Relentless (Option Zero 2)

“No. Just the back of his head. He was wearing a baseball cap. About five foot eleven. Slender, but solidly built. That’s all they’ve got to go on.”

“Who knows about this?”

“The coroner, the homicide detective in charge of the investigation, and Kate. Jules was with me when Kate’s call came. She has a theory.”

“What kind of theory?”

“When she was chasing serial killers, she came across a lot of different killers. One was a hit man, professional name, Promethean. He’s known for his unique manner of killing, hence the moniker. She thinks the guy in the security video might be this assassin. If so, he’s a top-dollar contract killer. Somebody paid big money to take Medford out of the picture.”

“Maybe the producer pissed somebody off. That’s bound to happen in that line of work. Doesn’t mean the two are related.”

“That’s true, but it’s a line worth pursuing.”

“Most people only have cameras at the entrances to their homes. Any reason why Medford would have one inside his house?”

“Apparently, a few months ago some things were stolen. He had the cameras installed in hopes of catching the thief. According to Kate, he never did find the culprit.”

“Sounds like Kate knew Lawrence Medford well. How did they know each other?”

“I believe her late husband was a longtime friend of Medford’s.”

“Does this filmmaker know any of what’s going on?”

“No. Kate met with her yesterday to feel her out. She’s a dedicated young woman determined to reveal how prevalent human trafficking is, but Kate didn’t get any sense she’s aware that she’s running into a potential minefield.”

“What’s her name?”

“Aubrey Starr.”

* * *

Liam didn’t know whether to laugh or curse. Aubrey Starr was the woman he’d made a fool of himself in front of when they’d met several years ago in Kosovo. She probably wouldn’t remember him, but he definitely remembered her.

Ash continued, “She did that documentary The Lost Ones a few years back.”

Yeah, he’d seen it a couple of times. It was hard to believe that something that gritty and dark had come from the woman he remembered. She had looked as fresh and innocent as a rose. But in the film, she had been able to convey not only the horror of human trafficking, but also the need for every person to get involved. The documentary had been a call to action. Any viewer of the film who didn’t walk away with the intense desire to help in some way wasn’t human.

Keeping his face expressionless, Liam said, “She’s a gifted filmmaker, but I doubt she’s prepared for the kind of action we encounter.”

“I agree, but I’d like for you to talk with her, see where her head is, and then make that determination.”

“Why? What’s the big picture here?”

“If she’s got intel, or can get intel, that would make someone nervous enough to pay high dollar to see that the film doesn’t get made, then there’s something worth pursuing. With that kind of money, could be there’s a large trafficking ring we’re not aware of yet. Be good if we could take them down.”

Couldn’t argue on that count. That would be a good day for everyone.

Liam frowned, still bothered by the obscurity. “Something doesn’t add up. Why Medford? He was just the producer and money man. Why not eliminate the main source? Taking out the filmmaker makes more sense than killing the one who’s funding it.”

“I agree, and I don’t know the answer to that.”

“Does Ms. Starr know she could be in danger?”

“Hard to say. Kate couldn’t get a good read on her. She says she’s hiding something but doesn’t know if it’s related to this or not.”

“You want me to bring an outsider into one of my ops, and you don’t even know if we can completely trust her?”

“You don’t have to share any of your sources or even when the raid is going to happen. We’ll keep her close, learn what we can from her, and—”