Countdown - Iris Johansen [74]
He nodded after he glanced at it. “I called Venable as soon as Brenner told me you’d ID’d him, but I’ll fax this to him right away. You did a good job.”
She shivered. “He looks ordinary. Like a schoolteacher or a clerk in a bank. It seems impossible that he could do that horrible killing.”
“That’s what makes him so valuable to his clients. He’s everyman, and who’d suspect him of being Jack the Ripper?” He took her elbow and nudged her toward the front door. “Go on. You need something to eat before you go to bed. You look beat.”
“I ate on the plane. Brenner packed me a pastry and a ham sandwich he took from the café. He said it was the least they could do after all the hard work he did behind the counter. How’s Mario?”
“Turning into the Terminator.”
“What?”
“I spent two hours this afternoon giving him the basics of firing a pistol. I told him unless he wants to become a sniper he can forget about rifles for a while.” He made a face. “He accepted my advice, but I don’t know how long I can hold him off.”
“Why does he—” She broke off as she understood. “No, you can’t let him do it. It would be like putting a gun into the hands of a child.”
“I’m not sure. He has an aptitude.” He glanced at her as he opened the door. “We made a bargain. He continues working on the scrolls and I make him the Terminator.”
“It’s not funny.”
“I don’t think it is either. But it’s going to happen. You told me to make sure Mario kept working, and I’m doing it. Tomorrow morning he starts working out with MacDuff on hand-to-hand martial arts.”
“MacDuff agreed?”
“Reluctantly. I called in a debt.” He followed her into the hall. “Think about it. If you were in Mario’s shoes, wouldn’t you do the same?”
“Go after a man who beheads—” She drew a deep breath. Yes, there was no question she would want revenge and would go after it any way she could. It was just that Mario was a gentle soul and it seemed impossible to equate him with violence. “Where is he?”
“Working on the scrolls. Don’t bother him, Jane.” His lips twisted. “And I’m not saying that because I’m jealous of that soft spot you have for him. We made a deal and he’s got to keep his part of it. You know that as well as I do. Time’s getting too short to play around.”
“I’m not playing. Nothing could be further from my mind.” She started up the stairs. God, she was tired. “But I won’t bother Mario tonight. Tomorrow will be soon enough.”
She could feel his gaze on her as she climbed the steps. “You don’t have to watch me. I told you I’m not going to see Mario tonight. I’m going straight to my room and to bed.”
“I like to watch you. I don’t have to have an excuse.”
She stiffened and then continued up the stairs. No, she wouldn’t let him do this to her. Not now. There was too much at stake to let herself be sidetracked. “Good night, Trevor.”
“It will be a good night now that you’re back here and not skittering all over Switzerland.”
“Skittering? I wasn’t—” When she looked back over her shoulder he was walking down the hall toward the library. That’s right, he was going to fax the sketch to Venable. She had done her job and now he was going to follow up. That’s what they should be concentrating on. Stopping Grozak was far more important than the emotions that were drawing them to each other. They had worked well together four years ago and they could do it again.
They had to do it again.
She knows who I am,” Wickman said as he came in to the hotel room. “She sketched a goddamm picture of me at the café.”
“A mistake?” Grozak raised his brows. “I told you that I couldn’t tolerate inefficiency, Wickman. How do you know that she did it?”
“I’m not inefficient. I went back to remove the witnesses. She was there before me. Sam Brenner was with her or I’d have been able to take care of it.”
“But you didn’t take care of it.” He smiled. “And now Trevor knows who you are. What a pity. You’ll have to remove him for sheer self-preservation. I shouldn’t even have to pay you.”
“I wouldn’t try to cheat