The Protector

8

As Jamie drove quickly through Albany's sunset-tinted streets, Cavanaugh needed all his energy to explain. "We gave Prescott the name and phone number of a bank, along with an account number. After he laundered his money, he was supposed to wire a hundred thousand dollars to a document forger who lives here in Albany."

Following Cavanaugh's directions, driving as fast as the speed limit allowed, Jamie rounded a curve and entered a park. The motion increased Cavanaugh's dizziness, but he didn't let Jamie suspect, for fear that she'd reduce speed. Nothing mattered except reaching their destination.

"The forger had a Social Security number, a passport, a driver's license, a birth certificate, credit cards, an entire identity kit and new name ready for him." Cavanaugh took another deep breath. "All Prescott had to do was decide how he wanted to change his appearance: dye his hair or shave it, put on a fake mustache while he grew one, whatever. Once he made a preliminary attempt to alter his looks, the forger was going to take his photograph for the passport and the driver's license, and Prescott would be ready to start his new life. We'd planned to take him to her yesterday morning."

"Who-"

"Karen Atherton. I've been trying to remember if any of us mentioned her name to Prescott. I think Duncan did. Only her first name. But that, the name and phone number of her bank, and her account number would be all Prescott'd need to find her."

Reducing her speed a fraction below the limit, Jamie passed a police car at the side of the road as she left the park. "How could her account number help him find her?"

"Prescott's hidey-hole at the warehouse was filled with electronics. I'm guessing he's as skilled with computers as I am with weapons. Knowing the bank's name, armed with an account number…" Cavanaugh's voice faltered. "Are you okay?"

"Just getting my second wind." Cavanaugh forced himself to keep talking. "Armed with an account number, a hacker wouldn't take long to get Karen's name and address off the bank's Web site. But there's another way."

Continuing to follow Cavanaugh's directions, Jamie entered an upscale residential district of spacious yards with towering trees in front of remodeled nineteenth-century homes. "How?"

"He's one of the most natural elicitors I've ever come across."

Jamie was familiar with the term: someone with the essential tradecraft ability to draw information from people without seeming to.

"Pretend you work at the bank's account-information department," Cavanaugh said. "I'll pretend to be Prescott phoning you." He made himself sound impatient. "This is about account number five five seven six three. My wife and I got married three months ago. She called your department to change her name and address, but we haven't gotten any statements since then. I contacted the bank several times about this. Damn it, can't anybody down there help? The account should be for Karen Washburn.'"

Jamie took a second to realize what the intimidated bank clerk would probably say. " 'No, sir, Karen Atherton.'"

" That was her name before we got married. The address is Four four four Crestview Lane.'"

" 'No, sir. Two five six Morgan Avenue.'"

" That's where she used to live. That's why her bank statements haven't been getting to us. Would you make sure the changes get made?'" Cavanaugh lapsed out of the impatient tone. "See how easy it is?"

"Prescott's shrewd enough to manipulate people that way?"

"Hell, he manipulated me. What makes me feel especially foolish is I kind of liked him. At the warehouse, he was scared to death, but he never allowed himself to lose control. He did everything I told him to. At the bunker, he wouldn't have started the fire unless he felt absolutely cornered. It's difficult to imagine the amount of courage he needed to try to kill us."

"Courage?" Jamie looked confused. "You sound almost as if you admire him."

"Admire him? I hate him more than I've ever hated anybody in my life."

The weight of Cavanaugh's statement made them go quiet for a moment.

"The house is just around the corner," he said.

Jamie turned onto another street with big yards, stately trees, and majestic old homes. A lawn mower droned.

"There," Cavanaugh said. "That Victorian."

It had two and a half stories, with peaks, gables, and a long, wide porch, painted white, the trim gray.

"Park down the street." Cavanaugh eased down so he wouldn't be noticed. "Far enough away that if Prescott's in there, he won't see the car."

"Why is there a ramp next to the porch steps?" Jamie asked as she passed the house.

"Karen's in a wheelchair. She's crippled from a car accident."

"And yet she chooses to live in a two-and-a-half-story Victorian?"

"Actually, the house suits Karen fine. It has a reconditioned elevator that dates back to the 1920s. She gets from floor to floor with no trouble. She's even able to use the toilet and climb in and out of the bathtub by herself, which is why the answering machine bothered me-normally, she's able to answer the phone." "Unless she's out of the house." "A possibility. But what if she isn't?"

"Call the police. Tell them you think a neighbor's in danger."

"The police have a sophisticated caller ID system. They'd trace the call to your cell phone, even though you've got the number blocked. If something's wrong in there, they'd link you to it."

"Then use a pay phone."

"How seriously would the police treat that?" Cavanaugh asked. "Would they decide the call was a prank? Would they hurry over, or would they wait until a patrol car was in the neighborhood? If they didn't get an answer, would they barge inside to make sure everything was okay? And if everything was okay but they got a look around, they might start wondering what Karen did with the high-tech printing equipment and the blank documents. No. Karen might be in danger right now. There's no time to try to convince the police. I have to do this."

"You make her sound more important to you than just someone you work with."

"She's the sister of a friend I had in Delta Force."

Jamie looked as if that wasn't a compelling reason.

"His name was Ben," Cavanaugh said. "He bled to death while I carried him back from a mission."

Jamie studied him.

"Karen was his only family. I promised I'd take care of her."

"Then we'd better make good on your promise." Jamie executed a U-turn at the end of the block and parked facing the house.

She and Cavanaugh got out of the car.

"You can't come with me." His Kevlar vest felt heavy under his shirt and sport coat.

"But…"

"If Prescott's in there things could turn ugly fast."

"I can help."

"If we had a pistol for you"-Cavanaugh had taught Jamie how to use one-"maybe you could. But I can't let you risk your life when you don't have a way to protect yourself. I'll be so preoccupied that I can't protect you, either. The best thing you can do is stay in the car with the cell phone in your hand. If I call and yell for help…"

"I'll floor the accelerator and get to the house. If I have to, I'll drive up onto the porch."

"Good." Cavanaugh smiled and held her, careful with his shoulder.

"You were talking about bravery a minute ago. I don't understand how… Aren't you afraid going in there?"

"Afraid for Karen. She's all I'm thinking about."