Page 70 of In Too Deep

Knight checked the screen. “It’s your buddy Wallwork. Shouldn’t you see what he wants?”

“Damn.” Reacher took the handset and hit the answer key. “Yes?”

Wallwork’s voice sounded hoarse. He said, “Where are you?”

“At the motel where Gibson met his handler. Although we have new information about that meeting.” Reacher looked at Knight. Her sheet had slipped down a few inches. He had a feeling that wasn’t an accident.

Wallwork said, “Shame. I was hoping you’d be far, far away by now.”

“Why?”

“Two agents are on their way there. To look for you and Detective Knight.”

“Us? Why?”

“Pretty much everything you touched yesterday has gone to shit. When the agents got to the Russian place, Kane had escaped. At the cave, Vidic and Paris had gone missing. Bowery was dead. And when they searched the gang’s house an agent tripped a booby trap. A vial of phosphorus had been propped up behind a door, right by Gibson’s body. The entire place burned down.”

“Sounds like a fiasco.”

“No kidding. Although it’s not a total loss. They have Fletcher. And several vehicles, including Gibson’s, which was recovered from the crash site. His cellphone was still inside, wedged down the side of the driver’s seat. They pulled prints and DNA from all over the place. The DNA will take a while but the prints were confirmed as his. And when the fire department releases the house, I’m sure our techs will confirm human remains. Probably won’t be able to pull DNA from them, though.”

“So why are the agents coming after us? None of this is our fault.”

“They want to talk to you both. I guess Knight is about to find out what happens to people who help you.”

“Talk to us about what? We didn’t lose any suspects. We didn’t light anything on fire. And we only left the scene because you asked us to.”

Reacher heard a rustling sound from the bed. He glanced over and saw that Knight was kneeling up, now. The sheet was pulled right up to her chin and her face was suddenly pale.

Wallwork said, “I know. But the loss of Gibson’s body complicates the formal ID. And with a couple of the other guys in the wind the bosses want as much information as possible to help kickstart the search. And, Reacher?”

“Yes?”

“I need you to do me a solid here. Go along with these guys. Don’t resist. Don’t run. Answer their questions. And don’t get smart. Can you do that?”

Reacher didn’t reply.

Wallwork said, “This is important. You know how the politics work. If we had gotten a result I would be a genius for thinking outside the box. That’s kind of my thing. But if this goes south all the blame will land on me, instead. For sharing sensitive information with an unauthorized person. You. I could be in seriously hot water. I could get fired. I could lose my pension.”

Reacher didn’t respond.

“They’ll only need you for twenty-four hours. Forty-eight, max.”

Reacher laughed.

“What’s funny?”

“That’s exactly what Vidic said to me at the start of all this. I didn’t believe him, either.”

—

Reacher was standingat the window, looking out for the agents’ cars. Knight was sitting on the bed, lacing up her shoes. “I’m so pissed at myself. So pissed. I should have seen it.”

Reacher said, “Take it easy on yourself. You weren’t the only one there. I saw it. I didn’t figure it out.”

“I don’t meanseenit literally. I should have seen the implication. The possibility. The blindingly obvious certainty. How could you have done that? You’re a Luddite. You don’t even own a phone. What do you know about Siri? Virtual Assistants? Voice control?”

Reacher shrugged.

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