Page 64 of Bulletproof Jack: Hunting Lee Child's Jack Reacher

Saturday, June 4

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, CA

Audrey watched the Ohio SUV a few moments longer. The big man idled the engine for about ten minutes before he rolled onto the street and drove away.

Briefly, she wondered where he was going and why the Asian woman didn’t return to the vehicle first.

But Audrey was already late.

She could waste no more time on these two curious operatives. She’d taken clear headshots and sent them off to Brax.

Brax would figure out who they were and why they were hanging around Westwood and Fox. That was the best she could do right now.

Audrey played the voicemail from Krause.

“Where are you?” he demanded in his usual curt style, as if he had the right to demand answers. “Stuart called me. He’s coming here. On his way already. Do you still want to talk to him, or shall I handle this myself?”

Instantly, Audrey’s mission changed. Just like that.

Brax had sent her to connect with Fox and somehow join him in his efforts to find Liam Stuart and the drone and get the project back on track.

None of that had happened. Fox was dead. Krause was still on the team.

Yesterday, Krause said he could find Liam. “I know Liam better than anyone else. I can find him.”

“How will you do that? Not even his own brother could find him,” Audrey asked.

“Watch and learn, girlie,” Krause sneered before he disconnected the call.

“Guess the old geezer might still be useful,” she’d muttered doubtfully.

Audrey hadn’t expected Krause to succeed.

Which, of course, he hadn’t.

Krause didn’t find Liam.

Liam had revealed himself. For reasons of his own.

All of that was totally okay. Audrey cared less about means and methods than she did about results. Brax was the same. He’d be pleased because she’d found Liam. Brax cared not how she achieved things.

The message from Krause was short and plain. And clueless. She listened again, to confirm she’d caught every word.

Audrey shook her head slowly. No wonder Brax gave the order to terminate Krause. Liam Stuart was a much better asset. Between the two, Stuart was the obvious best choice.

Krause was brilliant, sure. But he was also a problem. And getting older every day. He’d had his years in the sun. Time to shove him out of the way.

Which was just fine with her.

In Audrey’s experience, difficult anti-social geniuses like Krause were a penny a dozen thanks to technology and the geeks who developed it.

Affable geniuses like Liam Stuart, on the other hand, were scarcer than zero gravity.

Audrey watched the taillights on the Ohio SUV turn at the corner and continue out of sight. Regretfully, she let the vehicle go.

She’d found the two operatives once. She could find them again.

Tonight, she had more important matters to handle. Krause first. And then Liam Stuart.

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