Page 104 of Ground Truth

When he finished, Hedinger said, “Have you identified the men responsible?”

“Yes, sir. As you said, two men. Michael Flint and Alonzo Drake. Residents of Houston, Texas.”

“Where are they now?”

“Flint has returned to Houston. Drake suffered a hematoma in his skull during the fight with Dr. Brand. He’s had surgery to remove it. I’m told he’s currently resting in a medically induced coma.”

“Is he expected to recover?”

“According to our sources, they believe he will recover eventually.”

Hedinger paused to absorb the intel. “What were they after?”

“They seemed to believe that Dr. Brand was someone else, sir. A man named Phillip Reed. They were seeking information about his dead wife.”

“So you’re saying they breached your security to gain admittance to Atabei. They killed eleven people. And they escaped capture. All simply to get information about a man’s dead wife? Information Brand didn’t possess?” Hedinger said, barely controlling his anger. “Does that sound remotely reasonable to you, Bauer?”

“No, sir.” Bauer swallowed. “But it seems to be true, nonetheless.”

The house phone resting on the breakfast table rang. Hedinger picked up.

“Otis Jarsdel is here, sir,” the maid said.

“Send him in,” Hedinger replied before replacing the receiver in its cradle.

Jarsdel entered moments later. “Good morning, Herr Hedinger.”

“Jarsdel.” Hedinger was in no mood for nonsense. He offered one quick nod in greeting. “Report.”

Jarsdel gave a quick glance toward Bauer.

“I’ve found Greta Campbell, sir. She’s living in a small village in Scotland with a man. They have a child,” Jarsdel reported quickly and to the point.

Hedinger set his coffee cup on the table and waved Jarsdel to a chair. “How did you find her?”

“I’m sorry it took so long, but it wasn’t easy. She’s living under an assumed name. She has no official papers of any kind,” Jarsdel said as if he’d rehearsed his speech. Which he probably had.

“How do you know it’s her?” Hedinger asked.

“Technology, chronology, eyewitnesses,” Jarsdel replied. “We started with facial recognition. Moved through immigration records around the time she supposedly died. Birth records for the boy. The final piece was local eyewitnesses.”

“You’ve seen her? Yourself, I mean. Not one of your operatives,” Hedinger asked.

Jarsdel nodded. “I have. I have acquired a DNA sample we can test to be sure. But we need a known sample to match for total certainty. We’re searching for that now.”

Hedinger pressed his lips into a pout. “Excellent work, Jarsdel.”

“Thank you, sir.”

After waiting a few minutes for further instructions that never came, Jarsdel said, “What should we do now, sir?”

“Bauer, sit down,” Hedinger said. “Jarsdel, take us through this step by step. After that, Bauer will get the comparison DNA sample you need for certainty.”

“It shouldn’t be too difficult, sir. Greta Campbell has a sister,” Jarsdel replied before he began to explain exactly how he’d found Greta Campbell.

Something like a smile lifted the corner of Hedinger’s mouth as he listened. He would have revenge on Greta Campbell. Flint and Drake, too. A plan was unfolding in his mind.

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