conviction. And I don’t see how we have that.”

“Well, there’s one way to get that irrefutable evidence,” said Puller.

“How?”

“Find Reynolds and make her tell the truth.”

“Well, they have lots of people looking for her,” pointed out Robert.

“I don’t think they’ll track her down,” said Knox.

“We could find her,” said Puller.

They looked at him.

Knox said, “How? We’re stuck in a safe house.”

“There’s one person I haven’t talked to,” said Puller.

“Who?” asked his brother.

“Susan Reynolds’s daughter. She might have a clue as to where her mom is.”

“But how can you go and talk to her?” asked Robert.

“By walking out the door and going to talk to her.”

And John Puller rose and did just that.

CHAPTER

71

PULLER WALKED INTO the clothes shop around closing time. The young woman behind the counter looked up.

“Can I help you? I’m just about to lock the door.”

“I called before and asked to see you? John Puller?” He flashed his badge. “You’re Audrey Reynolds?”

“Oh, right,” said the woman, frowning. “Yes, I’m Audrey. Give me a sec.”

She walked over to the front door and hung the closed sign in the window and then locked it. She glanced up at Puller.

“I’m not really sure what I can tell you.”

“Nothing too complicated. I’ve spoken with your brother. Now I’d like to talk to you.” He looked around the shop. To him the items all looked designed for very young women who wanted to look borderline slutty. “How’s business?”

“Fine,” she said. “Look, do we really have to do this?”

“It is important,” he replied.

She wasn’t as tall as her mother and her body was thicker, sturdier. She must take after her father, he thought. Her shoulder-length brown hair rode loosely on her shoulders. Her face was pretty, but she looked tired. She must be, he concluded, after a long day on her feet performing the retail dance.

Audrey sighed. “Okay. Let’s at least sit down. I have a little office in the back room.”

They walked in there and sat at a small oval table.

“You want some coffee?” she asked.

“No thanks.”

She rose, poured herself a cup of coffee from a pot on the counter, and sat down across from him.

“Okay, what do you want to know?”

“Have you seen your mother recently?”

Audrey took a sip of her coffee and said, “About a week ago. We had dinner.”

“What’d you talk about?”

“Stuff. Personal stuff. Business stuff. She helps me with this place. We meet from time to time to go over the status of things.”

“So she has the financial resources to do that?”

“Look, I’m sure you’ve checked her out. You know she got an insurance payout when my father was killed. She invested really well. She’s not super rich but she doesn’t have to worry about money. And she’s very generous with me.”

“It’s a nice shop.”

“Thanks. I’ve always wanted my own business. And I’m really into fashion design. My mom cares about my dreams.”

“I understand that she traveled overseas a lot when you were young?”

“That’s right. She helped dismantle nukes. Really good work, right?”

“Yes. Very important. So what do you remember about your father’s death?”

She looked puzzled at the change in the direction of the questioning. “Why are you asking about that? It was a long time ago.”

“Just getting as much background info as I can. It can be a drudge, but it’s part of the process.”

She nodded and cradled her coffee cup. “Not that much, really. I’d broken my leg. I remember being in a lot of pain. It was really hot. He went out, and then the next thing I knew the house was swarming with cops and FBI agents. My mother got home the next day and took care of everything. Like she always does.”