Page 70 of Bulletproof Jack: Hunting Lee Child's Jack Reacher

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he demanded as he raised his hands, palm out.

He didn’t move.

Krause was far from stupid.

But he was arrogant. Entitled.

Outraged.

Superior body size coupled with extreme intelligence had opened doors for him his entire life. He’d never knelt to any bully and certainly not to a female drowned rat less than half his size.

He didn’t intend to do so now.

Whether she had a gun or not.

“Tell me what you know about Stiletto 100,” Audrey demanded.

Krause pursed his lips and shook his head. “You don’t have the proper clearance. I’ll tell you nothing.”

Five minutes ago, she’d hadn’t expected him to know anything at all about the code name assigned to Liam Stuart’s secret prototype.

Morin didn’t expect him to know.

Hell, Brax didn’t think Krause knew anything, either. He’d certainly have mentioned that in her briefing.

Liam Stuart had been Krause’s protégé. The two men had worked together for years.

Krause got his boxers in a twist about some perceived slight and raged off the team before Stuart had even conceived of his Stiletto 100 prototype.

So how did Krause know now?

They had a leak. Someone involved in the Stiletto 100 project had told Krause. No other possibilities.

Lightning flashed outside and illuminated the bedroom through the big eye window mounted near the top of the cathedral ceiling. The lighting fragmented in the beveled leaded glass shooting brief flashes in several directions like a dancing fairy.

A moment later, the truth flashed into Audrey’s head.

Had Liam Stuart been consulting with Krause all this time?

Were they sharing information and data?

Is that why Stuart called tonight?

Audrey’s initial adrenaline rush had already subsided. Cold blood and icy calculation drove her now.

When Krause had uttered the project’s code name, he’d transformed from annoying asset to lethal liability in a hot second.

And he didn’t even seem to realize it.

But he would.

“Don’t give me any baloney about clearances, Krause. My clearance level is higher than yours,” she said flatly, feet set shoulder width apart, well balanced, weapon leveled.

From this short distance, she couldn’t possibly miss. Which must have been obvious to Krause.

“What do you know about Stiletto 100?”

Krause sneered. “You’re not gonna shoot me, little girl. We both know that. You don’t have the balls. And Brax would have your pretty little ass if you even tried.”

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