Page 6 of In Too Deep

“I don’t follow.”

“You’re not trying to help me. You’re trying to save your own ass.”

—

Reacher followed Vidicinto a kind of entrance hall. It was a large space. Octagonal, with a tiled floor; leaded windows either side of a heavy, studded oak front door; a crystal chandelier; wood panels on the walls; a bunch of oil paintings of outdoor scenes; and a staircase that divided three-quarters of the way up and branched off in two separate directions. Reacher expected Vidic to make for the obvious exit but when they reached the foot of the stairs he peeled away and headed for a smaller, plain door on the far side. He was moving fast and he placed his feet carefully to avoid making a noise. Reacher was slower and less discreet.

“Hey!” Vidic spun around. His voice was a low hiss. “Quiet!”

Reacher said, “Why?”

“So no one will hear us.” Vidic spoke slowly and stressed each word, like he was dealing with a child.

“No one, like who?”

“Well, for one, if Fletcher’s here, you can bet Kane won’t be far away.”

“Who’s Kane?”

“Fletcher’s buddy. His right-hand man. Acts like his bodyguard. A psychotic Neanderthal scumbag, essentially. Not someone you want to cross paths with.”

“Sounds like exactly who I want to cross paths with.” Reacher raised his voice. “Kane? Can you hear me? Get your ass down here.”

Vidic stretched up and tried to put his hand over Reacher’s mouth. “What the hell are you doing?”

Reacher pushed Vidic away. “Saving time.” He raised his voice another notch. “Kane? This guy says you’re a scumbag. Is that true? I kind of think it is.”

Vidic sank down until he was sitting on the third step and covered his head with his hands. “Will you stop? You’re going to get us both killed.”

“Kane!”

There was still no reaction. No angry voice. No heavy steps approaching from some other part of the building.

Reacher turned to Vidic and said, “Seems like you’re wrong. This Kane guy isn’t here. So where else could he be?”

Vidic straightened up. “Why do you care? This isn’t your mess to clean up. I’m giving you a way out. Why won’t you take it?”

“Because I have a rule.”

“A rule? What are you talking about?”

“People leave me alone, I leave them alone.”

“And if they don’t?”

“I don’t.”

“You know that bringing you here, this whole thing, it was Fletcher’s idea, right? I didn’t know what he was going to do. I was justtrying to save your life. I thought that wreck you were trapped in was going up in flames.”

“Kane. Where is he? And everyone else who’s tied up in this.”

“You’re never letting this go, are you?”

“Now you get it.”

“OK. Give me a moment. I need to think.” Vidic’s focus shifted to some distant, imaginary horizon and his eyes darted from side to side for a few seconds like a chess player planning his next moves. Then his gaze snapped back to Reacher’s face and he said, “Come with me. I have an idea.”

Chapter5

---