Page 43 of Trust No One

“Why come way out here to talk? What’s going on?” Had to be Larrimore, because she didn’t recognize his voice.

“You want everyone and their neighbor hearing our business?” Kingsley said. “I don’t. That’s why I like this spot. No one comes out here. There’s no path, and no good way to get to the creek. Perfect place to talk and not be overheard.”

Mel heard feet shuffling on the other side of the ravine. “So what did you need to discuss, Larrimore?”

Even from across the creek she could hear the other man draw a deep breath. “I’m worried about Bree Gordon.”

Dev lifted his phone and aimed it at a small opening in the foliage.

Mel found a slightly different angle and aimed her own phone.

“Why’s that?” Kingsley asked, his voice casual. As if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Because she saw us at that conference,” Larrimore said, his voice sounding pissed off. “She knows who I am – I was her commanding officer in Afghanistan. She saw me meet with the Russian guy at the base, more than once, and now she’ll know who you are.”

“She already knows that,” Kingsley said. “She talked to me in Kabul. Told me about what you were doing.”

“What the hell?” Larrimore said, his voice rising.

“Take it easy,” Kingsley said, grabbing his arm. “I told her to forget what she saw. Implied she’d be killed if she didn’t let it go. Since I haven’t heard anything since, she must have taken my advice.”

“So she knows who we both are. Knowswherewe are.” Mel heard the anger in Larrimore’s voice.

“Yeah, she does,” Kingsley said immediately. “So we need to get rid of her. Whichyoushould have done as soon as you realized she’d seen you with that Russian guy.”

“You think I didn’t try?” Larrimore said. “She was always with other soldiers. I couldn’t get her alone. It was almost as if she knew I was going to kill her. She was like a ghost. Every time I went looking for her, she disappeared. Then she took off for Kabul with no notice.”

Larrimore raised his voice. “She told you about the Russian guy, too. Why didn’tyoueliminate her?”

“Not as easy in the middle of Kabul,” Kingsley said. “There were always people around. That pain in the ass Melbourne woman was everywhere. Always just around the corner. Was I supposed to shoot her in the middle of the U.S. Embassy?”

He elbowed Larrimore in the ribs, hard enough that the Marine stumbled back a step. “You were in the desert,” Kingsley said, his voice hard. Accusing. “You could have buried her body in the sand where it would never be found. That’s the best way to deal with those kinds of problems. But you let her get away and come to Kabul. Where she came to me. What if she told someone else what she heard and saw?”

“No one’s come after us, have they?” Larrimore said. “So she’s obviously kept her mouth shut.”

“No one keeps their mouth shut forever,” Kingsley said. “Sooner or later, she’ll tell someone.”

“Does that mean you’re gonna take her out?” Larrimore demanded.

“I get rid of anyone I think is a danger to me. To us. That’s how I’ve survived for so long.” Mel watched as Kingsley shoved his hand into his pocket.

“If I think she’s a problem? Of course,” Kingsley continued. “I eliminate anyone that I think is a danger to me. To us.”

“You know where she is?” Larrimore asked.

“In the middle of Montana somewhere,” Kingsley said. “She works for a security company. I haven’t had time to figure out where it is or how to get to her. But I will.”

“And then you’ll eliminate her.” Larrimore sounded like he was threatening Kingsley. Mel tightened her grip on her phone. Kingsley wouldn’t like that.”

“I’ll do what I have to do to protect myself.”

“And me, I hope.”

“Yeah. And you too.”

“Because we both threatened her,” Larrimore hissed. “About the same issue. Bree’s smart as hell. Sneaky. She got the goods on me at that base in Afghanistan, and I never saw her watching. But she saw plenty.”

“But you didn’t get rid of her,” Kingsley said, his voice cold. “You had the perfect opportunity, but you blew it.”

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