A Murder in Time(152)

Cooper inclined his head toward Leeds. “Associate Director Leeds, give us your report.”

“We know who is responsible,” said Thompson. “The production company coordinator, Mrs. Peters, identified the photo of Kendra Donovan—”

“I must not have made myself clear.” Cooper cut Thompson off without raising his voice. “I specifically asked Associate Director Leeds to give us his report.”

Thompson turned red at the rebuke. Pressing his lips together, he folded his arms in front of his chest and glared at Leeds, as though daring the FBI head to contradict him.

Ignoring him, Leeds clicked open his briefcase. He took a moment to put on his reading glasses, and then opened a manila folder.

“Special Agent Donovan set up a false trail to Mexico, but she actually flew out of New York’s JFK under an assumed name. She landed at Heathrow, rented a car, and drove to Aldridge Castle. There, Agent Donovan inserted herself into Stark Productions, posing as an actress. Several of the participating actors identified her as Cassie Brown.”

“Do we know if any of them were involved?” asked Cooper.

“We have run thorough background checks. I am of the opinion that Agent Donovan acted alone. While personable, Donovan tends to be a loner. She was estranged from her parents. She was friendly with her colleagues at the Bureau, but had no close ties. She was committed to her job, which is why I believe she took it especially hard when she lost members of her team during the raid to take down Balakirev—a raid in which she nearly died herself, it should be noted. I believe she was in a compromised state of mind.”

Cooper raised his brows. “And yet she had the wherewithal to send you on a wild-goose chase to Mexico while she flew to England for her own purpose—a purpose in direct opposition to the United States of America’s stated interests.”

“You no doubt have read her file, sir. Agent Donovan is a brilliant woman and an exceptional agent.”

“And now she is a rogue agent.”

Leeds frowned. He couldn’t argue with that. Still . . .

“We have arrested Mr. Lupe Ruiz. He owns a cantina and has a side business of creating illegal IDs. He confessed to supplying Donovan with several passports, no photos. Donovan has the computer skills to do that on her own. Hell, she has the computer skills to forge her own passports.”

“Why didn’t she?”

Leeds shrugged. “Maybe she didn’t have time. Or she knew we were watching her. We’ve also discovered that she transferred money to a bank account in the Cayman Islands, which has since disappeared.”

“She has no intention of returning,” said Thompson.

“Donovan has been clever,” Leeds said slowly. “And yet several things puzzle me. Sir Jeremy was found shot in the heart. According to the coroner, he died instantaneously.”

“So? She’s a good shot.” Thompson shrugged.

“Yet three additional bullets were recovered. The fireplace was scored by one bullet and a second shattered a vase. The third was found embedded in the wall. What was Donovan firing at?”

“Maybe she’s not such a good shot,” Peter Carson said. “It took her three attempts before she managed to kill Greene.”

Leeds shook his head. “I personally know that Kendra Donovan is an excellent shot, and there was no indication of a struggle at the crime scene. Sir Jeremy was hardly likely to stand still while Agent Donovan shot at him.”

Cooper frowned. “Perhaps someone else came into the room.”

“Greene was the only body found. I can assure you, if Agent Donovan was the one pulling the trigger when a second suspect entered, they’d be dead, too. And . . .”

Cooper prodded Leeds when he fell silent. “Yes?”

“Agent Donovan would never shoot at an innocent bystander. She would not murder someone to—forgive me, but to put it crudely, to save her own ass.”

“She murdered Greene!”

Leeds looked at Thompson. “Greene was far from innocent.”

Cooper steepled his fingers, his expression thoughtful. “You mentioned several things. What are the others?”

“Ricin was discovered mixed into the wine in the room where Greene’s body was discovered. It would’ve been poetic justice, had Greene died of ricin poisoning. But again, we have a puzzle, gentlemen. Why shoot Greene when she had every intention of eliminating him with the ricin-laced drink?”

“Plan A and Plan B,” Thompson suggested. “She planned to poison him, but he refused to drink it. She was forced into Plan B—shooting him instead.”

“Possibly,” murmured Leeds. But he didn’t think so. He continued, “The third puzzle, if you will, is that Special Agent Donovan left her bag at the castle. It contained clothes, money, and a passport that identified her as French citizen Marie Boulanger. She also left the rental car. Why?”

“She had other transportation,” argued Thompson. “We already know she had other passports.”

“But why bother securing other transportation? And who would have brought it to the castle? That would require a partner she trusted. It would also mean questions. And even if she arranged for someone to pick her up, why leave her things behind?” Leeds shook his head. “What we have here is a mystery.”

“It’s no mystery if she had an accomplice,” snapped Thompson. “Maybe she had a lover that you were unaware of.”