AFTER THE INITIAL shock wore off, and Mischa had made it clear that yes, it was her, and yes, she had a gun, and yes, she was more than willing to use it, Benito grew perfectly still, his hands gripping the armrests of his seat and his eyes trained forward. "How did you know?" he asked.366Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGnKr7SN4T
"How did I know----you'd come here? you told me, you asshole," she said. "You told me all about your little secret when you attend your movie premiers."
Benito let out a brief moan. He obviously didn't remember telling her.
"You've got five minutes to tell me what happened or I'll pull this trigger," she said. "Keep in mind, Benito, that I'm already serving a life sentence for murder. I kill you, I don't kill you, same sentence either way."
Benito didn't move, but his breathing was becoming labored. It probably had something to do with the gun against his neck, and the fact that she was pressing it harder still to make her point.
"Tell me how this started," she said. "And make it snappy."
"How this started? I don't know how this started...."
"Now, you listen to me," she said through gritted teeth. "You and I both know you lied on the witness stand. You ruined my life, my acting career. So if you think I won't happily end yours...."
"Okay, okay, just----don't shoot." She was now gripping his hair tightly with one hand and drilled the gun into his ear with the other. "Okay, I'll tell you," he said.
Colonel LaForge checked his watch as he paced his office. He had reports coming in from more than twelve agents throughout Paris, who were themselves receiving reports from other agents in the city. He'd been giving instructions and monitoring events through his headset all day long. He'd probably walked five miles within this office.
Now it was dusk. With darkness falling over Paris, the focus would probably shift, because Mischa's behavior would change. She would be seeking a place to sleep. If she picked a hotel, the odds were good they would catch her. If she didn't, she'd be looking for something like an isolated park or a warm train station.
But all that, he realized, was assuming that Mischa simply chose Paris as a place to hide. If she had a particular goal in mind, then all generalizations about fugitive behavior went out the window.
He jumped as his aide, Cendrine, burst through his office door. "Sir, you have to see this," she said. "Someone has a television on in the conference room."366Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtgoZ4HsNI
There was a flat-screen television on the wall of his office. Cendrine worked the remote until she found the channel she wanted.366Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBja4V97ewp
On France 24, a correspondent was just signing off on a report from the Cinema Lamarcke on the Champs-Elysees.366Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6TNE1ZTuj
LaForge blinked twice, staring at the television in disbelief. Was it that easy?366Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYHUhnb40K
He ran out of his office without saying a word.366Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiI6ExqqLU
