Page 106 of Jep

“So youdidmess with the files?” Em said.

“Congratulations, you solved the puzzle, and the only prize at the end of the rainbow is death. I hope you’re satisfied.”

Gardener took out her phone and made a call while she kept her eyes on Em. “Hey,” she said to whoever was on the other end. “We have a situation.” She listened for a second, then hung up.

“Why are you doing this?”

“While I was in Cambodia, I had a religious experience akin to—no, I’m kidding, but you should see your face. No dramatic religious zealotry here, I’m afraid. I am one hundred percent an atheist. But they do pay well, those fanatics.”

“This all started in Cambodia?”

“Oh, no. This has been a long game plan. I’ve been working quietly behind the scenes for a couple of years now. Not from the beginning. There was a time when I had the ridiculous notion of doing good in this world.”

“Did you meet my sister in Cambodia?”

“I did. Not too bright, that one. Desperate, though. Both of you. You looked to Jesus, and Jade looked to Mohammad. Both of you filling a hole.”

“Jesus and Mohammad are not the same.”

“Whatever. I don’t really care. It all stems from the same place. What is it? Mommy issues or daddy issues? Because she was almost begging for someone to give her the love she never had at home.”

“We all have baggage.”

“Sure, but some of us deal with them in better ways.”

“You mean like you?”

“As one example, yes.” Gardener said

“You deal with your problems by assisting in the murder of innocent people?”

“I never killed anyone.”

“You helped to do it.”

“That’s semantics. They don’t tell me why I do stuff. They just give me orders and pay for all the nice things in life. It’s a pretty good deal.”

“You know exactly what you were mixed up in. You just don’t care.”

“Could be. By the way, out of curiosity, how’d you figure it out?”

“The statue. Jade had one just like it at the apartment.”

“Did she? Huh. I had no idea. So you did get something good there after all. Too bad no one else will know about it.”

“You won’t get away with this.”

“I guess that’s what you have to say, right? It’s written in the rule book. I’m afraid that real life isn’t like fairy tales, Miss Chapman.”

“Hey.” Pearce entered the room. “I’ve been looking—” He saw Jep on the floor and pulled his weapon.

“Pearce!” Em said. “She?—”

“He attacked me,” Gardener said. “He went crazy when I showed him that we found information connected to when the next attack might be coming.”

“She’s lying,” Em said. “She’s in on this whole thing, Pearce. You have to believe me.”

“After I knocked him out, Emery threatened me,” Gardener continued. “She said they were going to rescue Jade, and she wouldn’t let me stop them.”

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