Hard Line - Pamela Clare Page 0,46
Dr. Holcomb, the probability of suicide is low. She had no history of depression and made it through austral winter last year without any psychological issues. Given that methanol was found in a bottle of commercially produced wine, I doubt it was accidental. Someone had to pour the methanol into that bottle.”
Thor checked his email, opened the file Shields had sent him, and scrolled through the names, his heart giving a kick to see Samantha there. “I got your list.”
It had details for each person and a set of new questions to ask.
“Let’s go through the list one person at a time.” Shields read the first name. “Kazem Hamidi. He certainly has the scientific background and capability to hack a satellite. He’s an Iranian national. The Agency doesn’t show any links between him and the Iranian government or any extremist elements, but that’s not conclusive.”
Thor hadn’t forgotten what Samantha had told him. “He also had an interest in Dr. Holcomb and showed some aggression toward her.”
“True—but there’s more.” Shields glanced at her notes. “He claims he was in the lounge the night she was poisoned, but no one else places him there. Not a single person you interviewed remembered him being there.”
That was suspicious.
“And Bai Zhang Wei?”
“He’s a Chinese national who worked on top-secret Chinese military projects before landing the job at UC-Berkeley researching neutrinos. He says he was in his room asleep the night Dr. Holcomb was poisoned, but Nick Pappas, his research partner, says Wei was still in the IceCube facility when he walked back to the station at midnight.”
“What about Lance Barclay?” Thor didn’t like the guy. “He and Dr. Holcomb were intimate. He’s shown he can be aggressive and controlling.”
“He’s got the necessary computer skills, for sure, and he was the last person to see Dr. Holcomb healthy. He claims he went back to his own room to sleep. But Charli Ortega, the coms manager, remembers seeing him in the computer lab late that night.”
“Kristi Chang, the nurse?”
“What?” Jones’ gaze snapped to Thor’s, disbelief on his face.
“She’s a first-generation American, but her grandparents have ties to the highest levels of Chinese government. That in itself doesn’t mean anything, but we found three bank transfers from her grandfather in Beijing to her account for a total of almost a hundred grand.”
“You’ve got Jason Huger listed.”
“Jason has a juvenile record. We were able to get the details unsealed. When he was a junior in high school, he was arrested for hacking and harassment after he doxxed a girl who turned him down for a date.”
That didn’t surprise Thor at all. “He hasn’t changed much.”
“He’s only twenty-four. High school wasn’t that long ago.”
“And Dr. Park?” Thor fought to keep his expression neutral.
“She’s got the skills, and no one remembers seeing her anywhere after dinner.”
Thor knew that Samantha had spent the night in her room. She was too much of an introvert to hang in the lounge without her best friend. But he didn’t say this.
Shields continued. “The FBI and the Agency have nothing on her. No suspicious bank deposits. No ties to foreign governments. But Lance Barclay says she and Dr. Holcomb argued that night after dinner.”
Thor hadn’t interviewed Barclay, so this was news to him. “She’s also the person who found Dr. Holcomb—found her and got her medical attention.”
“I agree it’s unlikely, but I felt we had to include her.”
Thor let it go—for now. “What about our Russian friends?”
“They might play some role in this. They could have a contact on station. What’s the best thing to do if they’re unsuccessful retrieving the technology from the crash site?”
“They stay with it and wait for a chance to acquire it,” Segal answered.
Shields smiled. “Exactly. My guess? That’s why they’re there.”
Thor wrapped up the meeting. “Thanks for this. Get some rest.”
“Remember that we’re outside the hacker-killer’s game plan.” Tower’s face appeared on the screen again. “This is not how they expected things to go. They certainly didn’t plan on Cobra showing up on the scene. They’re going to get desperate, and desperate people do desperate things.”
Her hair still wet from an extra stolen shower, Samantha stood in front of her mirror, looking at her naked body, trying to make peace with her reflection. Yes, she had small breasts, but they were sensitive. Thor had kissed and caressed them, driving her crazy. He’d called them beautiful, delicate.
She cupped one, ran her thumb around its nipple, remembering how amazing it had been to have Thor’s attention focused entirely on her.
You’re beautiful, Samantha.