outside.” “Wait a minute, then some of them should have seen your mother pass

by.” “I’m sure they did.” “And the wooded area? Why did you take a picture of

that?” “Because it would have provided cover for someone waiting to jump her. So

if something happened to her, I’m betting it would have happened there. And if

no one from Building Q reported seeing my mom pass by, although she would have

been in full view of the perimeter guards, then whatever happened to her must be

connected to Building Q.” “And what, the guards were told to say nothing?”

“Exactly.” “But what do you think happened?” “Paul told us about his last

victim, Audrey Moore.” “Right. But her body was never found.” “I checked on her.

She was a chemist. And she disappeared on the same night my mother did. No one

connected it because no one knew from where Moore had disappeared.” “What are

you getting at, Puller?” He didn’t answer for a long moment. “My mother was

taken because she saw Audrey Moore being killed by Paul.” Now Knox seemed unable

to find her voice.

 

Finally she said, “But Moore’s body was never found. All the others were.”

“That’s because he didn’t have time to dump her body.” “You think your mother

frightened him away?” “No. I don’t think anything could frighten that guy. I

think Paul had to run for it because he was interrupted by people who could kill

him or imprison him. Again.” “Building Q. Claire Jericho!” Puller nodded. “Paul

never saw my mother. He never laid a hand on her. It was the people from

Building Q. She saw things she couldn’t possibly be allowed to tell anyone.”

Knox let out a gasp. “So you’re saying she was just in the wrong place at the

wrong time?” Puller nodded. “Yeah.” Knox’s brow furrowed. “And Bristow? When she

never showed up at the Bristows’ he probably assumed she didn’t care about him.”