“When did you start following me?” Kendra asked.
“The next day. I knew you were getting FBI help that I couldn’t tap, so I started following you to see where it led. Good thing because that’s why I was there when those thugs tried to bottle you up and cart you away.”
“You have no idea who those men were?”
“No idea. They came out of their van wearing those ski masks.” She mockingly inclined her head. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
Kendra smiled. “Thank you.”
“You must have seen the vehicle they were driving,” Lynch said. “You should have reported it to the police.”
“I put a tracker on their van on my way in, but they must have found it and given it a toss.”
“Plates?” Lynch asked.
“Stolen. They were pros, whoever they were. I’m sure they ditched the vehicle within minutes.”
“Probably,” he murmured.
“So what did you find out today?” Jessie asked.
“Your crackerjack sources didn’t tell you?” Lynch asked mockingly.
“There’s a bit of a time lag. The FBI has been pretty good about keeping Santa Monica PD posted on the status of the investigation, but they aren’t always timely. Find out anything interesting?”
Kendra turned to Lynch. “I want to tell her.”
“Your choice. This is your show.”
Kendra turned back to Jessie. Everything she’d told them lined up with the truth as they knew it. She found herself wanting to trust her.
“First things first,” Kendra said. “How long have you been following me today?”
“Since an hour or so ago, when you left the FBI field office.”
“Okay. We’ll start there.” Kendra told her about Waldridge’s appearance on the security video and their visit to the Baldwin Hills Walmart store.
Jessie was silent for a long moment. “Well, at least we know Waldridge is alive, or he was at that time.”
Kendra nodded. “We just need to find him.”
Jessie’s brow wrinkled in thought. “Maybe it’s just a matter of drawing him out.”
“That’s assuming he has his freedom. Someone was sure keeping close tabs on him at the store.”
“I’d like a frame grab of the person you saw watching him.”
“We can get you that.”
“Good.” Jessie hesitated, looking between Kendra and Lynch as if something had suddenly occurred to her. “Just out of curiosity, how much do you know about me?”
Kendra shrugged. “What could we know? Only what you’ve told us.”
“That’s not really true, is it?”
“What do you mean?”
Jessie got to her feet. Her entire body language spoke of wariness and defensiveness. “I told you I’ve done my research on you. If what I’ve read is true, I bet you knew quite a bit about me even before today.”
“I may have picked up a few things.”
“Like?”
She might as well tell her. In spite of Jessie’s toughness and wariness, that defensive attitude reflected a certain vulnerability. If she thought Kendra was hiding anything, it might get in the way. “I did think you were ex-military from your attack stance the other day, and now I’m sure of it.”
Lynch painfully touched his side. “My kidneys are also sure of it.”
Kendra stood up and slowly walked around Jessie. “You were in Afghanistan. Your father was also in the military. Your family moved with him, including quite a bit of your childhood in Western Europe. You were probably born in Bakersfield, where you spent your early years.”
Jessie smiled. “Tehachapi. About forty miles southeast of Bakersfield.”
“And I was doing so well. At least I think I was.”
“You definitely were. And still are. Anything else?”
“You’re a marathoner. You’ve done the Bay to Breakers run in San Francisco and the Honolulu Marathon. But for exercise you usually just go to Gold’s Gym, I’m guessing the one in Venice.”
Jessie nodded. “Wow. If I knew you better, I’d high-five you right now. And I usually think high fives are idiotic.”
“Then I take that as a compliment. Oh, you vacationed in Fiji a few years ago.”
Jessie gave a low whistle.
“And you or someone you know has been in Bermuda fairly recently.”
“My then-boyfriend about eight months ago.”
“It was clearly an amicable breakup.”
Jessie nodded in amazement. “Holy shit.”
Lynch leaned back and crossed his arms. “I keep waiting for this to get old, but it never does.”
Jessie bit her lip. “I can’t see it getting old, but something about this is really pissing me off.”
“You asked for it,” Kendra said.
“You’re right, I did. I guess I’m just uncomfortable being such an open book.”
“You aren’t,” Lynch said. “At least not to anybody except her.”
She was staring directly into Kendra’s eyes. “I consider myself a fairly private person. I think I’d feel better if you told me how you know all this.”