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“Like you saw from the pictures, they’re a mixed bag, young kids from all over the world.”
“Not uncommon for first-class recruiters. Any flags, t-shirts with writing, posters, or anything?”
“Not without rummaging through their drawers. We’ll get inside tomorrow.”
“Excellent.”
“I wish I knew how many people were in the villa. I mean, we just got here yesterday, and it’s not enough time as far as gathering information. The element of surprise would be on our side, but I just don’t want to get blindsided by going in there and finding out there were more people than we thought. Now on the other hand, if another load of males happen to show up at the villa, then we’d be screwed.”
“Well, in that case, we probably have to initiate something else. Although I think any of you could handle probably a couple dozen, I just don’t think it’s a good idea until you have all the information. I’ll roll with whatever you think. It’s probably not a good idea to contact the president yet, but I’ll leave that up to you. We don’t have anything definitive, other than the theory he slipped in under an alias.”
“I concur. I think we ought to wait and know exactly who’s there. See if you can identify any of those pictures I sent. If you need something more specific, like you need one particular guy’s close-up or something, you let me know and we’ll try to get her done. I have a high-powered lens that does remarkably well, so if you need something in more detail, just let me know.”
“Will do. I’ll get working on those photos right away. With the face recognition software, it should be a piece of cake.”
“One additional thing, Admiral. The guy, Lipori, the shooter—is there any chance that we’re wrong about that?”
“I don’t get your meaning.”
“He just doesn’t fit the profile. I expected him to look like a cold stone killer. He looks like the kids who write poetry at the coffee houses. He looks like he has parents who care for him, not some lone wolf terrorist hellbent on destroying good people. No question he was there and in Africa too. But I have to wonder why.”
“You mean you don’t recognize the face of pure evil? When they’re good, you can’t tell. You know this, Harper. You’ve seen it before. By looking like a college kid, he’s adopted the perfect cover. Easy for him to pick up girls he could convince to help him. He gets to play the hero in a messed up, evil show.”
“Lydia was expert at reading people. And I don’t think she caught on, either.”
“Don’t think about it. She didn’t have any reason to think something like that could even be possible. She’s an innocent. Now you get to find out why, not to punish yourself, but to help us make sure it doesn’t happen to other innocents.”
Harper knew Patterson was right. And he was good with the direction. They’d started to become friends, even.
“One more thing before you go. I’d like a list and pictures of the aid workers that were supposed to be working there, when they started, and when they were to stop, plus what country they were from. You must have that because you talked about DNA of remains.”
“I’m sure we have that. Anything else?”
“I want to know who the survivor was.”
“Survivor? There weren’t any.”
“That’s what I thought too. That’s what I was told when they came to the house with the box. But then, who took the picture of the guy holding Lydia? You told me it was a survivor. Where did that picture come from? It wasn’t on Lydia’s camera. And how come it got brought back to me with her washed and folded clothes? Someone took the time to locate her cell, not to erase it, but to send it back to her family. Who would do such a thing?”
“I have no idea, Harper. But it’s a mystery we better get solved ASAP. Someone out there knows something, and we have to find them.”
“Unless someone in the group is trying to help us. Could that be possible?”
Patterson paused and then added. “I’m going to tell you what my old man used to tell me all the time growing up. ‘Jerry, you ain’t that lucky.’”
“That’s funny. Your dad was a funny man.”
“He was a son-of-a-bitch, but the Navy got me out of the house. If that’s everything, I’m going to get started on that list and the pictures.”
“Make sure you get their job descriptions too.”
“Will do. You sound nervous, Harper. This stuff got you spooked?”
“Honestly, I took out a guy I was told was responsible for Lydia’s death. Even though he was guilty of far worse, I don’t want to do that again. I just want to get it right. No mistakes this time.”
“Roger that. An admirable goal, Harper. Talk to you later on tonight perhaps.”
“Will do.”
