He said, “You saw the list of people he dealt with, they’re all over the world, and all very powerful. Was he simply mailing classified information to the highest bidder inside the books they bought? If so, it’s rather elegant, actually, and very old-school. Al Qaeda, for example, uses handwritten notes for their biggest operational plans since computer communications between terrorist franchises aren’t secure.”
She nodded. “Okay, yes, it’s the only safe way of moving information in this new digital age, especially since it’s virtually impossible to erase information.”
He said, “You’re right. I can resurrect nearly any hard drive. Everything leaves a footprint, no matter how ghostly. And to think, Pearce’s son is a well-known hacker. I’m going to say father and son were in cahoots.”
“Cahoots? From a Brit?”
He glanced at her, saw she was smiling. “I’m flexible. And yes, cahoots. Now I hope Sophie Pearce is going to give us some real answers.”
When they stepped off the elevator, Nicholas said, “I recall something in Pearce’s files about a company out of Germany doing groundbreaking nano-biotech work. There wasn’t a name, but I’m sure it would be easy to find. Do you remember Pierre Menard, from FedPol?”
“Of course. How could I forget him? He was smart, fast on his feet, and the biggie, he really liked me. Maybe you, too, but not as much.” Menard had been a vital part of their search for the Fox and the Koh-i-Noor diamond.
“I’m going to call him. Maybe he’ll know of a German nano-biotech firm that would fit the bill.”
Ben ushered them into the room next to the interview room where they could observe Sophie pacing, back and forth, muttering all the while.
“She’s mad,” Nicholas said. “It’s fun when a witness is mad, they tend to lose control more easily. I really don’t understand, though, why she’s s
o upset.”
“Pretty obvious, don’t you think?” Mike said. “Her dad was murdered this morning and now she’s trying to protect her brother. We’re the cops, her brother’s biggest enemy.”
“Here’s something else,” Ben said, handing Nicholas a transcript. “There was so much, we got Agent Jack McDermitt on loan from the Investigation Unit. He and Gray took apart the forensic data from Pearce’s phone and computer, looking for ties to his son, and to any foreign entities who might benefit from the plans of the spy satellite. Here’s the extended transcript of the texts from Pearce’s phone back and forth to EP—Adam Pearce. Father and son were searching for something, what we don’t know since it’s all coded. But Gray and Jack both think it’s something major.”
Ben was right, the conversations were indecipherable, full of abbreviations and numbers. Nicholas wanted to study them himself, but they didn’t have the time now. He folded the papers, stuck them in his jacket pocket.
“See anything?” Mike asked.
“Like Ben said, it’s all coded. We need some time and the key, a codex of some sort. We’ll ask Sophie, odds are she knows what it all means. Ben, will you watch, see if anything stands out for you?”
“Of course.”
He said to Mike, “Do you want to be the good cop or the bad cop?”
She punched his arm. “Can’t you tell I’m the spitting image of Glinda the Good Witch?”
“Let’s do it, then,” and he crossed the hall into the interrogation room.
27
Nicholas stomped into the room, impatience and annoyance rolling off him, heavy as a noxious cloud. He took a seat across from Sophie Pearce and stared at her, his look dark, violent, scary, because he didn’t say a word. Mike followed him more slowly, stood against the wall, her arms crossed, silent.
Nicholas said without preamble, his voice hard and low, “We know you’ve been lying to us, Ms. Pearce. We know the young man you called Kevin Brown this morning wasn’t an old employee. We know he was your brother, Adam. We have a warrant out for his arrest, and every law enforcement official in the tri-state area has been informed of his acts of treason against this country. They won’t go easy on him when they find him. Trust me on this, you want us to be the ones who take him into custody. Now, tell us how to find him or we’ll arrest you as an accessory to murder.”
Nicholas had taken her off guard. Mike watched Sophie Pearce press back against the chair, maybe a bit afraid now, but then she got hold of herself. She even sat forward, ready to face him down. She said very deliberately, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He leaned forward as well, their foreheads nearly touching. He looked ready to strangle her, but still, she didn’t move, didn’t pull back. “Of course you do. We don’t have time for any more evasions, any more lies. You will tell me where your brother is.” He sat back suddenly, tapped his fingers on the tabletop, loud in the silent room. “Don’t you understand? After your father’s murder this morning, we learned we aren’t the only ones looking for your brother. It’s clear his life is in danger.”
Mike was right, this was the way to get to her. He saw a flash of fear in her eyes.
Mike said from behind him, “I know you love Adam, Sophie, and that’s why you’re protecting him. Believe me, I respect that. You’ve lost so much today. You shouldn’t have to go through this, too. And—”
Nicholas cut her off, his voice steel-edged. “If you don’t tell me everything, you’re going to lose not only your father, but your brother, too. So where is he, Ms. Pearce? Where is Adam?”
She’d wavered, he’d seen it, but now she looked him straight in the eye and said flatly, “I don’t know.”
Nicholas slammed his fist on the table, making her jump. “You’re lying. I can see the pulse in your neck race faster with every single lie.”