Page 23 of Chasing the Past

Gavin shook his head. “The last believed spotting we have of the Panther was in Kabul before the fall.”

“You’re kidding.” Eli explained what Asal had said about being in Kabul. “What was the Panther doing in Kabul anyway?”

“Working with the Taliban on occasion.” Gavin sat back in his seat. “But also working on his own agenda.”

“Why do you think he’s here in the US?” Eli couldn’t understand why Omar would bring Asal into this part of his business when he’d been so careful to keep her in the dark.

“Looking for targets. He probably has sleeper cells planted here that will be activated soon enough now that he’s arrived.”

“Maybe.” But Eli believed there was something more. “Don’t you think it’s curious that Sashi’s sister is here with him?”

Gavin’s attention bored into Eli. “I do. You think it’s possible he brought her here for you?”

Shockwaves rippled through his frame. “You’re saying he found out Sashi had a twin sister and he sought her out to do what? Why come after me?”

“Because of something you know.”

“But I don’t know anything . . .” He stopped. “Or maybe it’s something I have.”

Gavin’s curiosity peaked. “What do you mean?”

“I went to Sashi’s apartment and gathered some of her things after the Taliban was pushed out of Kunduz.”

“What kind of things?”

“A watch that belonged to her husband. A few personal items she hadn’t packed.”

Gavin’s frown deepened. “Speaking of packing. Where was her bag?”

Eli searched his face. “What bag?”

“She was leaving with us. Where was her bag?”

Eli went back to the time before the explosion. “She didn’t have anything with her, not even her purse. Maybe she left it at the hospital?”

“Possibly. Or maybe one of her friends from the hospital has it.”

Eli sat up straighter. “We need to find them. I remember some of their names.”

“Good, write them down and I can see if I can locate them.”

Eli searched the kitchen for paper and pen. He wrote the names down and handed the pad to Gavin.

“I’ll get to work on this. But I’m curious as to why Sashi would have left her things with someone in the first place. Why not take them with her when she left? She was coming straight to your apartment.”

Eli had confirmed the details of the evacuation with her numerous times. She knew to come to his flat. So, what had gotten her distracted? “It was pretty chaotic in the city at that time. Still, Sashi knew how important it was to be on time.”

“Maybe the man who had been following her showed up at the hospital. He forced her to go with him. She didn’t have time to call.”

“But if her phone was in her pocket or somewhere on her person . . . he had it. The Panther had it.”

Gavin nodded. “It makes sense. But why come after Sashi?”

“Payback for her husband betraying him?”

“Maybe. But why risk getting caught to get back at a dead man?” It didn’t make sense. “Unless Tahir had information on the Panther and hid it somewhere. Something that would identify the Panther and his organization.”

Gavin’s gaze bored into his. “That would be huge. Where are the things you have from Sashi’s flat?”

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