“Do it now.”
Mason got up and went to the phone, but it rang before he reached it. He listened for a moment, then held out the phone to Carpenter. “It’s for you.” He rolled his eyes upward, as if to God.
Carpenter got up and went to the phone. “Yes?”
“It’s Architect.” Her boss, in London.
“Yes, sir?”
“A flight landed at Heathrow this morning with one Virginia Harvey listed on the manifest. “I believe she’s called Ginger?”
“Yes, sir.”
“She got onto the airplane, but she didn’t get off—at least, she didn’t make it to immigration. Her body was found in a ladies’ room off the corridor leading from the gate to baggage claim. Her passport was in her handbag, but the photographs didn’t match the corpse.”
“They wouldn’t, since they were of a different woman.”
“Of course, but you’re missing the point.”
Carpenter sucked in a breath. “I think I just got it,” she said.
“We’re tracking two other single women who were on the flight,” Architect said. “Both cleared customs and immigration. One has turned up at her London hotel, the other hasn’t been found.”
“That makes sense.”
“So it seems we’ve taken her off your hands, for the present, at least.”
“It would seem so. I’ll be on the next flight.”
“I think you’re better off in New York at the moment. You and Mason take a few days. I’m sorry about Tinker. I take it Thatcher will be all right in a few days.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ll be in touch if there’s news.” He hung up.
Carpenter replaced the phone in its cradle.
“What?” Mason asked.
“La Biche apparently went from killing Tinker and wounding Thatcher straight to Kennedy Airport, took a flight to London, and after leaving it but before reaching baggage claim, murdered another woman, took her purse, and left Ginger Harvey’s in its place. She’s loose in London.”
“Mmmm,” Mason said. “I suppose I should have flagged the Harvey passport last night.”
“She thought we wouldn’t move that fast,” Carpenter said. “And she was right.”
24
Stone, Dino, Bob Cantor, and Herbie Fisher got off the airplane at Kennedy. Dino flashed his badge at customs, and the moment they were through, Stone felt a handcuff close on his wrist. He looked at it and found Herbie on the other end.
“I’m not taking any chances,” Dino said.
“I have to go to the john,” Herbie said.
“There’s one,” Dino said, pointing. “You two guys have a nice time.”
“Come on, Dino,” Stone said. “Unlock them.”
“I’m not taking them off,” Dino said, “unless I cuff both Herbie’s hands behind him, then you can help him in the john. That okay?”