CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Friday, January 14
11:55 p.m.
Palm Beach, Florida
While Pauling was gone, Otto asked, “Do you think she took the money?”
Gaspar swallowed the mouthful of pizza before he said, “Of course. Don’t you?”
She played with her salad, moving the fork around the plate. She was hungry but preoccupied. “We’ve talked about this before. That’s a lot of cash. It would have filled that vault at the Dakota, where we found Peck. And it would have filled the one here, too.”
“She’s had four months to figure that out. She’s resourceful. She spent years dealing with money launderers and gangs and tax evaders.” Gaspar had almost finished his large pizza by himself. “If she didn’t take it, then who did?”
Pauling returned in time to hear the question. “If who didn’t take what?”
She’d refreshed her makeup, which meant she looked less like a teenager who just got dumped. Her smile was wobbly, but she seemed better.
Gaspar raised both eyebrows, passing the question to Otto.
“We’re talking about the missing money. From the Colonel’s apartment in the Dakota. That’s what seems to have started the general on this killing spree.”
Pauling served a piece of pizza on her plate and a bit of salad, too. She twisted the top from one of the beer bottles and swigged.
Otto said, “So the question is, who took the money? The general believes you took it.”
Pauling chewed for a while. “Why does he think that?”
“Probably because Brewer told him,” Otto replied.
“I see.” Pauling continued to eat her food. “How do you know Brewer said that?”
“Brewer told us that after the money was found, he’d turned the matter over to you. He said you handled it from there.” Otto ate a few bites while she waited.
Eventually, Pauling said, “I see.”
“Brewer’s dead now, Lauren. His wife, too. Parnell killed them both. Don’t you want Parnell to pay for that?” Otto asked.
“Of course, I do.”
Gaspar said, “You know it’s a crime to lie to federal agents in the course of an investigation, Pauling.”
“I haven’t lied to you, Gaspar.”
“You haven’t told us you didn’t take the money, either.”
Pauling cocked her head and swallowed her pizza. “Is there any chance that the money Lane had in that apartment wasn’t dirty?”
Otto said, “Not likely.”
“Maybe the money was put to better use than gathering dust at the Dakota. Maybe people who deserved it were helped. People Lane had maimed or left for dead, like Scavo.” She swigged the beer and picked up another forkful of the salad. “Scavo needed a place to live and medical treatment he couldn’t afford. He got that. If there were more like him, how can that be a bad thing?”
Otto nodded. “That’s true. Did you help Scavo and people like him with the money, Lauren?”
Pauling shrugged. “Scavo said Reacher gave him the money. We all heard that.”
“So you’re saying Reacher took the money?” Otto asked.
“Scavo said Reacher is the one who helped him. Maybe Reacher had money from somewhere else?” Pauling ate more pizza, drank more beer.
Otto shook her head. “Reacher never seemed like the Robin Hood type to me.”
Pauling replied, “I thought you’d never met him? How do you know?”
“She’s got you there, Sunshine,” Gaspar grinned. “Got any pizza you’re not going to eat over there?”
Otto pushed the box toward him.
She might back Pauling into a corner. But did she need to? The three of them knew Pauling had taken the money from the Dakota, just like Gaspar said before Pauling walked in. No reason to make her admit it. Not at the moment, anyway. They had bigger issues to handle. She’d say nothing more on the matter for now.
“True, I haven’t met Reacher. But the Boss says I may have my chance very soon.” Both Pauling and Gaspar stared. “General Parnell is still in the wind. The Boss says he’s on his way here. Law enforcement is looking for him all over the country. He says Reacher usually has his ear to the ground and is bound to hear about the manhunt. When he does, the Boss says Reacher will show up.”
“Sounds reasonable.” Gaspar grabbed another slice of pizza.
Pauling seemed energized by the suggestion. Her eyes brightened and her face lost about ten years of worry. Her eyes fairly sparkled. She looked for all the world like a woman in love.
The truth gobsmacked Otto the moment she recognized it.
Pauling in love with Reacher?
The mere idea was like walking down a long corridor of distorted mirrors, where reflections were grotesque versions of reality.
How could a woman like Pauling possibly be in love with a man like Reacher?
Otto wouldn’t have been more amazed if Pauling had pulled a mask from her face to reveal a lizard under the fake skin.
Gaspar, of course, saw the situation differently. “Let’s hope the Boss is right.”
She stood to pace the room. “Let’s go over the important things we found in all the new files. Lauren, you start. Anything we all need to know?”
They each shared the salient points they’d uncovered, making sure all three were up to speed. By one thirty, they were ready for bed. Pauling insisted they stay overnight.
“I’ve only got one guest room. Gaspar, you get the couch.” She smiled. “And tomorrow, we’ll get you both some more suitable clothes.”
“Suitable for what?” Gaspar said.
“There’s a big annual fundraiser for the local cancer center on that yacht you saw earlier. I’m on the board, and I’ve volunteered to help. Starts at noon and ends after sunset. I can’t miss it,” Pauling said, looking from Gaspar to Otto and back. “Besides, we’ll be better off away from here. If Parnell gets inside and doesn’t find the money, he may give up.”
Otto doubted Parnell would give up. He’d already killed four people. Nothing about him suggested he was likely to stop there.
“Lots of great stuff on Worth Avenue, Kim.” Pauling smiled, woman-to-woman. “There’s no better shopping in the country. You’ll love it.”
Gaspar groaned.
In the end, they agreed to stay simply because they had nowhere else to go.
Otto checked the Boss’s phone one last time before she went to bed. No word on the manhunt for Parnell. Which couldn’t possibly be a good sign.