Page 42 of In Too Deep

“Do you have to be alive to try?”

—

Knight unplugged thecomputer and carried it to the walk-in refrigerator. She set it down on Gibson’s chest, just like she had done with the notebook when she took his prints. Then she looked up at Reacher.

“Is he a righty or a lefty?”

Reacher said, “His watch is on the left.”

Knight took hold of Gibson’s right hand and twisted it around until the tip of his index finger made contact with the computer’s key. The screen unlocked. She mouthed a silentthank youand took the computer into the kitchen. She rested it on the counter and set about scrolling through a list of files until she found one she liked the lookof.

—

Paris was sittingbehind the wheel of her Land Rover. Her arms were crossed. Her lips were pressed together. Her purse was on the passenger seat next to her, propped open. Her Walther PPK waswithin easy reach. She caught sight of Vidic hurrying toward her and she was tempted to grab it. And use it. But instead she just locked her door and turned away.

Vidic tapped on the window.

Paris didn’t look at him. She said, “Go away.”

“I’m here to apologize. You’re right to be mad at me. Just not for the reason you think.”

Paris didn’t answer.

“Open the window. Come on. We’ve only got a minute. Don’t ruin everything now.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

“Open the window. Please. It’s important.”

“Fine.” Paris cranked the handle until the glass dropped halfway down into the door. “What?”

Vidic leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “Listen carefully. I told the stranger we were going to rob the safe first and Fletcher’s job would be second. Truth is, the job happens first. Fletcher and Kane are not coming back from it. I’ll bring the stranger here. He’ll move the safe. His eyes will be on me as I make a big show of breaking into it. He’ll be dreaming of his million dollars. And you’ll put a .38 in the back of his head.”

“Me?”

“What? You just said you were capable. You shoot him, we take the cash, and we dump his body at the Russians’ place. It’s another layer of insulation. We were never there. We jumped ship with Bowery. Fletcher and Kane ran the job. They brought in the stranger. That was a mistake. Everything went to hell.”

Paris blinked her eyes four times. Five. “How do you know Fletcher and Kane aren’t coming back?”

Vidic didn’t answer.

“Oh. That’s why you want me to stay here?”

“No point both of us getting blood on our hands.”

“Do you have to kill them?”

“I’m not leaving hostages to fortune. We have too much at stake. We leave them alive, either one day they come after us themselves, or they get caught and use us as bargaining chips. We need a clean break. No risk of blowback. This is it.”

“I guess.”

“I’ll text you when I’m fifteen minutes out. Hide in the cave. Be ready.”

Paris thought for another moment. “We’ll have to leave my gun at the Russians’ place.”

“Correct.”

“Shame. I like this gun.”

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