Page 33 of Bulletproof Jack: Hunting Lee Child's Jack Reacher

“Such as?”

She shook her head. “Sorry. Above your clearance level.”

Which was bullshit. His clearance was higher than hers. She was bluffing. Flouting her relationship with Brax. Testing Morin.

But to what end?

“Thesituationistotallyunder control,” he said, mocking her with cold certainty.

“Seems like the opposite ofunder controlto me,” Audrey replied with a saucy, flirty grin. “Where’s the scientist? Where’s the prototype? You’ve had plenty of time to find them. Do we need to assign the job to someone else? Do we need a plan B here? Things are worse than we thought in Quan. Brax wants to go immediately after the test. No wiggle room. Tick tock. Time is running very, very short, Nigel.”

Morin burned with cold anger. He gave her a hard stare. “You think you can do better? Is that it?”

“Better than eliminating the only person who might have lured Liam Stuart from hiding? Better than traveling six thousand miles in the wrong direction chasing a journalist who knows nothing?” Audrey shot back hotly. “Bet your ass I can do better, Nigel. Just stay out of the way and watch me.”

Morin’s anger flared. She had always been ambitious. And capable. And ruthless. She had something to prove.

Brax didn’t send her to check up on him. That was a flat-out lie.

Audrey intended to succeed where he’d failed. She’d been after Morin’s job for a while, and she must have figured now was her chance to move in. Simple as that.

“You’re wasting your time, Audrey,” Morin said calmly, jaw clenched. “Fox is already in place. The journalist will spill what he knows and then be eliminated within the hour. We’ll have the scientist and the project back on track before you can change out of those ridiculous shoes. Better luck next time.”

Audrey smiled like a pinup girl, as if she knew worlds more than he did.

She lifted her martini and drained the glass. Then she slid off the stool and stood three inches from his face.

“It’s cute that you think so, Nigel. You know I like you. Always have. But fifty bucks says I’ll have the scientist and the prototype before morning.” She nodded and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “Get out of the way. Save yourself. Don’t screw this up if you want to stay on the bottom of the team.”

Morin frowned but said nothing.

Audrey turned to deliver her parting shot. “My helo’s waiting. Wait here. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

She moved like a slender reed in the breeze, blending with the glittering patrons crowding the bar.

Morin watched her slide effortlessly amid the throng on her way to the door. He texted the operative he’d placed at the exit, just in case, to keep track of her. He sent another operative to connect with the first. Two men on Audrey was probably not enough. But it was all he could call out with zero notice.

When Morin could no longer see her retreating form, he turned to glance again at the black cell phone screen on the phone assigned to Fox.

Still no word. The silence made Morin antsy. And nervous.

Audrey had a point.

Maybe Fox was losing his edge.

The scientist went missing five days ago. Which was way too long. He should have been apprehended already.

The journalist and the brother should have been minor complications, easily dealt with. Another failure.

Brax probablywasworried. The stakes couldn’t get any higher. On top of everything, the situation in Quan had deteriorated more rapidly than expected. Leaving zero wiggle room in the schedule.

Brax must feel like the tail was wagging the dog. Not good.

Morin might have been too forgiving because Fox had done good work before. Maybe Audrey was right. Maybe he’d made a mistake with Fox.

He’d give Fox another couple of hours. That’s all Morin could afford to wait. He could repurpose the two operatives again, take them off Audrey. He could also get personally involved. If he had to.

Audrey would move in quickly, like she’d promised. She’d be in Niagara and on Fox’s tail before Morin finished his dinner.

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